3.

john nodded at me and i walked up to the register

to alex.

“hey alex.” i said,

putting my $1.29 on the counter for the soda.

“don’t move.” i said,

beginning to sound cliché.

alex lifted an eyebrow.

i lifted my gun.

“this is a holdup.” i said meekly.

alex stared at me for awhile and said finally,

“ben, don’tdothiswhyareyoudoingthisthisisstupidputthegundown.”

john kept nodding at me and nodding

and it felt like the whole store

was nodding at me

even alex was nodding at me

the cigarettes behind alex were nodding at me

and i wanted a cigarette now

“alex can i have cigarette? Marlboro.”

alex contorts his face

“are you fucking kidding me, man?”

i confuse john nodding at me as laughing

and i am laughing

and alex calls the police

and i am suddenly nervous.

quivering, i hold the gun up higher and say,

“i’m sorry”

and shoot his face in.

he seemed to move in slow motion

to the floor,

his blood splattering all over

the cigarettes and counter.

and i begin to laugh because his last words were:

“are you fucking kidding me, man?”

john quickly moves behind the counter

and steals all the money

which is like $60

because no one buys anything in this

fucking convenience store

and i shot a man for 60 fucking dollars

and i am laughing

and john is laughing

and the police have arrived

and i tell john

wait, i want to die here

next to alex

and john asks

what am i going to do?

and i shrug

and i feel a heavy and slightly painful

thud

on my left temple