It had been years since they’d seen each other. “Shush,” Janet replied, “if I didn’t, I’d never see anybody… Anyway, as it happens, she’s been seeing this real bastard.”
Michelle woke up, raising dark eyes that momentarily glowed behind her black eye-liner. When she left, she did so in a trembling state of emotional and physical exhaustion. Everything felt wrong. With the hand that mauled her breast, he was beginning to pull roughly at the sleeve of the coat, trying to get it down over her shoulder. Everywhere she looked, there was this same sickness. Giving the driver Scott’s address, she slammed shut the cab door. Maybe he suspected she had something to do with a dealer or a debt collector. “Don’t,” she tried to say into his mouth, “You’re hurting me.” It was unclear to her to what extent she meant it. He said, “I think you need to get out of my house,” beginning to turn towards the door, but she grabbed his arm, digging her nails into his wrist.
