At ten thirty that same night, Eli and his friend, Abel Moses, constantly drinking, were discussing the general disadvantages of one Nicholas Abraham.
"Ha!" Eli said, "I got my shotgun filled up!"
"Huh?" Abel, half asleep, grunted.
"I said I got my shotgun filled up. When Nicholas and Josiphene return tonight, I'm gonna scare hell out of 'em! You wait and see!"
Loud laughter followed.
"You really aren't gonna shoot em, are you?" a suddenly serious Abel asked, afgter a large swallow of whiskey.
"Hell, naw!" Eli slurred. "I'm just gonna sccare hell out of em! Nicholas Abraham will never show up here again! And little Miss Josiphene will be so scared of me that she'll make love to me--whenever I ask! I never knew what I had in front of me. I always thought all Josie cared about was that damned store--and Nicholas. I was mistaken!"
"How ya figure that?" asked Abel.
"Before she left here last Saturday," Eli continued, "she backed me up in a corner. She kissed me like she never kissed me before! It was great, Moses!"
"Where's the gun?" Abel laughed.
"Over there," Eli said, pointing to the shotgun resting on a chair by the front door. "He usually walks her to the front door. When we hear a car door slam, we'll get the gun.
"Are ya sure ya know what you're doing?" Abel, realizing how drunk they both were, asked.
"Like I said," Eli reassured, "I'm only gonna scare em!"
They talked continuously until midnight.
Nichoas and Josiphene, on their way home, talked about their future together.
"Oh, Nicholas," Josiphene said, "it will be so wonderful. I can imagine it now--Mrs. Josiphene Abraham--oh, such a change from my present life!"
"First things first," Nicholas insisted, "I love you, dear, but we're going to have to act--well--decent! First, there's the divorce, then we'll have to date at least another month or two before we marry!"
"Why?"
"How would it look to the people of Cole? I mean--what would they say about us?"
"We've been dating!" Josiphene laughed. "What do you think they are saying now?"
As they parked in front of the Michael residence, Josiphene got her keys from her purse.
The couple warmly embraced, and kissed goodnight.
"What time tomorrow?" Nicholas softly asked.
"About five thirty," Josiphene replied.
"I think I hear a car door slam!" Abel said, rising. As he walked toward the door, Eli jumped up, ran to the chair, and grabbed the gun.
"I hope you weren't reaching for the gun, ole buddy!" Abel said. "Are you sure you won't get careless? I mean--that thing could kill!"
"Shut up!" Eli said. "I told ya I was only gonna scare em!"
Suddenly, Eli flung the door open. As he detected Josiphene and Nicholas approaching, he pointed the gun in the air, and fired.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Nicholas, running toward Eli, yelled.
"Eli!" Josiphene demanded, "put that damn gun down! And get out of here, Abel Moses, you damn skunk!"
"Don' ya come near me!" Eli said, "or I'll shoot!"
"Take the gun away from him, Moses!" Nicholas screamed.
"Okay," Abel said, walking toward Eli, "the joke is over!"
"Damn right the joke is over!" Josiphene said.
What happened within the following few minutes happened so fast, to Josiphene, that it was like a horrible nightmare, one that would flash through her mind for days to come.
Abel, trying to get the gun away from Eli, fell down the steps. As Eli, the gun in his left hand (pointing toward Nicholas), leaned over to help Abel up, the gun went off. It hit Nicholas.
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