It was around nine o'clock in the morning when Xavier opened his eyes. He had been a sleep for almost ten hours getting some much needed rest and time away from reality. Norman sat across from the sofa where Xavier yawned. Norman was reading the London Times, looking for any mention of the crime in St.Alban's, there was no mention made of the murder, yet. Xavier sat up pushing the blanket off of him as Norman said he needed to talk to him.
"Listen, I've made a few phone calls." he paused a serious look and tone to his demeanor. "There is a flight leaving Heathrow in three hours for Buenos Aires. I've called you a taxi to take you back to the halls of residence so you can pack up your things and go."
"Norman." Xavier said with a look of shock mixed with sadness "You were going to come with me to meet the rest of my family, Felina was going to teach you how to ride." Xavier reminded him, disappointed with the news.
"Yeah well, after last night I think it's better for you to get out of London for the summertime, go be with your family, try to forget about what you've seen." Norman replied sick to his stomach with the recollection of the sound of a human skull shattering into little bits and pieces. "Besides.., I need to be left alone for awhile, get my head straight." Norman sighed as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.
Now the realization came to Xavier, who felt a terrible turning of knots in his stomach, his skin went cold and he very much wanted to vomit. Xavier looked over at his best friend in the entire world knowing, somehow, the two friends might not ever see each other again. Ah cruel fate! "Are you sure you want me to go away?"
"It's better, in case anything goes down, I don't want anyone linking us together. You can not be involved! Because you were never there!" Norman shouted trying to convince himself that was the truth. But Xavier HAD been there last night, Xavier HAD bared wittness to the sickness of murder, Xavier HAD watched his classmate brutally beaten before him. Xavier saw a man die. It was imperative Norman get him out of England as soon as possible. Norman stood up and pulled out a stack of cash from his jacket for Xavier saying "Here, this is Two Thousand Pounds." Norman rolled his eyes "Look, this isn't any of that money! I earned this money for my shop! I want you take it and go have a nice summer with your sisters! I'll see you in September! We'll go back to the Guinea for a Porter House and a few pints!" Norman smiled as he gave his friend a bear hug. And with that Xavier washed his face and combed his hair. Norman saw the taxi pull up to the building, he called out to Xavier, who came out of the bathroom with a terrible sense of foreboding, as if knowing he would never see his friend again. So Xavier said with a nervous smile to disguise his extreme unhappiness "Right then mate!" Xavier said as he shook hands with Norman telling him "So, first Friday in September, dinner at the Guinea I'll buy the first round!"
"Cheers mate!" Norman smiled with a cheerful expression as if to say, 'everything is fine here! No one has been murdered and my isn't a lovely day!'
"Yeah cheers mate, thanks a lot!" Xavier simply said as he went down the stairs, climbing into the back of the taxi as Norman stood at the window watching his best friend drive off.
Now Norman was alone with his thoughts on this overcast, warm, Wednesday in early June, he would not open his shop until Saturday morning. Exhausted, but still unable to sleep, Norman sat down on his sofa and poured out a glass whiskey for himself, he lit up a joint and sat there in silence just listening to the cars pass by outside on the busy street below in Soho. Norman, deeply troubled, was going to need some time alone.
"Listen, I've made a few phone calls." he paused a serious look and tone to his demeanor. "There is a flight leaving Heathrow in three hours for Buenos Aires. I've called you a taxi to take you back to the halls of residence so you can pack up your things and go."
"Norman." Xavier said with a look of shock mixed with sadness "You were going to come with me to meet the rest of my family, Felina was going to teach you how to ride." Xavier reminded him, disappointed with the news.
"Yeah well, after last night I think it's better for you to get out of London for the summertime, go be with your family, try to forget about what you've seen." Norman replied sick to his stomach with the recollection of the sound of a human skull shattering into little bits and pieces. "Besides.., I need to be left alone for awhile, get my head straight." Norman sighed as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.
Now the realization came to Xavier, who felt a terrible turning of knots in his stomach, his skin went cold and he very much wanted to vomit. Xavier looked over at his best friend in the entire world knowing, somehow, the two friends might not ever see each other again. Ah cruel fate! "Are you sure you want me to go away?"
"It's better, in case anything goes down, I don't want anyone linking us together. You can not be involved! Because you were never there!" Norman shouted trying to convince himself that was the truth. But Xavier HAD been there last night, Xavier HAD bared wittness to the sickness of murder, Xavier HAD watched his classmate brutally beaten before him. Xavier saw a man die. It was imperative Norman get him out of England as soon as possible. Norman stood up and pulled out a stack of cash from his jacket for Xavier saying "Here, this is Two Thousand Pounds." Norman rolled his eyes "Look, this isn't any of that money! I earned this money for my shop! I want you take it and go have a nice summer with your sisters! I'll see you in September! We'll go back to the Guinea for a Porter House and a few pints!" Norman smiled as he gave his friend a bear hug. And with that Xavier washed his face and combed his hair. Norman saw the taxi pull up to the building, he called out to Xavier, who came out of the bathroom with a terrible sense of foreboding, as if knowing he would never see his friend again. So Xavier said with a nervous smile to disguise his extreme unhappiness "Right then mate!" Xavier said as he shook hands with Norman telling him "So, first Friday in September, dinner at the Guinea I'll buy the first round!"
"Cheers mate!" Norman smiled with a cheerful expression as if to say, 'everything is fine here! No one has been murdered and my isn't a lovely day!'
"Yeah cheers mate, thanks a lot!" Xavier simply said as he went down the stairs, climbing into the back of the taxi as Norman stood at the window watching his best friend drive off.
Now Norman was alone with his thoughts on this overcast, warm, Wednesday in early June, he would not open his shop until Saturday morning. Exhausted, but still unable to sleep, Norman sat down on his sofa and poured out a glass whiskey for himself, he lit up a joint and sat there in silence just listening to the cars pass by outside on the busy street below in Soho. Norman, deeply troubled, was going to need some time alone.
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