Serial Killer Z: Shadows by Philip Harris

Author:Philip Harris [Harris, Philip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-11-26T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

The Club

The elevator opened on my floor, and I almost walked directly into Jon. We both apologized, and he stepped out of my way.

He put his hand out to stop the elevator door from closing. “You guys finished upstairs?”

“Yes. Thank you for letting us talk.”

“She convince you to help her?”

“No, I can’t. I’m not the person she thinks I am. At least, not anymore.” I frowned. “You know what she wanted?”

Jon nodded. “Cali and I go back a long way. We’ve known each other since she was a kid.”

“And you’re… okay with her wanting to learn how to kill.”

Jon hesitated. “It’s a cliché, but I’d do anything for her.”

It wasn’t really an answer to my question, not directly at least.

“Including inject people with a serum that turns them into zombies?”

He grimaced. The look was uncannily like one I’d seen on Cali’s face when she was talking about the city’s inhabitants. “People are stupid. They’re out there pretending nothing has changed. No, it’s worse than that. They know it’s changed but they’re better off than they were so they don’t care.”

It was the same justification Cali had used, and I wondered if he felt the same way or was just echoing her words.

The elevator buzzed. Jon lowered his arm and stepped inside.

“Goodbye,” I said.

He nodded and the doors slid closed.

As soon as I stepped into my apartment, a deep-seated weariness came over me. I headed straight into the bedroom and lay down. There was a stack of books on the cabinet beside the bed—lurid tales of real life killers. I flicked through one of them, wondering if the shadow might stir at the sight of mutilated corpses and blood-spattered crime scenes. I wasn’t surprised when it didn’t.

I replaced the book and closed my eyes. Cali’s request had seemed absurd at first, but there was something appealing about it as well. Despite the fact that I’d always worked alone, some tiny sliver of my psyche had latched onto the idea of taking her under my wing. She could be my apprentice. Perhaps that would bring the shadow back to me.

The day passed slowly. I alternated between lying on the bed and wandering the apartment, trying to convince myself to leave. I had the answers I was looking for when I came back to the city. Someone, probably Jon, had retrieved my leather case and put it on the coffee table. I could take it, leave the apartment and the city, and go back to my life in the forest. I could head south to avoid winter.

At one point, I picked up the scalpels and started to leave. I got as far as the door but stopped with my hand resting on the handle. There were a dozen reasons to stay. It was far safer in the city. Eduardo had said that Seattle had been overrun. For all I knew, there could be a swarm heading toward us. I had a place to stay, good food, and clothes. Cali might expect me to spend some time with her, but that was a small price to pay for my own space.

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