The Little Cheeseboy

Chapter 7

The streets of Boulderwich were flooded with the many circus freaks that made way to their jobs or other inquiries. Isabel followed Hugo who was walking past the station and into the illuminated city streets with the life-sized buildings that lived in it. It was definitely bigger than Cleveland but Isabel couldn't make out how such a vivid and huge steampunk freak city could stay so well hidden in the woods. 

"This place is massive!" Isabel exclaimed as a hot air balloon flew past her head. 

"This is the capital in the freak county so it is the biggest city," Hugo said as he continued walking past the crowded streets. 

"You know a lot about this stuff after all," she said smiling. 

"Yeah I have been doing some research over the years," he said. 

"Stay close to me though I don't want you getting lost," he said as Isabel scooted a little more next to him. 

"Who are we going to see?" she asked all of a sudden. 

"I have never met this person but he or she goes by the 'shapeshifter'," he said as both teens crossed the street to the other side. 

"So this person may be dangerous?" Isabel asked nervously. 

"I have never met this person but according to this journal the shapeshifter only has this information towards the clockmaker. There's a supposed address here in my journal, I think that is where we can find him or her," he said as he continued to walk.

 Isabel continued to admire the infrastructures of the town and the beauty it held, her father's stories kept flashing through her memory, the same description her father had told her was now in front of her. 

She wondered if the rose garden was still there or if the woman and the man of her father's story were real. How could her father know so much though? Had he been hiding something from her? She shrugged the thoughts off her head until the view of the street came into view the street was covered in taverns and midnight cafes with the circus freaks already making way to have a good time. Isabel wanted to go too and explore the new world she was brought into but she knew she had only one reason to do this. 

Suddenly Hugo took an abrupt stop in front of a tavern without a sign but the loud clatter could be heard from the outside. Isabel got closer to Hugo as both teens made their way past the wooden door while a flash of an alcoholic stench and swing music flooded their bodies. 

The tavern was least to say full with girls in corsets and skirts dancing with men in trousers and caps. They didn't seem to mind that both teenagers came in from the outside, they were too busy either drinking or dancing to the electro-swing music that was too good to say no to. Their feet tapped loudly against the wooden floor as their shadows moved freely against the cushioned walls with hanging chandeliers. Hugo made his way to the bartender who was cleaning out a mug with a rag. 

"Hello, we were wondering if you could help us with something?" Hugo said to the bartender who only raised a brow. 

"Only if ye buyin something," he said letting out a huff. 

"Okay we'll have an RC Cola," he said smiling. 

"Fine then," the bartender said smugly as he tucked his apron. He grabbed two small cups and poured the soda into both cups then handed them to Hugo and Isabel. 

"Okay so what ye wanna know?" he asked. 

"Do you know about the shapeshifter?" he asked as the bartender rubbed his hand through his half-bald head. 

"She used to run this pit but she disappeared shortly after," he explained.

 "Do you know where she went?" Hugo encouraged.

 "No, but I do know it was because of this man who was chasing her down ye know," he said. 

"A man?" Isabel asked. "Ye, somethin with an' Mupit was it? I don't remember," he said rubbing his head again. 

"Munink?!" Hugo exclaimed. 

"Ye, that guy. That's all I know kids," he said before turning around revealing a pair of bat wings that almost made Isabel yelp. 

"So what now?" Isabel said frowning.

 "I don't know...maybe we could-" Hugo started until he was interrupted by a pair of arms grabbing him from his shoulders and pulling him to the dance floor. 

"Hugo!" Isabel said running after him. 

Suddenly both Isabel and Hugo were in the middle of the dance floor. 

"Sorry about that," a voice said behind them. Both Hugo and Isabel turned around to see what seemed conjoined twins with two heads and one body.

 "We just hate seeing such a cute couple not dance because they are shy," the one with the propeller hat said smiling. 

"You mean only you! Stop scaring the customers!" the other one said pushing his glasses back. "Wait a minute you work here?" Hugo asked with a glow on his face. 

"Um...yeah," they both said in unison. 

"Ok so maybe you can help us-" he said but then was cut off with the propeller hat twin. 

"First you must dance with the lady," he said making both Hugo and Isabel blush, both had already danced together but in private and not public. 

"You see we just need-" Isabel started but was cut off again. 

"First dance a song then we'll listen," he said stubbornly. 

"Fine!" Isabel said angrily as she grabbed Hugo's arm and pulled him close enough for him to grab her waist and hand. 

"Let's do this," she said smiling.

 "You know how to swing dance? I thought you didn't know how," Hugo said dumbstruck. 

The truth was Isabel did not know how to slow dance with a boy but swing dancing was fun with her father who taught her since she was little. 

"I have a few secrets," she said blushing.

 "Okay let's do this," Hugo said as the new song began to play. (Play Lone Digger by Caravan Palace) the music jammed through the speakers as Isabel felt her feet shuffling and tapping against the same wooden floor. 

Her heels lightly tapped the floor as she felt herself being swayed by the music. Hugo, on the other hand, felt a different Isabel, a more confident one than the one he had met on the train. She wasn't frightened much, she was strong and passionate that made Hugo feel like he was dancing in flames.

 Isabel laughed as she twisted and turned her body to the rhythm of the music that made her feel like there was no tomorrow. Hugo brought her down and up quickly before spinning her again as he felt her waist turn in his hands, it was suffocating and intoxicating him for some reason. 

He could smell and almost feel the scent of strawberries and trees that covered her. Her smile was so unique and beautiful...Hugo then realized he was slowly falling for her and that scared him. Isabel, on the other hand, was unaware of what she was doing to Hugo, she was having the time of her life. 

The modern taste of swing music was something she had never heard before but made her want to dance all night. All of a sudden the song ended and both Isabel and Hugo were panting with sweat hanging on their foreheads.

 "Wow," both twins said eyeing them both. 

"Now can you help us?" Isabel said with a smirk. 

"Sure thing folks come this way," they said as Isabel and Hugo followed them to sit in a booth. 

"Okay so, first of all, I'm Joe and this is my serious brother Mark," the propeller hat twin said as Mark rolled his eyes. 

"I'm Hugo and this here is my friend Isabel," Hugo said with a smile. 

"Nice to meet you," Joe said smiling. 

"So we were wondering if you knew where the shapeshifter has gone to?" Hugo asked the twins. 

"Who wants to know?" Mark asked raising a brow in suspicion. 

"We do, the shapeshifter is the only one who can tell us about the clockmaker," Hugo explained. 

"And why exactly are you two looking for the clockmaker?" Joe asked. 

"He is the only one who can help me get rid of my curse," Hugo explained briefly. 

"I see and what about her?" Mark asked pointing at Isabel. 

"She is looking to bring back a loved one," he explained for her. 

"Oh and I thought you two were a thing," Joe said pouting which made Isabel flinch. 

"Look we know where she is but how can we trust you?" Mark said rubbing his hand through his brown hair. 

"We have no bad intentions, I just want to be human," Hugo said frowning then looking down. 

Isabel gave him a sad look, he only wanted to be normal again. 

"Okay we will help you but we will also go with you since we just need to make sure you are not lying," Joe said.

 "What?! Who will take care of the tavern?!" Mark exclaimed raising the right hand. 

"Jesse can do it and besides it'd be fun to give her a visit," Joe said happily. 

"No," Mark said but Joe gave him puppy eyes as his green orbs glowed.

 "Ugh fine but we need to rest out to head over there tomorrow," he said rubbing his eyes.

 "Okay then you guys can stay with us too if you need a roof," Joe said only to make his brother groan in frustration again. 

"Oh thank you so much," Isabel said smiling. 

"Our apartment is above on the second floor but it's soundproof so you won't hear a thing there," Mark said as all teens made their way up the stairs to meet a comfortable apartment with nice furniture and a small boxed TV. 

"You guys will get the guest room," Joe said as he showed Isabel and Hugo the nice comfortable room...with one bed and an armchair. Isabel felt the hairs in her neck stand up as Hugo sat down on the bed. 

"Thanks for this guys," Hugo said with a sincere smile.

 "Anytime make yourselves at home, oh and there is a shower on the hallway to the right in case y'all need to wash that sweat off ya," Joe said before closing the door behind them. 

Isabel gave Hugo a horrified look but he looked calm. 

"You wanna shower first or-" 

"I'll sleep on the armchair," Isabel quickly said. 

"No you'll sleep in the bed and I'll take the armchair," he said frankly. 

"But-" 

"No 'buts' just go take a shower and I'll go after you," he said yawning. 

"You shower?" she asked raising a brow. 

"Gotta stay clean one way or another plus it doesn't make me moldy or anything," he said with a smile.

 "Oh okay," she said before exiting the room and making way to the shower room. 

Isabel started by taking off the dress Amy had given her revealing her thin and maturing body form until she turned on the shower's waters and stepped in feeling the cold water drain all the sweat off her. 

Her bow stood on the sink counter that peered over to her as Isabel rubbed her hands through her red and thick hair with shampoo. 

She then scrubbed her body lightly with a rose-scented soap bar until she felt satisfied. After that, she put on a towel around her body only to come out of the shower room to be facing Hugo holding a pink sleeping gown with a scarlet face. 

"Um this is for you, it was the shapeshifters but...Joe told me you could have it," he said turning away. 

"Thanks," Isabel said grabbing it quickly then closing the shower room door. She quickly put on the sleeping gown feeling its silk cover her body then come out to find a still blushing Hugo. 

"It's your turn to shower now," Isabel said as she left the door open for him. He only nodded as he scurried in closing the door behind him. 

'Weird,' Isabel thought only to make her way to the guest room and drop herself on the bed as she fell asleep, she had a journey to make tomorrow.