Book Two: Adaptation

•27•

•Abel•

Toronto
September 2010

Standing in a hot shower, I watched as the blood from my latest victim streams down my body and into the drain. The vivid memory of myself hacking his body to pieces after I tortured him for information on his kingpin who was reselling my merchandise pretending it's his ran through my mind like a horror movie I couldn't turn off. The way he screamed still echoed through my ears as he begged for mercy; don't they know by now there's no such thing as mercy in this fucked up world, we had to join in order to survive.

Having washed and scrubbed off what little blood was left, I continued to stare at the floor long after the water had run clear. It's then my ears perked up at the sound of the bathroom door opening.

"I said I needed a few minutes" I gritted already knowing who it was.

"I know but it's been thirty minutes, Abel. It's time to come out" Joliene told me poking her head through the curtain.

"So what? A few minutes is as long as I need it to be" I rested my head against the cold wall.

"It still bothers you, taking someone's life" I heard her mumble, and a violent tremble ran down my back turning my stomach which made me nauseous.

"I'll be fine. It had to be done."

Silent now, I closed my eyes taking a deep breath to calm myself and that's when I feel soft hands smooth up my back and for a brief moment there's peace.

"I know it had to be done, doesn't make it any easier" she kissed along my shoulder.

"Stop it, Jay" I shrugged her from my shoulders to then turn off the shower and climb out to grab my towel.

"Abel-"

"No, I told you we had to stop" I looked at her climb out the tub too.

"You said that yes but never explained why. What's changed, Abel? You used to want me all the time"

"I'm just not in the mood, Jay" I sighed handing her a towel.

"I call bullshit, you're always in the mood" she laughed making me roll my eyes.

"Can you go so I can get dressed please"

"Are you going somewhere?" She followed me to my room after she picked her clothes up off my bathroom floor.

"Yes, gonna go to the studio and let off some steam"

"You're still on that?"

"Of course, I wanna finish House of Balloons so I can drop it by at least March"

"You're going to make it, Abel. I believe in you" she smiled slipping her shirt down over her head.