Regardless of the bluff behind him, the man placed his hand on the worn door knob. He took a silent breath as an odd sensation overcame him. It felt as though his arm had fallen asleep of its own whim, but with excessive amounts of adrenaline rushing about in the blood, the idea seemed impossible.
What the hell? The man had seen his fair share of traps but never something like this. Never something that threatened him and yet caused no pain.
He wrote off the strange sensation as unimportant when he heard the boy cough. They needed shelter, and if the boy were to get sick again...
The door suddenly let out a scream, as its only hinge tore away from the warped frame. As the scream subsided it was overwhelmed with the sound of the door hitting floor. The door had guarded the gate for the very last time.
The boy's cough turned into a laugh, harsh and criticizing. Very rarely did the man lose control of the situation, and the boy was not about to pass up the chance to deliver much deserved criticism. "Most people would just open the door, but that's too damn easy for you."
The man turned and faced the boy. The strange sensation in his hand faded and was replaced by the familiar desire to discipline. He pushed the desire aside, there were better uses of energy. The man was about to speak when another loud noise erupted. Dust suddenly billowed out of the house as the upper floor caved downward. The gate was open.
"Jesus," murmured the man. His hopes of shelter disappeared with the dust. He turned to face the wreckage, but his eyes burned with unsettled dust. A cough escaped his lips as dirty air crept into his lungs. He stumbled away from the door towards the porch steps, seeking cleaner air. Even after the great fires, the fragile lungs never grow used to breathing debris.
The boy stepped aside allowing the man to pass. The boy was suddenly thankful for the handkerchief that was always tied in front of his mouth. Its original purpose was to keep germs from spreading, but it kept out just as well as it kept in.
As the man stood out in the unkempt yard, gasping for air, the boy to the moment to his advantage and edged closer towards the door way. Just once, he wanted to be the first one in.
What the hell? The man had seen his fair share of traps but never something like this. Never something that threatened him and yet caused no pain.
He wrote off the strange sensation as unimportant when he heard the boy cough. They needed shelter, and if the boy were to get sick again...
The door suddenly let out a scream, as its only hinge tore away from the warped frame. As the scream subsided it was overwhelmed with the sound of the door hitting floor. The door had guarded the gate for the very last time.
The boy's cough turned into a laugh, harsh and criticizing. Very rarely did the man lose control of the situation, and the boy was not about to pass up the chance to deliver much deserved criticism. "Most people would just open the door, but that's too damn easy for you."
The man turned and faced the boy. The strange sensation in his hand faded and was replaced by the familiar desire to discipline. He pushed the desire aside, there were better uses of energy. The man was about to speak when another loud noise erupted. Dust suddenly billowed out of the house as the upper floor caved downward. The gate was open.
"Jesus," murmured the man. His hopes of shelter disappeared with the dust. He turned to face the wreckage, but his eyes burned with unsettled dust. A cough escaped his lips as dirty air crept into his lungs. He stumbled away from the door towards the porch steps, seeking cleaner air. Even after the great fires, the fragile lungs never grow used to breathing debris.
The boy stepped aside allowing the man to pass. The boy was suddenly thankful for the handkerchief that was always tied in front of his mouth. Its original purpose was to keep germs from spreading, but it kept out just as well as it kept in.
As the man stood out in the unkempt yard, gasping for air, the boy to the moment to his advantage and edged closer towards the door way. Just once, he wanted to be the first one in.
