Reel around the fountain

A furious rush of red traced an arc across the wall.

I will never forget the look of incomprehension on Kate's face as the blood pumped from her in spraying, pulsing sheets, or her panic as she tried in vain to stem the flow with her bound hands. Her eyes rolled back and she crashed to her knees, falling forward onto the floor.

Blood was still gushing from her, but with less force, as she lay on the ground - her body making small involuntary-looking movements.

Unforgettable too, was the cold look on Lewis's face. He seemed utterly unaffected by what he'd just done, entirely calm at being covered in Kate's blood.

"Well, are you taking this seriously now, Alan?" he asked. "Your friend Kate here has paid the price for disloyalty. Her rather fanciful plan had no chance of succeeding. But when it comes to betrayal, as far as I'm concerned, it's the thought that counts.

"Oh, by the way - in case you're wondering, Kate's friend Simon is currently trying to explain the bomb-making information that the police are finding on his computer" - he glanced at his watch - "just about now."

I couldn't tear my gaze from Kate's body; equally I couldn't move to actually do anything. Anyway, she was beyond any help as far as I could see.

"Fascinating, isn't it," continued Lewis. "Look at her, still twitching. Like a dog chasing rabbit in its sleep. Believe me when I say I've killed a fair number of people, Alan. Although I'm not a man given to fanciful ideas - but I've always wondered about those few seconds before your brain catches up with the idea that you're dead.

"I mean, what goes through a person's mind? Does the time seem short or long? When you think about it, it's one of the last great mysteries of life. After all, you never get to tell anyone about it, do you."

Lewis was silent for a moment, lost in his own thoughts for a moment. "Now," he said eventually. "Where was I? Ah yes. You've probably worked out the next part. If you fail to comply, the same thing will happen to your delightful friend Jenny.

"Oh now Jen," he continued. "Jen, Jen, Jen. There's no need to cry like that. I'm sure Alan will see sense. Won't you, Alan? Now, let's get this mess cleaned up, shall we? I'll get housekeeping down here."



Story begins here.