Songs Of Deeds, Chap 3 - Introduction
So, why post only the introduction?
- Because I'm currently working on the rest of that dratted chapter and that things are not going the way I want to. So I'm starting again, but I kinda want to keep that part.
- Because Griffin makes me laugh.
- Because I can.
YOU KNOW THE DRILL : First draft, not been beta-ed, so it doesn't makes much sense. I'm just scribbling down ideas.
***
Griffin had finished his drink a long time ago, and he was already halfway through the Cantar de la Afrenta de Corpes when the sound of giggling reached him, and the door opened.
David and his girlfriend stopped in mid laugh, and stared at him.
He waved the book at them and greeted them merrily “Hey there! Had a lovely time?”
“You!”
Griffin sat up and looked around, then answered slowly “Well, yeah, me.”
David squinted at him. “I thought you were...”
“Dead?” Griffin proposed cheerfully.
An indignant splutter came from the boy. “No!”
“Still in Chechnya? Nah. Been there, done that, enjoyed the locals' hospitality, and then left.”
“No, I mean-”
“I know,you left me to die there but I didn't.” Griffin chimed in, shaking his head as if sorry and giving the boy a lopsided grin. “ 'Tis a shame, I know. Real sorry I messed up your plans.”
More spluttering : “No, that's not-”
“But don't take it personally, will you? It's not. Personal, I mean. You know, I've been evading Paladins for years now, so getting out of death traps kinda became an habit.” Griffin shrugged his shoulders in mock sheepishness, “I can't seem to help it.”
David walked to the middle of the room, but stopped there. He seemed hesitant to get too close. “Listen-”
“Don't worry about it.” Griffin sauntered toward David and patted his shoulder reassuringly, “The good news is : I don't mind that part at all.”
“Griffin, would you stop and listen to me-”
“But well,” Griffin brought his right hand closer to his face and inspected it critically. He brushed some imaginary dust off its back. Then, swinging around suddenly, he socked David a good one, squarely on the jaw. He had put quite some strength in it, the boy fell like a ton of bricks. “...the bad news is that I can't seem to get over the fact you ruined my plans. Months of careful planning.” Griffin shook his hand gingerly. That bastard had a really hard jaw. “Sorry mate, I'm shallow like that.”
David glanced up at him groggily before passing out. Griffin twitched. The boy hadn't exactly looked straight at him. It had been more of a 'oooh, there's something right behind your left shoulder' look.
Griffin ducked reflexively. The blow missed his head by a good inch, but got his shoulder all right, and fuck, that stung like hell.
Griffin twisted around. The girlfriend was holding the empty rum bottle by the neck, and swinging it angrily.
Huh oh, it looked like the lady of the house had actually more balls than her partner. Griffin hadn't thought of that.
“You” she spat, “Get out of our appartement. Right now.”
Griffin help up his hands appealingly, “Now darling, listen to me, I don't specially want to hurt you, so if you could just drop that whole-”
“Get out!”
Griffin stepped forward, and she lunged.
Good idea, but bad coordination. Griffin easily deflected the blow and gave a quick thump to her solar plexus. Not too hard, just enough to cause her diaphragm to spasm slightly. The girl gasped for air and dropped her guard for a few seconds. It was more time than Griffin needed to walk behind her, snake his right arm around her neck, and start compressing her carotid. “Sorry love, can't have you knocking me on the head while I'm distracted. It's in a bad enough state already”
The girl was clawing at his forearm, and choking words out “You asshole, can't you pick ... someone your own... size... you... coward...”
She finally stopped struggling and fainted. Griffin maintained his hold long enough to be sure the girl was completely out, then relaxed it slowly, letting her fold down carefully to the ground.
She'd wake up quickly, he hadn't really chocked her. He had to find a way to keep her from attacking him again.
David grunted. It looked like the boy was coming back to his senses. If he saw what had happened to his girlfriend, he'd go apeshit again.
In two strides, Griffin was upon him. He went swiftly down on one knee, and used the momentum of the movement to clobber the other man's jaw with all his strength. David's head whipped round under the impact, and bounced on the carpeted floor.
“You, you stay the fuck down!” Griffin snapped, pointing a temperamental finger at the unconscious boy.
“Shit.” Griffin looked at the unconscious couple, and ran his hands through his hair. “Nice one, mate. I thought you wanted to talk. What'd have happened if you'd been ill intentioned to start with?”
The girl twitched.
Griffin threw his hands up dramatically in the air, and moaned in a dejected way “Aw come on, can't you two give me a break?”
*
I am such a coward
I could win an award
You may not believe me
But it would be ok, be ok, be ok, be ok