Killing Time (or, ...) [short challenge piece] PG
Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 5:18 am
Author’s note: A bit over the word limit, but who’s counting? Also written in less than three hours with no beta, so pardon any errors.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Killing Time (or, Killing Time)
Josef wrinkled his nose as he peered at red liquid his host was pouring into his glass. “Are you sure that’s not non-fat soy vegan blood?”
“I am A-positive it’s not.”
“Okay, okay…” he held up his hands with a roll of his eyes. “I promise to drink it like a good, gracious little guest if you promise not to make any more bad puns.”
Mick shrugged and filled his own glass before settling into the chair opposite his friend. “You know you don’t have to come here if you don’t like what I serve.”
“Yeah, well, I’m bored. And you’re my only friend who doesn’t like me just for my money,” Josef huffed. “So, what do you want to do—play Pin-the-Cape-on-Dracula?” he said a moment later.
“Actually, I thought you might be interested to hear about my day yesterday.”
“Hmm,” Josef took a sip of his beverage and quickly converted a grimace into an expression resembling curiosity. “Does it involve freshies?”
Mick glanced away and scratched behind his ear. “Uh, not…not exactly…”
“I’m interested.”
“I was working for the deputy DA. Looking for a missing witness—in the desert.”
“In the desert,” Josef repeated incredulously. “In the desert with sunlight, in the desert? In the desert as in, bye-bye vampire?” He flapped his hand.
Before Mick could respond, they heard the elevator came to a stop down the hall and looked to the security camera. Mick frowned as Josh Lindsey appeared a few moments later. “Just a minute.” He set his glass on the table and rose. “He probably just needs to wrap up a few loose ends.”
Josef nodded and took another swig of blood, pulling a face behind his friend’s back as Mick opened the door.
“Josh. How’s Leni?”
But Josh pushed past Mick into the room and turned to face him. “I don’t know what the hell you did to Beth in the desert, but I know you know something about the weird cuts on her arm.”
Mick grew still. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his friend sit up abruptly. He shook his head at Josh. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. She fell on something sharp.” When Josh showed no sign of leaving, he closed the door and returned to his seat.
Josef leaned forward with obvious interest. “Did you…trip her?”
Mick shot him a fleeting look. “No, she fell on her own.”
“Oh, even better!”
Josh scowled at him and turned back to Mick. “She said it was a chain link fence, but she won’t look at me when she talks about it. Just like she won’t look at me when she talks about you.” When Mick said nothing, he continued, “I took a picture of it while she was sleeping and showed it to the coroner. He said no way that was caused by a chain-link fence. He said it almost looked like some kind of animal bite—but he couldn’t tell which kind without seeing the wound in person.” He crossed his arms. “Beth of course refuses to go; she insists it was a fence. I thought maybe you might have some other ideas—after all, if you can tell if there’s estrogen in blood without sending it to a lab, surely you can come up with a plausible explanation for all this.” He stared at Mick intently.
Mick shot a look at Josef. “Uh,” he addressed Josh, “it was definitely a fence. I saw it. I think it was a special order—so, not like other chain-link fences...”
Josh’s eyes narrowed. “Beth’s gotten weird since she met you. Having strange dreams, crying out your name in her sleep”—he tried to ignore the snickering that began in the corner—“and she’s absolutely obsessed”—he glanced carelessly at Mick’s guest, who was now casually taking a sip of his drink—“with—with…vam…pires.” He stared at the red liquid in Josef’s glass for a moment. “Oh.” Suddenly his eyes widened and he looked up. “Oh! …Oh.” He started pointing alternately between Mick and Josef and backing toward the door. “Oh! …Oh... …Oh!”
When Josh began to fumble in his pockets, ostensibly for a phone, or possibly some kind of weapon, Josef pursed his lips and leaned forward to set his glass on the table. “Oh-kay. It’s killing time.”
Mick nodded slowly and pushed himself up off the armrests. “Yeeeeeeah.”
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Killing Time (or, Killing Time)
Josef wrinkled his nose as he peered at red liquid his host was pouring into his glass. “Are you sure that’s not non-fat soy vegan blood?”
“I am A-positive it’s not.”
“Okay, okay…” he held up his hands with a roll of his eyes. “I promise to drink it like a good, gracious little guest if you promise not to make any more bad puns.”
Mick shrugged and filled his own glass before settling into the chair opposite his friend. “You know you don’t have to come here if you don’t like what I serve.”
“Yeah, well, I’m bored. And you’re my only friend who doesn’t like me just for my money,” Josef huffed. “So, what do you want to do—play Pin-the-Cape-on-Dracula?” he said a moment later.
“Actually, I thought you might be interested to hear about my day yesterday.”
“Hmm,” Josef took a sip of his beverage and quickly converted a grimace into an expression resembling curiosity. “Does it involve freshies?”
Mick glanced away and scratched behind his ear. “Uh, not…not exactly…”
“I’m interested.”
“I was working for the deputy DA. Looking for a missing witness—in the desert.”
“In the desert,” Josef repeated incredulously. “In the desert with sunlight, in the desert? In the desert as in, bye-bye vampire?” He flapped his hand.
Before Mick could respond, they heard the elevator came to a stop down the hall and looked to the security camera. Mick frowned as Josh Lindsey appeared a few moments later. “Just a minute.” He set his glass on the table and rose. “He probably just needs to wrap up a few loose ends.”
Josef nodded and took another swig of blood, pulling a face behind his friend’s back as Mick opened the door.
“Josh. How’s Leni?”
But Josh pushed past Mick into the room and turned to face him. “I don’t know what the hell you did to Beth in the desert, but I know you know something about the weird cuts on her arm.”
Mick grew still. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his friend sit up abruptly. He shook his head at Josh. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. She fell on something sharp.” When Josh showed no sign of leaving, he closed the door and returned to his seat.
Josef leaned forward with obvious interest. “Did you…trip her?”
Mick shot him a fleeting look. “No, she fell on her own.”
“Oh, even better!”
Josh scowled at him and turned back to Mick. “She said it was a chain link fence, but she won’t look at me when she talks about it. Just like she won’t look at me when she talks about you.” When Mick said nothing, he continued, “I took a picture of it while she was sleeping and showed it to the coroner. He said no way that was caused by a chain-link fence. He said it almost looked like some kind of animal bite—but he couldn’t tell which kind without seeing the wound in person.” He crossed his arms. “Beth of course refuses to go; she insists it was a fence. I thought maybe you might have some other ideas—after all, if you can tell if there’s estrogen in blood without sending it to a lab, surely you can come up with a plausible explanation for all this.” He stared at Mick intently.
Mick shot a look at Josef. “Uh,” he addressed Josh, “it was definitely a fence. I saw it. I think it was a special order—so, not like other chain-link fences...”
Josh’s eyes narrowed. “Beth’s gotten weird since she met you. Having strange dreams, crying out your name in her sleep”—he tried to ignore the snickering that began in the corner—“and she’s absolutely obsessed”—he glanced carelessly at Mick’s guest, who was now casually taking a sip of his drink—“with—with…vam…pires.” He stared at the red liquid in Josef’s glass for a moment. “Oh.” Suddenly his eyes widened and he looked up. “Oh! …Oh.” He started pointing alternately between Mick and Josef and backing toward the door. “Oh! …Oh... …Oh!”
When Josh began to fumble in his pockets, ostensibly for a phone, or possibly some kind of weapon, Josef pursed his lips and leaned forward to set his glass on the table. “Oh-kay. It’s killing time.”
Mick nodded slowly and pushed himself up off the armrests. “Yeeeeeeah.”
Poor Josh. Poor, poor Josh. He just never had a chance.
Oh well, Josef gets to have some fun, and Mick will feel bad about it in the morning. But who's going to explain it to Beth? 
And I love the different meanings you can use for the phrase "killing time." Sometimes it's wonderful that the English language is so ambiguous.
