| There Is a Sky |
| By Lyndsey L |
| Part 3 |
| 54th Street "Looten?" sneered the boy. "What the hell kind of name is that?" A sharp shove had sent Looten sprawling from the top of the slide into the dirt. Looten looked up from where he had been; he must've fallen at least ten feet. As he struggled to get up, he felt a little dizzy and had trouble standing. He leaned against the ladder, his left hand clutching the side of his head, grimacing in pain. He glared up at his assailant. "Dammit, Tommy, leave me alone! Or else I'll�" "Or you'll what? Set your psycho daddy on me? I'm surprised you're not de�OUCH!" Tommy stared in surprise at the growing stain on the sleeve of his t-shirt where the carefully thrown rock had hit him. He snarled and narrowed his eyes. "You wanna try that again Plunder?" Looten smiled and laughed almost hysterically. "Believe me, Evans, you're the least of my worries." He began to walk away, stumbling a bit at he did so. Then he stopped and turned. "And no, I'm not dead yet." Tommy Evans turned pale on top of the metal slide in the heat of that July. ******************************************************************************************************************************************** there is no room Yes. If anything is to be done, this will definitely be the first thing. Looten Plunder stood on the corner of 54th and Main Street, standing across from the most hated place in the town,save for the graveyard. The house was close to being condemned, if it had not been already. Peeling, faded red paint peppered the front of the house; all the shutters' hinges had either rusted off or were hanging by a few bolts. The front yard was the same as usual, only more overgrown due to years of neglect. Most of the front windows on the ground level had been broken or shattered. This was good. Most likely no one lives here now. He inhaled a deep breath, and walked up to the porch. He was right. The place was deserted. Looten tried the doorknob; it fell apart in his hands and he pushed open the door... and felt sick. Why did I come here? He stepped over the threshold of the doorway. He stiffened. What sort of twisted hope could this satisfy? Boards creaked under his polished leather shoes. What? Tell me! He stood at the foot of the stairs. Look up. Looten couldn't tear his eyes from the floor. Do it or I'll kill you, boy. He felt something snap deep within him. For the first time since entering the town, he addressed his hallucination. Kill me? Plunder smiled a sick, unhealthy smile. I got you first. And guess what? I'll kill your precious preserve next. He kicked over a chair. Don't fall asleep. He laughed. ******************************************************************************************************************************************** Argos Bleak regarded his employer with a sort of fearful curiosity. The slightly spooked look that was formerly in Plunder's eyes was gone. Bleak cringed slightly under his strange stare. There's something not right in the man's face, Bleak reasoned. Looten spoke. "Have you contacted Greedly?" Bleak nodded. "Yes sir, he is presently on his way." "Good." Plunder glanced over his shoulder, as if looking for someone. "Also Sludge and Nukem?" Argos fumbled with his cell phone absent-mindedly. "Sludge needed to�ah�take care of some things, and Nukem mentioned something about 'materials' of some kind�" "And�?" "They'll be here within the week." Plunder smiled, briefly showing his canines. "Excellent." ******************************************************************************************************************************************* What are you doing, boy? ~Nothing.~ Looten walked calmly down the street, Richard following him closely. Shit, child, LOOK at me when I'm talking to you. What are you going to do? ~I'm going to do what has always needed to be done.~ He looked up. ~And you're going to get one, even if you're dead.~ The apparition laughed. You're sick you know that? You are one screwed up little shit kid. You've always been fucked in the head. Try to teach ME a lesson? Good luck, son. You can't punish a dead man. Dust floated up towards the sky, that endless expanse of blue. ~I found a way.~ ******************************************************************************************************************************************** The child seated in the tree could not understand why this strange man was talking to nothing at all. Part 4 |