House of Skin

A BOY AND HIS SPIDER

Eddy sensed something in the air of the city and it wasn’t a good thing. There was danger near and he had no idea how he knew this but he did. He felt it in every fiber of his body. Something had either gone terribly wrong or was about to. The feeling was needling every cell in his body, tearing him from the inside like tiny claws. Any number of things could have happened. Spider could have been picked up (not that he’d talk or anyone would understand him if he did). They could have been identified. The police could’ve been on their way to his door right now. There was any number of things that could have gone south here. He couldn’t say what, but he knew that it had.

Night had fallen when he left his flat. The Shadows came with him, much as he tried to leave them behind. Perhaps they were warning him in their usual inexplicable ways. Maybe they’d keep this danger away from him or at least warn him of it when it got close. It took him about thirty minutes to make it on foot to Spider’s lair. When he got there, he waited across the street, studying the alleyway and Spider’s door, seeing if anything was amiss.

All looked well. The Shadows congregated around him. He found himself growing hot with anticipation of what he and Spider might do this evening.

He went to the door and slipped in without knocking.

Spider was crouched on the kitchen floor, paging through a weighty book.

“Is everything well?” Eddy asked.

“Yes. I’ve sharpened our knives up. We’re all set.”

“Good. Whores, then?”

“Why not? It’s so much easier that way.”

Eddy sat down and lit a cigarette. He could hear the Shadows scratching to get in against the outside door where he’d left them. Now that he had completely accepted their near-constant presence, they obeyed him. In many ways, they were much like pets. A bit of attention now and again and they were most faithful.

“Did you hear something?” Spider said, flipping pages.

“No, nothing.”

(let us in we don’t like it out here)

Eddy ignored them. “Have you eaten your treats yet?”

“Oh, yes. They were quite good. I marinaded them in lemon and Worcestershire sauce. Yummy. I should’ve saved you some.”

(he’s insane this one he’s completely mad he’s not in command of his faculties like you if they catch him he’ll talk. Be careful)

“I will,” Eddy said.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Spider set the book aside. “I think a few more and we’ll be all set. They’re ready to let us in. I feel it.”

“What about Gulliver? Do you think he’ll talk?”

“To the police? No, his kind are scared of cops. He’ll keep quiet. And if he doesn’t, we’ll have to pay a call on him.”

“I have to go,” Eddy said. “The warehouse at eight?”

“Of course.”

“See you then.”

Eddy went back outside and the Shadows smothered him in a cloud.

(you should kill him eddy he’s dangerous you don’t need him now you can get into the territories all on your own)

“No. Not yet.”

(you owe us your family owes us we’re hungry… give him to us we want him now)

“When I’m ready and not before. You’ll have to be patient just as I’ve had to be patient.”

Eddy walked back to his place and got ready for the night. Before he went to the warehouse, he planned to pay a call on Gulliver. It might be a good idea to straighten things out before he got them into trouble. He would let the Shadows have him and then they’d quit their constant griping. All they ever thought about were their own bellies.

Moments after he’d left Spider, the police moved in.