Perry and Thomas

The Rice fields were ripe for harvest at the time of sunrise in the distant California horizon. The thick smell of seawater drifting in so creepily from the Coast was so surprising to the farmers that it woke them up from their slumber. The hills rolled on down the way into the valley, touching barely the fields with its shine of sparkling dew.

The rooster crowed loudly to startle the animals, waking everything to life and birthing a new day. The Horses rose and neighed for their daily food, the hens hustled to wait for their feed, and the pigs waiting for their messy stew. But the food didn't come at all that morning. In fact, all the animals waited almost three hours before they noticed it. Where'd the Farmers Go, they'd think to themselves, if ever so much an animal could think to themselves that way.

Sure enough, gunfire was heard and a Riot was born.

Perry rushed on up the hillside and made way across the tracks of the road, falling headfirst into a thick bush. Uphill was a small mob waiting for him, carrying several rifles and a few men who carried kitchen knives with Sledge Hammers on their shoulders. Perry grew nervous as they drew closer, holding mark and wits against him. He could almost taste their anger, feel the knawing feeling of hatred towards him. It burned his mind and drove him mad with depression.

Behind him laid Thomas, a small scraggly boy of seventeen years of age. His hair was thick with mud and dirt while his skin barely showed difference in color. His clothing was worn with his straw hat to his side, sitting on a tree stump. He slept there with arms crossed, not knowing the gunshot was from the angry mob.

"Perry! Get your Cheatin' Ass on out here! We ain't waitin' no mo'!" The head of the mob shouted down the road. He fired a shot somewhere along the bushes, just enough to startle Thomas himself. Thomas finally woke to see the people on the hill and the red face of the Head of the mob. He grew frightened and drew closer to Perry.

"Ain't never seen no Mob before!" Thomas wimpered. Perry looked at him to recognize him enough to get the picture.

"Yeah, shut the hell up. Ain't nuttin' to worry about. Them just city folks thinkin' I done ripped them off."

"What does that mean?" Perry became quickly irritated and glanced at him angrily. Thomas cowarded a bit. "Sorry! I don't mean no harm!"

"Ah, just shut the hell up!" He shouted. He clasped his hands around his mouth, realizing what he had just done. A shot was then fired near him, which scared him away with Thomas being dragged by his hands by Perry. They made their way drudgeing through the mud and barely making it pass the next tree before a round was fired and nearly hitting Perry in the shoulder, but missed him by an inch. He gave a small laugh as he tried to catch his breath sitting on the ground. Thomas wondered why.

"Why you laughing?" Thomas Asked.

"Oh, them Damn villagers hate me so much as to miss me by a mile. I guess them givin' me a hootin' to remember!" He began laughing harder and harder until Thomas started laughing with him. They both celebrated a good laugh or two before the heard another round go off from the right of them. They saw the Villagers standing by their side.

"Get the Hell up, Fischer." The Head of the Mob commanded Perry. Perry slowly lifted his hands into the air and prepared to stand up. As he stood up, Thomas spoke to them.

"Leave him alone! He ain't done nuttin' wrong!"

"Shut the Hell Up!" Perry shouted down at him. "What the Matter wit' you? Huh?" He looked down angrily at him. Thomas cowered at his face, noticing the rage he showed. "Ain't nuttin' more to say, huh? Then keep that yapper shut."

"Now turn around and put your hands against the tree." The Head of the Mob Ordered. "Now."

"Fine! Fine!" Perry turned around and put his hands against the bark and waited for their signal to shoot, but heard instead something he didn't expect.

"You, get up!" They shouted to Thomas. Thomas looked confused as he wondered what they meant.

"Me? Whatcha mean?"

"Get the Fuck up, Dammit!" The Head of the Mob kicked Thomas in the back and tossed him over. Thomas groaned in pain as the blow was hard. He tried rising up, but he was hurt too much to want to get up. "What's the matter? Can't move no body of yours?"

"I can't breathe!" Thomas shouted raspily. Perry heard that and felt sorry for the poor man, so he decided to help out. He moved a hand and slapped the Head of the Mob downward. The force was so hard, it scratched his face. Perry smiled happily as he knew he did Thomas a favor. Quickly, Perry got Thomas up and they darted as fast as they could away from the scene. Thomas grinced in pain, but tried to hold it together before they were caught.

Finally, they escaped into the fields, hiding away from the mob. There they waited until mid-noon when they would finally leave because of the intense heat. By then, Perry began laughing harder than he ever did before. He near fell on his back from laughing so hard, that Thomas began to worry. That was their day, and all they forgot to do was feed the Animals.