GENESIS (GODS CHAIN) by Nikolaus Baker Read Free Book Online

from every corner .
    “Another, please,” Drew slurred as Tom Milligan, another regular , entered from the freezing cold night, rubbing his chilled hands.
    ‘It’s a cold one, Drew , ’ he said, referring to the bitter turn in the weather.
    ‘Aye , that it is Tom. That it is. Cold for the time of year , ’ Drew replied in a broad Ayrshire dialect as he tossed off the drink set before him. ‘I’ll be away to milk my herd. ’ His voice had a pleasant lilt to it, oscillating up and down tunefully as it did.
    ‘One for the road , then?’ Tom queried , nodding to the barman.
    ‘Aye why not Tom ? A whisky , ’ Drew replied , only too glad for the excuse to stay inside. The men settled in their seats, grumbling a little and grunting appreciatively as their drinks were set before them.
    ‘What do you think that was then, you know, last night?’ asked Tom, finally .
    ‘Do you mean all that shaking and shoogling? No idea , Tom. It woke me up — the bedstead was bagging off my head!’ shouted Drew in distressed remembrance. ‘Woke me up good and proper. I could not get back to sleep after that —not a wink all night .’
    ‘Aw , too bad, it is a bit worrying , you know. The papers don’t know what to print!’ came a voice from by fireplace across from the b ar . The man was an e state worker named James , who was a distant relation of Baron Murray Argyll Thom —he worked the e state on the outskirts of the village over and past the Hilltop , to the e ast of Ayrshire . He rubbed his hands over the heat of the small fire.
    ‘I’m sure that it’ll be no good for my beasts — it’ll be sour milk tomorrow, ’ added Tom .
    ‘It’s to do with all that “Global Warming , ” so they say —they’re always talking about it in the television , ’ added James with a nod .
    ‘Maybe . T he paper is full of it , ’ Tom agreed . ‘What do you think , Mr McCourt ?’
    The owner had a reddish comple x ion and curved moustache . He just smiled and nodded his agreement , focusing mostly on polishing the silver tankards that hung above the bar. He took them off from their hooks one by one, seem ing lost in thought. Mr McCourt was the superstitious sort—he looked a little panicky and did not reply.
    ‘Aye, strange happenings , indeed Tom , ’ Drew cackled strangely . The two men smiled smugly at each other.
    The t avern stood cosily warming, in stark contrast to the Italian r estaurant that glittered from shadows directly across the road. The restaurant had been established only a few years ago , and was called Giovanni’s Bar Napoli. Unlike the bar, Giovanni’s was frequented by strangers, often r ather unsavoury types —unknowns in the smallish village, which was unusual and nerve-wracking . Mr McCourt had thought the restaurant would never take off , but u nfortunately it had proved very popular with incomers from neighbouring larger towns and some well-to-do families .
     
    **********
     
    The earthquake story never even reached the national papers, and the story only r a n in a few local new s papers in front page headlines that screamed:
     
    “ EARTHQUAKE STRIKES VILLAGE as INSURANCE HITS ROOFTOPS! ”
    and
     
    “ TREMOUR in TOWN — OLD FOLK SCARE!”
    then
     
    “ THE EARTHQUAKE that NEVER WAS!”
    and then
     
    “COUNCIL BLAMED for QUAKE FEARS!”
     
    The closest u niversit y , thirty miles away in the c ity of Glasgow , had advised the The Village Chronicle that there had been very little abnormal seismic activity in that area , although acknowledging that there was a well - known natural fault line that ran through this part of the c ountry side . The university professionals claimed that the quake was an overreaction of villagers unused to shaking earth and T he Chronicle followed their lead, to the consternation and outrage of locals who had seen and felt the massive disturbance.
    There were a few rumours of a national cover-up and claims that the council was in denial run in local pamphlets,