THE PRIVATE PARTY

40

You all drop to the damp ground, just as the big black SUV's roar and growl around you. You are surrounded. You back up against the wall of the building, holding the gun behind your back. Brambles and pebbles hurt your bare feet. The headlights are in your eyes.

Car doors are opening and closing. Three men loom out of the light. The biggest one is right in front of you. It is the Mayor himself. His face is redder than ever. He looks from you to Vania, to Istvan. He looks disgusted.

Then he stares particularly hard at Vania. "I had an idea," he says, "that I had seen you somewhere before."

He moves closer to her, puts his red face right against hers. She backs against the wall. He puts his meaty hand on her neck. Her pulls her head towards his face as if he is going to kiss her.

You move forward. You shove the gun against his neck. You push the barrel hard into the soft folds. He steps back and you push more, holding your ar straight so that eeryone can see the gun at the end of it, the gun touching the Mayor's skin.

There is a slamming of car doors. Heavy foosteps, as men run towards you.

He stumbles, trips. He goes down on his knees and looks up at you. He hold his hands in the air. "All right, sweetheart," he says. "All right now. You calm down."

Vania and Istvan have moved close to you. Vania turns to face the men moving in.

You grab the thin tuft of white hair on his head and yank it backwards. You jam the snub pistol barrel into his mouth, "Open up," you say.

Four men surround you. They are standing, tense and poised to grab you. One of them is also holding a gun.

"Nobody move," you shout. "I'm going to kill him. I am going to kill him. I promise you."

The mayor is perectly still. You push the barrel further into his mouth, forcing his jaws apart. His eyes are wide and hold yours steadily.

"Move once," you say. "Move once and I kill you. I will not hesitate."

"You are surrounded," shouts one of the men. "Let him go and we let you go."

"Fuck off," you say calmly. You are staring ito the Mayor's red face, now even redder. His forehead is beaded with sweat. He is drooling. He stares right into your eyes, the gun barrel in his open mouth.

You feel your finger tightening on the trigger. "This is for my sister. You bitch."

You feel Vania's hand on your waist. "No," she says. "Don't do it."

You are breathing hard. You are fascinated by your own desire to end this, to kill. And in doing so, probably end your own life too. And those of your friends.

"Use him," says Vania.

You nod. "Get up," you say to the Mayor. "Slowly."

He slowly hoists himself up. You keep the gun firmly in his mouth.

"Istvan, Vania, stay really close to me. Anyone touches you, I pull the trigger" You yell this out. "Anyone touches my friends, I cap this guy!"

You push him towards the closest SUV, the one he stepped out of. And as you get closer to its open dor, you see the two men sitting in the back: The Professor. And the Owner. In the driver's seat is another skinhead thug, staring at you blankly.

"Get out," you yell at him. "You want this guy to die?"

You look around. The other men are standing back. One nods to the bewildered driver. The driver gets out, backs away.

"You drive," you say to Vania.

You push the mayor into the front seat, and squeeze yourself on top of him, right on his lap, the gun still jammed into his wet mouth.

Istvan gets in the back with the Professor and the Owner.

Vanis is in the driver's seat. The keys are in the ignition. Her bare feet are on the pedals. She looks at you.

"Go," you say. The vehicle leaps forward, and the darkness rushes at you all.