I looked at the ghoul. “Let’s get out of here.”

I drove us home as fast as I could. The last thing I needed was dealing with the cops and trying to explain the mess we left behind. It wasn’t a total bust though. I kept the deposit. It was good for a couple cases and a few bottles, maybe some food.

The sun was coming up as we arrived back at my place. The rain had finally stopped and it looked like it would be a nice day. Not that I fucking cared. I planned on being unconscious most of the day. I was pissed about several things concerning the last case. Pissed I failed and the Griffins all died. Pissed I didn’t find out how Nosferatu babies were being produced. That’s some dangerous shit.

Inside, the ghoul started talking about the next job. I waved him off, grabbed a bottle, and headed into the bathroom.

It was the only place I could get any peace.

The horrors of the world could wait.

Out of Water

Out of Water

I raised the hammer for the final time and brought it down on the werewolf’s skull. His head collapsed like a fur-covered watermelon. That was the last of the pack. I was exhausted and slumped to the floor among the now-human corpses. It was a hell of a fight, and of course it was a freebie.

Once again I failed to make a dime.

I just wanted to get home, get high, and fall asleep for a couple days.

I got into the Nova and started her up. The engine was sounding a little strange. Hopefully it wasn’t haunted. Again.

I probably should have driven by the mechanic but I was too tired. I stopped by a liquor store and grabbed some beer and a bottle. The clerk was a ghoul I knew named Emek.

“How’s it going, Emek?” I asked as I threw some cash at him.

Emek pushed the cash back. “On the house.”

“You’re a dead man after my own heart,” I said and grabbed the beer and the Beam and exited. Free alcohol. Things were looking up.

I got back in the Nova and drove the rest of the way home. The sun was starting to rise. I parked and carried my loot into the house. The lights were out, as I’d left them, but as I walked through the front door I could see Mo’Lock standing in the far right corner.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

The ghoul glanced over at me. “Resting.”

“Standing in a corner,” I said, putting the case and bottle down on the coffee table. “You are one weird dude sometimes.”

“I could say the same,” he replied.

I glared at him. Thought about shooting him but thought better of it. I cracked open a beer and chased down some pills before collapsing on the couch.