firstthinghesawwasthetendergreengrasssmearedwithbrightredbloodflowingfromJamaz’sseveralwounds.Hisoldfriendwasinabadshape.Hehadlostsomuchbloodthathismovementswereslowandclumsy,butEmmaillpressedolesslywithhissharplonggardenshearsandfinallystabbedhiminthechestwithamightthrust.Jamaztotteredbackafewstepsandlookeddownatthegapingwoundinhischestwherebloodurtingout.Hebckedoutaotheground.Emmanuelwasshockedandonlythendidherealizetheseriousnessofhisas,thathehadkilledhisgoodfriendJamaz.Richardrushedovertohisfallenpalwhowasshortofbreathandwhosethroatrumbledwithpainfulgroans.HekdouttinghisfaceclosetoJamazsaid,

    “Myoldfriend,up.Don’tyoudaredieonme!Pleasestruggletoremainscious.Youmustliveon.Youotdie!HowIliveonalohisworldwithoutyou?Don’tbckoutplease.I’llgethelp.Whenyourecover,wewillgooutoownasusualeat,drinkandbemerry.Don’tdie,Jamaz.Dimitriwillnotagreetoletyoudie,either…”Emmanuelrusheduptothemshearsinhandinfulttackmode.Richardthrewuphisarmtowardofftheattadwasbadlyihbloodflowingfromhiswound..HehadtakenmeasureofhisbearingsassoonashecameontheseandknewwhatmusthavehappewasfortuhehadalreadytactedMr.KaffeeandBig-Oandaskedthembothtoeahereincasere-enfortswereneeded.RichardcalcutedthattheyshouldalreadybeontheirwayaimportantthingatthemomentwastocalmEmmanueldownandstallfortime.Thatlittlemancouldnotdistinguishbetweengoodandevil,heshouldnotbeallowedtowreckmorehavoc.StandinguphefacedEmmanuelwhostoodtherefiercelywiththesharp,bloodyshearsstillinhishands,buthisexpressionwasalsotiharmandpanic.

    “Ok,Iknowwhoyouare”saidRichardcalmly.“Listen,althoughyouhavegedyoursizeandyourshape,fromyoureyes,IknowyouareMr.Finger…Ifyoustillhaveanytraandecyleftinyou,thinkofthepastandofhowIhavealwaystreatedyou.Lookatthismanlyingatyourfeet,dying.Thinkbahowhetreatedyou.Howcouldyouhurthimtosuchadegree?Whowasitthatfedyouwhenyouwerehungryandgotyouwinewhenyouhadathirstforliquor?Wasn’titthetwoofuswhotookyoueverywhere,tobarsaaurants,osandbrothels,anywhereyouwaogotomakeyouhappy…?Althoughyouhadoncesavedourlives,youhavealreadytakenbackhis.Doyouwanttotakemineaswell?I,Richardamamanwhobelieveinloyalty.Ifyouwantmylife,eafromme…”Beforehefinishedspeakinganotherflyingfigurecameoverthewall.ItwasBig-O.Richard’sheartgddehesightofthemonk,forifhewashereMr.Kaffeecouldnotbefarbehind.

    “Youowehimyourlife”shoutedthebigmonk,“butIdonot.Standasideaake.Iwanttofindoutwhatkindofaheroisamanwhowouldkillhisoldfriendandbrother.”Sayingso,Big-OcametostandbesideRichardandmadeastanceofbattle.Richard’eyesturoaspotbehindEmmanuel.Hesmiledeffusivelyandsaid,

    “Hi,KingDimitri,whendidyougethere?Wearejustsettlingsomeunfinishedbusinesshere,pleasedon’tyourselfwithit,wedealwithhim.”Emmaurnedaroundbutsawnoone,andimmediatelyrealizedhehadfallenforatrick.Big-Omadeuseofhisiiontograbthegardenshearsoutofhishandandelbowedhimhardonthechestthatmadehimstaggerbackafewsteps.Mr.Kaffeestrolledoutfromtheshadowstotheswimmingpoolwithacellphoneinhishandsaying,

    “Hello,isthatthepolicestation?Areyoulookingforaserialrapistthat’sbeenterrorizingthisdistr

firstthinghesawwasthetendergreengrasssmearedwithbrightredbloodflowingfromJamaz’sseveralwounds.Hisoldfriendwasinabadshape.Hehadlostsomuchbloodthathismovementswereslowandclumsy,butEmmaillpressedolesslywithhissharplonggardenshearsandfinallystabbedhiminthechestwithamightthrust.Jamaztotteredbackafewstepsandlookeddownatthegapingwoundinhischestwherebloodurtingout.Hebckedoutaotheground.Emmanuelwasshockedandonlythendidherealizetheseriousnessofhisas,thathehadkilledhisgoodfriendJamaz.Richardrushedovertohisfallenpalwhowasshortofbreathandwhosethroatrumbledwithpainfulgroans.HekdouttinghisfaceclosetoJamazsaid,

    “Myoldfriend,up.Don’tyoudaredieonme!Pleasestruggletoremainscious.Youmustliveon.Youotdie!HowIliveonalohisworldwithoutyou?Don’tbckoutplease.I’llgethelp.Whenyourecover,wewillgooutoownasusualeat,drinkandbemerry.Don’tdie,Jamaz.Dimitriwillnotagreetoletyoudie,either…”Emmanuelrusheduptothemshearsinhandinfulttackmode.Richardthrewuphisarmtowardofftheattadwasbadlyihbloodflowingfromhiswound..HehadtakenmeasureofhisbearingsassoonashecameontheseandknewwhatmusthavehappewasfortuhehadalreadytactedMr.KaffeeandBig-Oandaskedthembothtoeahereincasere-enfortswereneeded.RichardcalcutedthattheyshouldalreadybeontheirwayaimportantthingatthemomentwastocalmEmmanueldownandstallfortime.Thatlittlemancouldnotdistinguishbetweengoodandevil,heshouldnotbeallowedtowreckmorehavoc.StandinguphefacedEmmanuelwhostoodtherefiercelywiththesharp,bloodyshearsstillinhishands,buthisexpressionwasalsotiharmandpanic.

    “Ok,Iknowwhoyouare”saidRichardcalmly.“Listen,althoughyouhavegedyoursizeandyourshape,fromyoureyes,IknowyouareMr.Finger…Ifyoustillhaveanytraandecyleftinyou,thinkofthepastandofhowIhavealwaystreatedyou.Lookatthismanlyingatyourfeet,dying.Thinkbahowhetreatedyou.Howcouldyouhurthimtosuchadegree?Whowasitthatfedyouwhenyouwerehungryandgotyouwinewhenyouhadathirstforliquor?Wasn’titthetwoofuswhotookyoueverywhere,tobarsaaurants,osandbrothels,anywhereyouwaogotomakeyouhappy…?Althoughyouhadoncesavedourlives,youhavealreadytakenbackhis.Doyouwanttotakemineaswell?I,Richardamamanwhobelieveinloyalty.Ifyouwantmylife,eafromme…”Beforehefinishedspeakinganotherflyingfigurecameoverthewall.ItwasBig-O.Richard’sheartgddehesightofthemonk,forifhewashereMr.Kaffeecouldnotbefarbehind.

    “Youowehimyourlife”shoutedthebigmonk,“butIdonot.Standasideaake.Iwanttofindoutwhatkindofaheroisamanwhowouldkillhisoldfriendandbrother.”Sayingso,Big-OcametostandbesideRichardandmadeastanceofbattle.Richard’eyesturoaspotbehindEmmanuel.Hesmiledeffusivelyandsaid,

    “Hi,KingDimitri,whendidyougethere?Wearejustsettlingsomeunfinishedbusinesshere,pleasedon’tyourselfwithit,wedealwithhim.”Emmaurnedaroundbutsawnoone,andimmediatelyrealizedhehadfallenforatrick.Big-Omadeuseofhisiiontograbthegardenshearsoutofhishandandelbowedhimhardonthechestthatmadehimstaggerbackafewsteps.Mr.Kaffeestrolledoutfromtheshadowstotheswimmingpoolwithacellphoneinhishandsaying,

    “Hello,isthatthepolicestation?Areyoulookingforaserialrapistthat’sbeenterrorizingthisdistr