Get Katja by Simon Logan

Author:Simon Logan [Logan, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781771481687
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Published: 2014-03-18T00:00:00+00:00

35.

The crowd milling around outside looks like the result of an explosion in a leather and metal factory. They flash and sparkle as they move beneath the lights of the Wheatsheaf’s shaky-looking entrance, the smoke from their cigarettes curling around proud mohawks and gleaming liberty spikes.

Bridget stops in her tracks, looks up at the scaffold-clad building suspiciously, subconsciously adjusting the fresh pair of gloves she has pulled on.

“Is this place safe?” she asks Stasko, standing beside her.

Steel struts and joists are bolted to the cracked exterior, fresh cement smeared around them. Ribbons of safety tape flap in the breeze.

Stasko ignores her concerns and hands the doorman enough money to cover their entrance then places a hand on the small of Bridget’s back and guides her inside. She feels a sudden claustrophobic panic as she is led into the darkened corridor beyond, a wall of noise tumbling up the passageway like a marauding beast, and she has to fight to keep the fear of Stasko knowing about what she has done that night in check.

They emerge into the performance area, noticing the empty stage at the rear of the room. Stasko continues to push her forward as if he’s a prison guard leading her back to her cell, navigating around the back of the crowds, past the bar and towards a pillar near the stage. A large piece of fabric hand-painted with the words Damage Sticks written across it is pulled down by a roadie. He bundles it up, throws it behind one of the immense speakers beside him, then sets to work rearranging the drum kit.

“What now?” Bridget asks but gets no response. She realizes that Stasko hasn’t heard her, her voice drowned out by the static-laden rock music being blasted over the loudspeakers. For a brief instant she considers slipping into the crowd, of losing him long enough to make her escape, but the thought falls apart when she thinks about what she’d do next. No, for now at least, she’ll need to play along.

She leans into him, cups her hand around his ear and repeats the question.

He returns the gesture to reply but his words are lost as the crowd suddenly roars and he abandons the response. Hands are raised and people start jumping up and down.

Bridget struggles to see past them but can just make out figures emerging onto the stage. There’s a crackling fizz of static as instruments are plugged in, a short burst of drumming and a couple of notes struck. The music being played over the loudspeakers fades out. The crowd shuffles as some push nearer and others prepare for a mosh pit, stripping off their shirts.

From somewhere off-stage the name of The Broken is announced with resounding disinterest and finally Bridget spots Katja as she steps up to the mike. The punk unzips the over-sized hoodie she wears and drops it to the ground, revealing a tight black top beneath from under which her neck tattoo emerges. Self-consciously, Bridget touches a hand to the side of her head where she had been struck and where it is still tender.

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