Business Partners
Gideon had seen the sheep, pig, and goat trio around town plenty before. At the fair, the grocer’s, the auto shop. Always giving him that Look that all foxes knew. He tried greeting them with the same smile and “Howdy!” all mammals got when they came to his bakery. “Welcome to Gideon Grey’s—”
CRUNCH!
Gideon staggered, arms up to shield his face from the sudden shower of glass. He peaked out, watching the trio smash up display cases with baseball bats, overturn tables, destroying days of hard work baking. He couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, could only watch and whimper.
Then they were looking at him, and Gideon realized he should have run. They advanced and he stepped back, wincing at a glass shard in his foot, almost falling. “Please no, don’t, I get it, I swear, don’t—”
BZZZZZT!
“AAAAAAUUUUUUGH!”
The pig collapsed to the ground, a twitching mess. The goat and sheep turned to see, too slow, receiving jabs to the gut that crackled with lightning, collapsing them.
Gideon gaped at Stu Hopps. The rabbit looked anywhere else, trembling as he stuffed the taser back in his pocket and sized the ruined shop up. When he did look at Gideon his eyes showed concern, regret, fading anger. “I’ll… I’ll give the sheriff a call… some of my kids too, to help… clean up…”
Gideon nodded, not trusting his voice right then. He didn’t cry until Stu hugged him, promising it would be okay. He wanted to believe that.