2. "Uh, thanks."
Nicole smiles. Jacob coughs.
"Uh, do you really think encouraging a kid to use guns is --"
"You're the one who wasn't paying enough attention to stop her from doing it in the first place," you interrupt, "and besides, maybe she should learn how to shoot. I think the social gun/little girl taboo has gone right out the ffu - the window, don't you?"
Jacob just shakes his head.
You turn back to Nicole. "But maybe you should start with something a bit less... large," you say, eying the sawed-off.
"I could give her lessons," David offers.
"Uh, we'll talk about it later," you say. "Come on."
The three of them follow you up to the porch. Nicole stands almost directly behind you, hiding her face.
"Uh, George, this is Jacob," you say.
Jacob steps forward, holding out his hand. "A pleasure."
George shakes it heartily. "Pleasure's all mine," he says, grinning with big teeth.
"That's quite a handshake you have there," Jacob says, withdrawing his hand, a bit gingerly.
"Aye, I've always held by that you can tell a man by the quality of his handshake," George says.
You gesture at David. "This is David."
David simply nods. His eyes are withdrawn behind his lenses.
"And this," you say, stepping to the side, "Is Nicole. Come on, kid. Say hello."
Nicole looks up briefly. "Hi," she says, then steps behind you again.
"She's shy," you say.
"Well I see no reason for it," George says. "Such a pretty little thing, she could be a model. Annabelle!"
Hurried footsteps. "Yes, George, honey, what is it?" Annabelle says, emerging from the interior.
"There's a little girl here. Why don't you take her inside, show her Casey's room? The menfolk need to get to talkin', I reckon."
"A little girl? Where?" Annabelle says. She comes forward to the door, and you gently push Nicole in front of you.
"Awwww, aren't you the sweetest little thing!" Annabelle says. "I could just eat you up. Won't you come inside?"
You bend down and whisper in Nicole's ear. "You want to go with her? It's OK. I think it's safe."
it's never safe
Nicole stares up at Annabelle for a long moment. Finally she says, clearly, "You lost your sons in the war."
Annabelle looks startled. She simpers a bit. "Now how could you know about that?" she says, looking at Nicole carefully.
"I see them. They're standing behind you. The taller one's face is all bloody. There's a hole where his mouth should be." Nicole says, flatly.
Annabelle turns white. George even looks a bit disturbed. "Now how in blazes could you ... who are you people?" he asks.
"I'm sorry," you say quickly. "Nicole is a bit odd. She hit her head, we think. She says weird things sometimes. I don't rightly know what's wrong with her."
George shakes his head. "How could she know about Donald? Listen, is this some kind of joke? Because --"
"It's no joke," Jacob says. "Please, it must be a misunderstanding. A coincidence, perhaps. Nicole told me just the other day that she saw flying monkeys digging a hole in the lawn. She's just playing around."
Annabelle has one hand to her mouth. She's looking at Nicole intently. "You... you say you can see them? My boys?"
Before you can answer, Nicole again speaks in that same flat inflection. "Yes. The smaller one is crying. He misses you."
George shifts uncomfortably. "Maybe you four should leave. I don't need my Annabelle getting all upset all over again," he says.
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1. Apologize for Nicole, and agree that leaving would be best.
2. Apologize for Nicole, and ask to stay, at least for awhile.
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Author
Topic: The End (Read 57499 times)