Free Crimson Rain by Tex Leiko Page A

this thing. ”
    “ Just wave it around. Trust me, it makes a lot of folks jumpy enough they won ’ t try anything. ”
    With that, Max was on his way out the door. As the black door slammed shut behind him, Zarfa could barely see him sprinting with all of his might off into the darkness and the rai n .
    * * * *
    Max lived three miles from his clinic. No matter how fast he would run, he wouldn ’ t be there in time.
    Max arrived at his apartment half an hour later. It was roughly eleven-fifteen and he hoped Crimson was at his door. He hoped she wasn ’ t a stickler for time. He hoped Zarfa didn ’ t really rip him off and take everything out of the clinic.
    As he rode on the elevator, noticing he could only see out of one eye, his mind raced. His day had been crazy, so much excitement, so much near death… Then it hit him, anxiety and craving. The same as before. He was anxious and he craved a boost. He could tell his mind would continue racing.
    You ’ ve been clean almost three years before today, come on, think! Relax. Breathe. You don ’ t need a boost, Max, you don ’ t. Your cells are telling you that because they are weak. Just… b reathe.
    Max took a deep breath and determined to calm down, held it until he heard the elevator ding. Sixteenth floor, it was his stop. He stepped out and looked down the hallway toward his apartment, 203 . The hallway was well lit and he saw nobody. He let out his breath and came to grips with the fact Crimson had left.
    He walked sullenly down the hallway to his door.
    It wasn ’ t his fault he was attacked by a gang of lowlifes. She didn ’ t know that, though. Maybe she didn ’ t even know where he lived in the first place! Maybe it was all a joke! Maybe she was at some other random Max Hall ’ s apartment waiting for him.
    He had reached his apartment door , but his thoughts continued like before, racing and contradicting. He was tired and defeated. He was going to go in and sleep. He felt sick to his stomach and the sweating and tremors had started again. He cursed the day he ever took his first boost.
    He swung the door open and, dripping wet from the rain still, stepped into his apartment. He fondled the wall, searching for a light switch as he closed the door behind himself. There was a brief moment where the light from the hallway was extinguished behind the closed door and it was utter blackness before he had flipped the switch. As it flashed on with a flick, he was blinded again from his eyes adjusting from utter darkness to bright white radiance.
    “ Hey there, ” she said, lying on the couch with a totally bored look on her face. “ You ’ re late! ”
    Max panicked and out of reflex, threw himself backward against his door, catching a doorknob to his left kidney. He writhed in pain and flopped himself face first onto the floor, battering his already agitated bruises. He rolled around for a second then crawled to his knees and looked up toward Crimson lying on his grey suede couch.
    “ Oh, so you ’ ve been doing antics like that all the way here? No wonder you ’ re late, and no wonder it looks like a crowd walked on your face. I would have thought you had been attacked, but after that showy display, I think you just walked into every blasted sign on the way over! ”
    Crimson stood from the couch and Max couldn ’ t help but notice the white leather high heels she was wearing. He couldn ’ t help but notice how the peach dress with white Celtic knots compl e mented her hair, eyes , and skin. There he was, bloodied, bruised , and dripping with rain, feeling as if he had stood a date up at a fancy restaurant. Even more confusing, they were on their way to Psyker Scream.
    “ I was attacked, ” he muttered out, feeling stupid after his frightened display.
    “ I ’ m sure you were. We are already late and I am doing this for you. How quickly can you get changed? ”
    “ Five minutes. ”
    “ Atta boy! Go make yourself pretty for me. I ’ ll be