Slash (Novella I) (3 page)

The rough-faced woman smiled at him, revealing her yellowing teeth. “My boy!”

Ford’s attention was on the bag, not greeting her. “Mom, what’s that?”

Following the cancellation of his parent’s show, they left Las Vales for Draper. Harry became Harriet and Valarie traded in the role of mother for street junky. Ford or his other-mother had no idea what drove her to the lifestyle, but Ford figured it had something to do with the cancelation of the woman’s dream.

Valarie strained as she raised the bag. “Some shit.”

“
Stolen shit?”

“
I sure didn’t pay for it,” she proudly blurted out.

Ford thumbed over his shoulder. “My neighbor is a cop.”

“
Your neighbor,” Valarie raised her voice, “Can lick my pale ass!”

Ford shook his head as he passed his mother who smelled like beer and wet denim. He opened his apartment door, letting her in. She cut before him and headed into kitchen. Valarie put out her cigarette in her palm and carefully shoved it into her pocket. She rested the garbage bag on the kitchen table and began digging through it.

Ford joined her. “And what do you bring today? Clothes that don’t fit?”

She removed a DVD player. “Entertainment.”

“
I have a DVD player.” He noticed the cut power cord. “And this is damaged anyways.”

She returned it to the bag. “Fine, I’ll give it to Leroy.”

“
Leroy?”

“
He’s this kid I blow for smokes. Well, twenty-three, so he’s more of a man. Especially in his pants.”

“
That’s disgusting. He’s my age mom. He could’ve been a classmate of mine.”

She continued digging through her bag. “I have some used panties if you’re into that stuff.”

“
No, Mom and why would you steal used panties?”

“
A special request for this guy I know. He's a teacher. Nasty son of a bitch.”

“
That’s fucked up.”

She removed one more item from the bag. “I only have this…I don’t know what it is.”

Ford knew. He snatched it from her hands. “Mom, this is a laptop, and an expensive one at that.”

She shrugged. “You can have it…”

“
Awesome,” he muttered while examining the device, which was in perfect condition.

“…
for five hundred dollars,” Valarie finished.

“
What?”

“
Based on your reaction, it’s worth something. I need the money.”

He hugged the laptop to his chest. “But I’m your son, you owe me.”

She rested her left hand on her hip. “How in the hell do I owe you?”

“
Other-mom told me about all the drinking and drugs you did while pregnant with me.”

“
That gossiping bitch,” Valarie mumbled.

“
Yeah, if you give me this laptop I will forgive you for all my mental defects.”

She placed her hand against his cheek, rubbing it with her thumb. “You’re perfect.”

Ford’s parents knew nothing about his mad side and he refused to tell them.

“
Mom, I won’t give this back to you.”

“
Fine, but only because I’m ready to leave. This apartment is hot.”

“
Mom you’re homeless, I’m sure you’ve experienced hotter settings.”

She fanned her face. “But this is just ridiculous sweetie. The shelter has air conditioning.”

“
My electricity got disconnected; other-mom is paying the bill tomorrow.”

Valarie scoffed. “Harriet to the rescue,” She sarcastically stated. “I have a question.”

He nodded, his laptop still hugged to his chest. “Yeah?”

“
Whose tits are nicer, mines or your dad’s? He always wore a pair of tits better. His black Marilyn was perfect.”

He sat his new, stolen laptop on the kitchen table. “I’m not going to answer that.”

Valarie grabbed her bag from the kitchen table. “I’m going to go; I’m running low on cigarettes. Make sure you lock your door and try not to go out late; a girl was killed last night in her own home. It’s heartbreaking shit. The girl had started a project that would have involved her traveling the country, providing books and school supplies to poor kids. Now she’s dead for no reason. We live in a fucking mad world.”

His mother's words struck him still. He zoned out, not even realizing his mother had waved goodbye and left. Last night he eliminated somebody from the world, a person who contributed more than he had ever done. He was a monster, no different from Rubble. And like the stuffed animal that attempted to take his life, he needed to be stopped, dismembered.

Ford made his way over to his couch and kneeled down beside it. Using his left hand, he raised the couch from the floor and positioned his right hand over the dent in the carpet where one of the four couch legs rested down to the floor. Ford released the raised couch from his grasp, sending the heavy couch crashing down onto his hand. He felt the bones in his hand shatter.

Chapter 2 - Pain

Ford sat on the edge of the examination table and grimaced as the doctor wrapped his right hand in gauze and tape. The stout woman had her dark hair styled in jerry-curls and snorted repeatedly as she worked, a trait that was becoming exceedingly irritating to her patient.

Ford envisioned himself using a nearby scalpel to impale her in the jugular, watching her own lifeblood flow down her neck and ending her snorting once and for all. Those types of thoughts were normal for the slasher, for any slasher, a type of thought that led to Ford handicapping himself.

The saggy-face woman glanced up at him. “What happened?”

Ford had planned his tale during breakfast. “I accidentally slammed it in my car door.”

“
Well, it’s going to take a few weeks to heal, so I suggest you practice using your left hand.”

He raised his wrapped hand, observing the woman’s work. “I look forward to the challenge.”

She stood up from her stool. “Unless you have any questions, I believe we’re done.”

“
Nope. You‘ve covered everything doctor.”

“
Great, if you would like a receipt, speak with a nurse at the front desk.”

Ford slid from the gray table. “This cast is enough reminder of my visit.”

She laughed and snorted. “Have a good day and be careful.”

Ford nodded at her and left the cramp examination room. The waiting area of the free clinic was crowded with gloomy faces and the sounds of rough coughs and groaning. Ford’s lack of employment meant he had no health insurance, making this place, located in the inner city, his main source of medical treatment.

Sweating, Ford made his way across the clinic parking lot that was riddled with trash and broken glass and entered his car. As he expected, using his left hand to enter his key into the ignition took longer than usual, but he was eventually successful. It took a bit to get comfortable driving with his left hand only, but by time he arrived to his other-mother’s beach house he mastered the task.

Harriet stood in her living room staring into the mounted mirror she had purchased. Ford simply watched as she primped in the mirror, twirled, and modeled the yellow, two-piece bikini she wore. She angled her body sideways, inhaling and exhaling as she rubbed her hands against her firm stomach. Harriet shook her head at the sight of herself and returned to her previous angle.

“
Do you ever wear clothes,” Ford asked.

Harriet kept her focus on her reflection. “In this heat wave, never.”

He raised his right hand. “I went to the free clinic today.”

She quickly glanced over. “Ouch, what happened?”

“
I smashed my hand in my car door.”

“
How is that possible? I can’t see that happening to any sane human being,” she teased.

“
It happened,” He argued without trying to sound defensive. “And I’ve got proof,” he waved his bandaged hand.

Harriet wrapped her hands around her neck. “I think I’m gaining weight.”

“
It‘s called eating.” Ford removed a wad of cash from his pocket. “I’m paying you back.”

She fanned her hand at him, still focused on the mirror. “I rather you keep it.”

He quickly returned the money to his jeans pocket. “I’m not objecting.”

Harriet executed a few weightless bicep curls. “I’m throwing a party.”

“
As long as there’s food I’ll be there.”

“
Make sure you invite Bravo and Sidnee.”

Ford missed having his friends around this week, but he only had himself to blame.

“
I’ll tell them when they get back. Bravo volunteered to help Sidnee with her book tour this week.”

“
And why didn’t you go with them,” Harriet asked as she remained focus on her reflection.

Ford had had plans to slash Becky; he chose slashing over friendship.

Feeling pathetic, he used his left hand to massage his right. “I don’t like to read.”

“
Funny, but anyways invite Valarie also.”

“
You’re serious?”

“
Yes, we’re still friends when she’s sober. I would call her, but I don’t know the number to her alley.”

Ford let out a phony laugh. “Mom‘s situation is nothing to joke about.”

“
I was being completely serious.”

“
So was I, but I’ll invite her if I see her around.”

Harriet pinched her nostrils. “My nose looks larger.”

“
Other-mom, can you stop obsessing with your reflection for a moment. I’m trying to have a conversation with you and you’re being incredibly rude.” Ford paused, attempting to calm himself and control the volume of his voice. “I’m just asking for some eye contact or for you to show a little interest.”

Harriet chuckled, as she tugged at her earlobes. “I’m listening.”

“
I know that, but have some common decency to step away from the fancy mirror.”

Harriet mumbled a response as she dug her fingers into her mouth.

Ford furrowed his brows as he watched. “What the hell are you doing?”

Harriet yelped as she yanked a bloody tooth from her mouth.

Ford clutched his stomach and gagged. “I’m sorry, but that is disgusting.”

Harriet stared at the molar nestled between the tips of her fingers.

“
Instead of the surgeries, you should have spent some of your savings on a trip to the dentist.”

Harriet rushed off to the restroom, cussing under her breath and slamming the door closed.

Ford left her alone to deal with her hygiene issue, heading back to his car. His drive home was detoured as he saw Valarie near a bus stop arguing with a man three times her size. Ford parked across the street from the argument and exited his car. The rough faced man, sporting a vintage basketball jersey and baggy jeans, shoved his mother backward.

“
Mom,” Ford shouted as he approached. “What’s going on?”

Valarie, who wore the same attire since their last meeting, pointed at the man. “Eric took my shit!”

Eric raised the bag in his ashy hand. “You owe me money, I’m collecting.”

“
I’ll pay you after I pawn that shit,” She explained.

Ford watched as they argued about money, and who was the correct owner of said money. He stood, sweating under the hot sun, trying not to lose his composure. Ford diverted his eyes from the argument and attempted to block out their constant shouting, especially the profanity that spewed primarily from the lips of his mother.

He spotted a broken glass bottle on the pavement. The idea of using the weapon to end their lives crossed his mind, though the thought was instantly followed by regret. Only a monster could contemplate slashing his mother.

Valarie, reeking of alcohol, shoved Ford. “Help me!”

“
I don’t know what to do, mom. This is your issue; as long as he doesn’t kill you, you can take care of yourself.”

She motioned at Eric. “Ford, stop being a coward and kick his ass!”

He couldn’t believe the shabby woman before him once sung him lullabies. “You have no dignity.”

She smacked him across the face. “How’s that for dignity?”

Valarie turned away from Ford and kicked Eric in the thigh. She attempted to wrestle the bag from his hands only to be backhanded smacked to the sidewalk. Eric aggressively slammed her bag of stolen items to the ground beside her and spat on it. Her aggressor rushed over to Ford, blindsiding him with a punch to the jaw. Ford tumbled to the street as Eric ran off laughing at the damage done.

Valarie, cussing under her breath, crawled over on all fours tending to Ford. “He’s gone, we won.”