Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

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!’

His mother snatches up the golf

‘Bitch!’

screams again,

door

out from under

then rushes across. ‘It’s alright, Lamb.

Sobbing, ‘You’re bleeding, Mommy…’

Sweetie. Don’t

his face with the cloth,

‘A bit.’

it hurts but let's have a

you tell me

She’s talking all funny. ‘What story would

about the

then climbs in beside him. ‘Once upon a time,

‘Mommy?’

It’ll be better in the morning.’ She pulls him close, humming as she strokes his hair.

*****

breakfast?’ But she doesn't answer, doesn't open

‘Mommy?’

…

…

*****

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

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

scattered: wrappers licked clean, tins wiped, one

small boy has an open gash on one

she?

drops his head, tears

that that

to me. I want her to tell

then charges around the apartment. As he pushes the bedroom door open,

turns, grabs the little boy and pushes him into the bathroom, closing

sits, hunching small, trembling, listening to the

man marches in, reaching down to haul him up by the injured hand which