Ballistic Kiss (Sandman Slim 11)

“I’m so, so sorry about tonight,” they say.

The more Allegra yanks my skin back together, the paler Janet gets. I watch their eyes flick from me to the blood on the floor.

I say, “You ever see a wild animal wound before?”

“It’s my first time.”

“Take a good look. You wanted to know how I got these scars? This is it.”

“You fought wild animals?”

“For eleven years.”

“I don’t understand. Like in a circus or something?”

“No, and you don’t get to quiz me. I quiz you.”

When I try to sit up my blood pressure drops about a thousand points and my head feels like it’s spinning around like Linda Blair’s.

“Lie back down,” snaps Allegra. “I don’t want you fainting on me.”

I do what she says, turning my head in Janet’s direction.

“Why don’t you tell me what you and your friends were doing back there at the zoo?”

“I can’t. It’s a secret.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? You almost died tonight. Someone else did. I got this arm, and Allegra could have been hurt.”

They look at the floor.

“I promised.”

“Were you part of the freeway thing too? And the sewer thing?”

They don’t answer.

“That’s what I thought. Fine. Keep your secrets. Tell me where to drop you and I’ll find a new donut shop.”

Their head snaps up.

“Please don’t do that. Look, I’ll tell you later. When we’re alone.”

Allegra glances in their direction.

“Janet, you seem basically like a nice person, but that was fucked up tonight, so I don’t want to know your secrets.”

“I’m sorry you got mixed up in it, too.”

“That was my fault. That’s on me.”

I say, “Forget it. I took you there.”

By now Janet is snow white, but as they watch Allegra work on me they actually manage to get paler.

After a couple of minutes of her sewing me and my gritting my teeth Allegra says, “There. You’re done.”

I flex my hand and manage to sit up.