Crybaby - Chapter Two

The second chapter of the blockbuster new novel, Crybaby by best selling, multi-award-winning author Mark Watson...

CRYBABY

©Copyright 2024 by Mark Watson

CHAPTER 2

The Stone Bridge

Where was the elephant?

The thief cursed his stupidity. He should have wrangled the beast’s location from the mahout before he slipped into paralysis.

He turned, ready to storm back into the shanty hut and, in his fury, beat the two men to death. But then he spotted the bag: a worn leather satchel, like something a child might own, stashed outside the hut.

Inside were a bunch of keys, some papers, identification documents, and a crumpled children’s crayon drawing of a massive elephant carrying a trio of smiling, waving children. The elephant was shedding a tear, and written underneath was his name:

Rondu Bachcha: CRYBABY!

The thief stuffed everything back into the satchel and sat to think. It was late and getting later, or rather early and getting earlier. The first tendrils of dawn light were beginning to streak the sky.

There was only one road, and it ran in two directions: into the foothills and back to the town, where he’d co…