Chapter Eight

Cody was still, after nearly three months, having a difficult time understanding this strange future he was in. Cars. Clothes. Language. People in general. It was still a hard thing to swallow seeing a black man with a white woman, but no one complained or was upset. Banks, all over the place and he dare not attempt to rob any one of them. He knew it would be his downfall as they would arrest him quicker than he could spit tobacco.

The place he worked out of: Omaha Temps, provided him with enough work to add hard-earned cash to his pocket. He was no stranger when it came to hard work, not after busting rocks six days a week or digging up holes just to fill them back in again. It was the only trade prison offered.

But Cody stayed to himself and rarely, if ever, spoke to someone he worked alongside with. Better to keep my mouth shut, that way no one gets the idea of calling the sheriff.

It was another Friday, and payday, of course when you do day labor, every day is pay day.

He took his cash, stuffed it in his pocket and headed back to the hotel. The day was beginning to overcast from dark clouds, and Cody knew if he didn’t quicken his pace, he could be caught in a downpour.

Just as he turned the corner of Farnum and Dodge, he stutter-stepped briefly, but it was enough to save his life.

A gun roared from the other side of the street from an alleyway and ricocheted off a brick wall just mere inches from where his head would have been.

Falling to the ground, seeing the small puff of smoke making its disappearance, Cody drew his own gun and fired back. He waited. Nothing came back at him. Maybe, whoever it was, took off after they realized they missed. Maybe his one shot, got the summabitch that tried to kill him. Another five minutes passed before he carefully went across the street and looked inside the alley. There wasn’t anyone there to be found. Just a few half-full garbage cans and a couple rats scurrying around. Uncocking the hammer, Cody put his gun behind his back, snugly inside his jeans.

Cody had an idea who did this or who was behind this and he would hunt the man down and beat him silly, that, or just put a bullet in him and be done with it. But right now, he couldn’t stand there thinking about it as he could hear sirens approaching and he knew he had to leave. There would always be another time and place.

Walking with more authority, Cody picked up speed as the rain began to fall, when suddenly—lightning came crashing down from the sky, and one of them found Cody.

He was gone.