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Description

A cry echoed off the bedroom walls, filling it with a distant wail.  It droned endlessly.  The covers stirred, then stillness.  The scream carried on, choking with blood and spit.  After a minute, the covers milled again and a body emerged from their depths.  Sunken eyes shrunk away from golden rays.  Shuffling feet shifted down the hallway.  A gale picked up and whistled between plywood windows and quickrete panes.

In the kitchen, he picked the cleanest mug from the counter--drip drip--and poured himself coagulating blood from the soycaf carafe.  Maggots tunneled within eyes floating in his cup.  Drip drip.  He regarded it with disgust, but raised his cup nevertheless to his face.  He choked down the liquid, forcing himself to swallow.  Just think of it as coffee.

"That's what I said to her!" A nervous laugh.

He leaned against the counter and regarded the two men at the table, bound and blindfolded.  Drip drip.  Both of their heads hung low.  A fat black fly birthed itself from one of the rotting eyes and bumbled through the air, buzzing like a chainsaw.  It landed on a wrinkled brow beneath a receding hairline.  In a spasm--forgetting that he was supposed to be handcuffed--the man swatted at his forehead, only to slap a bloody stump against his cheek.  After a moment's pause he put the hand behind his back again.

"You're a funny guy," the kid said, realizing what had happened.

"Shut up."  A growl emerged from deep within his throat.  He clenched his fist, measuring the force necessary to extend his implanted blade.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," a third voice whined.  A frilled, transparent nightgown sashayed into the kitchen.

"Do what?"

"Talk to yourself."  She opened the compact refrigerator and retrieved a half-empty carton of mock-eggs.  In a few minutes the small room was filled with the smell of fresh soycaf, eggs, and pepper.  Grave waited, listening past the bustle of homemaking.  No drips.  No cries.  He sunk deeply into one of the two empty seats at the table and enjoyed the view before breakfast.

Description

A cry echoed off the bedroom walls, filling it with a distant wail.  It droned endlessly.  The covers stirred, then stillness.  The scream carried on, choking with blood and spit.  After a minute, the covers milled again and a body emerged from their depths.  Sunken eyes shrunk away from golden rays.  Shuffling feet shifted down the hallway.  A gale picked up and whistled between plywood windows and quickrete panes.

In the kitchen, he picked the cleanest mug from the counter--drip drip--and poured himself coagulating blood from the soycaf carafe.  Maggots tunneled within eyes floating in his cup.  Drip drip.  He regarded it with disgust, but raised his cup nevertheless to his face.  He choked down the liquid, forcing himself to swallow.  Just think of it as coffee.

"That's what I said to her!" A nervous laugh.

He leaned against the counter and regarded the two men at the table, bound and blindfolded.  Drip drip.  Both of their heads hung low.  A fat black fly birthed itself from one of the rotting eyes and bumbled through the air, buzzing like a chainsaw.  It landed on a wrinkled brow beneath a receding hairline.  In a spasm--forgetting that he was supposed to be handcuffed--the man swatted at his forehead, only to slap a bloody stump against his cheek.  After a moment's pause he put the hand behind his back again.

"You're a funny guy," the kid said, realizing what had happened.

"Shut up."  A growl emerged from deep within his throat.  He clenched his fist, measuring the force necessary to extend his implanted blade.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," a third voice whined.  A frilled, transparent nightgown sashayed into the kitchen.

"Do what?"

"Talk to yourself."  She opened the compact refrigerator and retrieved a half-empty carton of mock-eggs.  In a few minutes the small room was filled with the smell of fresh soycaf, eggs, and pepper.  Grave waited, listening past the bustle of homemaking.  No drips.  No cries.  He sunk deeply into one of the two empty seats at the table and enjoyed the view before breakfast.