Tuesday, October 31, 2023

8 – This Gift, This Curse

 

 

"Why are all the best looking ones straight?" Mick muttered. He was resting his elbows on the parapet of a roof, looking down at the street below him.

 

Will chuckled. "So you won't be tempted to do something you shouldn't."

 

"As if," Mick replied a bit morosely. "No one, male or even female, would give me a second glance."

 

"Now that's not true," Will said as he came over to join him. "If you had some nice duds and a decent haircut, you'd outshine everyone."

 

"Uh-huh. And that's happening when?"

 

"Unfortunately, unless we win the lottery or find someone willing to take a chance on giving us jobs, probably not in the foreseeable future." He looked down, seeing the crowds of people leaving the movie theater across the street. "So, which one caught your eye?"

 

"All of them?" Mick laughed softly. "Okay, that one in particular." He pointed and when Will didn't seem to get which man he meant, he said, "The guy with the blonde girl. He's got dark brown hair and is wearing a blue jacket."

 

"I see at least four guys who fit that description."

 

"Geesh. Okay, they're heading north up the street. I bet they're going to the coffee shop. Now do you know who I mean?"

 

Will cocked his head, trying to spot him. "The one with his back to us?" he said in amusement.

 

As if he felt their gazes on him, the young man turned around for a moment, saying something to the girl as he pointed back to where they'd been.

 

The scene changed…

 

 

 

Will saw two men stealthily making their way down a snow-covered walk to the back door of a building. They entered and moved down a basement hallway to a door at the end. After a moment's work, they opened it and entered. In the dim light coming through a window, Will saw them place themselves on either side of the door. Time sped up, the room was dark. A young man came down the hallway, carrying a basket of laundry. He seemed about to unlock the door before realizing it already was, so he entered, fumbling for the light switch. The men attacked him, knocking him to the floor amid the dropped laundry. They kicked and beat him until he was unconscious and bleeding, curled in a fetal position. The only words spoken came from one of the men. "She belongs to me."

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