St. Valentines Day

On a cold and dark chicago street, a black car races through the rain. As the car approaches a stop light, it does not slow down. The car slides through the vacant midnight intersection, tires skidding on the wet pavement. "Pull it together!" the driver says as he struggles to regain control. The car fishtails through the turn and speeds off again down the street. An image flickers to life onto the windshield of the car of a phone book. "Alphonso gabriel" commands the driver, and as he says this the phone book flips open to a page with the name Alphonso Gabriel at the top, and a sillhouete image of the man. "Phone number for Alphonso Ga-" the female computer is cut off by the drivers harsh words "Shut up and dial".

The image of the phonebook closes and fades out leaving only a green glowing image of a phone. "Padre nostro che sei nei cieli", prayed the driver as the phone rings quietly. "sia santificato il tuo nome, venga il tuo regno, sia fatta la tua volontà" a verse for every ring. The driver, who so far has been driving with only one hand, looks down at his other hand. It is clutching his abdoman. He moves it slowly "Come in cielo" to see the red pouring out "Cosi in terra" and soaking into his clothes, he grips it again "Dammit". Suddenly the animation of the phone once again comes to life displaying this time a wave form in a neat green box on the screen, as the ringing stops, two clicks, then "What is it?" "Boss it's antoni- it's" as the driver tries to say these words he feels the loss of blood catching up with him, making him slow and dizzy "it's cupid" "cupid? why are you calling me"

"we had a problem, we didn't..."
"is anyone still alive besides you?"
"no"
"tell me what happened"
"they set us up"
"who did?"
"those goons you hired, the 'arch angels'"
"..."

Cupid's vision becomes hazy and everything doubles up on him as the lack of blood starts seriously affecting his senses. He looks down at his abdoman again "oh fuck". His head falls backwards and his eyes close as the car spins out of control.

"Dacci oggi il nostro pane quotidiano
Rimetti a noi i nostri debiti
Come noi li rimettiamo ai nostri debitori.
E non ci indurre in tentazione"

He says quietly to the dark. "Emergency systems activated, driver impared, destination hospital" "antonio. Antonio wake up dammit!" Cupid opens his eyes and stares at the screen, the phone is still open.

"antonio I am sorry"
"Ma liberaci dal male. "
"Amen."

A click is heard as the phone goes dead. A loud explosion is heard as the car explodes.