Descending Road - GREEN METAL LEAVES by Dana W. Paxson

GREEN METAL LEAVES

1563 4D

Coming back to see Engel, Janny ran with VeeVee and Billy T down a long hall in total dark. She liked doing this. The game was she never tripped over anything even when she couldn’t see it. VeeVee always tripped. That’s why she went last. Billy T liked to shut her eyes in the dark and run, but she tripped when Janny talked to her.

The beamer banged Janny‘s side where she had tied it. Mama Bones would like having it. It had one hundred bullets with it, or maybe a thousand, Janny decided. Mama could count them. Then she’d give Janny a big hug and maybe a kiss and let Farneen come into Janny for a minute and talk to her and tickle her insides.

Farneen was fun. Every time Janny got hurt bad, Mama came and put Farneen in her mouth and she’d swallow and Farneen would tickle everything nice and smooth again. Like that place in the back of her head, and the little white spot she had on her leg when Mama found her, all gone.

She turned a corner and saw a ceiling light ahead. Two men stood under it. One was Engel. She ran to him and he whirled and pointed a big gun at her. He looked scared, and then he smiled. The other man pointed his gun at her and Billy T, and then Engel grabbed it by the barrel and said, “Don’t! This is my little Janny and her friends.”

The other man tried to pull his gun away. He said, “She’s got a gun.”

“That’s all right. She’s gonna give it to Mama, right?” Engel looked at her.

Janny nodded.

The other man said, “Mama? You mean another one of those big kids? They’re killers. Here.” He reached for Janny‘s gun. She jumped back with VeeVee and Billy T. “Come on, you little rat, give it to me.” She shook her head.

“Look, Frei, leave her alone.” Now Engel got between them.

The man called Frei looked at Janny, then at VeeVee, then at Billy T. He saw Billy T‘s clothes. His eyes got wide and his face got very dark and he shouted, “Where did you get that? Where did you steal those leaves?” He dived to grab Billy T, but she was too fast, like always.

Engel grabbed him and said through his teeth, “Leave them alone.” Janny stood behind Engel‘s legs and looked up at the man.

“But that’s my gift to Indrio, I gave that to my woman, nobody else has those green metal leaves. I had them specially made for her. They must have killed her, or picked over her body.” The man stood back from Engel and pointed his gun at him. “Get out of my way.” And he looked at Billy T and said, “Don’t move.” He backed away and raised his big gun and pointed it at Billy T.

“Frei, that’s a bad idea.” Engel said it.

Janny‘s beamer was so heavy she had to use two hands. Janny only got it pointed as high as the man’s crotch when it went off. It made a big hole full of light in him.

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	GREEN METAL LEAVES 1563 4D Coming back to see Engel, Janny ran with VeeVee and Billy T down a long hall in total dark. She liked doing this. The game was she never tripped over anything even when she couldn’t see it. VeeVee always tripped. That’s why she went last. Billy T liked to shut her eyes in the dark and run, but she tripped when Janny talked to her. The beamer banged Janny‘s side where she had tied it. Mama Bones would like having it. It had one hundred bullets with it, or maybe a thousand, Janny decided. Mama could count them. Then she’d give Janny a big hug and maybe a kiss and let Farneen come into Janny for a minute and talk to her and tickle her insides. Farneen was fun. Every time Janny got hurt bad, Mama came and put Farneen in her mouth and she’d swallow and Farneen would tickle everything nice and smooth again. Like that place in the back of her head, and the little white spot she had on her leg when Mama found her, all gone. She turned a corner and saw a ceiling light ahead. Two men stood under it. One was Engel. She ran to him and he whirled and pointed a big gun at her. He looked scared, and then he smiled. The other man pointed his gun at her and Billy T, and then Engel grabbed it by the barrel and said, “Don’t! This is my little Janny and her friends.” The other man tried to pull his gun away. He said, “She’s got a gun.” “That’s all right. She’s gonna give it to Mama, right?” Engel looked at her. Janny nodded. The other man said, “Mama? You mean another one of those big kids? They’re killers. Here.” He reached for Janny‘s gun. She jumped back with VeeVee and Billy T. “Come on, you little rat, give it to me.” She shook her head. “Look, Frei, leave her alone.” Now Engel got between them. The man called Frei looked at Janny, then at VeeVee, then at Billy T. He saw Billy T‘s clothes. His eyes got wide and his face got very dark and he shouted, “Where did you get that? Where did you steal those leaves?” He dived to grab Billy T, but she was too fast, like always. Engel grabbed him and said through his teeth, “Leave them alone.” Janny stood behind Engel‘s legs and looked up at the man. “But that’s my gift to Indrio, I gave that to my woman, nobody else has those green metal leaves. I had them specially made for her. They must have killed her, or picked over her body.” The man stood back from Engel and pointed his gun at him. “Get out of my way.” And he looked at Billy T and said, “Don’t move.” He backed away and raised his big gun and pointed it at Billy T. “Frei, that’s a bad idea.” Engel said it. Janny‘s beamer was so heavy she had to use two hands. Janny only got it pointed as high as the man’s crotch when it went off. It made a big hole full of light in him.