Susie by John Argo - Galley City

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= SUSIE =

a DarkSF short story

by John Argo

"I'll just stand then. I'm waiting for someone."

No answer.

"Do you live near here?"

"Yes."

"Are your mommy and daddy nice?"

"No."

"Do they..." His mouth got dry; this one was going to be good. "Do they do bad things to you?"

"They said I should never talk to strangers. They said I should run." She rose.

He blocked her. "It's okay. Don't run. I just want to talk with you." As they turned around each other, she was between him and the van. On impulse he stepped forward, picked her up, jumped into the van, and slid the door shut.

She banged on his shoulders with her fists and yelled. Her popsicle went down his shirt in like a freezing little sled of sludge, and he yelped.

"I want you to let me go right now. I don't want to be here. I want to go home. I am afraid of you. You are an awful man."

He grinned, wiping his belly with an oily rag. "Look at the tiger, honey. I think he's waving to you."

"Let me go right now!"

"Listen, honey, nobody can hear you if you scream. Now don't be mean. I'll let you go if you kiss my tiger."

"I don't want to."

"If you give me just a little kiss, I'll open the door."

"No."

He laughed, drew her close. She struggled and he slapped her across the face. She touched her cheek in shock and stared at him. Tough little bitch, he thought, not a tear in her eyes. Hormones raged in him as he began tearing at her clothes, which came off. She bit him on the shoulder, hard, drawing blood, pissing him off, and he began to choke her.

Buck did not know about the conversation silently taking place between the little creature and her uplink law enforcement support systems. As Buck mauled her, she analyzed the blood sample she had just taken from his shoulder.

Thank you for reading. If you love it, tell your friends. Please post a favorable review at Amazon, Good Reads, and other online resources. If you want to thank the author, you may also buy a copy for the low price of a cup of coffee. It's called Read-a-Latte: similar (or lower) price as a latte at your favorite coffeeshop, but the book lasts forever while the beverage is quickly gone. Thank you (JTC).

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