CHAPTER II : The Next Lamp

The second crossing was one block farther on. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtSDf3qROG

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A bus passed me on the way there, throwing a sheet of water over the pavement. I stepped beneath a shop awning and wiped my face with my sleeve. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSVUWPElGI

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When the bus had gone, I could see the next streetlamp. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOFX9DaSDw

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The gentleman stood beneath it. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqe8Lf734Ut

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Same black coat. Same pale waistcoat. Same tall hat, almost touching the light. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPJoBrT9qH

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I stopped under the awning. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43U2fmnBp5

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There had been no footsteps behind me. Nobody had passed me.

To reach that corner, he would have had to walk straight past the shop where I stood. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SGiCWGqKI

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He faced across the road, his gloved hands folded behind his back. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5W5neYMga

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I took out my phone. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWGcZzCEPe

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My wet thumb opened the weather app. I closed it, opened my contacts, then stared at the names. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPB5J5hlE5

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What was I going to say? 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhT1mYhEVa

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There was a very tall man outside. He was wearing a hat. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINFCPWjvEn

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The screen dimmed. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzu6Qki9XS

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Ahead of me, the gentleman moved one shoe aside, leaving plenty of room on the pavement. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2G1D9sgYFA

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As though he had noticed me coming and was being considerate. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCB5EvicGFw

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I put the phone away. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJY69gmViu

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I told myself to cross the street before reaching him. But the crossing signal was on his corner, and traffic was still coming through the rain. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQck0Oo3HQE

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I walked towards it. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpMGk86tUh

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This time, I watched his reflection in the shop windows. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8crqPp69Lm

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At first, the glass showed his long body beneath the lamp. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1WNjsGv4F

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Then I reached a dark window where the reflection was clearer. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2j3SbLjSo

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His body faced the road. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8CY5qKr53

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But his head was facing me. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpVmrRsk4A

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I looked away. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCz1SUosYr

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By the time I passed him, my jaw ached. I hadn’t realized how tightly I was clenching my teeth. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡat7JxjESM8

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Something chuckled beside my ear. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLx6tPKLeQ

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“Heh… heh…” 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPg4eDGiNh

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It sounded like air leaking through a damaged throat. Each breath caught with a faint, wet sound.

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“Do be careful where you're heading, little one.” 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAh56Vd7LX

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The voice was almost cheerful. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ450wGmpCUR

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I felt the words against my ear, close enough that I jerked my shoulder up. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINCFmSeSUf

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His shoes were still several paces behind me. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡie7H0AWCF3

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I didn't wait for the signal. There was a gap between the cars, and I crossed so quickly that a driver sounded his horn.

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On the other side, I kept walking. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzUTyoPF93

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Then I began to run. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zsnIEf43i

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My shoes slipped on a drain cover. I caught myself against a wall and kept going, my breath loud inside my head. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNTqAxZLzF

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The next junction came into view. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbGJmdz4g5

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He was already there. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SXKLq94JV

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This lamp stood farther down the road, beyond the turning I needed to take. I could see him clearly from where I stopped. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzhnOxCEaL

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He was facing me. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3u7X5WDsKW

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His head rested sideways against his left shoulder. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQZqMLMSXL

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The hat had stayed on. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjn5dNyfLvj

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I waited for him to straighten. My own neck tightened as I looked at the angle of his. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IGO7GYaAR

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He tilted farther. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4PocfAJd0

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Slowly.

Until the brim lay almost level with his shoulder and his face pointed up at me from beneath it. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzJaWtn7VZ

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A tiny red light appeared in the darkness. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTBFxbwqun

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Then another. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEVwLdlzjq

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I turned into the side street.

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