Dancing in Valhalla by John West

Author:John West
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Short story, Decadent, Music, Magick, Mayhem, Murder, South Africa, Johannesburg, Serial killer, Africa, Ripper
Publisher: Burning Books
Published: 2020-01-26T00:00:00+00:00

NODDY WENT STRAIGHT to the bar when he came back inside. Morag had a row of shooters lined up in front of her. He took one. Then he took another one.

“We need.” Morag tossed one back herself. “To get.” She chased that one with another. “Away.”

Noddy signaled for Sylvana to bring him a beer. “I can’t believe you did that.”

Morag froze. The vodka half-way to her crimson lips shimmered in the recessed light from behind the bar. Noddy could see tiny unrelated crimson dots running up her forearm. He looked away.

Morag’s head turned slowly, eyes sliding sideways to complete the movement. “I just saved your life.”

Noddy shook his head. “It was over. He wasn’t going to shoot. Not in here. Not in front of witnesses.”

Morag’s vodka completed its interrupted journey. “Oh, I’m sorry. But from where I stood, you had a fucking cannon pointed at your face and a pissed-off drug dealer about to blow your head all over the drum kit. A little gratitude would go a long way right about now.”

Noddy rubbed his eyes. It didn’t help with the pain that was starting to build behind them. “When’s Mick coming back? How much time do we have?”

“Supposed to be Thursday, last I heard. But who knows, with him?”

“You go. Get out of town. Even if it’s just for a few days, till this blows over.”

Morag turned to look straight at him. “Come with me. You can’t stay here. You know what he’s like.”

“I can’t go without Janine. And she won’t leave yet. She’s waiting for her bonus.”

“We’ll get money. Somewhere. Like we used to.”

“Bitch!”

The slap took Morag by surprise. It was delivered from the side, an awkward angle, and was more principle than effect. But a slap in the face is a slap in the face.

Noddy turned to look deep into Janine’s icy blue eyes. “Girlfriend...”

The second slap was more effective, nearly knocking him off his barstool.

“How could you? What were you thinking?”

They were both too stunned to answer.

“You’re lucky Dirk didn’t call the police. You’re lucky you weren’t shot. How could you?”

Noddy slid off the barstool, partly to move closer to Janine but mainly to brace himself in case she wasn’t finished yet. “We’re okay, Girlfriend. It’s alright. But how are you doing? Are you sick?”

Janine gave him the look she reserved for TV evangelists caught in flagrante delicto.

“Don’t change the subject. What happens when Mick hears about this? I’ll have to go visit him now, see if I can smooth this over somehow.”

“What? No. Stay away from him. I’ll work something out.”

Janine’s look hadn’t changed. “How? What can you possibly work out? There’s no reasoning with him, not now, after what just happened. I might be the only person who can get through to him.”

Noddy stepped closer, but she put her hands up to push him away. “Come on, Girlfriend. Let’s get away. The three of us. We’ll hitchhike down to Durban, find somewhere to stay. Or we’ll sleep on the beach, like we did last time.

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