"Is It Time Yet?"

One ordinary man stood on the corner of Eighth Boulevard, twirling his bowlers hat impatiently.
The stars were just appearing in the twilit sky, and a few wisps of stratus clouds were still visible.
Very few people were still out roaming the streets at this time of night, and the shops had long since closed up. But that excluded the one particular who was rounding the alley, his coat pulled up over his chilled ears.
When the ordinary man, whose name was, in fact, Henry, spotted the other making his way towards him, his bowler dropped to the pavement and he didn’t bother picking it up.
“It’s a beautiful night,” the man, Edmund, offered to his friend.
“Indeed.” Henry answered. The two stood across from each other, each slightly anxious since their last meeting fourteen years ago.
Edmund rocked on his heels. “Eh, how is Maryanne doing these days?”
“She is dead.” the other confirmed. A door slammed somewhere in the distance, and a stray cat crept in the shadows of the alley.
The two men nodded at each other and stood side by side, searching the sky for the north star, finally spotting it behind the bank roof.
“Is it time, then?” asked Edmund, glancing at his companion. Henry fiddled with his pocket watch and nodded. “Almost.” replied Henry.
A young couple passed in front of the two men, oblivious to the great danger that would be happening minutes from now. They were cuddled close, keeping the warmth between themselves.
Henry glared at his watch until it showed 9:15, then tucked it into his trousers and rubbed his hands together nervously.