The Scream
Page 45
Joshua Walker picked up the gun in his left hand and the shot glass in his right. He scrutinized the glass: an ounce of Aguardiente, a vile amber-oily liquid, which seemed to be all they ever had since the contras more often then not hijacked the delivery truck that brought in cases of Salvavida or Superior. Walker liked Salvavida—the name meant lifesaver—and drank it when he could get it. As beer went, it was good stuff.
But not for a talisman. Oh, no. For that it had to be tequila or, as tonight, Aguardiente—water with teeth. It was fitting somehow.
He scrutinized the rum, so viscous it seemed to cling to the sides of the glass. Water with teeth. It clung, but it didn’t smile. That was good, like an omen, almost. Oboy. He wondered where it might lead.
But he didn’t worry about it.
Walker downed the shot. It burned a smooth track down the delicate lining of his esophagus to nestle in his stomach. A warm, soft glow came back, spreading through his limbs. He welcomed it. It softened the rest of the ritual atonement. What followed was pure discipline.
He picked up the piece and hefted it. Nicely balanced, bluesteeled, American made. Clean. He pushed the barrel firmly into the hollow of his left eye socket and held it there. It fit right in. Joshua pulled and locked the hammer back in two deadly clicks, and he smiled.
The moment of truth, for the five hundred forty-second consecutive time. A purely rhetorical question formed in his head. There was plenty to do in a world like this: a lot of corrupt motherfuckers needing their clocks cleaned, a lot of darkness to be pushed inexorably back. And always, always—far too much innocent blood for one man to ever atone for. So what do you want from me, anyway?
Only one way to find out. The deck was shuffled, the cards already dealt. If he lived, there was a supply convoy due in tomorrow on Uno Norte that was ripe for derailment. If not, well . . .
Walker pulled the trigger.
And let God sort it out.
* * *
Best known as the inventors of the Florida Yoo-Hoo Spritzer, John Skipp and Craig Spector remain creatures of mystery. Though rumors persist in the nation’s tabloids—of extensive plastic surgery, of involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal, and of that fabled ‘lost weekend’ with Imelda Marcos—in truth, they lead lives of quiet desperation. Shunned by the public they so desperately crave, they are said to have retreated to an eerie estate called Xanadu, where they keep a menagerie of tiny shrunken people in jars and walk around muttering, “Rosebud”. Nobody knows what this means. Perhaps it is for the best.
Some facts, however, have emerged. Both are male, Caucasian, and have survived public education. Skipp has a pair of identifying scars near his beady little eyes. Spector dangles little skulls and crosses off of his ear. They are both considered to have arms and dangerness. If you should spot either of these men, do not approach them without offering to buy them a beer. Otherwise, contact your local authorities and turn yourself in.
Their next book is called NIGHTMARE, NEW YORK CITY. They are also editing a star-studded anthology of zombie stories called BOOK OF THE DEAD.
And, yes, they rock and roll.
eBook Info
Creator:
John Skipp & Craig Spector
Title:
The Scream
Date:
2/1/1988
Language:
en-us
Subject:
Horror
Publisher:
Bantam Books
Source:
Original scan, v1.0
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INTRO - CYNDI’S PARTY
THURSDAY, JUL 12 - DIAMOND BAR, CALIFORNIA
SIDE 1 - THE JACOB HAMER BAND
ONE
THURSDAY, SEP 3 - NYC
STEWARTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
FRIDAY, SEP 4
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
SIDE 2 - ROCK AID
SATURDAY, SEP 5 - JFK STADIUM
SIDE 3 - THE SCREAM
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
SUNDAY, SEP 6 - JONESTOWN, PA
TWENTY-EIGHT
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
THIRTY-ONE
THIRTY-TWO
THIRTY-THREE
SIDE 4 - RAISING HELL
MONDAY, SEP 7 - LABOR DAY - PHILADELPHIA
8:00:00 PM - SYMPHONY OF DEATH
8:00:31 PM - EXPOSITION
8:03:30 PM - DEVELOPMENT
8:09:33 PM - RECAPITULATION
OUTRO - AND THE DAYS GO BY
MONDAY, MARCH 23 - STEWARTSBURG, PA
MEAT THE AUTHORS