“just shut up and follow me.”
i followed carlos up the hill. it was steeper than i first thought, and the ground was soft.
a gravel driveway appeared. we avoided it, and moved around to the back of the building.
carlos motioned to me to stop.
a light went on in the top floor - the attic? - of the building.
“all right,” carlos whispered. “let’s go. get your pistol out and get ready to wave it .”
suddenly the whole building exploded with light.
had i really expected anything else?
i ran.
i had no thought of carlos. i ran back around the building and started down the hill.
a huge animal, which i assume was a dog, though it might have been a wolf or a panther, knocked me down and pinned mr down.
the beast growled fiercely in my face, but refrained from ripping out my throat or my guts.
i heard human voices. a light was shined directly in my face.
“back off, nelson,” somebody told the beast, and with a snarl it did.
“recognize this one, guv’nor?” the same voice asked somebody.
i heard a deep laugh and sat up.
though i had not seen him since we were lads, i recognized churchill. he was wearing a bowler hat and smoking a fat cigar.
why, that’s just old bunghead billings,” churchill said. “he’s quite harmless, you can let him go.”
a rough hand grabbed me and pulled me up, i looked into the bronzed face of a guardsman or royal marine or some such.
“off you go, mate,” he told me. “i would advise you step lively, before the guv’nor changes his mind.
i needed no encouragement. i ran down the hill and into the night.
i came to a crossroads. one road seemed as good as another.
i found myself on a dark moor. i ran and ran.
i encountered a tramp with a sack slung over his shoulder. something seemed to be moving inside the sack.
i hailed him, but he ignored me, and went on down the road with his sack full of puppies or snakes or what not.
i was picked up by a roving patrol just before dawn.
you know the rest.
where am i ? who am i ? am i b-9-674-kd-7? am i charles jones? am i 407-543-py? am i jerry? am i old bunghead billings?
who am i ? who is anybody?
all i ever wanted was to be me.
all i ever wanted was to be free.
i want to go home.
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