Page 115 of The Rat

“It’s stilldisgusting.”

“When you ripped it open, Ithought I’d gone mad.”

“You’d gone mad long beforeI did that.”

Rory peeked a look atSebastian,and his chest felt all fluttery when he saw he was smiling. Hisheart wasn’t supposed to feel like that, it was supposed to havebeen dead of all feeling.

“You drove me madder withthat Vaseline tub…”

“I drove myself mad.You weren’tthe only one suffering through that, I couldn’t get you out of myhead, and knowing you were doing it above me, and at any moment Iwanted … let’s just say it was a massive turn on.”

Rory glanced at the road sign.“We’re leaving the city. Wheredo you want me to go now?”

“The sea.”

“The sea?”

“Rashford Pier, remember Itold you about it?”

Rory nodded. “I remember. What wegonna do there?”

“We’re gonna get this overand done with.”

****

Rory parked the car inthereststop, then looked out at the sea. It was the same dreary grey coloras the sky, and instead of flawless golden sand, there werepebbles, and piles of seaweed. Rory stared at the pier andquestioned its stability. He was sure it was rocking as the waveshit it.

“Nothing beats ourmurky lookingsea…” Sebastian murmured.

Rory snorted. “Won’t sell any holidayslooking like that.”

Sebastian reached into the backfor his belongings. He emptied everything on the backseat, rootedthrough until he found what he’d been looking for. Roryside-eyedSebastian and watched him put on his gloves. Somehow beingstrangled with gloves, rather than without, made it seem colder,clinical, heartless.

Sebastian pulled the clearplastic bag into the front, folded it up, then shoved it in hispocket. “Come on.”

Rory took a deep breath,then got outof the car. The bitter sea air blasted his face, and heshivered.

“This way.” Sebastianmumbled. “Do you know the time?”

Rory checked his watch. “It’s11:45.”

There was only a narrow strip ofpebbles and seaweed, the tide was in, and Sebastianheaded towards thepier. Rory stared down at the ground as he followed, and onlylooked up when Sebastian clapped, and laughed.

“Well, the arcade’s looking a sorry state,but the chip shop’s still there … and it’s open.”

Rory hesitated before hefollowed.Sebastian held open the door, and Rory ducked under his arm thenglanced up at the server. She would be the last one to see himalive other than Sebastian.

“Want something?” Sebastian asked.

“No, thanks.”

Rory knew he wouldn’t be able tokeep anything down, and he didn’t want the last thing he tasted to be vomitat the back of his throat.

“Suit yourself.”

Sebastian strode forward andordered a large bag of chips. Anyother time, Rory would’ve thought theysmelled good, but the vinegar twang made him grimace.

Sebastian tried to pay, but the womanshook her head, said the shop didn’t accept those notes. He turnedback and raised his eyebrow at Rory.

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