Wish Upon A Sunset

Water Guns & Elephant Ears

Logan

As I guided Emma through the Exit Gate, my laughter burst out at her teasing.

I was about to respond with a comeback to her playful retort when I spotted a young man charging towards us. It happened so fast; I wasn't able to react in time before his shoulder slammed into hers.

Her cry of pain echoed in my ears, and she tumbled to the ground. I caught her just in time to prevent her face from hitting the dirt, and as I helped her up, I was about to assess any potential injuries when I heard the man speak.

"Watch out, baby killer! Shouldn't you be in the kiddie section? Isn't that where your kind prefers to be?"

A snarl left my lips as anger tore through me, and I turned to confront the asshole.

He was young, maybe just out of high school, with a slim build and a few inches shorter than me. He had dyed his hair a dark, neon blue and was wearing a pair of torn jeans covered in patches from some band I didn't recognize. Adorned with a chain around his neck, he sported a dark blue shirt that matched his hair, and piercings dotted his right ear.

Tensed and fists clenched, he stared Emma down.

I pushed her gently behind my back and confronted the little punk.

"Watch your mouth," I ground out through clenched teeth.

"Are you going to make me, old man?" he taunted. "Or are you just another baby killer like her?" He took a step towards me. "Is that it? You lowering yourself to hang out with this bitch?"

I forced myself to stay where I was, even though every instinct told me to beat his face to an unrecognizable pulp. I knew better than to punch the little creep, though. Being off duty didn't grant me extra leeway against the law. I was still an officer, and I had to tread carefully in these situations. Nevertheless, I couldn't allow the disrespect to persist. "I told you to watch your mouth. I won't tell you again."

The guy closed the distance between us and got into my space. He reached up and pushed on my shoulder, trying to egg me on. He was lucky I had years to learn self-control or he would be swallowing his own blood right now.

When he realized he couldn't move me an inch, I thought for sure he would back down, but he didn't. Word vomit spewed from his mouth as he tried to shove me backward, and I reminded myself that he was still, basically, a kid. "What are you going to do about it? Or are you going to make that little bitch cowering behind you do your fighting?"

The insults directed at Emma were my breaking point, and my patience snapped. The law be damned!

I grabbed the little punk by the collar of his shirt and yanked him close. For a moment, common sense caused his eyes to widen before the irrational anger returned. Not very smart, was he?

Before I could show him what I would do about it, another young man broke through the crowd behind him and yelled, "Cliff? What are you doing, man?"

The new guy's eyes widened when he saw his buddy dangling from my clenched fists and his gaze darted back and forth between me and his friend.

Hurrying forward with his hands outstretched, he tried to diffuse the situation. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's going on here?" He walked up behind Cliff and put a restraining hand on his shoulder, trying, unsuccessfully, to pull him back. "Are you crazy, Cliff? Don't you know who this guy is?"

"I don't care who he is! He needs to be taught a lesson. Him and his baby-killing girlfriend!"

Man, this kid just did not know when to shut his mouth. Pulling him closer, I growled low in my throat.