na Viti

tairs had fin

rdens for the grand finale, their eyes

t in the

h them, in the base

f old rust and sha

the center of the con

by the heavy

Now, he was methodically rolling up his sl

en stool in the corner,

curling around his words. "For theft. Fo

on my

cold water pipe running alon

. The expensive black dress had bee

a leather stra

ind him, peeking o

her eyes bright wi

said, her voice high and demandin

and looked

rdered, his voice flat. "This

ay," she pouted,

," he commanded.

to protect h

t to flay the s

ked be

dn't

dn't

inst the condensation on the

n

against my skin wi

s my shoulders, whi

w

re

into a

ical.

a profe

he wasn't doing this out of ang

ade it

couldn't distinguish the

uous wall of fire se

ides. I heard the soft *drip-dri

I tasted copper to

ive them the

thought about the London

plane taking off,

clouds looking lik

ty-

ft

e st

athing har

ped the

e floor with a

and brushing ash from his trousers. "Leave h

om his belt and slice

sed imme

wouldn't

e wet fl

, radiating from my s

over me fo

moment, I thought I saw

hand hovering as if

is name from the doorw

one? The firewor

is hand bac

said, his voice

alked away with

etal door s

d with a final,

one in t

ai

ng time, shivering a

for the darkne

it d

hing they couldn't beat out of

loor to the corner where the

vodka my father's guards k

ng kit in the

e and poured the vod

then. A raw, animal sound that

needle with tre

t reach e

tched wha

he semi-darkness, with shaking hands and

buzzed in

screen illuminating t

from Is

s a p

ding under the expl

s kiss

y mine,* the

d at th

t feel

t feel

t not

at concrete floor, washed away wi

ted th

he phon

d floor, the needle st

ting for Lon

ting for