Surprise Rescuer

Linda dipped her toes into the river. She was on a bench, with Bobby on one side and Billy Joe on the other. They were all nursing cheap beers. Bobby tried skipping a rock across the placid waters. He failed, as usual. Billy Joe growled.

"I want to fuck already," Billy Joe said, tossing his empty beer can into the river. "Stop being a prude, Linda Ann."

"I told you, Billy Joe, I ain't interested," Linda Ann rejoined, scowling.

"C'mon baby," Bobby said, his hand starting perilously high on her thigh. "We want some pussy..."

"Stop it Bobby," Linda said, panic starting to grow. One of them she could fend off ... but both.

"Shut the fuck up, bitch," Billy Joe said, drunken swagger replaced with menace now. "You been prickteasing us for years ... you're going to put out."

He slapped Linda, stunning her, and started to unzip her pants...

The Black man came out of nowhere. There was no petulant anger in him. He was almost bored, pulling Billy Joe off the bench, holding him at arm's length. Bobby got up, running around the bench to attack the man. The Black man swatted him away like a fly, and Bobby went running home.

"Let go of me you fucking nig--" Billy Joe started before the man clubbed him, breaking his jaw.

"C'mon, little lady," Antoine said. Linda blinked her eyes dolefully. This was the man that was fucking the beauty queen, she belatedly realized.