Step Up, Step Down

Chance came down gutter road all sleek and spiff, doled up for the rent boys.  Like they’d care.

He reeked of woods and spice cologne, but couldn’t hide the candy.  He believed his money was a passport into my world. 

Stupid fucker. 

I licked the smile off him. With his teeth bared, breath bated, eyes rolling back, he finally looked something like a man – but not much. 

They never expect you to interrupt their glamor, like none of us know tricks to hide what we are. 

I sent him back out, hollow with insatiable need.

Fairies make the best whores.

Clean up in the Aisle of Man

Michael sets aside the newspaper, rubs his forehead. He should have been the one with horns, with all the damage he’s done. Righteousness still masks his pleasure at the smiting, but he’s moved from blood and black bile to slow withering. More time to enjoy the sad attempts at repentance.

“When your basement is littered with the corpses of cats and children, you have missed your shot at ascension.”

“But…It wasn’t me! I would never do that!” As if Michael cannot see the soul stains.

Given free reign, he’d shrivel them all.

Perhaps it is time to release his brother.

Objective

“Why is treasure always deep in caves or in rooms atop a spire?”  Lorelei grumbled.

“They’d hardly stick it in the hall closet.” Talking made it harder to climb, but kept her calm.

“Why not? We never ransack normal homes.”

“Fair point.”  I looked down on the glossy twist of two rivers far, far below.

“What does the item we’re after do?” she asked.

“Maybe it keeps lovers from roaming.” I slid in the window.

“Why not just cut ‘em loose and find better?”

“Sentimentality, I suppose.”

I watched her fall, my once clever girl, then took the elevator down.