"Richard Kadrey - Butcher Bird" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kadrey Richard)

Butcher Bird
Richard Kadrey



┬й 2007 by Richard Kadrey. All rights reserved.
First appeared in Butcher Bird , published by Night Shade Books.




For N, with love




тАЬThis whole worldтАЩs wild at heart and weird on top.тАЭ
тАФ Barry Gifford, Wild at Heart




ONE
AUTO-DA-F├Й

тАЬThey say that when your head gets chopped off, it can still see and hear for a few seconds, so IтАЩll
have to go with beheading,тАЭ said Spyder Lee to Lulu Garou.
Spyder Lee was drinking shots of Patr├│n A├▒ejo tequila with Lulu, his business partner, at the
Bardo Lounge just off Market Street in San Francisco.
Lulu looked into her empty glass and thought for some time, took a drag off her Marlboro Light
and winked at the woman tending bar. тАЬBeing beaten to death,тАЭ said Lulu. тАЬBadly. I donтАЩt mean like
with a baseball bat or rebar so youтАЩre out cold, but something small.тАЭ She crushed out her
Marlboro in the ashtray the bartender slid in front of her. тАЬAn eight ball in a sweat sock. ThatтАЩd give
your killer a good workout.тАЭ
тАЬNot if the guy hit you in the head right off,тАЭ said Spyder.
тАЬMy mama was pretty free with her hands. IтАЩm a faster ducker,тАЭ Lulu replied. She grinned.
Spyder could tell she was unimpressed with his argument.
тАЬBurning at the stake,тАЭ he said.
тАЬDrawn and quartered,тАЭ Lulu countered.
Rubi, the bartender, took their empty glasses away. тАЬExactly what are you two rattling about?тАЭ
тАЬWorst ways to die,тАЭ said Spyder. тАЬBeing covered in honey and staked out on a red ant hill.тАЭ
тАЬDying of thirst. Like right now,тАЭ said Lulu.
Rubi slid her hand across the bar and took hold of LuluтАЩs left pinkie. тАЬYou parched, baby?тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm drier than Candy DarlingтАЩs cunt.тАЭ
тАЬCandy Darling was a man,тАЭ said Spyder.
тАЬExactly.тАЭ
Rubi leaned forward and kissed LuluтАЩs pinkie. тАЬIтАЩll get you both another round. On me.тАЭ As she
left to make their drinks, Lulu called after her, тАЬThat ainтАЩt all thatтАЩs gonna be on you tonight.тАЭ Rubi
stuck her tongue out at Lulu.
тАЬBeing crucified. ThatтАЩs supposed to be horrible,тАЭ said Spyder.