Read Online Serpents in the Cold by Thomas O'Malley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Thomas O'Malley
Ads: Link
never knew what to expect with Karl. Either he was pissed off or ecstatic, and he could switch back and forth with the ease of a well-kept switchblade. Right at this moment, Dante couldn’t get a good read on him.
Once up the bare wooden stairs to the second floor, Dante could smell the marijuana. It wasn’t a good sign. Things must have been dry, and without any of the heavy stuff, Karl was resorting to the green leaf to help pass the time.
Dante didn’t want to waste any more effort on him than he had to. “I just thought I’d pop by.”
“You make it sound like we’re friends, Dante. You’re here for the same reason everybody comes here. You think I’m stupid?”
The second-floor hallway was crammed with nearly a dozen cardboard boxes.
“No, I don’t think you’re stupid, Karl. I’ve seen you do some stupid things before, but no.”
Karl’s thin lips curled up around his gums, an attempt at a grin. “God’s on my side, you know. See these boxes here?” He pulled back one of the flaps. Inside were miniature statues of Christ on the cross, resting on beds of shredded newspaper. “With this many Jesuses, I’d say the big guy’s got my back. Yesterday I wasn’t holy; today I might as well be the fucking pope.”
“You got enough of these to fill every windowsill in the North End.”
Karl reached out and put his hand on Dante’s arm. “C’mon, there’s someone I want you to meet.” Karl gave him a wink, and pushed open the door. “Dante, this here is my friend Cassie. She’ll take care of you while you’re waiting.”
The small living room stank of cheap incense and marijuana. On the couch sat a thin black girl no more than eighteen. She was wearing an off-white silk shirt halfway unbuttoned. The bottom of a billowing skirt spread up around her skinny thighs. She looked at him, her eyes moving in and out of focus, and Dante could tell that she was flying high from junk.
“Have some fuckin’ manners, Cassie,” Karl snapped. “Say hello. An old friend like him deserves it.”
She managed a raspy “Hello,” and her head lolled suddenly as though some cosmic puppeteer had sneezed, tweaking the wrong string. A slight impression of fog escaped from her mouth as she tried to smile, and Dante felt how cold it was in the room.
“Take a seat, Dante. Please, make yourself at home.”
“I can’t stay long.” It all felt wrong to him.
Karl crossed the room and flipped a record on the player. The stirring of a blues ballad came on, barely audible with all the skips and pops on the vinyl and dust clogging the needle. He turned back to Dante. “C’mon, at least stay for a side. To be honest, I’m having a great day and I’d like you to share it with me.”
“I don’t have much time.”
The girl on the couch broke out in raspy laughter. “He doesn’t sound like a true friend, does he? He really ain’t here to see you.”
Dante gave her a look-over and made sure she felt it. “Karl, if you don’t want to part with any, I understand. I just need something to take the edge off. I’ve been clean for a while. It won’t take much.”
“Don’t like our company, do you?”
“It’s not that. I’m just busy with something.”
“Saving the world, are you?”
“No, just helping somebody out.”
“But you’ll only end up making it worse like always, no?” Karl laughed.
Dante didn’t respond, so Karl continued, slightly apologetic. “Okay, I understand. How much you got on you?”
“Ten.”
“I’ll fix you up something. You can join all of us, if you want. I think we’re ready, aren’t we, Cass?”
The girl laughed again. “This pale boy looks like he could use some of that love. A face that bruised-up means he a little lonely.” She spread her legs apart and Dante saw the wiry mass of pubic hair.
Karl said, “Don’t mind her, she gives too much lip and not enough head is what it comes down to. I’ll be right back.” He opened a door off the living room and
Once up the bare wooden stairs to the second floor, Dante could smell the marijuana. It wasn’t a good sign. Things must have been dry, and without any of the heavy stuff, Karl was resorting to the green leaf to help pass the time.
Dante didn’t want to waste any more effort on him than he had to. “I just thought I’d pop by.”
“You make it sound like we’re friends, Dante. You’re here for the same reason everybody comes here. You think I’m stupid?”
The second-floor hallway was crammed with nearly a dozen cardboard boxes.
“No, I don’t think you’re stupid, Karl. I’ve seen you do some stupid things before, but no.”
Karl’s thin lips curled up around his gums, an attempt at a grin. “God’s on my side, you know. See these boxes here?” He pulled back one of the flaps. Inside were miniature statues of Christ on the cross, resting on beds of shredded newspaper. “With this many Jesuses, I’d say the big guy’s got my back. Yesterday I wasn’t holy; today I might as well be the fucking pope.”
“You got enough of these to fill every windowsill in the North End.”
Karl reached out and put his hand on Dante’s arm. “C’mon, there’s someone I want you to meet.” Karl gave him a wink, and pushed open the door. “Dante, this here is my friend Cassie. She’ll take care of you while you’re waiting.”
The small living room stank of cheap incense and marijuana. On the couch sat a thin black girl no more than eighteen. She was wearing an off-white silk shirt halfway unbuttoned. The bottom of a billowing skirt spread up around her skinny thighs. She looked at him, her eyes moving in and out of focus, and Dante could tell that she was flying high from junk.
“Have some fuckin’ manners, Cassie,” Karl snapped. “Say hello. An old friend like him deserves it.”
She managed a raspy “Hello,” and her head lolled suddenly as though some cosmic puppeteer had sneezed, tweaking the wrong string. A slight impression of fog escaped from her mouth as she tried to smile, and Dante felt how cold it was in the room.
“Take a seat, Dante. Please, make yourself at home.”
“I can’t stay long.” It all felt wrong to him.
Karl crossed the room and flipped a record on the player. The stirring of a blues ballad came on, barely audible with all the skips and pops on the vinyl and dust clogging the needle. He turned back to Dante. “C’mon, at least stay for a side. To be honest, I’m having a great day and I’d like you to share it with me.”
“I don’t have much time.”
The girl on the couch broke out in raspy laughter. “He doesn’t sound like a true friend, does he? He really ain’t here to see you.”
Dante gave her a look-over and made sure she felt it. “Karl, if you don’t want to part with any, I understand. I just need something to take the edge off. I’ve been clean for a while. It won’t take much.”
“Don’t like our company, do you?”
“It’s not that. I’m just busy with something.”
“Saving the world, are you?”
“No, just helping somebody out.”
“But you’ll only end up making it worse like always, no?” Karl laughed.
Dante didn’t respond, so Karl continued, slightly apologetic. “Okay, I understand. How much you got on you?”
“Ten.”
“I’ll fix you up something. You can join all of us, if you want. I think we’re ready, aren’t we, Cass?”
The girl laughed again. “This pale boy looks like he could use some of that love. A face that bruised-up means he a little lonely.” She spread her legs apart and Dante saw the wiry mass of pubic hair.
Karl said, “Don’t mind her, she gives too much lip and not enough head is what it comes down to. I’ll be right back.” He opened a door off the living room and
Similar Books
