The Janissary Tree

[ 64 ]

The assassin saw the first bung disappear.

Ten years before, he had watched a wall collapse on top of him, and counted that moment an eternity.

Now, for an eternity, he made no sound.

For an eternity he scrambled for an explanation.

And he rolled aside only when the bung was replaced by a black tube of scalding fat and water which exploded onto the brick.

It ricocheted onto his back, the hot fat clinging like needles.

And he screamed.

Spouts of heavy boiling dye erupted all around him. The culvert he lay in was suddenly filled with swirling liquid. In terror he ploughed his hands into the scalding torrent and fought his way to an opening. He reached up, placed his scalded hands on the grating, and heaved.

And as he dragged himself up out of the vent he scarcely noticed the coiled rope that cinched very tight against his burning ankles.