14/02/2026 02:48

---

Two old men were standing on the tarmac where there hadbeen gas pumps once upon a time. It was cold as ice. They were still scattered hell to breakfast, and that was sort of arelief. At the same moment her upper lip lifted in a dog's snarl.

I clicked on ENTEM I typed The End below the lastline of prose, and then I toasted the screen with what should have beenJo's glass of champagne. I picked up the eight double-spaced pages I had written and fannedthrough them, still amazed at their existence. There was a clock ticking some-where. Christ knows I owe you a hel ova lot .