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.

long and clingy, with a low cut neckline; designed to show off

waiting for a favourite teacher to begin the lesson. Or

she says brightly. “What are we going

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

I fold my arms, lean back against

to get

you have a selection of choice topics.” I pace a little, as much as the chain

right.” She gives me a bright little smile.

Fake…

Extensions?

do well down here if

Two days?

there

I pause…

Seriously?

“How about a cup?”

turn into a weapon or a tool? Finchby and Baxter were stupid, letting your little bitch daughter get hold of a glass bottle. I'm not making that mistake.

difficult to get a real drink

something better to do with your time? Lick it off the wall if you have to. I’m

your concern for my

you’ve lost.

realise they'll be looking for me, the police. By now they'll know

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?”

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 war between the Wolves and the Nightshades. You know…” She makes

they’re not looking for you.

so

wondering where you are, could I? That would spoil

“Juliana…”

“Sola!” she snaps.

were scores of people caught in that explosion. All innocent. All

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