The Ghost Who Walks

Step out.

Fucking snitch!

Fuck you, you fucking rat!

They're coming for you, rat!

Fuck you, rat!

Piece of shit!

Stand there.

Sign here.

It'll be just a minute.

Got a light?

You still smoking those cigs with the filters torn out?

Shit will kill you, you know?

Save you a trip.

We... we heard you're getting out.

Thought we'd offer you a ride.

Got one.

In that case, we'll see you when you get wherever you're going.

You won't see me again.

Listen, we came up here as a courtesy to you out of respect for our history.

I'm telling you now don't make this hard.

What's the fun in that?

You always were a selfish prick.

I'll be seeing you, kid.

Merry Christmas.

Here's your new life.

Here's your new social, driver's license, birth certificate, it's all in there.

If you need anything, we'll be on the other side of you.

- You gonna call a night? - Yeah.

- I'll catch up with you. - All right, I'll see you in the morning.

Have a seat at the counter, handsome.

Coffee?

Yeah.

Cream, sugar, and menu.

Got steak?

Sure do.

How you take it?

Bloody.

In that case, you're gonna need those.

I'm moving to a booth.

- You ready? - Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

Here's your steak.

Boom! What'd I tell you about putting your back to the door?

My friend, you're home.

What do you know, Fazil?

Man, you got huge.

You grew up on me.

My friend... my friend, it is so good to see you again.

When did you get back?

Just today. You're my first stop.

What do you need?

For you, I have it. Whatever you want.

Yeah?

All right, how 'bout some of those flowers you're always trying to sell me?

Ameen, flowers.

And a pack of mediums.

Hey, give me this, too.

You take it, whatever you need.

Two matches.

It's windy.

It is so good to have you back again.

You come back always? Just like the old days.

Thanks, Fazil. It's good to be back.

Yes?

Who the fuck are you?

Can I help you with something?

- Lena? - I think you have the wrong place.

Lena!

Lena.

Lena.

Where are they?

- Please don't hurt me. - Shut up.

- Please don't hurt me. - Where are they?

You can take whatever you want, I swear.

I don't know what you're talking about.

- You live here? - This is my place.

I live by myself.

Please, you can take whatever you want.

I won't call the cops. I promise.

How long you lived here?

About six months.

Please don't hurt me.

Where'd the woman go from before you lived here?

I never met her, I swear.

Has anyone else come by looking for her?

What? No.

Let me out the back.

Lock the door, Ameen.

- Go, go, go, go. - -What is wrong, my friend?

I need you to let me out the back.

Lock the door behind me and buy me some time.

Okay, follow me.

These guys are no joke, Fazil. Don't get in their way.

Just buy me some time.

Just like the old days, my friend.

Yeah.

What can I do for you, my friend?

The guy that came in here. Where the fuck did he go?

I don't know what you're talking about, my friend.

No man came in here. No man came in here! Only you.

There is only you. Nobody came.

Open it!

Son of a bitch is gonna make this hard.

Let's get out of here.

Pops, it's me!

I ain't blind yet.

- Get the fuck out of here! - I ain't got nowhere else to go.

Goddammit.

Pops, come here.

You is a stupid fucking kid coming back here.

Do you know that?

I ain't got much of a choice.

Course you do.

Fucking rat.

You ain't got no friends left?

Where's Lena, Pops?

Ask your boss.

Donnie?

Nah, fucking Mother Mary.

You messing with me, Pops?

So Lena's with Donnie?

Fucking... the man's got respect for you.

Didn't want you knowing.

More respect than you deserve, I'd say.

Fucking rat.

Don't call me that.

Fucking rat!

I raised you better than that.

Not like you give a damn about what happens to me right now.

I'm trying to get my family back. You're gonna help or not?

Family?

What family?

Your girl fucking the man that wants you dead

and your child probably don't even know you exist.

Shit.

You ain't got no family.

I got a little girl out there who deserves to know who her real father is.

I think that should count for something.

You ain't no father.

That makes two of us.

Nolan.

She gave me this.

Wanted me to get it to you.

Donnie's got her set up in some fucking jewelry store or something over on

Jefferson somewhere.

They run cash through there.

That's where you'll find her.

If I was you, kid, I'd run like hell.

Run 'til you forget your own name and nobody can find you no more.

That's what I'd do.

You're a coward, Pops.

That was always your problem.

Ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas!

Spare a dime for the Tots of America Incorporated. Miss, Miss?

You look like a very nice girl. Spare a dime?

Come on, I'm an old man.

You sir, you look like a nice fellow.

If you could just spare a dime for the Future Tots of America Incorporated.

Hey.

What the fuck?

Hey!

Hey buddy. Hey, how you doing?

Cool it, cool it, cool it, cool it, cool it, man. It's me, it's me. Look, look.

Stitch?

Cool it, man. You're freaking everybody out, okay?

It's all right, people. We're playing around over here in the alley.

Merry Christmas.

Why the hell you all dressed up like this?

What are you doing?

What the fuck you think I'm doing?

I'm fucking Santa Claus.

Get your dirty hands off my suit. You're gonna mess it up.

This part of your job or something?

Yeah, I've been doing it a couple years now.

I figured it'd be good to take advantage of the giving nature of the season.

You know what I mean? Makes all these assholes feel real good about themselves

and makes me a lot of fucking money, you know.

I'm telling you.

Nobody's got a corner on this shit but me, man. Nobody.

I got this fucking shit nailed down.

Nobody trying to cut you up over this?

Nobody except you, you fucking psycho.

You're like third world or some shit carrying around a fucking dinner knife.

Yeah, sorry about that.

Yeah, you should be, sick piece of shit.

Hey, put your beard on, man. There's kids everywhere.

Hey lady, that's a pretty big fucking kid.

He shouldn't believe in Santa no more anyway.

- Hey, fuck you. - Fuck me?

Fuck me? Yeah, keep walking.

Your mom's a liar, kid.

- Santa don't exist. - Fuck you.

- Hey man, what's wrong with you, man? - What?

This is the shit I gotta fucking deal with all the time.

What are you fucking talking about?

That... that woman was a fucking bitch.

I mean, pardon my expression but she was a fucking bitch.

All right.

You know what? Fuck it. Let's get the hell out of here.

Between you acting like some crazy kind of fucking butcher and that fucking broad,