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!’

dashing for the bedroom. His mother snatches up the golf

‘Bitch!’

again, and

door slams.

from under

on the door, top and bottom, then rushes across.

Sobbing, ‘You’re bleeding, Mommy…’

nothing, Sweetie. Don’t

the cloth, squeezing warm soapy water. ‘Is

‘A bit.’

have a sleep. We'll both

you tell me a

talking all

one about the train

a time,

‘Mommy?’

bit tired, Sweetie. I'm going to go to sleep now. You sleep too. It’ll be better in the morning.’ She pulls

*****

it time for breakfast?’

‘Mommy?’

*****

bangs. ‘Fucking well open up. I know you're in there.

a minute the door bangs again, heaves; bangs and heaves, the bolts straining on their screws until,

in. ‘What the fuck?’ Fanning against a buzzing tide of bluebottles, he

tiles, the contents scattered: wrappers licked clean, tins wiped,

open gash on one

she?

head, tears trickling. ‘I don’t

that that supposed

wake up and talk to me. I want her to

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

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

sits, hunching small, trembling, listening to the clatter and the cursing from beyond

in, reaching down to haul him

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