Free Musclebound by Liza Cody

said. ‘It’s that Anna Lee – she’s got her conk in everyone’s business
    ‘I don’t care who she is,’ Simone said, backing away. ‘You shout and yell and insult everyone and it’s like waving a flag and saying, “I’m a wrong’un, I’m a bad’un, come and take me on.” And I don’t want to be around when you’re doing that ‘cos it’s like you’re tarring me with your mucky brush too.’
    ‘I
ain’t:
    ‘You’re yelling
now,’
she said. ‘I came to see you ‘cos I thought maybe we could get together, maybe we could do something together. But you ain’t changed. I thought maybe you might’ve changed. But you haven’t.’
    ‘I
have
changed,’ I said. ‘I’m the London Lassassin. I’m famous. I got me name on posters.’
    But she walked away. I ran after her.
    ‘Simone!’ I said. ‘What do you want? I’ll do anything you want.’
    ‘Yeah?’
    ‘Yeah.’
    ‘Then stand there and count to a hundred,’ she said. ‘I’m going home.’
    ‘Wha’?’
    ‘Stand still and count,’ she said. ‘Or I’ll not come back.’
    ‘But why?’ I said. ‘
Why
, Simone?’
    “Cos it’ll stop you chasing me and shouting,’ she said. ‘If you can do that I might come back. Might.’

Chapter 9
    Have you ever done that? Stood like sponge cake in the rain, sopping up everything the night dumps on you, counting? Just counting. And did you ever get past forty?
    I kept getting screwed up around thirty-seven. I must of got to thirty-six or seven a hundred times, but Simone didn’t come back.
    Then I thought, maybe she didn’t mean she’d come
straight
back, maybe she meant she’d come back tomorrow. So I stood there dithering a little longer. I mean, what if she
was
coming straight back, and I wasn’t there? What’d she think then?
    But it’s a long time to stand still doing bugger-all but counting, so in the end I went home. And I thought, it’s all down to that pile of cow-flop, the Enemy. If she hadn’t of been there and mouthed off about Simone everything would of been all right. Simone and I would of sat there all comfy-cosy and made plans about the fitness centre. Instead I was going home alone and I didn’t even know where Simone was staying.
    It’s a good thing the Enemy didn’t come out and see me. If she had it would of been curtains for her. I’d of strung her up by the tits and left her swinging for the crows. It was all her fault.
    So I trudged home all cold and wet. My legs were aching from the running and I didn’t know what to think. It was like the light went out every time Simone left. I had to make her stay. Whatever it took, I’d do it just to keep the light on in my head. But I didn’t know what it took. I felt knitted and knotted. Till I got home.
    I knew what to think when I got back to the yard. Iwas twenty yards from the gate when I met Milo trotting towards me.
    ‘Milo!’ I said. ‘What the fuck you doing out?’
    ‘Herf,’ he said, like nothing was wrong. But it was. It had to be if Milo was out on the street instead of in the yard.
    ‘Heel!’ I said.
    ‘Hip,’ he said, falling in behind me like he was taught.
    ‘And shurrup!’ I said, swiping at his snout.
    The gate was swung wide open. The chain was lopped in two pieces. I could see that much by the street lamp. The yard was dark.
    My torch should of been in my hand. But it wasn’t. It was inside the Static. Usually I carry it with me everywhere. It’s a dirty great heavy thing – a good cosh. But you don’t take a cosh for a cosy-comfy drink with your sister, do you?
    I walked into the dark yard. I stopped and listened. Nothing. I don’t like it when it’s quiet.
    ‘Ramses!’ I yelled. ‘Lineker!’ If Milo was out on the street, where were they? I didn’t want to cross the yard to the Static without them. There are too many heaps of bent metal, too many machines, too many hidy-holes.
    And then I heard them – a low throaty snarl from Ramses and a sharp ‘Yack-yack’ from