C19 Best Christmas Present

It was dark now.

Billy pushed Chauncey in the shopping cart, his legs hang- ing over the front, his head hanging over the back, looking up at Billy, still unconscious.

Billy was now wearing a brown herringbone suit and blue silk

shirt, along with a pair of brown loafers with tassels on the front.

In the course of changing clothes, Billy had to whack Chauncey twice to keep him quiet.

Chauncey was now dressed in Billy’s rags and torn leather shoes. Chauncey was now wearing handcuffs.

Chauncey was now gagged with an Italian silk tie.

Chauncey’s ankles were bound with Billy’s rope belt. Chauncey was covered with an American flag.

When Billy got to the Dugout, he opened the earthen door and shoved the shopping cart inside. He lit what was left of a candle stub on the table. He pulled Chauncey out of the shopping cart and left him lying on the floor against the wall, across from Billy’s mat.

Chauncey was resting on his side, his hands cuffed behind him, facing the mat. Billy sat down on the mat and just stared at him.

He felt jubilant. This was the best Christmas present Santa ever brought him. Billy sat there finishing what was left of his turkey sandwich.

When he had finally reached Saint Anthony’s Dining Room, it was closed. He had stood in line in the hail for four hours waiting for one of the sandwiches that a group of Sarah’s Soldiers were handing out.

On the way back to the Dugout, he had become confused

about whether he had removed China Doll’s body and brought it back to the Dugout. He became even more confused when he saw the Bentley, not far from the Dumpster.

And then he came upon the man who was looking inside the Dumpster.

His back was to Billy.

Billy pulled out the Beretta.

He would never have imagined that it was Chauncey Gibbons

when the man turned back to look at him.

Chauncey’s eyes were blinking now. Chauncey was coming to. Billy considered whacking him again, but the blue silk tie would keep him quiet.

Chauncey shook his head vigorously.

Chauncey went wide eyed.

Chauncey kicked and fought the handcuffs. His shouting was

muffled behind the Italian silk tie. There was no one around to hear him anyway.

Billy waited for him to quiet down. Billy wanted him to adjust. Billy got up and went over and squatted in front of him. He looked into that handsome chiseled face he had always admired from a dis- tance at Eagles Fly. He wondered if Chauncey recognized him.

But Chauncey looked terrified.

Billy shoved the Beretta in his brown leather belt.

Billy blew out the candle.

A rat ran across his brown leather loafer. Chauncey’s whole body shook uncontrollably.

“Get used to it,” Billy told Chauncey in the dark. “There’s no way you can escape.”

Chauncey let out a muffled scream.

“I’ll be back,” Billy said and began pulling the shopping cart after him as he went out the earthen door.