The Days They Felt Alive

Tick, Tock

As the rain strummed down the window, Marcus watched her two puffy, sleep bruised eyes stare at him from across the room. She blinked sleepily. Licked her lips. Finally closed her eyes, resting her head against the table.

"Bentley." He slammed his fist onto the table. "There is no time to sleep. Where is the bomb?"

A slow laugh emerged from her. She didn't lift her head.

"There's always time for a nap." Her voice was scratchy.

"Wake your ass up and tell me where you hid the explosives." She yawned.

"Nah."

He slammed his hand down again, inches from her chin.

"Tell me." This time, she looked at him.

"Ask politely and maybe I will."

"Please."

She jutted out her lower lip. "No, no. Say, 'pwease'."

He scoffed, pushed his chair from the table, and stood.

"You haven't eaten for three days. Aren't you starving?" She laughed loudly, insultingly.

"Dude, the only thing I'm hungry for is ripping your flesh from your bones and devouring it."

He felt himself shudder. She wasn't easy to be in a room with.

"I bet you all taste the same. Like bacon Cuz you're like those other piggys. Oink oink!"

"You are disgusting. You think killing and eating a police officer is some big joke, huh?" He was mad. Really mad. She laughed again, nodding enthusiastically.

"Uh-huh! Oink oink!" With her hands in the cuffs she pushed her nose up to resemble a pig's snout. She was shaking from how hard she was laughing.

Sick bitch." He slammed the door behind him.

"Told you, she isn't easy, Marcus." He shook his head at the Captain, who offered him a coffee.

"Yeah, well," Marcus replied, "it's gotta get done one way or another." The chief gave him a sympathetic look.

"Morgan Bentley is a deranged psychopath. Don't think you'll get to her through starvation or fear. There's a reason no other gang members sought an issue with her, or any of her friends."

"Friends, huh? That what they were?" He pulled her file again and looked for known accomplices.

"Yep. Emalee Stewart, aka, 'Grave'. Misha Meadows, 'Baby Mish', Riki Parks, 'Rick', Mickey Williams, 'Big M', and Diana Burton, 'Lady Di'. We've so far caught three of them, Misha, Emalee, and Mickey." Captain Johnson took a long sip from his mug.

"Huh. What was her alias?"

"Squidge." Chief shrugged.

"Diana Burton? Wasn't she married to that Tony Benton guy?"

"Yep. Died at age fifty-four. Diana moved on to date our own Morgan Bentley." Marcus choked on his spit.

"Jesus." He looked back through the window at Bentley. She was staring right at the window. Though he knew she couldn't see him, it was spooky. Her eyes were killer eyes. Maniacal. He felt terrified of her.

"Do me a favor? Give her some food. I'm getting really tired of the death threats coming into my mailbox, email, texts. She's got people, Marcus. Don't forget that. She isn't going to crack." Captain left him standing by himself in the hallway. He chewed the inside of his cheek, watching her. He decided to give it one more shot.