Page 16 - Demo

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14 Black Mask
"It's his birthday. He just has to have it by seven. That's what the man said."
"What's in it?"
"None of your business. You leave me alone!"
He persisted, 'What's his name? How far does he live?"
"It's written down on the box. Go a·way!"
But he wouldn't leave. His eyes fas- tened on the coin that she held. 'Wat- cha holdin' that for? What's he gonna give you for bringin' him the box?"
She began, "He paid me already-" and broke off, fearing she shouldn't have told him.
They were passing a grocery ·store. A light over the counter inside shone on the face of an alarm clock. The hands pointed to seven minutes of seven. Four
blocks to go; she'd have to hurry.
She started across the street. He stayed at her side. He -said, "Gimme
that. I'll take it to him."
She shook her head, and brought her
hand up to drop the dime into the single pocket of her playsuit. Her foot tripped on the curb. She stumbled forward throwing her hands out to save hersell 1:he package _slid loose and began dro~ pmg to the Stdewalk.
It happened fast. He grabbed her tore the dime from her grasp, and sna~ched the package. He deliberately gave her a hard shove that sent her sliding alon the cement on hands and bare- kn g 1
Then with a taunting yell he fiew d~ the street.
trudging back toward the candy store and a double ice creamcone, strawberry
of sand imbedded in the skin.
She cried harder. She fumbled ar
d
clock! It couldn't b_e anything els: but an alarm clock, not m a pa~kage the si7..eof a big cigar box. Most hkely one of those cheap alarm clocks th~t you ~e in dru store windows for et.gthy-rune
lgt asn't worth even two cents to cents. w · H uld'teat
for the handkerchief in her pocketund
wipedher eyes. She felt the sharn edan
th d o£ the oth er
. t'ges 1meand the nickel through
th e CO1 •
. After a w(1ileshe stopped crying. She
tted a knot m the handkerchief and ut h' H couldn't use 1t. e co n
it back in her pocket. She turned arou~d
it:m·He edidn't want it. He'd have the
'
and chocolate.
block
yet but close to it, maybe.
1
• "At
E LOOKED over his shoulder after he had run half a block. The littl e girl wasn't chas-
.ing him. She was standing still, bawl- ing. He ran hard for
ju st
age, his lips movmg, , u let's
to be safe.
. "Leslte Gramm,
another
Then he read the address o~1the pack-
307 Front Street. Gee, tha:\~;f ~locks
nd
more. Hey, old lady, got the time .him.
see now, one, two, two a
An elderly woman stared down ~t Uew
'd "Yes my dear young e ' She sat , ,. ,, nd walked away I do have the time, a
indignantly. h b k and went Hemadeafaceat er ac'tbeseven on down the stree~. It couldn The radio
in ; car parked at the curb spo {ep. 1\11" . fifty-five . 1vJ.., this time every day, six b ht to you
the baseball scores are ;,oug
through the courtesy of- F' e minutes
He didn't hear the rest. iv go
to seven. Two and .a half bl~c;; t~ould
Shucks that was a c111cb.Any Y •
' t1 Jf blocks in five 11111-
utes. at atl? In fact, why hurry? Why go hat he He had the dime. Nobody knew t o1ne-
had the package. Maybe there was s ever
cover two and a a
thing valuable in it. ~obody_ would alked She burst out crying. She picked her- ~ow the difference tf he Just Y'
self up and took a few steps after 11·
but he was far ahead, and gaining. ~~
off with it. h·s ear. He shook the package against t rke.
knees hurt. She looked down, and saw It didn't rattle, but it made a sound
1
·
them scratched and bleeding with b'ts
1
Tick, tock.
He looked at the package in disgu 5t•
A
. ?"
1