Дэвид Муди - Hater

‘Sorry, mate,’ I mumble quickly.

‘You’re all right,’ he replies as he tries to yank the dog back out of my way. The dog isn’t responding. ‘Come on, boy,’ he snaps.

‘Nasty accident, that,’ I say.

He shakes his head.

‘That wasn’t an accident.’

‘What?’

He looks into my face and shakes his head again.

‘I saw the whole thing happen,’ he tells me. ‘Bloody idiot.’

‘Who?’

‘The bloke driving the car. Absolute bloody idiot.’

‘Why?’

‘First thing I know is when some lad runs past me,’ he explains. ‘Came out of nowhere, he did, nearly knocked me flying. Then the car comes past and drives onto the pavement just up from where I’m walking. The lad’s running as fast as he can but there’s nothing he can do. The driver puts his foot down and just accelerates and runs him over and drives straight into the wall. Stupid bastard. Looks like he’s killed himself too.’

The man finally moves his dog out of the way and I start to walk forward again, trying to make sense of what I’ve just heard. This weekend has been full of bizarre and horrific events. First the concert, then the attack in the pub yesterday and now this. And there was the man in the street on Thursday morning too. I think back to the news report we were watching at Harry’s house. What the hell is going on?

MONDAY

v

Ten times the trouble wouldn’t have kept some drinkers away. The club was emptier than usual but these were the hardened few — the regular drinkers and clubbers who wouldn’t miss a night out no matter what they’d seen on the news or read in the papers. For these people the rest of the week revolved around nights like this. Getting pissed, getting stoned and getting laid was all that mattered.

‘She’s fucking gorgeous, mate,’ Shane White yelled into Newbury’s ear. ‘She keeps looking at you. Get in there, son!’

Newbury turned to White and grinned.

‘Reckon I’m in with a chance then?’

‘No fucking problem. She’s yours mate, no question.’

‘Serious?’

‘Serious.’

‘Right then. Watch this.’

Newbury pushed himself away from the bar, knocked back the last of his drink and stood and watched her. He didn’t even know her name. He’d seen her here a few times before but she’d always been surrounded by blokes and her friends and he’d never had the nerve to try anything with her. It felt different tonight. He felt confident and alive. Maybe he felt less intimidated because there were fewer people around? Maybe it was just because he was already half-drunk. Whatever the reason it didn’t matter. Fucking hell, he thought as he watched her dance, Shane’s right, she’s fucking gorgeous. He slowly walked towards her and she began to dance towards him.

‘You all right?’ he shouted, fighting to make himself heard over the thumping music which filled the half-empty club. It seemed louder than ever in here tonight with fewer people around. She didn’t answer. Instead she just beckoned him closer, wrapped her arms around him and shoved her tongue down his throat.

‘You’re bloody beautiful, you are,’ Newbury babbled breathlessly as they left the club and walked together towards an alley opposite the town hall. ‘Absolutely bloody beautiful.’

‘Are you going to spend all night talking or what?’ she asked as she led him into the shadows. He couldn’t answer. ‘I could have stayed at home if I wanted to talk. All I need from you is a good, hard fuck.’

Newbury struggled to believe what he was hearing. He’d never had this happen before. He’d fantasised about it enough times and he’d heard about it happening to other people, but it had never actually happened to him. And he’d never dreamt it might happen with a girl like this…

She stopped walking and turned towards him, pushing her body against his. She ripped open his shirt.

‘Here?’ he asked. ‘You dirty bitch…!’

‘This is how I like it,’ she hissed in his ear. He could smell the booze on her breath. Somehow that made it more sordid and more exciting.

Newbury was in danger of becoming too fired-up and turned on to perform. Staying in control was getting more difficult every time she touched him or kissed him or… she pushed him back hard against the wall and kissed him again, chewing on his lips and forcing her tongue deep into his mouth. He shoved his hand down the back of her skirt and pulled her even closer. In response she undid his trouser zip, slid her hand inside and slipped her fingers around his drunken erection. She held it firmly but gently and teased it out of his trousers and towards her.

‘Get your knickers off,’ he gasped in a momentary pause between frantic bites and kisses.

‘What knickers?’ she whispered in his ear as she hitched her tight skirt up around her waist. Still locked together they rolled to the side until she was the one with her back to the wall. ‘Come on,’ she moaned, desperate for him, ‘give it to me.’

Newbury shuffled into position and tried to slide into her. It was awkward and rough. The booze had affected both of their coordination. She gasped with sudden pleasure as his full length finally disappeared inside her.

‘I’ll give it to you, you dirty slut,’ he promised as he forced himself deeper still. She looked up to the sky and bit her lip, trying not to make any noise but at the same time desperate to scream out loud.

‘Harder,’ she hissed.

He began to thrust his body against hers, forcing her back against the wall again and again.

‘Hard enough for you?’ he asked, staring deep into her wide grey eyes.

‘Just fuck me,’ she gasped between thrusts.

‘Hard enough?’ he hissed again through clenched teeth.

Then she stopped.

She let go of him.

‘What’s the matter?’ he asked, concerned. ‘Did I hurt you? What did I do?’

The expression on her face changed from pleasure to fear in an instant. She pushed him off and backed away from him, pulling her skirt down and tripping back across the alley.

‘What’s going on?’ he asked again. ‘What’s the matter with you?’

She didn’t answer. She kept moving away, shuffling deeper into the shadows. He continued to move towards her. She tried to speak but she couldn’t. ‘Don’t…’ was all she could mumble.

‘What the fucking hell’s going on?’ he demanded. ‘You’re mental, you are. One minute you’re all over me, now you’re pushing me away. Is this how you get your kicks? You’re a fucking prick-teaser. You’re a dirty fucking bitch.’

Still staggering backwards her foot kicked against the edge of a plastic crate filled with empty glass bottles. She instinctively leant down, picked up one of the bottles by its neck and smashed it against the brick wall behind her.

His reactions dulled by drink, Newbury stood and watched her.

‘Now what are you doing? You’re fucking crazy, you are. What the fucking hell do you think you’re doing? I’m not…’

He didn’t finish his sentence. She ran at him and shoved the broken bottle deep into his stomach. It sliced through his cotton shirt and plunged into his flesh. She pulled the bottle out and then shoved it into him again, this time lower, the jagged edge almost severing the bottom third of his still exposed but now completely flaccid penis. Then a third strike as she sunk the razor-sharp glass into his neck.

She turned and ran and was out of the alley before he’d hit the ground.

There were more of them out there, thousands more.

She had to keep running.

10

Sometimes the thought of work is worse than the reality. All things considered, today at the office was just about bearable. After everything I’d seen and heard over the weekend I’d expected to have to fight my way into work through crowds of people battling with each other on the streets. Apart from a few broken windows and some other slight damage everything looked and felt disappointingly normal. The city centre was quiet for a Monday and the office was too.