RANDOMNESS AND HEMINGWAY IMITATION.It was chilly that day in late October. The man stood, tapping his foot and wishing that everything would just end. In front of him, a girl turned, caught his eye, and parted her lips in surprise. The line grew shorter.
"Excuse me, but do I know you?"
"Doubt it."
"No, you seem really- oh!"
"Yes?"
"James?"
"Yes."
"It's... Alice. Do you remember me?"
He turned the name over in his mind, trying to connect the girl to a memory. Any memory. They shuffled forward a few steps before his face lit up.
"Ah... but all of that was so long ago. We were just kids."
"Yes, it was nicer then, wasn't it?" How times have changed. Are you afraid?"
"Picking pockets."
"Excuse me?"
"I remember, your family was starving. I was the distraction and you..."
"Yes. We got caught once."
"I don't remember that part. The line is moving again aye?"
"Are you afraid?"
"Now I remember! That heavy woman with the sweaty palms. Should have been an easy job."
"Nothing is an easy job," she said, shifting her weight.
"You're probably right."
"I'm not scared, you know."
He studied his dirty feet and battered pants, considering his answer. "I think we were in love once."
"Yes, but that was such a very long time ago. We were just kids."
"But what has changed, really?"
"So much," she murmured, "so much."
"Oh, no, all this? It's nothing. Nothing at all. You'll see."
"But how can you be sure? You can't be."
"You'll see." He looked up to find that she was next in line. "Allow me to go first. You'll see."
"If you're sure..."
A man lead James to the top of the platform. The crowd below was cheering, but the only person who really saw him was the girl. The man looked at him briefly. "Anything to say?"
"Alice," he called, "are you scared now?"
She stared up at him blankly. The man snorted and the stool was kicked from beneath James' feet. The crowd yelled in delight at the sound of his neck snapping. Alice blinked.
"No," she murmured, shaking her head. "No, I'm not."
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