The ripple effect

The ripple effect: it is the 13th of november and lincoln, texas will never be the same. shortly before noon, some fifty people, workers and diners, are in a food court at lincoln mall in a small town in east texas. others are drifting in for a quick lunch, while they shop for a last-minute gift for a sister's birthday or a new belt, or a new pair of shoes. a young gunman appears out of the dark shadows of the mall and begins shooting; his assault rifle firing shell after shell until mass carnage flows. a class of preschoolers. three old ladies meeting for their weekly hour of gossip about children and grandchildren. burger cooks. ice cream dippers. a salad store employee. a texas ranger. a man trying to find an anniversary gift for a wife that he is slowly losing, because he works too much. the reader is introduced to the people who will be in that food court in a matter of minutes. some will live. others...will not.