134

Sal waited, as minutes elapsed.
Then the door moved inward to
Admit a gigantic man dressed
In a shapeless mustard suit.
His complexion was olive and
He was bright with perspiration.
Seeing Sal, his eyes whitened
And his face engorged and it
Became sallow. He backed into
The wall making wordless, empty
Guttural sounds. Sal discharged
The pistol over his forearm and
And the shot pinned the giant
To the wall. He slid down it,
Leaving a long crescent trail
Of blood, and fell to the floor.
His expression was rapt for a
Moment, and then became static.
His jowls ceased to shake, and
His eyes grew pale, and parted.

Sal breathed, holding the gun.
He came nearer and overturned
The body. The exit wound was a
Rosette of flesh in the endless
Expanse of the man's torso. Red
Seeped from the well of broken
Fabric. Sal stood back from him
And took aim and put a second
Round where the spine and head
Were conjoined. The body jolted.
Sal stood looking at it in the
Dark of the office and reached
In his coat for a cigarette and
Lit it and went to the desk and
Picked up the telephone to dial.