The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death

BENEATH A RAGING EYE

– Wheres my girl?

– Wheres my can?

I looked at Harris, and I reminded myself about his really big gun and the way hed used my phone to kill someone. I took into careful account that more was at risk in this motel room than just my miserable existence, and I formulated a response that was calculated to bring calm to a fraught situation.

– Could you shut the fuck up for a second and tell me where my girl is?

I raised a finger.

– Not that I really think shes my girl, I know that was an asinine thing to say, just that Im a little hyped up right now and some weird things are liable to come out of my mouth.

Harris came across the room and kicked me in the shin and I bent to grab it and he rapped me on the back of my head with the butt of that really big gun I was supposed to be remembering he had.

I curled on the carpet, one hand on the lump growing from my shin, one on the lump growing from the back of my head, white light pulsing at the edges of my vision with every beat of my heart.

Harris looked down at me.

– Had a conversation, didnt we, about you and that mouth and bein’ in the same room?

I nodded and felt my brain flop around inside my skull.

He nodded back.

– Dont keep that conversation in mind, weird things are liable to come out of my gun.

His driver, appropriately dressed in Wrangler jeans, a sleeveless Raiders T, and a meshback truckers cap with Yosemite Sam on the front, barking Back Off., opened the door.

– It aint out there. Aint on the street, aint up on Anaheim. No truck, no can. Just this pecker.

He shoved Jaime into the room.

Jamie stumbled in, tripped over my legs and went on his ass.

– Fuck off me, hick.

The driver flipped him off.

– Fuck you, pecker.

I got up on one elbow and looked at Jaime.

– I told you to stay out of sight.

He untangled his legs from mine.

– I was staying out of sight! I was way down at the corner staying out of sight. No one told me Mr. Big Ten Four over there was gonna come poking around.

Mr. Big Ten Four hitched up the waist of his jeans.

– Pecker was lurking, Harris.

I rubbed my head.

– He wasnt lurking, he was just keeping an eye out in case you guys tried to pull something.

Mr. Big Ten Four reached in his back pocket and came up with Jaimes pistol.

– Was too lurking, man. With this on ‘im.

Harris scratched the thin stubble on the crown of his head, lightly put the toe of his boot in my side.

– Looks like were not the ones trying to pull nothin. Looks like were the ones showed up with what were supposed to have. That bein’ the girl.

He pointed at me and Jaime.

– As opposed to some jackasses who didnt show up with what they were supposed to have. That bein’ a load of almonds.

Mr. Big Ten Four waggled Jaimes gun.

– And theyre lurking.

Harris nodded.

– Looks like you aint got your shit together at all here. Looks like youre trying desperate measures with some kind of ambush.

I pointed at Jaime.

– He wasnt lurking. He wasnt setting up an ambush. He was staying out of the fucking way. I told him to wait out there so he wouldnt screw things up.

Jamie punched me in the shoulder.

– Fuck you say.

Harris shrugged.

– Just had your boy out there hangin’ about with a piece on him?

I pushed off the floor, trying not to put too much weight on the leg hed kicked.

– Listen, man, you were saddled with this piece of deadweight as an associate, would you want him anywhere near the room where business was being attended to?

Jaime got himself up.

– Fuck you talking about, deadweight? This is my project!

I looked at him, looked back at Harris.

– You know I had to explain to him how you guys were nicking him on the ten percent thing? Seriously. I had to tell him it was happening, and then I had to do the math for him.

– Fuck you, asshole, thats bullshit. Hes lying.

Harris rubbed his knuckles across the line of his jaw and covered the bit of a smile that crossed his mouth.

– Yeah. That started more as a joke. Bet my nephew that jackass wouldnt know he was bein’ taken. Mostly in the way of fun, you understand. Didnt really expect him not to know his numbers.

Jaime raised his arms over his head.

– I knew that! I knew it was a bet! I was, man, I was playing you guys! Man, like, thinking, These fools think they got it over me, but Im funniri them like they dont even know. I pulled a double twist in you. Total Usual Suspects.

I shoved my hands deep in my pockets and shook my head.

– This is what Im talking about. Who wants this around when youre trying to get things done? I figured having him outside and otherwise occupied was the way to go.

Harris nodded.

– Yeah, I can see that.

Jamie slapped the air.

– Hell with you! Hell with you!

Then Mr. Big Ten Four butted in.

– Harris.

– Yeah?

– Whys the pecker need a gun hes just supposed to be out of the way? How ‘bout that, Mr. Smartypants?

I let the Mr. Smartypants comment slide. A major achievement for me.

– Its not loaded.

Everyone looked at the gun.

I shrugged.

– Check it, man. Its not loaded.

Mr. Big Ten Four popped the clip loose, like a man used to doing such things, and showed us all the absence of ammunition.

Everyone looked at me.

– Hey, who wants a mental defective like this to have a loaded weapon? I just let him hold it ‘cause I know it would shut him up.

It wasnt that hard for Harris and Mr. Big Ten Four to get Jaime off me, and they didnt hurt him doing it, but I wouldnt have felt all that bad if they had.

– Asshole! You are such an asshole!

Harris shoved him down into the space between the wall and the bed.

– Just sit your ass there and shut the hell up, jackass. Fact is, youre lucky to have this guy lookin’ out that you dont bite off more than you can chew. But you keep openin’ your mouth to take a bite and Im gonna smash all your teeth out. You hear me?

Jaime gave me a stare.

– Yeah, I hear you.

– Good.

Harris turned to me.

– So. Just remains a large detail to be settled.

He came over, close by.

– Like wheres my can?

I shook my head.

– I dont have it.

Mr. Big Ten Four took off his hat and slapped his thigh.

– Cocksucker!

Harris pointed at something behind me.

– See whats over there?

I took a look and saw the room phone.

– Yeah. I see it.

– Want to tell me a little more?

I nodded.

– Yes, I do.

I took the envelope from the back of my jeans, unzipped it and pulled out the papers.

– It is signed sealed and delivered and waiting for someone to pick it up.

He took the papers from me, looked them over, spoke as he did so.

– A man of less faith than my own might suspect this was a setup.

He looked up from the papers.

– Any reason you didnt just bring the almonds right here?

– Other than we werent able to get a truck and a driver? No.

– Could have hired a driver. Theyre all over the damn place here.

I looked at Jaime.

– Thanks again, rocket scientist.

He balled his fists, but broke with tradition and kept his mouth shut.

I looked back at Harris.

– This is what happens when you depend on the weak-minded for professional counsel.

– Sure, but what say you go out to one of the bars around here, hire yourself some out of work and in-need long-hauler, and go fetch that can for me? Just drive out there and hitch up and bring it back.

I rubbed my forehead.

– Man, I, man, just, OK, look, look, I would not know where to begin with that shit. I mean, this?

I held my arms out.

– Guns? Assholes like Jaime there? Guys like you two? Kidnappings? Things like what went down with Talbot in my kitchen? Thats all well outside my experience. Im not the kind of guy walks into a trucker bar and hires a driver to take a load of hot almonds off a dock.

– Seems youre improvising pretty well so far.

I clapped my hands three times.

– Well, thanks! I appreciate the vote of confidence. And Im not saying I couldnt manage, Im just saying that by the time I have that shit taken care of, that terminal could be locked down for the night. Yeah? Whereas, your boy here can zip over there right now and be in and out and we can all go the fuck home.

Harris gave it a little contemplation.

Mr. Big Ten Four on the other hand, who was turning out to be a bit sharper than the stereotype led me to expect, had more observations to offer.

– Hes talking pretty goddamn fast, you ask me.

Harris dragged a thumbnail down one of those long creases in his cheek.

– Watch the Lords name there.

– Sorry.

– But you are right, hes chattering a little fast. Little fast.

I wagged my head.

– Talking a little fast? Man, you are lucky you can put together a thing Im saying. Youre lucky Im talking in a pitch audible to human ears. Talking a little fast? Im not just talking a little fast, Im simultaneously pissing and shitting my pants out of fear. Im on the extreme edge of losing all cool and just falling apart. I have no fucking clue what Im doing here and I am bor-derlining as we speak. I, man, I clean shit for a living! Before that, before a couple days ago, I slacked for a living. Before that, I was, man, I was, I was, I was a fucking elementary school teacher! I am out of my depth and beyond my ken! You think this is a setup? Man, this is nothing. This is me trying to dogpaddle. This is me trying to keep my head out of the water.

I dropped onto the bed, my arms hanging, my head down, I breathed.

– Man.

I looked up.

– This is me just trying to keep everyone alive. Thats all I want here. I just want everyone, not just me and the girl, not just retard there, but all of us alive and well and waving each other off into the sunset. Thats all. Thats my plan. Thats what Im in this for.

Harris looked me over, cocked his head at Mr. Big Ten Four, scratched his earlobe with the big revolver that had never left his right hand since he cracked me with it, and gave an inclination to his head that might be considered a nod among the tersest of the world.

– OK, boy. OK.

He tucked the revolver into his belt.

– I think we have a deal on that part.

He passed the papers over to Mr. Big Ten Four.

– All we need to settle now.

He hooked his thumbs into his belt loops.

– Is our bill for this room and our meals the last few days.

Jaime brought his head up.

– Fuck that! Dont do it, asshole, dont you give in on that shit! Ill fucking kill you, you give in on expenses!

I held up a hand.

– Chill, Jaime.

I looked at Harris.

– Let me see the girl.

He shook his head.

– Said payments due.

– And I heard you. And Im saying let me see the girl. Its time.

He pursed his lips, let a little air out through his nose, and wiggled a finger at the bathroom door.

Mr. Big Ten Four grunted and walked over and knocked on the door.

– Come on out.

There was a rustle from inside. I waited, doing my best to keep the few bites of Jims Burgers burrito down where they belonged. My brain painting pictures of how bad she was gonna look.

And the door opened.

And Soledad came out.

And she looked just fine.

Tired as hell. Tearstained. Wrinkled and wrung out and in need of several showers. But other than that, just fine.

– Hey Web.

I got off the bed and went over to her. I reached out a hand. I unbuttoned the pocket of the Mobil shirt shed put on after we slept together. And I pulled out the fold of hundreds L.L. had left for me between the pages of Anna Karenina.

I turned from her and walked to Harris and held out the money.

– This cover it?

He took the bills and counted them.

– And then some.

He hitched a shoulder at Mr. Big Ten Four.

– Call when you got ‘er rollin’ back here.

Mr. Big Ten Four went out of the room. Harris grabbed a seat next to the door. Jaime continued to give me stink eye. And, still being pretty sure Soledad had lied to me about something, and being pretty pissed about it as well, I did my best to ignore her.

Not looking at her, being the best way I knew to keep my brain from forcing me to remember what she looked like naked and how smooth and downy the skin was at the small of her back.

– I didnt even want to bring the tweaked-out little bugger along.

– Web.

– Mean, his mom hadnt been in my business about how he needed someone to reach out a hand and get him on his feet if he was ever gonna get free of that crap, it never would have crossed my mind to take him on the road and put him to work. My sister just kept up on me ‘bout how the best thing for him would be to get out of town and away from all his tweaker friends, so I went ‘gainst my better judgment and had him ride with my crew when we hit the road for the season.

– Web.

– Guess it didnt pan out the way his mom hoped.

Harris blew out his cheeks.

– Gonna have a hell of a time explaining that to her. Not so much he died, boy had early grave tattooed on his shoulder. Not just making conversation there, he actually had the words early grave tattooed on his shoulder. He asked for it, he got it. Still.

– Web.

– Still, its gonna be a bitch explaining how he died. Spose Ill say he got crushed under a train or something. Tell her we were taking a load off a boxcar on a sidin’ and he tripped up and went under another as it was pulling out on the opposite tracks. Somethin’ long those lines. Make it clear why theres no body to bring back.

– Web.

Harris shifted his weight forward and dropped the front legs of his tilted chair to the floor.

– Boy that girls talkin’ to you. Been tryin’ to get your attention the last hour. You want to maybe give her a glance so shell stop interruptin’ me while I try to figure some crap out?

I glanced at Soledad.

– What?

She shrugged.

– I just wanted to say thanks.

– What for?

She looked at the ceiling.

– For coming to get me, what else?

– Youre welcome.

I looked at Harris.

– OK, were done.

He looked at Soledad.

– All done?

She folded her arms.

– Sure, fine, let him pout.

He tilted back and lifted the edge of the curtain and peeked out the window.

– Glad you got that bit out of your systems. Now you can maybe please shut the hell up.

He dropped the curtain and gave me a look.

– While I pass the time along till I get to a point thats coming soon where I figure this is all BS and I decide I have to do something to make amends for bein’ made to feel foolish and all.

He tapped the cellphone hed set on the table at his elbow.

– This dont ring soon.

He pointed at the room phone.

– I may have to replay certain incidents from our recent past, Web.

He laced his fingers behind his head.

– Know you know what Im sayin.

He was right, I knew.

I raised my hand.

– Can I go to the bathroom?

– Uh-huh. Just leave the door open.

I went into the John and unzipped and stood in front of the toilet and didnt pee because I didnt really have to go.

– I dont hear anythin’ in there.

I stuck my head out the door.

– Thats ‘cause Im pee shy around girls. Can I run the tap?

He waved a hand.

– Whatever it takes.

I ducked back in and turned the taps on full and stood at the can for a second and looked out the open door and turned and eased the shower curtain aside and stepped into the tub and tugged the bathroom window and it didnt open. I stepped out of the tub, hit the flush lever, got back in the tub and gave the window a good yank and it ground open on rusted tracks. The rush of toilet water was fading from the pipes and I got out of the tub and pulled the curtain closed and stuck my hands under the running water in the sink and turned off the taps and looked around and couldnt find a towel. I went out, my hands dripping.

– No towels.

Harris inclined his head at a couple athletic bags near the door.

– Got ‘em packed away already.

I sat back on the bed, discovering that I suddenly had to pee very badly.

Harris pointed at Soledad.

– You need to go?

She shook her head.

He pointed at Jaime.

– You?

He furrowed his brow.

– Uh.

– Aint something most people have to think about, jackass.

Jaime shook his head.

– No, no, I dont have to go.

– OK, well, from here on out, everyones holding it.

Harris settled and put his hand back behind his head.

– Talbot. Know what you need to know ‘bout that boy? Other than his teeth were gray from snorting crank and his hair was fallin’ out and his skin was yellow and his nose was collapsin’ in on itself? What else you need to know about Talbot was his car. Boy had this car, eighty-eight or eighty-nine Toyota or Honda or one of them other Jap cars all look the same. Had that car awhile. Know how long? Ten years. Had that car ten years. Know how he got it? Stole it. Boosted it off the street in Humbolt. Went there to score some grass and came back with some college kids car. Used to brag on that car all the time. Stole this car ten years ago and Im still drivinit. You believe that shit? Ten years in the same hot car and I aint been busted. Bet I drive this car twenty years before they bust me for it. Cops so fuckiri stupid, had me pulled over twice since I stole it and they aint busted me for the hot car Im in.

He shook his head.

– Said that. Said, Bet I drive this car twenty years before they bust me for it. Never occurred to him to maybe unload the damn thing before they arrested him. He just figured you steal a car, you drive it till you get caught. Whoever drives his longest wins. ‘Course, six of those ten years he bragged about he was inside for dealin. That was before his habit got so bad he couldnt be trusted by no one to deal. Anyhow, thats about all you need to know about Talbot. Boy was an albatross the whole season.

– Web.

– Some farmers leavin’ a stack of irrigation pipe at the same southwest corner of a citrus orchard for a week, we hear about it from one of his wetbacks and send Talbot with a couple hands to pick it up. He comes back with a truckload of PVC. Ask him, Wheres the fife, he points at the plastic in the truck. That he dont even know the points of the compass to find the right corner is one thing.

– Web.

– But that he cant tell between PVC and steel is another.

– Web.

The legs of his chair came down.

– Boy, will you acknowledge the girl, for peace sake?

I rubbed my shin where hed kicked me.

– I dont want to talk to her.

She clapped her hands to her head.

– Why? What the hell did I do?

I pulled up my pant leg and looked at the big purple lump.

– She knows what she did.

– No, I dont, I really dont!

I looked at Harris.

– She so knows what she did.

She got up.

– What I did? What I did? What I did was like you! What I did was need someone to hold me.

She came across the room at me.

– What I did was fuck you and have you freak out in the morning and I walked outside when you told me to get away from you and got kidnapped by the Oakridge Boys!

Harris leaned forward in his seat.

– Settle down now.

– You fucked asshole?

We looked at Jaime, still wedged between the bed and the wall, but newly roused from the nap hed been taking.

She stuck a finger in my face.

– Yes, I did. And it was nice. And I needed it. And I thought he was cool and safe. But hes acting like every asshole Ive ever fucked, by turning into a dick now that hes gotten some.

Harris knocked on the table.

– Said settle down.

Jaime flipped me off.

– Knew you were an asshole.

I raised my hands.

– Hey hey I tried to talk you out of it.

– Oh yeah, you tried so hard!

I got off the bed.

– I did! I did! I knew it was screwed up and I tried, but you were all over me.

– All over you! OK, sure, I was all over you. But I. Shit. I. Oh, Web.

– Settle down!

Harris grabbed her by the hair and swung her around and slapped her and shoved her face down onto the carpet. Jaime started to push up from between the bed and wall and Harris planted his heel in the back of Soledads neck and Jaime dropped back to the floor.

I didnt move.

Not being used to violence happening around me until recently, I didnt have a chance to move. But that didnt make Harris any more reluctant about planting the barrel of his revolver under my chin.

The barrel of a gun, its cold to the touch.

I felt a vibration down that cold steel barrel as he cocked the hammer and the cylinder rotated and a live round slid into alignment with my brain. He pushed up and brought my eyes to his.

– Do you know why you are alive?

Well, there are questions and there are questions, yes? Sometimes you get asked the same question youve been asking yourself for a year. So you have the answer right there at your fingertips.

As did I.

– Man, I do not. I really dont.

He chucked my chin with the barrel.

– You are alive to clean up the mess after I kill these two. Because you have screwed me over.

A radio switched on and Waylon Jennings started singing "Lonesome, Onry and Mean."

Harris let a few bars play.

– Come with me.

He backed toward the table, the gun still under my chin, and I came along with him, hoping he wouldnt trip. He reached back for his cellphone, felt for it, opened it and the song stopped playing.

– Hello?

Behind his sealed lips, Harris ran his tongue over his teeth.

– And?

He listened for a bit, nodded a little.

– See you then.

He took the phone away, snapped it shut.

– Hn.

The cold barrel came away from my skin.

– Back up.

I did.

He pointed at the bed.

I sat.

He nodded.

– Well, can was there, ready to roll. And he is rollin. Which, I have to say, that is an interesting turn of events.

He started to bring the gun back up.

– Not that it really changes much for you all.

The door swung open and Mr. Big Ten Four crashed through and stumbled into the wall next to the bathroom door and left a bloodstain when his battered face slapped against it. Harris twisted, the barrel of the gun rotating away from us and toward his partner.

– What the hell?

Mr. Big Ten Four slid down the wall, streaking blood, one arm out, pointing toward the door. Harris continued to swivel, bringing the gun around, looking for the threat.

But by the time he got there and faced the door, Po Sin was inside it, the pistol that had looked so big in Gabes hand the night before looking like a toy in his own.

– Motherfucker.

Harris didnt move.

Po Sin took another step inside.

– Motherfucker, dont point that gun at me.

Harris didnt move.

Po Sin put out a hand and shoved the door closed.

– Motherfucker, I am a tempting target, but do not point that gun at me.

Harris didnt move.

And then Harris took Po Sins advice and did not point the gun at him. Instead, he twisted ‘round and pointed it at Soledad on the floor.

– Anyone does any damn thing and Im gonna do the obvious.

Po Sins lower lip swallowed his upper.

– Motherfucker.

Heres the thing about witnessing something truly awful.

It sucks.

Heres the thing about witnessing a small child being shot in the side of her face and having most of the rest of her face smeared on your clothes and covering her body with yours because some part of your brain has registered the fact that she has been hit by a bullet and you suddenly find out that you are more than willing to have the next bullet hit and kill you if it means that shell not be harmed any further.

The thing about that is that it hurts when the next bullet doesnt come.

You end up thinking about it a lot. When youre not thinking about that second bullet, the one you knew might come, and therefore could do something about, you are actually, in point of fact, still thinking about it. You dont really think about anything else.

Some of your brain, in order to keep you focused on things it needs you to do, like breathing and eating and such, builds little facades to place over the surface of the world. Perfectly detailed overlays that mimic the world you lived in before you had little girl face on your clothes. Illusions as painstakingly crafted as the relic Old West street fronts on studio back lots. Scrims of normalcy that keep you walking and talking and breathing and eating.

And because thats what you perceive, the hyper reality you inhabit, its the behavior of everyone around you that seems out of sync.

Im OK, man. What the hell is everyone elses problem? Why is everyone acting so weird?

But some other part of your brain knows its a fake. And knows, as well, who is responsible for the fake. And knows that you cant keep existing in a fake world propped on wobbly jack-stands in front of the real.

Sooner or later a stiff wind will come and blow it down on top of you.

That part of the brain sends out messages, bits of code meant to remind you of whats behind the sets. Scrawled missives.

Dont get comfortable. This all has to come down someday. Dont open that door, theres nothing behind iti

The gap between those two parts of the brain is dark and deep. Narrow, but wide enough by some inches to fall into and be lost.

But youre not thinking about any of that. The two worlds youre walking in are just background to one thing, one thought carved into endless variation.

Where is that second bullet?

And when is it going to hit me?

And make me useful again?

Always youre looking, whether you know it or not, for that opportunity, that chance to do it over again. A dream that will never come true. A shot at taking the bullet.

And saving the innocent girl.

Or a girl not so innocent.

I looked at the gun pointing at Soledad.

Heartbeat.

And I got off the bed.

Heartbeat.

And I laid my body over hers.

Heartbeat.

– Boy.

I looked up at Harris.

He centered the gun on my back.

– This thing is plenty big to go through the both of you.

– Web.

Soledad had twisted her face out of her armpit.

I tried to smile at her, but expect I grimaced.

– Hey.

– Web, did you just pee on me?

– Yeah.

– Thought you were pee shy in front of girls.

– I kind of got terrified out of it.

Harris snapped his fingers.

– You, Chinaman, put that weapon on the floor before I shoot these two with one bullet.

Po Sin put the weapon on the floor.

– And kick it on over.

Po Sin kicked it over.

– And sit your big ass down.

Po Sin sat his big ass down.

– OK. For the moment, were all gonna stay pretty much like this till my boy over there comes to. Then well figure out how this all sorts.

He squatted and reached for the pistol near his feet and Gabe came out of the bathroom with the sap Id seen in his glove box and smashed Harris’ gun hand and the revolver dropped and hit the floor and Harris kept reaching for the pistol at his feet and Gabe kicked it clear and brought his knee up into Harris’ face and Po Sin was up and moving and Gabe put the sap across Harris’ knee and the cowboy went down and Gabe dropped and sat on his chest and took the sap and shoved it into Harris’ mouth till it had to be at the back of his throat and Po Sin came over and looked down at me and Soledad.

– Get up.

We got up.

Harris gagged. Gabe took out the sap and forced Harris’ head to the side and waited for the vomiting to subside before putting it back in.

Po Sin watched for a second then turned back to us.

– That the brother?

I looked at Jaimes feet sticking out from under the bed where hed crawled to hide.

– Yeah.

He bent and grabbed an ankle and dragged Jaime squirming into the light.

– Get up.

Jaime stood, one big bundle of flinching muscles.

– Uh, hey, uh.

Po Sin pointed at Harris and Gabe.

– See that?

Jaime nodded.

– Sure.

Po Sin shook his head.

– No you dont.

Jaime nodded.

– No, no I dont. I do not.

Po Sin looked the room over.

– Anything in here belong to any of you three? A hat? Keys? Phone? Check your pockets, make sure you have everything you came in with.

Jaime pawed his pockets.

– I got everything, sir, I have all my stuff.

Po Sin looked at me and Soledad.

– You two?

We nodded.

He pointed at the door.

– OK, get out.

Harris jerked and tried to knee Gabe in the back and Po Sin took a pillow from the bed and tossed it to Gabe and Gabe muffled Harris’ face and Po Sin stepped on the cowboys ruined gun hand and there was a noise from behind the pillow.

Jaime bolted for the door. I pushed Soledad ahead of me, detouring to unzip one of the duffels and pull out a thin Harbor Inn bath towel. Jaime and Soledad went out. I closed the door to a crack and stood just inside.

– Po Sin.

He looked up.

– Yeah.

– What are you gonna?

– Were gonna find out where my van is. I dont think it will take long. But you probably dont want to watch.

– And thats?

– What?

– Thats all, just find out where?

Po Sin crossed the room.

– Go home, Web. Nothings gonna happen here.

He opened the door and pushed me out.

I stuck my foot in the door.

– Hey man, just, you know. Not too much. I mean. I called for help, but.

– Thats right, you called for help. Help came. Now were just gonna clean things up a little.

And he closed the door in my face, cutting off my view as one of Harris’ hands flailed and knocked Gabes sunglasses from his face to reveal that single inked tear, dark beneath a raging eye.