Chapter 5 - The Logic of a Child
Richard’s finger tightened against the cold curve of the trigger.
"Step away from her, Toby," Richard commanded, his voice sharp as a razor.
"Now."
Toby took one step forward instead of backward.
His small black dress shoe stepped directly onto the hickory handle of the hammer resting on the floorboards.
"You told me sleeping people don't wear watches," Toby said, his words ringing flat across the quiet chapel.
"Mom’s watch was ticking under the wood."
"It went tick... tick... tick... inside the dark."
Richard’s jaw tightened, his gaze flickering down toward the child's foot for a fraction of a second.
Toby dropped to his knees fast, his small fingers wrapping around the iron hammer once more.
"Toby, no!" his mother screamed, reaching out with her weak arm.
Toby didn't swing the weapon at Richard’s head.
He slammed the claw of the hammer into the bottom brass hinge holding the coffin wall together.
CRACK-SNAP.
The metal screws sheared clean out of the soft pine, sending a shower of iron dust across the floor.
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The entire side panel of the white coffin collapsed outward, crashing down like a fallen door.
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