Splinter

70

‘Nooooo!’

Marc’s senses had been so overstrung by his fear of death, he thought the detonation would burst his eardrums.

But there was no report, no blood and no slew of brain matter soiling the curtains over the window facing the terrace. Just a metallic click like that of a cheap ballpoint pen, but even that was almost unbearable. Perhaps the ammunition had been of inferior quality and the damp primer hadn’t been ignited when the firing pin struck it. Perhaps there had been no round at all in the chamber because grit or dirt had obstructed the recoil spring. Perhaps it wasn’t even down to the puddle of melted snow into which Valka had hurled the automatic and there was quite another reason why the bullet hadn’t ploughed through Benny’s brain and shattered his skull.

Not the first time, at least.

Feverishly, Benny worked the slide mechanism and replaced the muzzle in his mouth.

‘Nooooo!’

Marc felt he was having one of those nightmares in which you try to escape from some threat, only to find yourself running on the spot. Sluggishly, as if restrained by invisible rubber bands, he made for his brother. Time seemed to be flowing backwards, or at least to be standing still. He had never crossed a room so slowly.

In reality, it all took less than half a second. Marc reached the desk, snatched up the heavy brass lamp, and smashed the base against his brother’s shins.

Benny doubled up in front of the window, clasping his legs and howling with pain.

‘You idiot!’ he yelled. ‘You fucking idiot!’

Marc picked up the gun, which had slithered across the floor and ended up by his feet. ‘Why?’ he yelled almost as loudly. ‘Why do that?’

‘You mean you still don’t understand?’ Benny was rocking back and forth like someone with autism. He screwed up his streaming eyes and shouted the words into his clenched fist. The words that made sense of everything at last.

‘You’ve got it too!’

‘What?’

Benny said it again, spitting out the words one by one. Saliva trickled down his unshaven chin. A thread of spittle landed on his chest.

Of course.

I’ve got it too.