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.

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

black hair today, long and draped over her shoulders, with deep red lipstick. The dress is long and clingy, with a low cut neckline; designed to show

be in school, waiting for a favourite teacher to begin the lesson. Or perhaps in

are

fucked if I’m going to let her look down at me while we talk. She watches me, a touch of wariness in her eyes. Momentarily, her gaze drops to her painted line, but she’s well to one side of it, me

I fold my arms, lean back

it’s good to get off

like to talk about? I’m guessing you have a selection of choice topics.” I pace a little, as much as the chain allows,

right.” She gives me a bright little smile. “And…” She aims

Fake…

Extensions?

part of it, Larry. You must look after yourself. Exercise. You won’t do well down here if you don’t move about more than

Two days?

there anything

I pause…

Seriously?

“How about a cup?”

snorts. “What? And give you something to turn into a weapon or a tool? Finchby and Baxter were stupid, letting

difficult to get a real

off the wall if you have to. I’m

by your

won and you’ve lost. You’re mine now

the

him has been found dead in his hotel suite 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 around there recently, I’m sure that

My chest tightens…

“What clues?”

stroking a hand over her hair. “I suppose they might decide you were involved with the gangs. But I think it's more likely they'll say you got caught in the

leans forward onto her knees, her smile widening. “Either way, Larry, they’re not looking for you. You’re dead. Or the man they think

explosion just so you could plant a corpse to

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

“Juliana…”

“Sola!” she snaps.

many have you murdered? There were scores of people caught in that explosion. All innocent.