Klempner

Damn phone…

What’s wrong with the fucking thing?

I tap in again. Nothing happens.

I’m several floors up, heading back for my hotel room. The signal should be strong up here.

I inspect the screen…

Yes… plenty of signal…

Better contact Dakho… Get him to supply a new one…

A more reliable model this time…

Arriving at my room door…

… A brief shufti along the corridor…

… I’m alone. A quick inspection that my slicked-on hair is still in place…

… It is… a faint dark line against the white paint, which peels away, then drops to the floor as I slide the card into the lock and push the door open…

I toss the useless phone onto my bed then start to shrug off my jacket…

… and in mid-movement, I stall.

My spine prickles and without meaning to, I’m standing stock-still, Glock in hand, staring around the apartment.

What’s wrong?

Working on automatic, my hand follows my eye, weapon aimed, but…

I don’t see anything.

Nothing has moved.

Nothing has changed.

on a vase of

stripes, with only

Really?

one of the existing

outside on the balcony, folded up on the table, alongside my breakfast tray. And the

the handle of the bedroom door.

made, and beside the pillows, a pair of

do they do

side-table, the usual tea and coffee kit, biscuits,

one hand, with the other, at arm’s length, I flick open first one wardrobe door, then

but my own clothes. And while shirts garishly printed with pineapples and palm trees might be an offence to good

Only one place left…

to the

a long second… ear cocked… gun at the

to no more than the mixed warbles and screeches of birds, the hiss of cicadas, splashing pools and chattering

back, thrusting out, I kick the door and it bangs open, bouncing on its

the bath where I’ve washed away

alarms

What triggered it?

mouth tastes metallic and my

Calm down…

Breathe…

Think…

What happened?

barely in the

Outside then…

Something in the corridor…

to aim the gun-barrel at the ceiling, I dart a look outside. The corridor is

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255