The Story of Benjamin Thomas Barnes

Chapter 2

He growled at his stupidity, his fist swinging out and making contact with the glass window to his right.

He growled again as the pain from the now shattered glass struck him like a knife.

"Why!" He cried, "why couldn't I have waited until after I'd brought Spain to threaten commoners to death!"

He brought his now bloody fist to his mouth, sucking the blood off as he scowled at the shattered window.

"Stupid window," he growled. "I'll execute you too when I'm king."

A sudden knocking drew his attention to the door.

He growled again, this time his foot kicking the table before him.

The knocking repeated and he stomped over to the door wrenching it open.

"What do you want!" He snapped harshly.

Two policemen stood at the door regarding him with hostility.

"It has been said that you have recently stolen two hundred euros worth of groceries and have been parading the streets declaring yourself king and sentencing citizens to death," one of them said with dislike evident in his voice.

"You've got the wrong house!" Antonio yelled, startling some nearby birds into flight.

"Oh really?" The other cop said. "But we tracked the shopping trolley here. And we just happened to overhear your plans to buy Spain and sentence a window to death."

"Wrong house!" He growled, glaring sharply down at the two policemen.

"I think we'll see that for ourselves, thank you very much," the police remarked coyly, pushing Antonio aside and stepping into his house.

"Ah!" The shorter one declared. "Well there's the shopping trolley!"

"Wait!" The taller one exclaimed. "Quiet, listen, do ya hear that?"

"Hear what?" The shorter one asked.

"Listen," he insisted, and then an ugly sound greeted their ears.

It started of quiet. Just soft little murmurs and then it came at full force. The screaming of a child.