Civilian Slaughter by James Rouch Read Free Book Online Page A

the engine.
    Behind him, in one of the upper rooms a portable was blasting out the latest number one on both sides of the Atlantic. As though in sympathy with the sudden silence below, it cut off abruptly. A moment afterward it was replaced with an old Abba tape, and the volume appropriately reduced.
    From deeper within the hotel came a scream that turned into a shriek of laughter and then a scream again.
    Having kept out of the festivities by choice, Hyde had never felt more lonely. He went down the steps to the lower terrace, to lean on his hands against the back of a stone bench. It felt gritty, and slightly damp.
    It was dark down here. He didn't have to make an effort to conceal himself, the night did that for him. When he heard footsteps behind him he stayed still, didn't turn around.
    The steps, woman's steps, came closer, and he heard the light rustling of a dress and caught a faint aroma of a musky perfume.
    He ached. Out the corner of his eye he could barely make out a dim outline, although she was only a few steps off. Though he'd seen most of the girls as they'd arrived, he wasn't able to recognize her. It was he who wanted to, but it was she who spoke first.
    “You have not enjoyed the party?”
“No, I'm not much of a one for parties. How about you?” “It was a long drive here. I am not a good traveller, so I have been resting.” “So you haven't ...” At that point he had to stop. He was saying the wrong thing. How could he say “so you haven't fucked then?”
    “Not yet, no.”
What else could he say. Could he ask a hooker if she was enjoying her night off? He sensed she had added the word “yet” quite deliberately, but her tone had given nothing away.
    “I know what you are thinking.”
    As she spoke she played with a light scarf, short impatient gestures with it, drawing it fast through her fingers so that the material slapped against them.
    Hyde pressed himself against the back of the bench, feeling the unyielding sandstone biting into his erection. “What am I thinking then?”
    “You are thinking all of the questions that men so often ask. Like how many have I had, do I ever enjoy it or do I only pretend to. Those sorts of questions.”
    “Well, do you enjoy it?” He could feel his penis beginning to leak. There was a creeping dampness inside his clothes.
    “Yes, sometimes it is good. Being with Frau Lilly means that everything is always well-organized. That means we can feel safe. Not on edge all the time. It is better if you are relaxed.”
    There were more near hysterical screams from the hotel. “That will be Jackie. A new French girl. Always she makes a lot of noise.” “Do you have, sort of a regular boyfriend, as well as ...” He was saying the wrong things again.
    “Frau Lilly discourages that, but some of the girls have. Mostly the men are posers, free-loaders. Always they expect presents.”
    “You don't have one then.” Not that Hyde cared one way or the other. He asked her just to keep her there. For a while longer to have her to himself.
    “There will be time enough, when I have put sufficient money away. Perhaps though I will not want anyone. Or like two of the older girls I might prefer to live with a woman. I have never done it with a woman, but I can imagine it, I think. It would have to be a pretty girl, not one of those smelly tweed-wrapped sacks of potatoes who try to be men.”
    It felt like he was going to burst. He backed off the stone or he would have come, simply from hearing her talk of such things. The thought was in his mind of how he could grab her and take her right here. Even if she protested, fought him, it would be over so quickly that he could get away without her having seen enough to identify him. But that wasn't how he wanted it. A thousand times before this night he'd wished a similar fate on the unknown Russian gunner who'd destroyed his face. He was wishing it again now, with every fibre of his being.
    In the darkness, perhaps there was a