Twisted City by Jeremy Mac Read Free Book Online Page A

most illnesses and injuries. Those infected
with The New Disease, who currently number twenty-eight, are quarantined on
their own floor, which if you really think about it is a friendlier form of
death row.
    Several
water fountains were built around the town, connected through a piping system
from a larger one with a filtering system located in the middle of town,
supplying clean water to anyone at any time. The water system is also a
hydroelectric source for the town’s power.
    Fruit,
vegetable, and flower gardens are cultivated both hydroponically within the
buildings and solarly on building roof tops, and
although the sky is on average overcast gray, the gardens produce well. Chicken
coops, rabbit warrens, goat bins, and hog lots are abundant as well.
    Lathan
understands why the Maddick’s are overwrought with envy. He tells Taya that he
is surprised they haven’t tried to invade yet.
    “They
have. They’ve tried to cross over the walls. We have men who work in shifts
that walk them at all times, like those you saw at the front gate, and if
someone tries to cross over unauthorized then they will be shot. They always
run off before any shots are made though. But one time two of them got in
somehow. Before anyone knew it they killed six people, but they were caught
before they could kill any more.”
    “What
happened to them?”
    “James
had them executed and strung up near Maddick. To set an
example.”
    That
perked his attention.
    “Has
there been more around since then?”
    “No.
But if Vincent was to bring everything he’s got then it could turn into a war
and that scares us all. We’ve got plenty guns and ammunition but Vincent
probably does too, and now that he’s captured two of our men they’re probably
being tortured for information just like my uncle said, so now it’s not a
matter of if he will attack, it’s a matter of when. Vincent may even try to
negotiate with Stan and Jonsey’s lives, but he can’t
be trusted, he is pure evil.” Taya downcast her eyes. “I can’t help but think that I would be right there with them if I hadn’t
gotten away. The things they must be going through. . .” Her brow furrows and
her chin trembles.
    He
hopes like hell she doesn’t start crying. He can do without the emotional
drama. Holding her close and caressing her softly under different circumstances
would be enjoyable, she is quite beautiful, but playing comforter to a sob case
isn’t something he is up for right now.

14
     
    They
enter the residential area of The Pinnacle. What was once office space has now
been converted into family homes, bringing the near perfect concrete and steel
ecosystem to full circle.
    Kids
play wiffle ball in the middle of the street,
running, shouting, laughing, while a dozen grown-ups from the sidelines cheer
and encourage the young’uns. The rickshaw cyclist stops at Taya’s request so
they can watch the game. As they watch, something unrelated catches Lathan’s
eye; two young boys off to the side stick fighting, whacking their stick-swords
together and  taunting one another in playful
mannerism.
    It
takes him back to another time and place long ago. A time
when he was just a boy himself. A time when confusion
and ignorance are pesky annoyances at the birth of pubescence.
    “Never
overextend your swing,” Sinsai said. “If you put too much into it and don’t
keep control of your sword you will leave yourself open and off balance.”
    Young
Lathan rubbed his ribs where he’d been whacked with the wooden sword, the
result of his overextended swing.
    “Again,”
Sinsai instructed.
    Lathan
attacked. This time, fluid and controlled; swing, block, follow through with a
counter swing. Of course Sinsai blocked everything Lathan brought to him, but
Lathan was learning.
    “Very
good,” Sinsai said.
    And then Sinsai attacked, fast and
fierce. He
came at Lathan with an overhead downward swing followed by a right swing to the
torso and then a forward thrust. All of which