Evangelina Green by Susan Firtik Read Free Book Online Page A

antlers as weapons, they did have those wicked, sharp
hooves. Snakes began slithering toward them, making the tall grass
undulate and move as if it were the live creature.
    Pete was still on the ground slowly
recovering from her beating. He stared wide-eyed as he looked up at
Lina, surrounded by animals and birds and now snakes! Nothing
moved. Not one twitch from any of them. They sat there, silently
watching him. Several mangy dogs sat in a circle around him, not
making a sound. Panting and just watching him with glassy,
unnerving, dangerous stares. Lina stood over him and looked him in
the eye choosing her words carefully.
    "You will never come here again. You will
never come near me or mine ever again!”
    Suddenly the wind picked up. The sun dimmed
and the temperatures dropped. Pete was trembling now, reacting in
fear not the cooling air. Lina’s eyes took on a green glow bathing
them both and the garden in a green light. Pete was whimpering now,
crab-walking as fast as his bulk would carry him.
    "I’ll leave! I promise I’ll go far way!
You’ll never see me again. I swear! Please don’t let them hurt
me!!”
    He begged and whimpered again. He quickly
stood and waddled away. She didn't take her eyes off his retreating
back until he was completely out of sight.
    The sun slowly came back out. The animals
sauntered back to their respective places in nature. Lina suddenly
fell to her knees gasping for air, her eyes shut tight. She heard a
faint whisper on the wind:
    Welcome home, Green.

CHAPTER FOUR
    Keaton examined the litter of kittens handed
to him by a serious doe-eyed six-year-old child. Her long blond
curls surrounded a worried face almost completely filled by those
big blue eyes. Huge eyes on such a tiny creature, and they were
brimming with unshed tears. Clothed as she was, he knew she
couldn’t pay for this vet visit. The shirt she wore as a little
dress was many times too big for her boney frame. Probably one of
her older brothers cast offs. She was the only girl, and the
youngest of a brood of kids, nine at last count. Her mom wore a
mask of hope over her tired features. She was a mother out of luck
and funds, but with a deep love for her little girl. The child
stood tall next to her mom.
    “ I’m Kim, and these are
mine.”
    "Well...let’s see what you have here, Kim.”
He lifted the basket of solid white fur balls, counted five and
looked her in the eye. “Hey! These are really special kitties!”
    The little girls face brightened a little,
but she still appeared doubtful. “Really?" She whispered.
    "Sure they are! They’re the first kittens
we’ve had all day and that wins the prize!” he smiled.
    "They do?" She was finally smiling a little
and seemed somewhat interested.
    "Yup, that means they all get a new home
with me—except for one.” He waited to gauge her reaction.
    She lost her tentative
smile and looked panicked. "NO! These are my kitties!
    Her mother looked lost but tried to soothe
her baby.
    "Honey, Dr. Keaton is right.” She hugged her
little girl, looking over her head at him for help.
    Keaton knelt down to the
girl’s level. "Kim, you don’t understand, you’ll get to keep one
kitty and it will get free visits forever. You can come to the new office at
the mansion which is closer to your home and visit the other
kitties we have, any time you want to."
    He felt the mother stiffen. "We can’t come
out there…" she whispered to Keaton, "that place is...just not
right. Maybe cursed. Maybe not. But I can’t take chances. Not with
my little girl.”
    Keaton nodded at her, watching Kim stroking
the kittens, oblivious to the adults. He understood the people in
this area, so near the Bayous of Louisiana and New Orleans with all
the Cajun influence. They believed what they'd been told was true,
and it took a whole hell of a lot of convincing to change their
minds. Kim had apparently decided to agree to Keaton’s deal. He
prompted her.
    "Pick the one you really, really love the
best."