ALL BOXED UP PART THREE chapter one

" On the bed, squirt are ya with me or just lookin at me?"  He snaps his fingers in front of my eyes and I pay attention.  Willy sighs and gives me his big brother look, shaking his head in disgust.1

"ON THE BED, get it Sis?  Just sittin' there mindin' my own business, it was just about noon and I could smell food cookin' down in the kitchen, that's what woke me up.  I was still tired and I sat up on the bed rubbing my eyes and yawnin'.  I was thinkin' about all the hard work I'd been doin' over the last three months.  But it was okay because Jake had $2000,00 in the safe downstairs for me.  A little package of my own, I'd earned it, workin my butt off every night.  Delivering all those packages all over the place, not a night off either Sis.  That's a lot a dough,Dad could work night and day and not match it, huh squirt?2

Plus I got to sleep over the kitchen and the food free.  I really wanted that food after workin hard til the sun was up.   So I was sittin there after pullin on my pants and I bent over to get my shoes.  Oh God I really wish I had'a got those shoes on Sis "  3

The pain in Willie's voice over a pair of shoes shot threw me in surprise and I reach out my hand to him, gently touching the ends of his long fingers as his hand tightens it's grip on the shelf of my seed pots.4

"That's when it happened," he said and pulled his hand away.  Willie has that look now, the look he had brought back home, the look I do not know.  I stand quiet, still, not wanting to frighten him off, until he can tell me why the thought of not having his shoes on caused this awful paiin.  He breaths heavily and jerks his head away to see  what I can not.5

Again Willie says, 6

"that's when it happened, I was sittin on the bed7

when the door slammed open against the wall and this crazy guy was standin there.  He was short, heavy and heaving with sweat.  A real nut case, shakin all over and giggling like a girl.  But his eyes , they never blinked, I swear, not once, just dark, empty, half shut starin eyes ."8

Willie stops talking, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.9

While I am waiting for him to exhale, I think about this odd guy.  Now I have known men to smile and laugh, but giggling was something a kid did.  I don't even have anything to gigle about anymore.  But, that's what Willie said.  Willie was breathing regular again, although his face is so pale I can almost count all the freckles on his nose.10

Willie opens his eyes and looks at me, or through me, in such a strange way, that I am now the one holding my breath, waiting for him to say more.11

"The guy, that guy he was a regular delivery on my night job.  I knew he didn't like me, but he didn't like anybody much,  God , I don't know what I did wrong? Mess up his package or somethin'?  Maybe he just thought I did somethin'?  I just don't know and he was to hopped up or juiced up on heavy stuff, ya know?  I just don't know, maybe he didn't know, or care.  Why me, why was he after me?  I just deliver the stuff.  Oh Go, Oh God." Willie is crying  now, in a screaming kinda way, no tears this time only fear, an overwelming fear that he is sharing with me, and then he starts to talk, with words again.... 12

"He had a gun in his hand and it went off, he shot it, the gun.  I felt the bullet wiz by my head.  I dropped my shoe just about the same time the feathers began to fly.  The bullet hit the pillow and a dark hole and scattered feathers lay where my head had been ten minutes ago.  That wacko started giggling again and Sis, all I could think to do was close my eyes and pray that it's just all a bad dream." 13

Willy turns away, his body tense, while I just stand here, with my mouth open, listening to what, I do not know.  "Sis" he says with an odd sad break in his throat and now there is a long silence between us.  Stronger than words, a heart breaking end to both of our child hoods.14