Broken Brakes 14

Theo abruptly turned the corner, and stopped panting in the middle of the sidewalk . He opened his right hand. There, in the middle of his worn out palm, the shot, filled with the blueish poisonous liquid, glowed under the street lamp, like a jewel. He put it carefully in his jean's pocket and walked toward the park. It was very late, almost midnight,so not many people were still lingering in there. He walked past the food stands and the art gallery, and sat carelessly on a bench near the toilets. He watched the passers by intently for half an hour, trying to figure out, who they were, where were they going. It was something he always did, since his days in the terrorist camps. It was part of the instruction. Awareness. So he lingered there a bit more, wondering who these people might be. Maybe an enemy among them ? He shook his head and laughed to himself. At last he's left alone. He took the needle from his jeans and rolled his left sleeve...

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Elle closes all the drawers and switches off the light. She walks briskly to the main door,checking everything on her way. It has been a busy day. Four surgeries, two emergencies, one implant, the first after Laila quit, and one transplant. She wants to be home. Needs to rest. She sighs and closes the door behind her. And then she remembers . She has left all the drugs unattended on the lab table ! She hesitates a second, and with a curse she goes back in.

Why is she so careless ?! Elle hates herself when she does thin kind of mistakes. She crosses swiftly her office and goes into the lab. There, on the table are the phials , bottles and boxes of pills, waiting to be locked up.

Elle puts them hurriedly in the upper drawer ,where they belong. Three bottles, five boxes, four, seven, nine.... A phial is missing! She's positive they were ten. She counts again...nine! So where's the missing phial?.She looks around. Nothing. Everything has been put away. She looks into other drawers. It's not there.

She begins to sweat. If Theo took it.... then she was in a real problem ! Theo had all his doses already. One more would be... A complete disaster ! Elle nervously looks for the cell phone in her bag. With shacking hands, dials Theo's number. No answer. She tries again. Nothing ! She begins to sob hysterically. She doesn't know what to do. Nothing can be done, anyway. Elle prays to the Master, that Theo is not the one who took the phial. If not.... She closes her eyes and shakes her head,trying to wipe off, all the bad thoughts. Feeling dizzy, she goes back to her office and sits on a chair. Her pulse is raising an at alarmingly high speed.The face drained of all colour. She knows she will have to cope with the consequences.

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Theo feels great ! Full of energy, full of life !

He walks down the path that leads to the Central Station. He clasps his hands nervously. He needs to have some action now. He needs to release all this stamina, the adrenaline pleading to flow freely from his body.

What to do ?! Starting to walk faster, he looks around looking for something... something to 'do'... Such is his excited mood.

'Excuse me !'

Theo stops walking. did someone called ? He turns around. A very young girl is there, in the middle of the path, looking lost. From one quick glance, Theo notices her long blond hair and her juvenile and slim figure ,clad in a very short blue dress. He likes what he sees ! Oh, yes !

'Yes?'

'Excuse me ! Can you tell me the way to the Station ,please ?'

'Of course, dear ! I'm heading there. Let me show you !' Theo grins amicably.

'Oh ! really ?...Well, thanks so much ! I was beginning to get scared !' The girl smiles back and comes closer.

'Don't worry, dear ! Now you're safe with me !'

Theo, still smiling, leads her toward the heath that runs along the path. After a couple of minutes, the street lamps are left behind and only the moonlight is there to show the way. The girls looks around and stops.

'Wait! ...Are you sure this is the right way to the station ? It looks...hmmm...'

She is scared again. Theo notices a look of dread in her eyes. He stops as well and looks around.

'Well... Yes ! ..It's a shortcut ! We'll be there in a jiffy. C'mon sweetheart ! Were going to lose the last train ! '

'Yeah !...but... I don't know you ! This doesn't look like the right way... I think that...'

The girl turns to run. With a swift movement of his arm, Theo grabs the girl by her waist.

'Wow, wow, wow,!... where do you think you're going !... You'll get lost !....Shsh !... Why would you be afraid of me , ha ? '

Theo smiles at her reassuringly. He releases her and steps back.He shows his bare hands to her.

'See?...No knife, no gun, nothing. I'm not going to hurt you ! Why would I ?

The girl is petrified. She senses something is not OK. Something is really wrong. But she can't move. Just like a viper's pray, she is immobilized, mesmerized by fear.

Still smiling, Theo comes to her, his hand lifted to caress the beautiful and terrified face of the girl. He gently strokes her cheeks and the back of her neck. He touches her hair. He approves with his head, admiringly. And with a firm but gentle move, he brakes her neck.