t h ou gh t abou t h ow h e?d been l i v i n g i n th e tow n f or si x an d a h al f y ear s an d sti l l n o on e gave h i m so m u ch as a p assi n g gl an ce. T h ey h ad gr ow n , as al l th i n gs d o. I t so h ap p en ed to be i n d i f f er en t d i r ecti on s. N i ck ?s on ce ju bi l an t voi ce h ad tu r n ed sh r i l l , an d O m ar ?s al l u r i n g qu i etn ess h ad becom e d i scom f or ti n g. Sti l l , th ey r em ai n ed togeth er becau se th ey th ou gh t th ey h ad n o on e el se. T h at w asn ?t t r u e, of cou r se. Gi ven som e ti m e, th er e w er e n o sh or tage of p eop l e u n w i l l i n g t o bef r i en d th e boi ster ou s f or ei gn er or th e en d ear i n g od d bal l w h o l i ved by th e w ood s. For som e r eason , th er e w as a f i gh t. N o on e saw an d n o on e h ear d , bu t th ey n ot i ced th e af t er m at h t h r ou gh gap s i n th e bl i n d s an d cu r tai n s, th r ou gh th e qu i et scr u bbi n g at th ei r scal p s or t h e n ear - si l en t d i n g of th e r egi st er . N i ck ?s ap ar tm en t h ad tu r n ed i n si d e- ou t, w i t h ever y h i d d en k n i ck- k n ack an d od d bi t on d i sor d er ly d i sp l ay. O m ar ?s vast h ou se h ad been , f or t h e f i r st ti m e i n a l on g w h i l e, d eep - cl ean ed an d p u t i n p l ace. H e h ad even bu i l t book sh elves. T h e bl am e f l i p - f l op p ed . N o on e k n ew w h er e N i ck f ou n d th e gu n , n or O m ar th e k n i f e. W h at u n settl ed m ost w as t h e col or of t h e bl ad e: th e d eep cop p er th at m at ch ed O m ar ?s sk i n so m u ch th at , at a f i r st gl an ce, on e cou l d n ?t d i sti n gu i sh betw een h i s h an d an d th e h an d l e.
Ph oto by Gabr i el Ri ccar d i
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