“Alright cousin, make this quick. We got a schedual to keep.”

I froze in place. This was all too surreal for me to really register.

Henry raised the gun, calming his trembling hand.

He fired a point into Ezra’s right arm, and into Lily’s left.

They collapsed, grimacing against the pain.

I rushed to their sides. I was so frantic, yet they looked so peaceful. So serene.

“It’ll be okay Paulie,” Lily said, reaching up to touch my face. I nodded, trying to hold myself together.

Ezra chuckled breathily. “We did it,” he whispered, raising his hand weakly for a high-five. Lily returned it.

“I can’t believe you two…” I began.

“Can’t catch one without the other,” Ezra explained.

“We came in together, & we’re going out together,” Lily finished.

To my surprise, they began to weakly sing.

“You and me together, that’s how it always should be. One without the other don’t mean nothin’ to me, nothin’ to me…“

They faltered.

They slumped.

My hat fell to the ground amidst tears.