Page 175 of The Perdition Score (Sandman Slim 8)

“Six days.”

“I left a day after you. I was in the corn for five days?”

“You didn’t turn left, did you?”

“I thought I had to turn right to get home.”

“It doesn’t work that way.”

“No shit.”

I sleep some more. My arm and hand are bandaged. The leg hurts more. I must have dug in deep. Remind me not to do surgery when I’m high on neurotoxins.

I can hear people in the store. Then it’s quiet. Later, I can hear people again. That’s how I count the days. People in. People out.

Kasabian comes up one afternoon with a bag.

“Apple fritters from Donut Universe.”

I take one.

“Thanks.”

Take a bite and limp to the bathroom, where I throw it up again.

Kasabian helps me back into bed.

“Don’t tell Candy,” he says on the way out.

Later, Candy and I are in bed.

“I thought I’d lost you again,” she says.

“I told you I’d come back.”

“And you didn’t bring me a thing. Not a T-shirt. Not a bumper sticker.”

“I gave the Colt to Bill. I hope that’s all right.”

“It’s okay. We’ll find you something else. Maybe one of those pink Charter Arms revolvers.”

I sit up and Candy puts another pillow behind my back.

“Did I tell you what happened to Hesediel?”

“Yeah. You seemed pretty broken up about it.”

“I need to find Samael and have a word.”

“When you’re better.”

“If I died, the fucker would be here in a flash.”

“Don’t even joke about that.”

I put my arm around her. It feels good to have it sort of working again.

“Sorry. I’m not going anywhere.”