Read Online Dance For The Devil by S. Kodejs - Free Book Online

the finished program sucks. I hate it.” Jake was yelling now, not caring that the kids in the arcade were turning to stare.
    Gil lowered his own voice. “Look, I understand how you feel – I’d be pissed, too. However, it’s a done deal, and when you calm down and start thinking rationally, you’ll realize I did the right thing. Just look around you, Jake, these kids love Pluto’s Playground, and except for some relatively minor changes, the game is still yours. Feel proud, Jake, you get full credit.” Gil flashed a brilliant yet bashful smile, somewhat like a small boy begging for forgiveness. As angry as he was, Jake found it difficult to ignore the persuasion emanating from him.
    “Put it back to the way it was.”
    “Can’t do that, buddy.”
    “Can’t or won’t?”
    “Won’t.”
    “And since you’re the boss, you get final decision.”
    “Exactly.”
    Jake turned away abruptly, loosening his tie. “For the record, I’m dead set against these changes and I refuse to have my name connected to this violent garbage. I’m taking the rest of the day off – and if you don’t like it, fire me.”
    Gil nodded slowly, his steely eyes appraising. “Good idea – you need time to cool off, to see the big picture. See you tomorrow.”
    **
    Infuriated, Jake chose to walk home, hoping to blow off some steam. He’d collect his car after, sometime after he collected his equilibrium. The distance was fair and it would take him more than an hour of brisk striding, but the crisp autumn air would help clear his head, help him think.
    Vandercamp was the boss; he could do whatever he chose. Why so sneaky, then? Why hadn’t he told Jake from the beginning?
    Because Jake would have fought tooth and nail. This way it was a fait accompli . Was the program glitch a set-up, not meant to be corrected? Jake shook his head, trying to clear the foreboding sensation that he’d been duped all along.
    Images popped into his head. Funny glances directed his way, covert conversation s silencing abruptly as he approached, the feeling that people were always watching him... waiting.
    Even though he’d been at Marvelworks for over six months, he was still the newbie. There was always a grace period upon starting any new job but how long would he continue being an outsider?
    The watery sunshine warmed his skin pleasantly, calming him. Vandercamp and Marvelworks were miles behind now, and the sinister plots he’d imagined were beginning to seem paranoid. He’d accepted disappointments before; why get so bent out of shape over this one?
    After a while, he found his rigid pace slowing as he noticed the changing colors of the deciduous trees. Crimson-reds mixed with pumpkin-orange, and yellows so bright they might have been taken from a child’s imagination. When was the last time he noticed the changing seasons? When was the last time he’d frolicked in fallen leaves, carefree?
    His original plan had been to take the quickest route home, cutting through the business section and across Beacon Hill Park. But he wasn’t ready to go home yet, and something urged him to keep walking. No reason to hurry, he rationalized. The kids were in school, no one expected him, and this unanticipated freedom, combined with the beauty of the day, replaced his earlier anger with a guilty exhilaration. A few stolen hours to get himself back on track.
    On a whim he changed direction, allowing his long legs to carry him toward the ocean, through the old section of town. Quaint coffee bars and art galleries lined cobblestoned streets. He glanced with interest at the window dressings of shops vying for Halloween business. A vintage clothing store had an eerie display of gossamer ghosts wearing turn-of- the-century costumes. Next to it, a tourist emporium showcased autumn leaves mixed with chestnuts and pumpkins amongst the Native Indian carvings and t-shirts. The contrast was interesting enough to make him pause.
    Then he saw it. A small sign,