Klempner – The Present

Mine…

My daughter…

Mitch’s daughter…

Alexanders’ words haunt me…

You locked her in the dark with the corpses of the murdered...

I try to escape into sleep…

… The stinking breath

The blood-shot eyes, wild with rage

The fist…

Da... No...

And a scream of anger. ‘Leave him alone you bastard! Don't you touch him! Don’t you dare touch him…’

The smack of knuckles into flesh and another scream, now of pain…

‘Mommy! Don't hurt Mommy!’

The figure so tall…

The screams of pain becoming shrieks…

The smack of knuckles into flesh…

The little figure grabs for something… Anything…

… He swings the big metal stick with all his might, aiming for the ankles… ‘Stop hurting Mommy!’

A scream of rage and pain. ‘You little bastard!’

‘Run, Lamb, Hide!’

the bedroom. His mother snatches up the golf

‘Bitch!’

screams again,

the door slams. It goes

from under the

top and bottom, then rushes across. ‘It’s alright, Lamb. He’s gone now.’ Crouching down, she rocks him

Sobbing, ‘You’re bleeding, Mommy…’

Sweetie. Don’t

wipes his face with the cloth, squeezing warm soapy water.

‘A bit.’

know it hurts but let's have a

you tell me

She’s talking all funny. ‘What story would you

the train to

in beside him. ‘Once upon a time, there

‘Mommy?’

the morning.’ She pulls him close, humming as she strokes his

*****

Is it time for breakfast?’ But she doesn't answer, doesn't open

‘Mommy?’

*****

up. I know you're in there. Your car’s at

heaves, the bolts straining on their screws until, with a crash, it

in. ‘What the fuck?’ Fanning against a buzzing tide of bluebottles, he stares down at the small, filthy

the contents scattered: wrappers licked clean, tins wiped, one trailing what looks like dried

has an open gash on one hand, swollen, the skin

she? Where's your

head, tears trickling.

fuck’s that that

went to sleep. She won't wake up and talk to me. I want her to tell me a story and she won’t.

gapes then charges around the apartment. As he pushes the bedroom door open, clouds of flies swarm up and through

boy and pushes him into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. ‘You stay in there. Don't

to the clatter

in, reaching down to haul him up

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

Comments ()

0/255