VINTAGE

HE CAME TO MEET HIS DEATH

The Newspaperman story

I

The taxi cruised down the streets. The town looked worn out and dilapidated, as though it would collapse at any time. The inhabitants of the town stared at the taxi, as though it were something interesting. A few even stopped walking to get a good look.

"Jake owns this town, and he rules it tight. Nothing ever happens here without him knowing, with his mob all over the place.", the driver said, briefly looking back at his strange looking passenger.

The passenger, for a moment allowed his eyes to stray to the driver. He nodded, shrugged and then went back to looking out the window. Some man, the driver thought, pouting his mouth and humming lightly, in a barely audible manner.

"So what's your name ? " The driver asked.

"Ken".

So much for an answer, the driver thought again as he raised his head to look at the man sitting behind him through the mirror. He was wearing some faded looking jeans with a crumpled shirt and had an athletic build. He carried a small rucksack which he kept on his lap. For someone coming to these parts, he was quiet.

Suddenly, Ken sprang forward looking through the windshield, at front of the car, the driver also slowing down. Just ahead of them, beside the street was a though, dirty and evil-looking mob in a semi-circle. They bore clubs and knives and had two men (tied) lying on the ground. A kid stepped out from the mob and approached one of the men on the ground. The one being approached shrieked with fear and tried to move away. As the kid got to him, Ken noticed the kid was holding a large butcher knife. He immediately felt sick. A little distance away from the mob, Ken noticed a man dressed in a black coat, sitting on a bench and smoking a cigarette, with a pistol some distance away on the bench.

With dexterity, the kid raised and slashed the knife across the man's face, cutting through his nose. A loud murmur spread through the mob, as a few passers-by stopped to watch. The man let out a blood curling scream and squirmed violently on the ground, as blood freely flooded wherever his face touched. The kid raised the knife again and slashed from behind cutting across t his nape. A dirty-looking little girl who had been watching, went on her knees and began to throwing up into the gutter beside her, crying. The man got up and began running aimlessly, his once tied hands covering his bleeding face. The mob suddenly went excited as two others went after him and clubbed him several times, till he lay still.

The kid then turned to the second man.

"I beg you in God's name. Don't do this to me.", He was shaking. The kid smirked evilly as he drew up closer.

"For God's sake, they've killed him!", Ken almost screamed at the driver.

"Yeah, that's Jake's mob. They do what they like. Look, there's no rules here. Jake owns- "

"Be quiet!"Ken said, searching inside his rucksack.

The driver turned around quickly.

"Mister please do not do anything foolish. They will not spare you! You will die !".

Ignoring him, Ken opened the door and got out. The driver also got out. He had turned completely white, his mouth hanging open.

"Mister, get back into the car and let's go. This is none of your business..."

Ignoring him, Ken stepped towards the mob.

"Hey!", The mob turned to him, surprised, completely surprised.

The havoc causing kid moved out to face him. He was still holding the blood stained knife. Blood covered his shirt.

"Do you want any trouble traveller?" The kid asked.