55
Going, Going, Gone
Fifty huge canopy-covered trucks were lined up on “their” service road. How cruel that he was to begin the journey to leave her so close to where they’d explored their love.
The sharp, constant pain had started in earnest the day before. It was so bad, his body heaved like a dog with a bone stuck in its throat, because there was nothing left in his stomach to vomit up. Between spasms, he’d escaped to a privacy stall in the ablution block so as not to put a damper on his friends’ great excitement.
But there was no fooling them. Antonio was first to check on him, his jolly face blatantly fearful. Though the radio had reawakened the pragmatic, mechanical part of his brain, he remained childlike. Pietro made a concerted effort to calm his dear friend by telling him he
