Thursday, June 6, 2013

Hollow World Book 3 Chapter 5


PreviousNext

Clink. Clink. Clink.

The Pennyman stood within the barn listening to the whining and, watching as the the man with the shotgun, Mike, checked his three fallen companions, and cursed.  He then dragged the third one, the one that was whimpering away from the other two.

“Come on, get up,” the man with the shotgun said and, with some help, the man who Sam had shot twice in the shoulder, managed to get into a sitting position.  After resting for a minute, and with more help, he was standing.  “Let’s get you looked at,” Shotgun man said as they headed for the main cabin.  

The Pennyman walaked out into the large circular driveway and dropped his bag with a resounding thunk, followed by the sounds of the obols within settling.  Kneeling down, he undid the clasp on the bag and took two of the ancient coins from within.  He stood and walked leaning over Jesse.  He opened the man’s mouth and placed the obol on the dead man’s tongue, closing the man’s mouth, and his eyes.  Gary, the other fallen man received much the same treatment, an obol in the mouth, on the tongue.  

It was when he stood up again that he realized he was not alone.  Another farmhand had come around to the front of the barn and was staring, mouth agape.

“What do you think you’re doing huh?”

The Pennyman ignored him, picking up his bag of obols.

“Hey, I asked you a question.”
Continuing to ignore the man, The Pennyman took one step away and then lurched, the bullet entering his back.  He turned and faced the man, jerked as the second slug entered his chest.  A smile upon his face, the Pennyman took a step in the direction of his attacker, and took another shot to the chest.  The second step was not accompanied by a bullet, but by a scream from the man.  The third step and the Pennyman was no longer there.

He looked out over Graham’s army.  The warmth from the large bonfire at the center of the camp did nothing for him at this distance, but he was not there for the warmth, or to converse with Graham.  He was not even there for a body.  He peered down into the encampment and spoke into the wind…

“We had an agreement, Uncle.  See that you keep to it.”

Clink. Clink. Clink.

PreviousNext


No comments:

Post a Comment