“Where are you going?” asked the bailiff’s wife. She was sitting at the kitchen table, reading a newspaper.
“I have to go for a walk,” Pumkin told her.
“Are you going to come back?” she asked.
“Don’t worry,” replied Pumkin. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Make sure you come back alright,” she warned.
Pumkin nodded and left the house. He walked through the village towards the main road. He could see two headlights approaching him. He recognised them as belonging to the bailiff’s car. The headlights stopped a few feet away from him. The engine died down and the car doors opened. The bailiff stepped out and stared at Pumkin.
“What are you doing here?” the bailiff asked. “You should be at home.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” replied Pumkin. “So I decided to go for a walk.”
“You shouldn’t be walking around during the night,” said the bailiff. “There are dangerous people out here after dark.”
“Who are they?” asked Pumkin.
“Anyone who wants to hurt you,” answered the bailiff. “It’s not just my father who wants to kill you.”
“Wanted.” Pumkin corrected. “He’s dead.”
The bailiff stared at him uncomprehendingly. “What do you mean?”
“Your father is dead,” explained Pumkin. “I shot him in the head.”
The bailiff stared at him, dumbfounded. “You killed him?”
“Yes,” said Pumkin. “He can’t hurt me anymore.”
The bailiff continued staring at Pumkin.
Pumkin put his hands in his pockets. He could feel the cold metal of the gun inside.