Cosy Chicago - a short story by Amy Reginald Ferguson looked at the tattered gun in his hands and felt

sneezy. He walked over to the window and reflected on his idyllic surroundings. He had a lways loved cosy Chicago with its mangled, mushy mountains. It was a place that encouraged his tendency to feel sneezy. Then he saw something in the distance, or rather someone. It was the figure of M ohammad Pigeon. Mohammad was a callous dolphin with sloppy thighs and pointy fin gers. Reginald gulped. He glanced at his own reflection. He was a grateful, scheming, cocoa drinker with charming thighs and tall fingers. His friends saw him as an a nnoying, annoyed academic. Once, he had even helped a misty toddler cross the ro ad. But not even a grateful person who had once helped a misty toddler cross the roa d, was prepared for what Mohammad had in store today. The drizzle rained like partying toads, making Reginald angry. As Reginald stepped outside and Mohammad came closer, he could see the combative glint in his eye. "Look Reginald," growled Mohammad, with a loving glare that reminded Reginald of callous hamsters. "It's not that I don't love you, but I want a fight. You owe me 1704 gold pieces." Reginald looked back, even more angry and still fingering the tattered gun. "Moh ammad, what's up Doc," he replied. They looked at each other with cross feelings, like two enthusiastic, embarrasse d elephants sleeping at a very funny wake, which had reggae music playing in the background and two stingy uncles rampaging to the beat. Reginald regarded Mohammad's sloppy thighs and pointy fingers. "I don't have the funds ..." he lied. Mohammad glared. "Do you want me to shove that tattered gun where the sun don't shine?" Reginald promptly remembered his grateful and scheming values. "Actually, I do h ave the funds," he admitted. He reached into his pockets. "Here's what I owe you ." Mohammad looked surprised, his wallet blushing like a muddy, mangled map. Then Mohammad came inside for a nice mug of cocoa. THE END