Olivia Stanton

The Worsening

ISBN-13-9880770074082

 

He swung his stick as he stomped through the woods. He turned and looked. Carla heard the hissing noise again and reeled back around in time to see Old Man’s eyes turning from green back to blue. “I, um, really think I should get going,” Carla said. She cleared her throat as she gave Lee a little tug.

“It’s okay,” the old man said. “He won’t be back, at least not today.” She could see Shifty Eyes had clearly upset Old Man.

"Who is he?” Carla asked.

“Ah, he’s nobody that wasn’t taken’ care of a long time ago. A coward is what he is. He knows what I’ll do if he shows his face. Hell, I did it once, I’ll do it again.”

The old man reached down and rubbed his thick knuckles around the top of Lee’s head. 

“Well it was nice meetin’ you,” he said and stood. He adjusted his long, wool coat and pushed a shiny, gold button through the slot. “Getting a little chilly, don’t cha think?” he asked as he shrugged his coat into place and adjusted his collar. It was then that Carla noticed how imposing the man was. Almost everything about him was perfect and kept. She looked down at his shoes and was sure she had never seen a pair like them before, and she’d never see a pair like them again. 

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