As if the gull realised she was no threat, it returned to the balcony and stared at the roll quizzically.

“Well eat it then you idiot.”

The gull looked up at her, then back to the bread before sampling these treats. After it had consumed the bread, it looked back to Jane expectantly. When no more bread was forthcoming, at least not as rapidly as it wanted, it screamed at her once again.

“Ok, ok!” Jane muttered, “Hang on.”

As she ripped up more bread, the gull perched itself on the balcony rail and watched the brunette as she pulled half heartedly at the roll.

-/-

‘Why the hell did drug dealers in Boston insist on hanging around in dark alleys in unsavoury neighbourhoods?’ Walter wondered as he stood in the shadows.

“What you doin’ in my alley?” A deep voice from behind him made him jump. Turning towards the sound, Walter nodded and extended his hand.

“Hey Sway, man.”

“Dude, you gotta stop comin’ here dressed like that, ya hear me?” The man whom Walter knew only as Sway growled at him.

“You look like the god damned feds!”

“Sure thing man, I will, I swear.”

“What do you want?”

Walter fumbled in his pocket and produced a large wad of notes. “I need my eightball.”

Sway reached into his pocket and produced a large bag, in it a quantity of white powder. “Now get the hell out my alley!” he snapped as he counted the cash.

Walter did as he was told. He’d heard stories of people who’d upset Sway and found themselves on the painful end of all manner of implements from baseball bats to bullets.

His car was parked a couple of blocks away and he jogged towards it, his haste coming, not from the need to get out of the neighbourhood but to sample his beloved coke.
He fumbled with the key in the door and finally got it open. Sitting behind the wheel of his car, he carefully opened the bag, licking his finger and dipping it in the simple powder before rubbing it rigorously on his gums.

“Mmmmmm good stuff!” he sighed happily before securing the bag and starting the car. His vacation started right now and he was ready to go a-hunting.