The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

Author:Scott Hawkins [Hawkins, Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: Crown/Archetype
Published: 2015-06-15T23:00:00+00:00

IV

The cabdriver’s name was Harshen Patel. Two hours later, cowering behind a shower curtain in a dusty green bathtub, he heard a woman’s voice.

“Steve?”

“Be careful!” Patel said. “I think that they are crazy!” He cradled his left hand, bandaged in a roll of bloody toilet paper and what was left of his shirt.

“Steve?” Her tone was doubtful now.

“I do not know who that is. If you’re looking for the lying asshole with the two lions, he left.”

“He left?” She sounded incredulous.

“Yes. A couple hours ago.”

“How?”

“He stole my taxi.”

She chuckled. “He’s resourceful. I’ll give him that.”

“You should be very careful,” Harshen said. “There are two of them, an old man and a woman. She came to me and said, ‘Supper is ready!’ and then they both started…started…biting me.” He heard the edge of a scream in his voice and clamped down on it. “They have eaten my left pinkie finger. And part of my thumb. They might still be out there. You should—”

“It’s OK,” the woman said. She rattled the doorknob. “Can you open this, please?”

Harshen considered this for several seconds, then reached out with a shaking hand and opened the door.

The woman in the hall was on the small side, frizzy-haired, barefoot. She carried a blue duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She looked him up and down, surveying the wounds in his shoulder, his neck, his crotch. Her brown eyes were dark and intense, difficult to meet. “You’ll live.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yeah. You were lucky. Not a lot of people get to visit in this neighborhood.”

Harshen nodded, miserable. “I believe you. I wonder…may we please leave now?”

She thought about it. “Sure.” She shrugged. “I’ll walk you out. What’s your name?”

He told her. They stepped out into the light together.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Carolyn.”

“Do you…do you live here?”

“Not in this one.” She jerked her thumb down the street. “I’m a couple blocks deeper.”

“Oh.” He looked at her, horrified.

“Relax. I won’t hurt you. You helped Steve.” She shook her head, smiling. “He really is ever so good at slipping out of these petonsha, don’t you think?”

“These what?”

“Sorry. That isn’t English. They all start to blur after a while. I said ‘petonsha.’ It means ‘little traps.’ ”

“Oh.”

They walked in silence for a block or so.

She spoke next. “Still…you did help Steve. I should repay the favor.” She considered. “Do you have a family? Do you live in the city?”

“My wife. Esperanza. We have two boys. But no, we’re out in—”

She waved her hand, cutting him off. “I don’t care at all. When we get to the end of the street, I’m going to disappear. When that happens, put your family in your car and—”

“I can’t.”

“What?”

“I can’t put my family in my car. He stole it. I don’t know where it is.”

“Who stole it? Steve?”

“Is he the lion man?”

“Yes.”

“Yes. Him. He is the motherfucker who stole my cab.”

“Oh. Hmm.” Carolyn thought about it for a second, then handed him the blue duffel bag. “Here. Take this. Buy another one.”

He unzipped the bag, looked inside.

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