Bart Blog

J: I hate when it rains, everything is grey and cold.
R: Just a couple more minutes, he should be here soon.

He said while they were crouching behind the dumpster. Water from the roof was dripping onto their heads. It was a good spot to hide. Once someone passed them they could make their move. There would be no place to escape.

J: I had a dream yesterday. I was lying in a bathtub, naked. The bathtub was full of small scolopendras. I was not afraid. I was strangely agitated. I think I was their mother and they had just hatched.
R: You know that they will eat you?
J: That makes no sense.
R: We watched it on the Discovery Channel when we were young. You probably remember it subconsciously. Young scolopendras after they are born consume their mother. It is called matriphagy. Increases their survival chances or something like that.
J: Jesus, why do you remember something like that.
R: Mother was watching it with us. She said that the same thing happens in humans but the process is much slower and less dramatic.

Silence, only grayness and soothing noise of rain. J’s eyes were empty for a couple of minutes.

J: Do you think that’s why she left?
J: Because we were consuming her?
R: We were terrible to her. I don’t blame her.
R: She told me that she can’t stand how we start to look and behave like our father.
J: She told you that. When?
R: After she took us from the arrest after beating Ronnie.
R: Our father was drunk and an idiot. She…
J: And who are we? We drink all the time. One botched job separates us from being idiots. So please be quiet now. Any minute.

Car stopped at the alley’s entrance. A middle-aged, balding man stepped out of it. Thick frames on his nose, cowboy hat and a bomber jacket. Tracksuit under. Nothing worked together. It created an appearance of someone who married caring about nothing with a total lack of self-awareness. It was scary this way.

He moved slowly. Duffel bag on his shoulder. He passed the dumpster.

J: Stop. Turn around. Don’t try anything.

The man turned slowly. Looked at J and R. He grinned.

Tom: Oh it’s you idiots.
Tom: What do you want, I am busy.
R: The money you have belongs to our boss.
Tom: No this money belongs to Japanese. Your boss will get his money later.
R: We both know that you have enough to pay only one debt.
Tom: You know fuck all. Now move.
R: This is not a negotiation.
Tom: Great then kill me already. Because if I don’t give this money today I am dead either way.

J takes out a gun and points at Tom’s head. Tom raises his hands and talks calmly. His confidence slowly evaporates.

Tom: Listen guys, it’s nothing personal. You know that they will kill me. I don’t have a choice.
R: As it stands at the moment, we will kill you before they do.
Tom: I know you guys since you were little. I know that you are trying to make your names. But you are not killers.
J: You knew our mother well. You worked together in the hardware store. Has she ever talked about us?
Tom: John what is this about? Why are you asking?
J: I just want to know.
Tom lashes out: Yes. She said you were drowning her.
J: And?
Tom: What else do you want to know?
J: What did you tell her.
Tom: I don’t remember. It was 10 years ago.
J: Say it.

Tom visibly scared.

J: You told her to leave.
R: Calm down. It’s not the time.

J pulls the trigger. For a fraction of second everything gets an orange fiery glow. Then silence.
R stands terrified. J has straightened his back, clenched his mouth. Looks calm.