Page 40 of Hollow

“That is brilliant,” Jack said. “I’m totally on board with getting you set up on my page. We can get you some solo posts started. I’ll need to make you an account. We’ll have to figure out your angle.”

“Will this angle involve speaking?”

“Hmmm.” Jack strummed his fingers along the chin of his pumpkin head. “Actually, that could be your angle. It adds mystique, intrigue, and a perfect counterbalance to me.”

“Because you never stop speaking?”

“Well, yeah, mostly. Your channel can focus on trending audios and guest appearances from me.” Jack paced the room, continuing to list off all the ideas he had for Dimitri’s official deep dive into social media. “Maybe we should get you a little whiteboard, so you can communicate without talking. No, that might go from cute to cunty.”

“Why would that be cunty?”

“Hey, I don’t make the rules.” Jack shrugged, as if he weren’t the only person rambling about the laws of social media and then skipping past any explanation. “We need to define your style, though.”

Jack eyed Dimitri up and down, giving him a scrutinous look with his shadowy eyes.

“I suppose hot bum is making a comeback, but we’re going to need to flash it up just a little so it looks effortlessly stylish instead of stylishly effortless.”

Dimitri blinked at Jack, attempting to understand the difference between what he’d just said. “Now, you are just throwing words around to confuse me.”

“Maybe.”

Jack’s eyes lit up in this adorably mischievous way. Dimitri always found his antics endearing.

“We should head to town and make a video.”

“Why not make it here?”

“I mean, we can make some here too, but I have a brilliant idea.”

Dimitri sulked a bit. Going to town was such a headache. Humans were everywhere, and they always stared. The good news was, thankfully, most of their stares fell to Jack as he pranced about, constantly making a spectacle of himself.

“What kind of video?”

“It’s a surprise.” Jack waved Dimitri toward him. “Do you like surprises?”

“No.”

“Well, you’re going to like this surprise.”

“Doubtful.”

With that, Jack led Dimitri out to his truck, and they drove into town. They passed through Sleepy Hollow and reached the interstate.

“I thought we were going into town?”

“I mean, we’re going to a town.” Jack grinned. “Trust me. You do trust me, right?”

Dimitri nodded and eased back into his seat. He did trust Jack. So much so that the natural tension that crept inside him washed away as Jack sang along to the music playing on the radio.

When they arrived at their destination, Jack pulled into a parking space close to the mall. Dimitri stepped out hesitantly, eyeing the parking lot for passersby.

“Do the people here also know of your content?”

“Maybe?” Jack shrugged.

“I only ask because they may not react so casually.”

“Oh, ‘cause the whole…” Jack gestured to his pumpkin, then to Dimitri’s horns.