KALOPSIA | DALLAS WINSTON

xxiii. TEAR YOU APART

✧∭✧∭✧𝖲𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 - 𝖳𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝖸𝗈𝗎 𝖠𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝖻𝗒 𝖲𝗁𝖾 𝖶𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝖱𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗀𝖾 ✧∭✧∭✧

DALLAS WHEELED THE MARTIAN OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, practically itching to give him a good pistol whipping if he didn't quit bitching about Charlotte. God, he wished he'd shut up about her. He wondered what would happen if he just... tipped that wheelchair, ever so slightly. What would happen if Dally bumped The Martian into a wall, maybe hard enough to break a kneecap...?

Johnny Cammareri crumpled up with fear in the alleyway. Begging for his life, begging for Dallas's help. Dallas couldn't be bothered to help. He watched as his brothers kicked the kid like worthless scum. Johnny was worthless scum.

But that didn't change how human he looked with a knife in his side. Dallas's knife. It didn't change that he cried realizing death was imminent. Those eyes were filled with remorse and fear. A human experiencing mind-breaking pain.

"Why'd you stop?" The Martian snapped, his hand extended to the elevators only a few feet away.

Dally shook his head and kept pushing him ahead. He dropped the alien off in the lobby and went to go find the car. He wiped his face and shut his eyes, focusing on the floor. Jesus, he was fucked up... or perhaps not fucked up enough.

Charlotte was inside the car, smoking a cigarette as she waited for Dallas to come and get her. How long had it been? An hour? Two? She tilted her head back and tried dreaming of the drugs they stole coursing through her veins. It would be delicious. She could practically taste that euphoria she craved.

Dally arrived moments later, looking like he saw a ghost. She looked over at him and wondered if it would be of any use to speak. Dallas started the car and never once looked at her. He drove the car in front of the entrance of the hospital and didn't breathe a word. Language was of no use. Was he angry at her? Did the job go wrong? What was going through his head?

Trying to be of some use, Charlotte stood outside the car and waited for Dally's return with their accomplice. The hair on the back of her neck stood and the sensation of eyes burning into her flesh made her stomach churn. She looked around and saw a man with a tremendous moustache staring at her car. She shifted uncomfortably and folded her arms. It was awfully warm for a wintry day.

Dallas returned with an extremely grumpy Martian who wanted nothing more than to cuss out everything in his path. Fuck this, fuck that, and...

"Why the fuck does my car smell like the goddamn homeless?" The Martian hissed.

"Relax, we'll take your car, get it washed, put a refresher in here," Dally offered, "Does that sound good to you?"

"It's the fucking least you could do," The Martian sighed, putting his black sunglasses over his eyes. For being in so much pain, he was quiet the entire drive. Maybe they gave him enough drugs to keep him satiated. Just enough to ignore the speedbumps scraping the bottom of his car. Enough to ignore Dallas Winston's horrendous excuse for driving.

"You know, it's a damned miracle I didn't break something."

"I really am sorry," Charlotte said, picking at her lip. She turned back to look at him, to show she was being honest. She did feel sorry for hurting a man like himself.

"Fuck you, you fucking teenager."

While Dally was helping The Martian get settled into his home, Charlotte went looking for gold. The pills could wait. Just as soon as they arrived, they were gone again. Off to the gas station to fill up the tank with the cash they had on hand and to buy an air freshener for The Martian's car.