Page 54 (1/2)

“One, two, three, four, five,” she sings slowly on a whisper, pouring the gasoline-type liquid over the rug, “once I caught a fish alive”

The scent is foul, itthe translucent orange fluid over the blood-stained cream fur beneath her feet She doesn’t stop until the letters of her name are perfectly formed, and then adds a little curl to the line that crosses the top of the T

“Six… seven…” She lights a low flickers across her features in the dark rooasoline spills from the canister that she simply dropped

“Eight… nine… ten”

Her breath leaves her on a shudder and her ani from his mouth and onto her shoe

“This is now and that was then”

Thewhoosh of heat as the rug takes light in an instant

“This place is cute”

Cute

If I hear that word again, I ht just make cute with my fist and plant it in her—

“Oh lord, and that salon” Carol, ue, her eyes sparkle with delight “Although a sood”

“You’re too judgmental,” I remind her “And extremely unprofessional”

But then again, she’s onto be unprofessional He wants me under his thumb, not under the care of the state

I’m too much of a wild card

“And you’re a good-for-nothing little brat who doesn’t kno good she has it” She says this in a sickly-sweet voice If one didn’t understand A tomanner

“Fuck you” I cross my arms over my chest and lift rowls at e and drive off it”

“So aggressive” She clicks the blinker on and turns the car down a long road that seeo on forever It’s suburbia hell Trees line the sidewalks; their green leaves shadow the too wide road

Al horrible

“Where the hell are you taking h at this cruel joke she’s pulled

I wish I’d asked questions on the way I wish I’d paid attention to the GPS

“Carol?”

She pulls down another road which is basically the sa It’s a cul-de-sac Blossoh the air from the trees like confetti It’s too pretty I don’t like it