Rabbit Blood

Chapter 39 - Raising Cain (or, Flipping Off God)

The window blinds hung closed in the fifth-floor office, and as their problem guest came in, Vaggie made sure to twist the blinds open, shining light directly into Kain's eyeballs. He scowled and took a seat, coolly crossing one leg over the other. She knew him well from the sessions she taught, and had never liked him - contrary piece of shit that he was.

"Now, Kain," Charlie said sternly, standing at her desk. "I'm sure you know why you're here."

He examined his fingernails. "Not really, ma'am."

"Don't even," Vaggie threatened, and stood beside her girlfriend. "Two guests told us you tried to kill them!" This wasn't exactly true. One guest, Ginerva, made the claim, and Leslie, for some reason, was reluctant to confirm it. Eventually they pushed her into talking, and the stories matched, which was all the evidence Vaggie needed.

"Kain, this is an extreme wrong we're talking about," said Charlie. "And I don't care that it happened off the premises. These two are guests, and they're trying very hard to better themselves."

"Well, so am I," Kain countered. "Don't I have perfect class attendance? Fuck, I turn up to class more than Leslie does."

"Why did you do it?"

He sighed lazily. "Field trip."

"What?"

"I thought it'd do them good to experience almost-death, maybe teach them a lesson about watching their backs."

"That's not how Ginerva tells it. You were deliberately cruel, and that is unacceptable behavior," Charlie said, glancing at Vaggie for reassurance. Vaggie nodded. Just like I told you, she thought. Unacceptable.

The problem guest looked pensive for a moment, and peered sidelong at the wallpaper. "Well," he said, "I'm happy to apologize to the girls. Really, I am sorry for what I did. It was wrong. That's obvious now."

"Damn right."

"And I'm so grateful to be given a chance here," he went on, a little too syrupy for Vaggie's liking. "This place is, like, my last chance at salvation; I really appreciate what you're doing for my soul... especially with an extermination on the way."

Vaggie didn't buy it. This was a clear attempt at emotional blackmail, to guilt them into letting him stay. But Charlie dithered; the appeal to her softer side was working. Before she could capitulate, Vaggie pulled her away from the desk to talk.

"Listen," Vaggie reminded her, "you said everyone deserves a chance to prove they can be better. A chance. This guy had it, and he blew it. We're a private business - we can kick him out for whatever fucking reason."

"I know, but... what if he's really sorry?" Charlie whispered back. "That's the point of this place... y'know, atonement! Do we deny him that forever?"

"Think about Les and Ginny! It's humiliating for them to share breathing space with this asshole. If he wants to atone, he can work for it."

The two of them exchanged words, and finally turned back to the guest, who had taken a knife from his head and used it to chop a loose piece of rubber from the tip of his boot.

"You have two choices," said Charlie, in a tone of firm-but-fair diplomatic engagement. "Either accept a six-month ban from the hotel, effective immediately, or agree to a list of conditions."

The piece of rubber came free, and Kain chucked it close to, but not actually into, a nearby wastepaper basket. "What's the conditions, ma'am?"

"OK," said Charlie, counting on her fingers. "We move you to a different teaching group, and different classes to stop you harassing those two. You maintain your attendance, pick up some volunteer work..."