Ballistic Kiss (Sandman Slim 11)

I immediately regret it.

“Sorry. That was a stupid thing to say.”

She purses her lips.

“It’s okay. I shouldn’t have pressed.”

I rub the back of my neck.

“Can we talk about literally anything else in the world?”

Allegra takes a Tootsie Pop for herself, but she doesn’t unwrap it. Just holds it.

She says, “Remember when we first met? Some of the crazy places you took me?”

“That, I remember.”

“We had adventures.”

“I remember that too.”

She unwraps the Tootsie Pop and holds it by the stick.

“I miss that, you know. I love the clinic, but sometimes I feel so trapped here. You and Vidocq and Candy are off fighting monsters and here I am, waiting to bandage you up when you get back.”

“It’s funny. Candy said something like that the other night.”

“What did you say?”

“Let’s go have an adventure.”

“Okay. Let’s.”

She catches me off guard.

“You don’t have patients?”

“Not right now.”

“What kin

d of an adventure did you have in mind? ’Cause I’ve had my ass kicked a lot recently.”

“It doesn’t have to be anything big. Griffith Park.”

“What’s in Griffith Park at night?”

“I don’t know. Coyotes? Owls? Muggers? You want to hit something? Go hit one of them.”

I get off the table. She really wants to do this and these days we never get to talk except for doctor-patient stuff.

“Okay. Griffith Park it is then.”

Allegra goes out and tells Fairuza they’re closing up. Once she’s turned off the lights, I take her through a shadow.

We come out near the old zoo. It hasn’t been in commission for years and is just a lot of empty cages.

She looks around.