The Lamplighters by Frazer Lee Read Free Book Online Page A

bliss.
    Jessie grinned in recognition at Marla’s happy silence. “Pretty neat, huh? I’ll let you get settled in and drop by again later, okay?”
    “Thanks. Thanks for everything.”
    Leaning in close, Jessie whispered in her ear, “We can smoke a joint together later. You smoke, right? I can always spot a fellow stoner…”
    “But I thought…”
    Jessie raised a finger to her lips, “Shhh…” She gave Marla a cheeky wink and left, closing the door behind her.
    Marla set about exploring her new home right away. The comfortable living space was complete with a little wicker sofa, piled high with cushions. This led into a small galley kitchen, with bedroom and bathroom tucked away at the back under the protective shade of the tall trees. Unpacking her rucksack, Marla put her clothes into drawers and onto hangers then investigated the kitchen cupboards. She found them well stocked with tinned and dried food, preserves and snacks. Curiously, the food packaging was similar to the cleaning products she’d seen at the main house—plain white labels with the name of the contents, a use by date and nothing more. A little refrigerator was sandwiched in between the doorway and stove and contained dairy items and an icebox filled with frozen bread and bagels. Marla stood in the kitchen and gorged herself on cheese, crackers, olives and sun-dried tomatoes. This was more food than she’d seen in days and the tomatoes were the best she’d ever tasted, drenched in rich peppery olive oil. She sat down on the wicker sofa to digest her food for a while. Sadly, the sofa wasn’t as comfortable as it had first looked even with all the cushions piled high. Still, she wouldn’t swap this for all the soft furnishings in London.
    Waking up with a crick in her neck, Marla realized she must’ve dozed off for quite some time. The sky outside had darkened to an almost green-blue color as the birds chirruped at the sun’s descent. Stretching her arms and back until her neck clicked, she made her way through to the shower room. This too was well stocked, with fresh, fluffy towels and toiletries to replace the ones that security had confiscated. The little bottles were similar to the containers of cleaning products at the main house, plain white plastic with no branding, just some simple text to describe the contents. She opened the container marked “shower gel” and sniffed at it. There was no discernable fragrance to the stuff at all. Oh well, better no fragrance at all than some horrid floral scent she didn’t like, although the latter might help mask the remnants of bleach she could still smell on her skin. Marla turned on the shower and tested the stream with her hand. It warmed up in no time. Naught to toasty in ten seconds . She climbed in and water pummeled her body like a powerful masseuse; this shower was a million times better than the one she’d suffered every day back at the bed-sit. She let the water run down her face as she blinked away embarrassing memories of climbing out the bathroom window and shimmying along the ledge while perverts wolf whistled at her from the street below. Best not think about that one . Marla turned, arched her back and let the warm jet travel up and down her spine. She could really feel the tension being driven out of her now. Another half hour in here ought to do it . Then she heard the whisper.
    “Marla.”
    The voice was urgent and shocking to her. Again, goose bumps erupted all over her skin. She felt suddenly vulnerable, naked and afraid.
    “Marla.”
    She turned the shower off and stepped gingerly out onto the tiled floor, grabbing the biggest, fluffiest towel and wrapping it round her body tightly.
    “Who’s there?”
    Her heart leapt into her mouth as a loud knock resounded on the door. She looked around for something with which to defend herself, the sudden mad image of her brandishing a toilet brush like a weapon flashing into her head.
    “It’s me—Jessie.”
    Marla opened