Read Online Against God by Patrick Senécal - Free Book Online

draw near, you bend over, take her
     wrist, check for a pulse, let her hand drop, then you straighten up, you moan,
     slowly you place your hands on your head and you remain there for long minutes,
     your features twisted into a hideous mask of terror, an expression unlike
     anything I have ever seen on your face before, finally you begin to move again,
     you sprint out of the bedroom, you head for the front door, you open it, you
     look left and right, a deserted residential street, the neighbouring balconies
     empty, the other apartment windows in darkness, you shiver with cold, you’re
     still naked, you close the door and return to the bedroom, you pull on your
     pants looking all the while at Andréane, you put on your shirt your eyes never
     straying from the body, you slip on your socks your gaze locked still on the
     corpse, your breathing slow but laboured, your jaw clenched, you leave the room,wander through the dark apartment, and finally, sighing,
     you drop onto the couch, your arms dangling between your legs, you remain
     motionless, waiting, resigned, then you drift off to sleep, a dreamless sleep,
     you open your eyes, sunshine through the windows, you frown and get up, the wall
     clock reads seven thirty, you look around, dubious, then you return to the
     bedroom, Andréane’s body still there, doubly lit by the lightbulb and the
     sunlight, the blood no longer flowing, the blood has dried, you return to the
     hallway, your bafflement grows, you pull on your boots, open the front door,
     take a few steps onto the balcony, biting cold but magnificent sunshine, you
     lean against the wrought iron railing, two passersby ignore you, a car motors
     by, you observe it all with astonishment, then steps can be heard coming down
     the stairs, a man from the apartment above walks by, barely spares you a glance,
     you say hello, your eyes full of defiance, and he mumbles a sleepy greeting in
     return, without slowing down, reaches the street and walks away, you follow him
     with your eyes for a good long while until he disappears at the end of the
     street, you look around once more, stand there, your hands on your hips, your
     head cocked to the left, a few folks on the sidewalks, cars, the day-to-day, you
     let out a snicker then both incredulous and brazen, return to the apartment,
     grab your coat from the floor, slip it on and without a glance backward at the
     bedroom, you step outside, take the stairs, walk down the street, stare
     insistently at each person you pass, then you stop for a quick breakfast in a
     café, seemingly lost in thought,dreaming, then a taxi, stop
     back in front of your new place, you walk into your apartment and sit down on
     your lopsided couch, motionless, pensive, twenty minutes, a knock on the door
     then, you turn to the door then, you nod slowly then, both resigned and
     disappointed, as though knowing it couldn’t have lasted, so you walk to the door
     with a heavy tread, you open it, but you’re so surprised to see Mélanie that you
     look past her to make sure there is no one else, she asks you what’s happening,
     you utter a sound that is as much a snicker as a groan and say, that’s just it,
     nothing’s happening, silence, she looks at you, silence, slowly you state that
     she has no idea what you did last night, but she doesn’t want to know, she
     shakes her head, quickly she switches subjects reminding you she has somewhere
     she wants to take you today, you ask where, she says you’ll see, you make a face
     and yet you agree, and she says she’ll give you ten minutes to get ready but you
     say you are ready, she looks surprised, she stares at you, dirty hair, shaggy
     beard, rank, wrinkled clothing, but she makes no comment, she herself is wearing
     her paint-spattered pants, so you grab your coat, you follow her, you get into
     her car, the two of you drive in silence for a good long while then finally you
     speak, without looking at her, you tell her that if