Generation Dead by Joseph Talluto Read Free Book Online Page B

and when they did, it was just a quick glance, here and there.  They walked a little too quickly, held their purchases a little too tightly, and didn’t seem to trust themselves to speak too loudly. 
    I noticed several of the older inhabitants would scowl from time to time, and they were more apt to speak up, but in general, something was off.  I wondered if Julia noticed as well, but she was busy picking up a small ball that had bounced near her feet.  A child, likely no more than five, came shyly over and stood about six feet away.  He looked at her with big brown eyes, and slowly held out a hand for the ball Julia was holding.
    “Peez?”  He said, keeping his hand outstretched with the other tucked under his chin.  I looked up and saw another small child peeking cautiously over a small fence that closed off a tiny yard.  The back gate was open, and explained how the youngster managed to get out after his ball.
    A voice called out from the house before Julia could hand him the ball.
    “Jimmy?  Jimmy!  Where are you?  Jimmy!”
    A young mother, probably no older than Julia, came racing out of the house and scooped up the other child. She raced through the gate and spotted her other offspring.  Running over, she put a protective hand on Jimmy’s head and knelt down by him.
    “Don’t ever leave the yard! You know that!” The woman clutched both children close and I wondered what was causing this fear.
    “But, Mommy, the ball…” Jimmy held out his hand again and Julia stepped over and gave him the ball.
    “Sorry, miss, he was just trying to get his ball back,” Julia said kindly.
    The woman noticed Julia for the first time and gave her a once over.  Julia’s beauty sometimes put women off, but this woman was pretty enough herself not to be bothered.
    “Thank you. He’s all I have, and with the kidnappings lately, it’s been a constant nightmare,” She said, holding Jimmy, who ignored the proceedings and wandered back to the yard.  The woman watched them both go back and turned to Julia.  “Thanks again.”  She turned back to her little house when a harsh voice launched itself across the intersection.
    “Hey!  Where you going?  Where you live, pretty thing?”  A man about thirty came walking down the street, and many people got out of his way.  He was about my height, but he was massive, with fat arms and a large gut.  His face was covered with a coarse beard, almost looking like fur, and his deep-set eyes were mean and dark.  Big hands swung without regard to hitting anyone, and people seemed to scramble to get out of the way.
    The woman stopped where she was and waited her head down and arms to her sides.  Instantly, I was in kill mode, and I didn’t even understand why. 
    “Hey!  Turn around when Carson Casey talks to you!”  The man walked closer, and Julia turned to face him.  That seemed to set him off even more.  “Lookie here!  We can have a threesome!  Ha!’  The man barked at his own joke and stepped closer.  Behind him, I could see another man watching the scene with interest.  He was tall, but thin, and his eyes had a calculating look about them.  I committed his face to memory, because I figured I would see it again.
    I was about to intervene when Jake suddenly appeared.  He had a knife in his hand and a very calm look on his face.  He stepped between the women and Carson, and the fat man nearly fell over trying to stop in time.
    “That’s far enough.”  Jake’s voice was quiet, and from experience, I knew he was not in the mood for talking.
    I stepped out and positioned myself about fifteen feet back and to the left of Carson.  I didn’t want to watch the proceedings. I was more interested in making sure no one came to Carson’s aid. But I could see Jake from where I was. Three men detached themselves from the front of the wine shop, but stopped when I casually took out my tomahawk and tested the edge with my thumb.
    “Who the fuck are you?”