This was written years ago.
Thanks to Dave Allsop and Carol May who's charaters inspiered this story.

Thanks also to Tim :)

Red

By
Morton Smith
© Morton Smith 2000

Part One

0
Prologue

Some time in the future.
"Son of a bitch!" I never knew getting... getting shot hurt so much. It burns. Crap!
"You okay, Red?"
"That's a stupid question right now, Fex. Do these fuckers never run out of ammo?"
We're both in a bad way. Full of holes, nothing left, one cartridge.
"Drop your weapons, on the ground! Face down, spread eagle... NOW!"
If he'd said please I might have considered it. Fex has that look. We always said that nobody would take us down. This is it. No where to run to. I feel the barrel press against my chest; I press mine to his. Don't miss the heart Fex you fucker. I don't want to live, to let those bastards get their hands on me.

BANG!


1
There was a bad moon...

It never seems to change for these freaks. They all go through that same little pattern I love so much. Never really though about it before but since this game of mine has become more of a full time job it seems to become more important to me. This makes the job a longer, but much more enjoyable thing. Hell, I think I may write a book about it. I have the title and everything "101 ways to love the man you hurt." I think it's kind of catchy.
"Oh, baby. You are something else..."
"You bet I am honey. You'll never see anything like me again..." or anybody else for that matter. Nice blue eyes on this one. I never used to look at their eyes. Doors to the soul or something. Whatever it is this guy isn't going to need his in about... DON'T TOUCH ME THERE!
"Not so fast, sweetheart."
"What did I do?"
You breathe and that's good enough for me, BABY!
"What's with the big knife darllin' ?"
"You'll see. I though you liked it rough?"
"As much as the next..."
"Shhhhh..." Clean, straight across the throat. It always amazes me how much blood a body holds. Down the eyes, down the chest, down, down, down and off.
Time for dinner DARLLIN'.

"RED!"
"I was in the middle of something, Fex."
"I can see that. Put him down and come on. The Family is having a meeting."
"Oh, okay. I'll be there in a minute." Goodnight sweetheart. "I just have to wash up."
"You have to be the cleanest person in this whole bloody block, Red."
"Cleanliness is next to godliness, Fex."
"Wouldn't know, never met the man. Come on they'll start without me then I' ll have to kill them all."
Fex was getting very short tempered with the whole world right now. All those drugs all that weird stuff that he fills his body and mind with. It might push him over the edge. What am I talking about? He's a convicted genocidal maniac with the blood of at least five hundred people on his hands. Get a grip Red.
"What are you thinking about, Red?"
"Oh, nothing much. How do you get blood stains out of combat trousers?"
"That's what I like about you, Red..."
"My dazzling personality and stunning good looks?"
"No, your complete obsession with the totally mundane, typical woman."
"Practical!"
"Mundane."
"Pra..."
"Don't correct me!"
"Whatever. I know where my priorities in life are, that's all." Get of this Red. Stay in the shallow end of conversation. Don't draw him in to anything that could twist his hinge off.
"So, Fex what's this all about?"
"Jonnie the Boy came back in last night form the Hanging Gardens. Bloody Valentine and her crew did a razor job on him. That bitch is getting too big for her high healed boots. We need to put that cow in her place before she tries something else."
"Send her down the Helter-skelter?" Even saying that things name makes me tremble. A fairground attraction with the added ingredient of four thousand razor blades and a few hundred pounds of broken glass.
"Great minds think alike, Red. She had her chance and now she dies." Well there's a surprise. I never liked her anyway. The room is full of cigarette smoke and the perfume of blood. The Family are here. They represent the most tight knit community of killers ever assembled. Most off them Fex and I found the gaps were filled by... Him.
"I want nothing but good news from you all. I don't want excuses I need to know how that bitch got little Jonnie. Ricarrdo, Trisst, Face. Get over to that shit heap of hers and see what's she's up to. The rest of you get those lazy security fucks off their fat arses and on duty. Move!"
"Face, take the Kid with you. Get him out and about. He's looking kind of pale. Needs some sunshine." Face never did talk much, but then it wasn't all that easy with your lips melted to your chin. The Kid was getting in under Fexs feet and almost got killed on more than one occasion last week. Best to get him out of the way for a while.
"That's what I like about your meetings, Fex. They never take very long."
"Yup!"
"It's going to be dark soon. I'd better check out the ground floors before nightfall. What you doing, Fex" Like I don't already know.
"I'm getting kinda' anxious if you get my meaning. I'm going down to Madam Mim's."
And in the morning we look for a new piece of strumpet for the brothel and wipe the old one of the wall with a sponge. Somethings never change.

The nights are cold the days are cold and wet. They never change the constant patter of rain will drive you mad if you let it get to you. Keep the mind running keep the brain working don't get drawn in. Drip, drip, drip, drip,... There has to be someone to do. I'm going to get old and die before this is over. I need a bath; I need to wash the matted clots of blood out of my hair. I need to eviscerate someone before I loose my mind.

The Carnage Pit is quiet now. I remember the day the dug that thing out. So many anti-personnel mines and spike pits an ant couldn't walk across without loosing a limb. The lights are going on all over the city. All those little fires, all the flames holding the hopes and dreams of the poor degenerates huddled around them. Some things never change, a few years ago those campfires were fifty-inch televisions serving the exact same purpose as the fires do now. Oh' fuck this... I'm going to kill someone.


Comments to Morton
"A library is thought in cold storage."

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