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Leaving Jenni’s place, I made my way down the driveway. The fresh air and the quiet of the darkness blanketed me, leaving me with just the light of the moon to guide me. When my feet hit the sidewalk, I began to skip and hum—humming a song from my favorite storybook. Turning the corner, I happened upon a streetlamp that kept flickering, and the strobe effect made me feel dizzy.
Walking over to the damned thing, I kicked it.
Way to be a buzz kill?
Triumph surfaced when it stopped until the bulb started to crackle. I ducked as the sparks flew, and pieces of the broken lamp rained down around me before the world plummeted into complete darkness.
“Damnit,” I said, flipping the stupid piece of metal off.
At the sound of an engine, I veered off into the ditch a bit to let them pass. It would be just my luck to get smashed by a truck after breaking the friggin’ streetlight.
Turning around, I shielded my eyes from the bright headlights.
What the hell?
I moved further into the ditch, the drainage soaking my Converse, and I waved my arm, signaling for them to move the fuck on.
They didn’t.
The rev of the engine was my only warning before pain engulfed my back, and I was suddenly airborne. I landed in a heap on the other side of the truck, my mind scrambling to figure out what the hell just happened. Two shadowy figures loomed over me. The one on the right popped open the trunk and grabbed me. Fear rushed through me, and I opened my mouth to scream just as the other guy’s fist slammed into my stomach. A cloth was pressed to my face, and a strong acidic scent filled my nose. Ignoring the pain shooting through me, I furiously threw my legs out, my foot smashing into the taillight, which sent tiny orange shards of plastic onto the road.
Those fragments were the last thing I saw before my eyes shut.
The crimson lines of red streamed down the peddling dealer’s body, pooling like a river at my feet. His symphony of screams and pleas was a backdrop to my artistry. I’d snagged him from Carter’s street, a known spot for his sort. His bloodshot eyes were bouncing around the empty shipping container.
The outside light was sealed away behind a metal door, and the only items in the space were a dirty metal chair with a cracked plastic seat and me. He would only be able to see a bit once his eyes adjusted within the darkness that surrounded him, but I could see him. Darkness and I were friends. His fear was so palpable I could taste it. It was like an acrid tang in the air that danced on my tongue, and I reveled in the shivers it sent down my body.
As soon as he focused on me, his eyes bugged out.
“You crazy bitch.” He spat on the floor, blood coating his teeth. His sardonic grin matched the hysterical tone in his voice.
“Thank you for noticing.” I shrugged, but smiled. I’d taken my time with him.
My ears were ringing sweetly from the hours of delicious screaming. The sounds kept ricocheting off the walls, rattling in my head, immensely increasing my enjoyment.
“What the fuck you want?” he said, rocking back and forth and smashing his foot on the cold metal floor like an infant throwing a tantrum.
Rolling my arms around in a circle, I let out a breath. These small fry peddlers were always annoying and hardly useful. This interrogation was going to be a waste of my time.
“Who is your supplier?” I said, hoping the calm tone in my voice would soothe him.
“I ain’t know nothing ‘bout that.” He spat on the floor again, his pitch in tone higher, indicating he was a liar.
I walked closer to him, letting my blade carefully run along his flesh. Bringing my face closer to his, I loved that he still couldn’t see all of me. His sweat mingled with the metallic scent of his blood covering him and the walls. The scent was becoming more intoxicating as the seconds ticked along.
“Would you prefer I jog your memory? I hear electricity does wonders for stimulating the brain.”
His gulp was audible. I didn’t actually have any batteries, wires, or spark plugs to have fun with in this space, but indulging in his reaction was well worth the lie.
“Lady, look…” Ah, yes, the begging had begun. His breathing had picked up, and his body was straining against the binds. “I only give my shit to kids, broke motherfuckers, and tweakers, man.”
He was still lying.
His supply had been tainting the cove—the homeless community under the King’s Bridge—for a few months.
The crystals were toxic and caused six overdoses in just a week. Nobody ever batted an eye when someone with nothing was killed. Everyone blinded themselves to those they saw as less than human, linking their deaths to that of stray dogs.
“Your shit has ended the lives of a lot of good people.” Disgust dripped off my tongue. “You do not have the brain cells to make a grilled cheese, much less create this drug. So I ask again….”
