Hot Revenge Box Set 4

Klempner

My resources: The clothes I’m wearing. A notebook and the stub of a pencil: A book on herbal toxins. A small supply of sweet water. An infinite supply, for any practical purpose, of foul water, slime and garbage. And of course, one small potato.

I’d like to give in to despair. There’s something alluring about despair, something seductive. Perhaps I should simply not play Juliana’s game; let her kill me.

But if I’m dead…

Mitch…

My beautiful green-eyed Mitch.

So alive. So energetic.

So full of courage.

So vital.

Vitale

…

Stay alive...

So, eat the fucking potato…

I prise it out from its bed of sludge and slime with a slight sucking sound. It’s small; perhaps half the size of my fist. On the other hand, adhered muck aside, it seems sound; firm, mid-brown, no sprouts or green parts. I have a vague idea that I’ve read that green potatoes are unsafe to eat.

Hauling myself up from my concrete seat, lifting my chain in one hand, with the other, I hold my meal under the water inlet, thumbing away the dirt under the clean water.

Time to live…

And I bite in.

*****

With no warning, the light blinks on and without meaning to, I groan, hiding my eyes behind my hands.

concrete, then Juliana emerges from the darkness. “Good afternoon, Larry. How are you? I do hope you’ve had the opportunity to fully

draped over her shoulders, with deep red lipstick. The dress is long and clingy, with a low cut neckline; designed to show off a figure which I suspect is being enhanced with

she awards me a polite little smile, then sits, on her fold-up chair, hands neatly folded. She could be in school, waiting for a favourite teacher to begin the lesson. Or perhaps in the audience at some small town hall, for a talk on jam-making or how to grow dahlias. At least she could if Morticia

“What are

me, a touch of wariness in her eyes. Momentarily, her gaze drops to her painted line, but she’s well to one side of

fold my arms,

to get

selection of choice topics.” I pace

little smile. “And…” She aims a long

Fake…

Extensions?

You must look after yourself. Exercise. You won’t do well down here if you don’t move about more than I’ve seen you doing the

Two days?

there

I pause…

Seriously?

“How about a cup?”

stupid, letting your little bitch daughter get hold

get a real drink that

time? Lick it off the wall if you have to. I’m not

touched by your concern for my

lost. You’re mine

for me, the police.

after the explosion. And I made sure the police found some clues about you being near my apartment. With the number of bodies they’ll have found

My chest tightens…

“What clues?”

the spot.” She sighs, stroking a hand over her hair. “I suppose they might decide you were involved with the gangs. But I think it's more

her knees, her smile widening. “Either way, Larry, they’re not looking for

spins… “So… you rigged that explosion just so you could plant a corpse to

shrugs, looking away. “Couldn't have people wondering where you are, could I? That would spoil our fun

“Juliana…”

“Sola!” she snaps.

back. “How many have you murdered? There were scores of people caught in that explosion. All innocent. All nothing to do with