Easter City by iancrooks Page A

Okay, Nip?
Everything’ll be alright, yeah? We’ll just leave and go to the bar
and...”
      I shook my head. “It’s not, Joq…
Nothing’s going to be alright!”
      Julia was unsheathing her sword and
licking it doing this weird dance that earned her deafening
applause.
      Joq’s eyes focused and his mouth was a
hard line. “We’ll go now, Nip. We’ll walk out, and dodge the
manager. We’re friends. I’ll get you out of this.”
      And then the double doors banged open
and lobby light pierced the auditorium. The man with the handlebar
mustache and the bruised kids and their fathers were silhouetted in
the frame.
                                                              
      The music scratched off and there was
an uproar.
      Joq gasped. “It’s them. Nip, it’s the
snot nosed kids I wasted!”
      I stood—hesitated—tensed, ready to
run—but Joq was glued to the seat.
      Our boss beckoned to Julia and she
walked off stage. He whispered something and rubbed her shoulder.
She put her hand to her mouth and dropped to her knees and started
weeping. Our boss flicked a bunch of switches. Light flooded the
room.
      The handlebar boss gestured to the
bruised kids to follow, and accepted the microphone from Julia’s
assistant.
      “Your attention, if
you please! It has come to my attention that there is a pair of
wolves sitting in wait amongst our flock. They will pounce, giving
the chance!” The audience gasped. “These two slimy,
deceiving Cochon brutalized these fine young men—” He wrapped an arm around the
redheads. “—both of whom are employed here at La Rouge—stole their
uniforms and murdered Miss Julia’s only brother and his
friends.”
      Amidst the outcries I thought I heard
someone laugh.
      The handlebar mustache guy leaned over
to the kids. “Gentlemen, point out the facsimiles, if you
please.”
      I didn’t bother shielding my face.
After a bit of squinting the boys pointed at us and everyone in the
auditorium turned like a tide. A bunch of people got up and came at
us and boxed us into the corner. Joq raised his puny fists to ward
off the blows of a man five times his size. Pain blossomed when
shoe made contact with my ear. I tried to get to my feet but people
kept pummeling me.
      Then there was a predatory shriek, and
the onslaught ceased. “Move, all of you! I want them! I’ll kill
them!
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER 7
     
    Wild-eyed Julia was a tempest—the manic crowd
bowed back before her wrath. The ones at the front murmured and
edged away even as more people left their seats to join the circle
around me and Joq.
      My head was pounding and a waterfall
was crashing in my ears but I was sharp enough to see the witch,
sword in hand, break the crowd. The handlebar boss and the redheads
followed her and soon after, Cranston and his cronies pushed to the
front. They were all leering at me and Joq and Cranston’s eyes
narrowed when he recognized us.
      He stepped forward
and placed a hand on Julia’s shoulder. “Hold on dear. I know these
two.” He was making an effort to look down on us—though he didn’t
have to try; if his chin was tilted any further he’d be glaring at
the ceiling. “Yes… These two made a fool out of me and Remmy, I
must say.” He pointed at me. “ T his one set up a diversion while we
were taking punitive measures against its friend for mucking a
sidewalk. They’re deceiving, malicious Cochon .”
      I don’t think Julia heard him. I’d
never seen a person as angry as she was. Sadistic—yes.
Malicious—yes. But she was salivating and her hair was in her
bulging eyes.
      Handlebar boss
stepped forward. “Miss Julia, these—” He spat on Joq.
“— Cochon are not
worthy of a blow dealt by your—shall I say—venerable hand. Hand me
the sword, mademoiselle if you please. I will dispense with
these—”