Long Way Down — He Never Really Talked About It

HE NEVER REALLY TALKED ABOUT IT,

I said.

Shawn just said

you were shot

and that he knew who did it,

I explained,

remembering that time.

Shawn’s face a candle,

melted wax, flame flickering out.

I remember the cops

banging on our door to question him,

to tell him they heard he was close to James—

that was the one time I heard Buck’s real name—

and to ask him if he knew who might’ve

done it,

killed him,

shot him twice

in the stomach,

in the street.