Blood Test by Kellerman, Jonathan

he started talking, offering me option.

“I can do it while you’re standing, kneeling, or

lying on the ground the way I did the SwOpes. Or,

if being still freaks you out, you.can make a run for

it, get a little exercise to take your mind off what’s

coming. I won’t teL1 you how many steps Ill give

you, so you can pretend it’s like a regular run.

Make belieVe you’re in some kind of marathon. When

I run I get high. Maybe you will, too. I’m using a

heavy load so you won’t feel a thing. Kinda like one

big rush.”

My knees buckled.

“Come on, man,” he said, “don’t fall part. Go out

with style.”

BLOOD TEST 319

“Killing’ me won’t do you any good. The/pOlice

know I’m here. ff I don’t’ re rn they’ll be swarming

over this place.’

“No sweat. As soon as you’re ont of the way,

we’re splitting.”

“The boy can’t travel in his condition. You’ll kill

h

im?

The rifle jabbed -painfully.

“I don’t need your advice. I can take care of my

own,

We walked in silence until we reached the mouth

of the metal hallway.

“So how do you want it,” he demanded, “stand-

in still or running?”

A hundred yards of fiat, empty land lay before

me. The darkness would

run but I’d still be easy

void were hills of

among the detritus

“Take your .time,”

mously, savoring e starring role.

-He’d played this scene before, was working hard

at coming across cool and in control. But I knew he

was as unstable as nitro and just might start blowing

his lines if provoked. The trick was to get him

sufficiently distracted to lower his guard, then flee.

Or attack. It was a deadly gamble–a sudden burst

of rage could just as easily yank his trigger finger.

But- there wasn’t much to lose at this pOint and the

idea of submitting passively to slaughter was damned

distasteful.

“Make up your mind.”

“It’s a bullshit choice, Doug, and you know it.”

“What?”.

“I said you’re full of shit,”

Growling, he spun me around, ‘ tossed the rifle

. away, and grabbed the front of my shirt, pulling it

tight. He raised the axe and held it poised in the’

air;

“Move and I’ll slice you like cheese.” He panted

with anger, face glistening with sweat. A feral smell

emanated from the mass of his body.

I kneed him hard in the groin. He yelped in pain

and relinquished his grip reflexively, I pulled away,

landed on the ground, scurried backward like a

crab, scraping my knees and palms. While fighting

to push myself upright I pressed my foot. against

something round. A large metal spring. It .rolled, I

was upended, and fell flat on-my back.

Carmichael charged forward, hyperventilating like

a child coming out of a tantrum. The edge of the

axe caught’a glint of moonlijght. Shadowed agst

the blackness of the skyhe seemed immense,

fictional,

I yanked myself up and crawled awa from him.

“You’ve got a big mouth,” he gasped. “No class,

no style. I gave you the 6pportunity to end it peace°

fully. I tried to be fair but you didn’t aPPreciate it.

Now it’s gonna hurt. I’m gonna use this on you.”

He hefted the axe for emphasis, “Slowly..Turn you

into garbage piece by piece and make it last. In the,

end you’ll beg for a bullet,”

A figure stepped out from !ehind the oil drums.

“Put it down, Doug.”

Sheriff Houten stepped into the clearing, trim

and sure- pounds oted. The Colt .45 extended like a nickel-plated

handshake.

“Put it down,”

at Carmichael’s chest.

“Leave, it alone, Ray,” said the

to finish what we started,”

“Not this way.”

“It’s the only way,” insisted Carmichael.

The lawman shook his head.

“I just got off the phone with a fellow named

Sturgis at L.A. Homicide. He was making inquiries

about the doctor here. Seems somebody took a shot

at-him last night and gunned down the wrong man.

Next day the doctor disappeared. They’re looking

fo him in earnest. I figured he might have ended

up here.”

“He’s trying to break up my family, Ray. You

warned me about him yourself.”

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