sylvia was lurking in the shadows - something she was used to doing and was good at - when she saw the two men on the subway platform arguing.
they were alone on the platform.
they were too far away for her to hear their words.
they both looked more or less like bums..
the bigger, older man had a big bag slung over his shoulder. from the way he was carrying it it did not seem too heavy. sylvia wondered what was in it. maybe clothes. maybe just rags.
the smaller man was doing most of the talking . suddenly he seemed to get really mad at something the big man with the bag said, and starting poking him in the chest.
the big man shoved the little man and knocked him down.
the big man moved closer to the little man.
the little man pulled something out of his pocket.
which must have been a gun because he shot the big man with it.
the shot started echoing in the subway and was almost immediately drowned out by the sound of an oncoming train.
sylvia stepped back tight against the wall and the train roared past her.
the train was a local making all stops . it stopped.
sylvia waited. she could not hear any signs of a commotion - like anybody noticed the man shot on the platform.
the train left.
the smaller man was gone. he had either got on the train or gone up the stairs to the street.
the bigger man, whether he was dead or alive, was lying on the platform with his face to the wall.
and the bag was still there! it had probably partially concealed the man from anyone who might have been looking out the windows of the train.
sylvia made her move. she crossed the tracks and scrambled up on to the platform.
she grabbed the guy’s shoulder and pulled him back just far enough to get a look at his face.
he was beyond help, except from st peter.
she gave his pockets a quick check, as best she could without moving the dead weight of the body around.
no wallet. nothing else she could feel.
sylvia hefted the bag. it was not real light, but not that heavy either. she grabbed it and headed for the stairs.
the station was down five flights of stairs from the street. when sylvia got to the next level she stopped and opened the bag, just for a quick check.
the bag seemed filled with clothes. mostly with one item of clothing - a red coat. she fished under the coat. there seemed to be more underneath, she could not be positive.
she decided the bag was worth lugging up the flights of stairs and checking out more thoroughly.
there might even be some money in it!
probably not, but she could dream, couldn’t she?
it was christmas time.
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