Max grinned at himself in the elaborate mirror as he loosened his bowtie, he turned to Greg with an air of arrogance.

“Such a fucking blast! Even some old boys from Harrow joined us, but they can’t hack it like us Etonians, we party far better than those dickheads.”

Still fuelled with alcohol Max was on a high. He drained the final residue from the champagne bottle.

Greg was leaning over the glass side table, inhaling the thin white lines which lay with military precision side by side. He snorted vulgarly as he inhaled the expensive white powder.

“It was a good bash, not bad for a lardy de da do!  Shame I didn’t get a fucking shag though.” Greg retorted with a sneer.

“Tell you what Max,” Greg continued, “Shall we go and get our sexual thrill, and I don’t mean shagging.  Remember how fantastic it was last time?”

Max stopped preening himself and turned round. A smile emerged from his lips.

“What right now? It’s almost midnight!”

“Exactly!  More fucking scumbags on the streets mate.” Greg scoffed as he retracted the tightly rolled up 20 pound note.

Max turned to Kev who sat opposite the Plasma TV staring vacantly at his game.

“You up for it?”

“Sure. These bloody bums need to be taught a lesson. After last time, we can wipe these bleeders off our streets”.

Kev got up from the floor, tossed the controls onto the chaise lounge and turned to his friends.

“So, ready to go guys? After playing Manhunt, I am pumped up for action.”

The three men put on their dinner jackets once more, and left their prestigious penthouse flat.

The snow descended delicately. Dressed in their navy satin lined woollen coats and silver cufflinks, they walked determinedly down London’s festive high street. The luminous lights glowed on their features that were now fuelling with a hidden agenda. To the oncoming person, their exterior posed only that of a dignified nature. Polite pillars of society.

Finally, huddled against a damp wall under a viaduct, a victim was found.  Debris and neglect engulfed the figure.  A roaring train whistled overhead drowning any evidence of the approaching men.

 “Oi mate! Fancy a ciggie?”

Max focused on the hooded figure, forcing a warm inviting smile.

“I feel for you mate. Cold this time of year isn’t it. Not the best way to spend your evenings is it?”

Whist flicking the lighter repeatedly Max handed out a cigarette. The beggar rose from his dwelling. Unshaven and odorous, his hair covered the majority of his features. His clothes so soiled, it was hard to differentiate between any two colours.

Abruptly, Greg kicked the man forcefully on the back of his knees, watching him buckle.  Max swiftly turned around to see if anyone was near.  Satisfied, he stamped on the man’s knee, cracking the patella with a harsh snap under his Gucci heels. From the shadows, Kev emerged. He lifted the vagrant from the snowy slush and held him erect.

 “Here’s my gift to you. Happy fucking Christmas you scum. Maliciously,” Max mocked,

“You litter our streets; pollute our lives with your petty worthlessness”.  Spittle sprayed from Max’s mouth directly into the vagrant’s beard.  Max then grabbed the back of the startled loner’s hair that was slippery with grease. Pulling this clammy hair with excessive force, the follicles ripped away from the reddening scalp leaving a large clump of lubricous hair gripped in Max.’s fist. 

“Eat this you twat”. Max rammed the hair and much of his fist down the vagrant’s throat. The loafer retched.  His eyeballs bulged, blood seeping into the milky eyes. Still holding the vagrant upright, Kev continued to boot him repeatedly in the ankles.

Observing, Greg began to unbuckle his belt then open his zipper. Caressing his genitals he relished the scene.  The thrill he was seeking was soon to erupt.  

“Hold him steady Kev!” Max launched his fist into the wanderer’s stomach with such force that Kev almost keeled over. Finally he was released, his body thudding into the filth.

The threesome sustained the battering on the loner’s body; battering and beating his form until they began to feel the tinges of exhaustion. The strains of Mistletoe and Wine resonated from a nearby bar.  They jeered, thrilling at the audacity of their sport. Elated and orgasmically charged, in spite of their weakening will, they persisted to pound the man’s body. Collectively after a moments lull, they urinated upon the convulsing body.

They halted their attack.  Zipping up his flies Max shoved Kev aside and raised the wanderer by his shoulders once more, hoisting him up against the dank wall.  The other two men exhausted, stood aside.

Grabbing the perishing man’s collar, he leaned closer into the shattered, raw face. 

With a sudden snort, Max released his grip. The man’s body collapsed onto the gory dirt. Max knelt down to the pulverised body and studied him, with a sudden overwhelming acknowledgment consuming him.

The beaten swollen eyes, though damaged, were now recognisable.

One was blue.

One brown.

He smeared the blood away from the pained face and brushed back the sticky hair that coated the blood-soaked brow.

“Hugh?”

A groan seeped out from the damaged face.

He looked into the eyes of his brother.

He recalled the day his brother, his best friend, left home. After being made redundant from an editorial position, Hugh had simply disappeared. Not a  word from him.

Until now.

Incredulously, Max pushed his face closer to his brothers, feeling the hot breath upon his cheek .

“Why Hugh..?”

Hugh sputtered painfully from his mulched mouth.

“I lost everything, you know that.  I had to leave.  I couldn’t face your damning ridicule. You and Dad, made me feel so worthless, so….”

Hugh began to choke on his own blood and vomit, but continued in spite of the state of his traumatized body, and mind;

 “I see what you represent. You judgmental arrogant bastard!  God I am glad I am not like you ANYMORE”.

Hugh weakly but precisely, plunged the hidden blade deep into his brother’s femoral artery; thick arterial blood spurted from the wound, viscous dark fluid poured over the claret stained slush. Hugh’s life eventually ebbed away. Max died gazing into the eyes of his brother. Together, they died entwined, in a unison of death.

.