Green Desert - Chapter 2.3.5 - Zhíno

The old woman had me by my elbow, slowly guiding me down the dark-blue hallway. My wrist throbbed with the blood from undoing the bandage. But where was she taking me? Some sort of surgery room?

Dogs. She said dogs. They were going to drug me and chop me up and feed me to their dogs! I still had the big gun. I could. . . Who was I fucking kidding? This old girl couldn’t hurt a flea.

The hallway turned a corner. Several closed doors. She stopped by one on the inside of the house––probably a closet or a den. The old woman smiled at me––that same wickedly benign smile as before. I tensed. She was up to something. Her grip on my elbow stayed firm.

“Now now, dear. I only want to help you.”

Behind me, Fírí burst, “You can help us by telling us what the fuck is going on!” I turned my head to see Fírí waving her wadded sweatshirt. “What kind of game are you playing? Is this rabbit blood?”

The gray-haired woman pushed open the door. Darkness, lit only from the hall. Two wood steps down to a bare earth floor, dusty orange. She led me in.

Fírí yelled, “What the hell is this?”

The pain in my wrist disappeared. And from my right arm, too. It felt like I died. “Don’t worry,” I said. “She wants to help.”

“That’s right, dear. Now please lie down.” She patted a low table, seven feet square.