"REWARDS" 
by Robb Allan

     The Oldsmobile smashed through the window of Huey's Bar
And  Grill.   The  bar  sat  on  the  edge  of  a  dangerous
intersection, and the traffic coming off Winchester Pike and
heading for the  freeway,  quickly  picked  up speed as they
headed for the light.

     Tonight, a Mustang Cobra loaded with high  school  kids
out for a joy ride, had run the red light at Refugee causing
the  Olds  to  swerve  out  of control and right through the
front wall of Huey's.

     Douglas  Concord  watched  in  bemused  silence  as the
Cutlass came to a stop not two feet from him, and  right  on
top of his now former lover, Denise.

     He  detached  himself  from  his  chair  and got on his
knees.  He looked under the vehicle and stood.  He walked to
the driver's side door and calmly opened it, lifting a dazed
looking businessman from the seat.

     "Hey, Doug," the  bartender,  Jake,  yelled at him, "Is
Denise gonna be all right?  Should I call 911?"

     "Naw, Jake.  She's got a sliver of glass in her  throat
the size of one'a your lead burgers.  Ambulance won't do her
any good now."

     The patrons of the bar watched as Doug sat the now wild
eyed business man down on the nearest undamaged table.  They
fully expected to see some horrific violence here tonight.

     Doug held out his hand to the businessman, "Mister, you
just  saved  me  a  whole  lotta fuckin' trouble and I wanna
shake your hand.  What's your name?"

     Hysteria was replaced  by  caution  on  the man's face.
"Paul Brubaker.  How did I save you..."

     "Douglas."

     "How'd I save you, Douglas?"

     "Well, I'll tell you.  I been fuckin' the woman  pinned
underneath  your  car for about a year now.  The wife's been
gettin' a little edgy  lately.   I  think  she knows.  I was
here tonight to tell Denise that I couldn't see her anymore.
Well, when I told her, you know what she did?"

     Paul's face had paled a little, "No.  What'd she do?"

     "She threatened me.  Me, Douglas Concord.  Said she was
gonna tell my wife the whole story.   Said  she  might  even
grab  one of my kid's and hold'em for sexual ransom.  Now, I
wasn't too worried  about  the  kids,  they'll need to learn
about sex  eventually,  and,  boy,  was  Denise  a  load  in
bed?..."  He  turned toward the bar, "Hey, Jake, fix our man
Paul a brew would'ya?"

     The sound of  sirens  could  be  heard in the distance.
Knowing rush hour traffic, they wouldn't make it  to  Huey's
for  at  least  another  six  to seven minutes.  Most of the
customers had, by  now,  disappeared,  not wanting to become
involved as witnesses.

     Jake brought the beer to the table and  walked  through
the front wall to inspect the damage.  Douglas continued his
story.

     "Well, anyway, I wasn't too worried about the kids, but
my  wife.   My  wife  is  a different story.  She's the only
thing in this world that  I  am truly afraid of.  Last year,
when things with Denise were hot & heavy, I  tried  to  kill
Sharon.   Came home from work with my newest toy.  A genuine
switchblade knife.  Walked right  up  behind the bitch while
she was cooking dinner and run it ever so gently across  her
throat.   She  turns  around  with two big smiles, her blood
runnin' in fuckin' rivers all over my dinner, and she laughs
at me.  Just standin' there.  Laughin' like a crazy fool..."

     "Mister...."

     "Shut the fuck up.   Let  me  finish.  Do you know what
happened next?"

     "Mister, look..."

     "I said...  shut the fuck up, or I'm  going  to  put  a
dent  in  your thick skull.  Do you know what happened next?
Her throat closed up.  Just  closed up.  Yeah, sure, it left
an ugly as hell scar running the length  of  her  neck,  but
that  fucker  healed  faster  than the blood could run outta
her."

     Paul now looked like  a  wet  sheet, "You said her name
was Sharon?..."

     Douglas opened  his  fist  and  planted  it  on  Paul's
forehead,  forcing  his  head  into  the hard surface of the
table twice, "Goddammnit, Paul, shut the fuck up, or I swear
to God I'll pull  out  that  switchblade  and see if you can
heal yourself as fast!"

     Paul reluctantly acquiesced.

     "She looked me in the eye and said two words.  You know
what those two words were, you stupid fuck?"

     Paul kept his mouth shut.

     "She said...  Paul Brubaker.  And she turned around  to
the  stove  and  served me up a fresh helping of Spaghetti &
blood."

     Paul Brubaker tried to get  up and run, but Douglas was
too quick.  He grabbed the back of Paul's neck and threw him
to the ground.

     Douglas could  hear  the  ambulance  screech  into  the
parking  lot,  and he looked through the hole in the wall to
see a police car  coming  in  quickly behind.  He turned the
struggling businessman over with the greatest of efforts and
rammed the palm of his left hand down on Paul's  nose.   The
struggling ceased as Paul joined Denise.

                                   *****

     Douglas  slipped  out  the back door moments before the
first CPD patrol officer stepped into Huey's bar and grill.
     

                                   *****

     Sharon Concord sat  in  the  swing  on the front porch,
waiting for her husband.  The Cobra pulled into the driveway
and two greasy, acne marked, teenagers  emerged  and  walked
toward the house.

     They knelt before the swing and bowed.

     The  oldest  of the two looked up in admiration, "We've
finished the task you set before us, master."

     "Excellent.  Now go  to  your  room,  and wait for your
master to send you your reward."

     The two youngsters disappeared through the  front  door
of the house just as Douglas came sauntering up the street.

     He  approached  the swing.  "Hey, babe.  You won't have
to worry about Paul Brubaker any more.  His nose is touching
the back of his skull."

     "Wonderful.  The children are  waiting for you in their
room..."