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9/04/2008

Albuquerque - The Kid - Part 7

Please Note: Links to the previous episodes are in the top left panel. However, a few weeks ago, I published a slightly edited version called "The Story So Far" which makes the first episode's relationship to the Past Lives series invisible. The link lies between the Fourth and Fifth links on the left. So you can choose. Follow the Cardinal links on the left to see it with the unmodified First Episode, or click on the Story So Far link and then the higher ones to read it just focused on The Kid.

This episode is dedicated to Warriorwitch, who reminded me that there was a place that all of this started out from, and that I needed to get back there to continue writing this story. She helped me understand that writing 'well' wasn't where this came from, orginally, and writing 'well' wasn't as good as writing from the gut. Thank you, Warriorwitch. I love you.


And now for the portrait of The kid, done by Vikki North of the The Red Chair Gallery, to open this .. The Kid ... Part 7.


Portrait by Vikki North



There were times his dreams seemed more like movies - like he stood outside his dream and just watched. Not a participant. Not involved. An observer. With no control - no way to move or alter the flow or stop the dream when it got too hard. And man, it got hard. Like now. He was back in the orphanage ....

"Mr. Burress, I'm tellin' ya this kid is crazy!! We caught him skinnin' a cat back behind C Building - and this ain't the first time. No sir, it ain't! We don't want him in our dorm, Sir. I..I..We're all scared, Sir. That cat was still alive ...."
"You boys go to your dorm. I'll take care of this."
He watched the boys leave the room, leaving him alone with Mr. Burress.
"You been a bad boy again, haven't you. You know what happens when you're a bad boy, don't you? Don't you? Answer me!!"
"Yeah. Yeah, I do."
"Then come around the desk ... come over here ... "
He watched himself move around the desk toward Mr. Burress, watched as Burress unzipped his trousers, reached out and grabbed his head with both hands ...

And the scene changed .... Juvenile Hall, this time ....

"Get out of my room."
"We just come ta visit ya, Kid. We're da welcomin' committee. We wanna make sure you feel welcome here .... Grab 'im!! .. That's it boys ... hold 'im down .... spread his legs ...."

And the scene changed again .... the hooker ....

"Oh, it's you." She walked over to the bed and let her robe fall to the floor. She raised her hands up over her head and turned around, slowly, to show him her hairlessness. He waited until she turned around and knelt on the bed, knees apart, leaned forward with her elbows close together and her head on her hands, so she couldn't see him. He took off all his clothes and approached her .. from behind ...

The scene changed yet again .... an alley this time ....

The broad was there, givin' some guy a blow job. He waited. The guy gave her a bill and zipped up and walked toward the streetlights down the alley. He walked up to the girl. "Jaime says you been makin' money off the books. I have a message for you, from Jaime." Before she could think or react or say a thing his hand moved like lightning and opened a cut in her cheek from her ear to the corner of her mouth. "Don't do that no more. Jaime says next time, you're dead."

And the scene changed again .... another alley ....

He stood over Mr. Burress, his knife in his hand and dripping with Burress' blood. Burress looked up at him, the fear gone, the pain gone, his body rapidly bleeding out from the gaping wound where his genitals used to be. The Kid pressed the knuckles of the hand that held the knife against Burress' chin, forcing his mouth open. In his other hand he held the balls and the penis he used to know so well, those years ago at the orphange. He stuffed the penis in Burress' mouth. He watched himself walk away as Burress died.

Her hand on his forehead woke him up.

"What're ya doin'?"
"You were very restless, and you're sweating. I was just making sure you're alright. Besides, you've been mumbling some strange stuff in your sleep. Some of the other passengers are a little .... concerned."
"Why? What did I say?"
There was that flat, hard tone in his voice again.
"Nothing, really. Not much made any sense at all. But some rather rude words, from what the passengers are saying. Maybe you'd like some coffee."

He knew it wasn't a question.

He smiled. "Yeah. Coffee. Maybe I'd better wake up, huh? Wouldn't wanna educate none of these fine folks, would I?"

She brought him coffee.

"Don't dawdle. We'll be landing soon and you don't want that coffee in your lap."

"Yes, ma'am."

He sipped his coffee and looked out the window at the now visible desert landscape

No one had ever woke him out of that dream before. He was thinking to himself that she had made him save the good parts for later.

Good parts. Lots and lots of good parts. He knew that dream. It was always the same - a review of his deeds and misdeeds - always the same sequence - at least until something new was added, always the same result when he woke up.

His bed would be drenched with sweat. He would be cold, shivering, and every detail of that dream would be etched in his mind like acid etches steel.

And he knew that next time, next time there would be two new scenes added to the long list of fucked up things he had done. He wondered where they were going to fit into the sequence - where the fuck was his crazy head going to put that guy from Kansas City, where was it going to stick Joey.

He giggled softly to himself.

That's a good one. Stick Joey.

33 comments:

Jientje said...

The cat got out of it alive, that's a good sign.
Oh and um ... He's handsome.
Mwah!

Shadow said...

the drawing is just as i'd wanted the kid to look. the hair, chiselled features, those eyes!

and yes, i am reading the kid on thursdays, heee heee heee. and am loving it. kinda like 'watching' an on-line series.

...and in next week edition of the kid.... well, you're gonna have to fill in the blanks there. i'll be waiting!

Myst_72 said...

You want to love him and loathe him all at once so to speak, sympathy and fear.
No wonder he turned out this way.

Love the picture of him too.

G
xx

Christy said...

Oh, I know this guy. This rings true.

Scary.

I like the matter-of-factness about the horror--that is the way some people process it.

And the sweat gives you away, gives away how you originally felt before you tamp that down into cold steel and lust....

Nice.

moneythoughts said...

Nicely written.

Patsy said...

Vikki did a nice job capturing the kid. I really like her use of charcoal and the light and shadow she created --- exactly like the character you have created. And the hooded eyes --- yes, this is definately the guy you wouldn't want to meet in the ally. :)

Unknown said...

jientje: Vikki did such a great job of visualizing The Kid.

shadow: I hope 'next week' is going to be worth waiting for.

myst_72: Exactly. This needed to be done - to show why he is what he is.

Christy: Thanks, Christy. This one was harder to write - but necessary.

moneythoughts: Thanks, Fred.

patsy: I love what Vikki did with him.

Momisodes said...

Whoa. That is an AMAZING portrait. Strangely enough, I had not formulated an image of what the Kid looks like. But after seeing this, it suits his character perfectly. He's hot! But at the same time a bit scary. His portrait adds so much to this chapter. The events are almost too bare reading, but you make it difficult to turn away.

Vikki North said...

Hi Lou,
I really like the structure in this segment jumping from memory to memory and leaving the details to our imagination. We get a clear understanding of why the Kid has become what he is.

And I had the great fortune of seeing what the Kid’s got coming next Thursday. All I can say is “Hold on to your skirts ladies and gents!”

I’d also like to thank your readers for the their comments on my drawing. The Kid is your design and creation Lou. You made it very easy to see him.
Vikki

Unknown said...

All this time I've seen him with "the hat", his face mostly in the shadows. I LOVE this picture of him. Vikki captured exactly his essence...his good looks and his dark, dark side. His story really comes alive now.

Perfect!

witchypoo said...

Reading the kid is my blog candy. Thanks again, Lou!
And? Bravo, Vikki!

Jientje said...

I bought me a pair of stiletto's.
A girl can never be too prepared.
You know, the first cut is the deepest ...

Unknown said...

Sandy C: I can tell by the comments that this episode was ... hard. Thankfully, Vikki did the portrait and there was a 'distraction' people could focus on. Next week's episode will be more fun.

redchair: But YOU gave him a face. And so very, very well done. What some may not know is -- there would be no 'Kid', if not for you.

Hyphen Mama: Yes, Vikki has done a fabulous job of giving our boy a face.

psychic: Thank you, whomever you are, mysterious stranger.

jientje: I'd like a picture, please, of you in those stilettos.

Jientje said...

*** Stretches her back, and waves.***
With her feet!
Night Lou! ***mwah!***

Jientje said...

Sleepless in Belgium.
How does that sound?

Unknown said...

jientje: You went to bed 3 hours ago. Problems?

Anonymous said...

Wow, I see where you kind of struggled with some of the darkness, but it got told as it needed to get told, and I agree that having the picture helped to kind of distract from the grim. It's perfect. Just perfect!

Unknown said...

maggies mind: Vikki is such an incredible artist - and this is such a difficult episode - thank God for Vikki. If I were writing a book, this section of the book would REALLY be dark.

Jientje said...

A lullaby?
Jezus!!!
I've heard that too many times before! They have tried to put me to sleep too many times before!
If I don't feel like sleeping, I don't have to sleep. And that's final. I heard there's a lot more going on, between heaven and earth.
How about a good flirt? I'm wide awake, and thankful for that!
I just can't understand having to fight over something like that? Do you? I prefer talking to you, instead of counting stars you know. That does not make me sleepy either! Eww, I get it, Mr Sandman?? Bring me a dream???
If I regret it in the morning, well... that's my choice.But it sure as hell ain't gonna kill me.
And if it does, that would be OVERKILL!! * giggles*
We'll have to see about that!
Hard headed woman, I know, I know ...

Unknown said...

jientje: Do you want, perhaps, to communicate by email?
Lou.lohman@gmail.com

Joyce-Anne said...

Wow! For me, this chapter was a little difficult to read, however now I understand why the kid is the way he is. Of course, I always appreciate good writing and this was very well written.

Unknown said...

joyce-anne: It was difficult to write, as well. But it had to be done. I had more - but got to the point where I had had enough and I was sure my readers would have had enough, as well. I can tell by the comments that this episode was hard for a lot of people.

Jientje said...

Hard ... yes, but it needed to be written.
And you did it!

Eve Grey said...

Very dark & disturbing. Reminds me of something, not sure what...I'll have to think on it. Very intriguing.

Unknown said...

Eve Grey: When you figure that out, let me know. I'm still trying to figure out where half of this stuff has come from. It sure ain't an autobiography.

Holly said...

Ooo, gritty. That portrait is amazing!

www.ayewonder.com said...

Whoa....very disturbing episode Lou. The Kid has SERIOUS issues. I love the portrait.

Anonymous said...

Lou, sorry, I've been busy, tired and busted but I should have visited sooner.

A dedication! I don't......know what to say. Thank you seems small somehow when I think that, you thought I was that helpful. But hey, whatever works for you Mr Writer.

It was a good episode and a good read.

Thanks again.

Eric S. said...

Dam well done, and a part that needed to be told to understand the Kid. Great picture, Vikki can sure capture a character.

Crimzen Creative said...

Wow, the story, the picture...both are awesome! Vikki is a very talented artist.

Anonymous said...

That drawing fits perfect.

The story as well.
Not as I imagined as you can imagine, but it fits.

You are truly gifted!

Elizabeth said...

Holy Christ!

Elizabeth said...

I'm still wondering how I missed this one...