SNUFF (h.s.)

Chapter 27

Jolly Roger

He was certain his life's worth wasn't more than a fraying dollar in these desertlands. He let his cigarillo hang from his stolid mouth and figured that ace-high price for his head would settle him for good.

They light was dim and hazy in the room. It flowed in like damp. He'd dragged the curtains to the edge of the window. They kept it closed except for that one in the bathroom. There was a cloud of white smoke settled in there and creased thin rollies pressed on a river rock ashtray.

Perhaps his eyes were milky. He's been sitting in the gloom for a while. Nora's hands were heavy. Her palms rest on her breasts as an immediate dew raises from her shoulders. He pressed his chest, his throat moved up and down as if he'd swallowed a golf ball tasting his whang spit.

"Chiclet", he groaned whipping his nose with his bagged flannel, "From what I see over here it's tight"

"Not from here it ain't", she wore deep purple painted lids and a worn babydoll from the motel drawers as she rolled her reel tails, "You don't enjoy the view outside?"

"No one's around. It's just us", he hunched with a crooked smirk, his forehead was white gold and even though anyone could tell he's tired, he wasn't feeling nothin'. The glare was pressing on his nape.

"Smart Aleck, you think they do us a favor?"

"BB...", he held the rollie with his trigger finger and thumb, "You come sit here", his tangled ponytail was itching his neck, "My face's like a ham slice", he smacked his warm mug and then stared at himself through her Bowie on the table, "Look here...", he mumbled watching his mullet cheek.

"You asked to sit there for the mornin', remember that partner?"

"I did", he leaned on the chair lifting the curtain and whipping the sweat off his fingers. He frowned his greasy brows as if he was wandering in the far old west without a city turning up to welcome him, "It's been three mornings now"

"Trust me, gringo. You promised you would", Nora was moving as much as she had to keep her back dry.

"Aren't you tired?", he moved his head like a pendulum and licked his dentures making a rusted noise.

"I have to buy a couple post-cards..."

"You sent the others?",  he dragged the curtain but wouldn't remain where he wanted, a safety pin fell on the table.

"I did last week, partner"

"You done with it, baby bud? I have something important for you"

Nora was holding and rolling the film reel with four fingers.

"You asked to film and take care of your apricot ass", he held the rollie between his fingers preparing himself to speak in an academic turgid manner, "Instead, I'm stuck there", he pointed at the ugliest church festivity chair, "The least you could do was favor me with a line"

"Is that it?", she smiled sly.

"You won't miss it"

"Neither will you", she lifted her brow, he clenched his jaw staring at her.

"BB, don't play with me now", he felt betrayed and stepped back, "What I mean...", his hair looked like boiled spaghetti sticking to each other, "I am sitting there for three days man, I'm watching but notin' happens"

"Well, you're giving it a lick and a promise"

"Bull's eye!", he winked, "If I have to be productive, you have to help me. Why should I ask for this?"