Page 57 of Kane

I don’t like it.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea…

Cassie was seriously considering turning around and leaving. After all, she hadn’t seen Lyle yet.

Maybe Lyle was bluffing.

Maybe Lyle wasn’t even here himself.

A man sat at one table in the corner, his eyes sleepy as he cradled a large mug of coffee. It wasn’t Lyle, he was about twenty years too old.

Cassie jumped in shock as a tall, thin man brushed past her from behind and made her way over to a table near the blacked-out window over on the opposite side of the café. He wasn’t Lyle either, far too tall.

‘Okay, I’m getting out of here,’ Cassie muttered, her voice trembling. ‘Enough is en–’

Then as she was about to turn and leave, Cassie heard it.

Thatvoice.

Cassie knew who it was. It was obvious.

‘Looking for someone?’ Lyle asked, his face illuminated by the glow of not one, but two laptop screens in front of her. ‘Don’t even think about the exit. Your place is here, next to me.’

Cassie looked over toward Lyle.

Immediately, Cassie’s internal warning bell was ringing loud and clear.

Lyle was older than her, around twenty-nine. He had lank, greasy black hair that was tucked behind his ears except for a couple of straggly threads that hung over his face.

Cassie paused, unsure whether to simply turn and run. She felt a little bit like a rabbit stuck in the headlights.

It wasn’t a good feeling. And it was made worse as Lyle’s dull, lifeless eyes stared back at her.

Lyle’s crooked, menacing smile was made worse by the yellow stains over his teeth. Cassie desperately tried to figure out what to do as Lyle took a long gulp from his tall Pepsi glass.

‘I said over here,now.’

Cassie went along with what Lyle wanted. It didn’t feel good to do it, and part of her was screaming not to, but she walked over and took a seat opposite Lyle.

Silence.

Cassie had expected Lyle to launch into a series of demands or to start throwing insults at her. But nothing. Nothing of the sort.

It felt like Lyle was playing some kind of psychological game with Cassie. Waiting her out. Another horrible power move.

‘W-w-w-why are you doing this to me?’ Cassie asked, unable to take the silence for a moment longer. ‘Why bring me here if you’re not even going to talk?’

Lyle burst out into laughter.

But it wasn’t the type of joyous, excitable laughter that Cassie enjoyed with her Little friends Katie and Sydney.

No, it was a very different kind.

Ratty, high pitched. It had a shrieking quality like a hyena.

All told, it was very unpleasant. And it scared Cassie.

‘Relax. Things could be a lot worse for you,’ Lyle said, taking another slug of his flat Pepsi drink. ‘If anything, you should be thanking me.’

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