3 Blind Mice — страница 2

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crack and a jagged portion of the bone pierced the skin. He slid the ring off and quickly exited the grave. Those were the days, he said to himself. He grabbed his backpack, black of course, and stuffed a shirt, toothbrush and toothpaste, some boxers, and bar of soap into it. About a week ago, he got a letter from is landlord saying that the apartment complex wasn t up to par with the state fire code and that he would have to leave for about two weeks until the problems could be remedied. And it just so happens that in this unfortunate week, Fabian had gotten word from some ritzy attorney s office that he was the heir to a cabin in the everglades. It turns out that his third uncle removed on his mother s side had passed away Tuesday night of a stroke. As he closed the door to his

apartment behind him, he felt a touch on his right shoulder. Get the hell off of me you psycho, Fabian shouted. It was Morgal or Morgue as Fabian and his friends referred to him as. Morgal was this crazy old guy that lived next door to Fabian. He always walked around in a black dusty robe, carrying a staff, and touching people hoping they would drop dead. Basically, in Morgal s sick dark mind, he was the Grim Reaper. So where are you off to at this ungodly hour of the night? Morgal inquired. Everyone knows that vampires can t be out in the sunlight, Fabian answered. You didn t answer my question, you ungrateful dreg. Where are going? Why should I tell you? Never mind. So where are you going to stay while our idiot land lord fixes this dump? Again, why should I tell you? I was

just thinking that instead of renting two hotel rooms we could share one. I would pay for half of the room and dinner on the weekends, Morgal paused. Trying to sweeten the deal, he reinstated the fact that Fabian would only have to pay for half of the bill, a tremendous savings considering the tourist price rates anywhere in Florida. Cynically, Fabian divulged the information that he had recently inherited a cabin in the Everglades and that Morgal could tag along. Besides maybe the guy will get eaten by a crocodile while we are out there, Fabian mumbled to himself How about we leave tomorrow morning, that way I ll have sometime to pack up before we leave, asked Morgal. Fine, replied Fabian as he walked back into his apartment. He dropped his backpack by the front door, kicked off

his shoes and climbed back into bed. Exhausted from a s ance the night before, it not long until Fabian was asleep again. The next morning Fabian awoke early and helped Morgue carry his bags down the stairs to his car. If I don t carry them we ll never leave, Fabian mumbled. Morgue hobbled over to the car and got in. Fabian turned the key started the engine, and they were on their way. Where does the map say to go? Fabian snapped at Morgal. It says that we continue down this road until it forks, veer left, and continue til you cross a set of railroad tracks. Follow them until the bridge. After you pass under the bridge, stop and their will be another set of directions and a key to the cabin. They continued to drive, passing the orange, rust-hued guts of several scrapped cars.

They were about a 1,000 yards from the bridge when something darted in front of the car. What was that? Morgal abruptly shouted. Fabian! What are you doing? Open your eyes. Fabian! Just then the car crashed into the bridge and Fabian came to. What s wrong with you? What happened? asked Morgal. Well uh… you see uh I guess I forgot to mention I m narcoleptic. What? What did you say? Are you completely insane? You let me get into your car without warning me that you might just suddenly want to visit the inside of your eyelids! Calm down, my medicine is just wearing off. Open up the glove compartment and hand me the yellow bottle. Fabian popped two yellow and black stripped pills with pointed ends that resembled yellow jacket hornets into his mouth. Caffeine pills, he chuckled.

They keep me awake. God lets hope so, Morgal said followed by a deep sigh. Fabian restarted the car and shifted into reverse. The rear tires spun throwing clods of mud in all directions. Guess we ll have to walk the rest of the way, said Fabian. Enthralled by his surroundings, Fabian made sure not miss the slightest detail. He felt like he walking in a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock film. The earth beneath him was soft and spongy, comprised of decaying plant and animal matter that yielded to the slightest pressure and crumbled with his every step. Rotten logs that were home to infestations of worms, termites, and centipedes surrounded them. When the reached the cabin, Morgal looked over at Fabian and disappointedly said, This is it? Shut-up Morgue. It is better than that dump of