Page 35 of Hardy

“This is where my life went toshit.”Gash climbed off his bike, and Hardy noticed a couple ofkids staring at them.They were scrawny with clothes that wereeither too big or too small.

He and Steven followed Gash within theapartment building.

“How did this make yourlife go to shit?”

“This is where that bitch’sboyfriend was found.It was a much better building back then.Noneof this crap was lying around, and there weren’t kids hangingaround.It was different.”

They entered the apartment building, andthe stench of mold and decay was strong.Wrinkling his nose, Hardyfollowed his brother with Steven by his side.He was sure he sawhuman shit along the walls.

“Fuck, I’m going to need togo through a fucking sanitizer,” Steven said.“This is fuckingdisgusting.”

Gash didn’t stop.There was somethingoff about him, and Hardy didn’t want to be the cause for him toexplode.

They walked up four flights of stairs, andHardy would be forever sickened by the sight of the building.Itwas silent, and the whole building echoed even though there werepeople living there.

Gash kicked open a door and entered anapartment four doors down.Hardy and Steven entered the apartment,and there was nothing special.There was a ratty old sofa, and whatsurprised him more was the bloodstain on the carpet.This was oncea crime scene, and now it was abandoned.

A couple of pictures had been left on themantel piece, and Hardy didn’t recognize any of thefaces.

“This was the place,” Gashsaid.

“This was the place what?”Steven asked, turning around.

“I fucked a woman, and later gotaccused of raping her, and killing her boyfriend.”Gash smiledviciously.“It’s not much is it?A piece of shit apartment, and noteven in a good area.No one would give a shit about what is goingon, or what the hell was happening here.”Gash kicked a few thingsaround, coming back into the sitting room.He grabbed one of thepictures off the shelf, and paused.Hardy watched him stare down atthe picture, frozen in place.

“What’s going on?”Hardyasked.

Moving toward him, he looked down at thephoto and saw two women.One was blonde, and even from the picturehe saw that she was teasing the photographer, lifting up her shirt,showing off her chest.

The other woman, a brunette, stood awayfrom the blonde.She smiled in the picture, but it didn’t reach hereyes.There was something not quite right about thepicture.

Gash turned the frame over, openingthe links, and pulling out the photo.“We’re going.”

Following him out of the room, Hardypaused as someone was coming upstairs.It was a man in histhirties, and before either he or Steven could do anything, Gashhad the man thrown up against the wall.

“What happened to the two bitcheswho lived in that apartment?”Gash said, spitting each wordout.

Hardy winced as Gash pulled the guy away,and slammed him back against the wall.

“Fucking hell, let me thefuck go.”

“Tell me,” Gash said,snarling out each word.

“I don’t fuckingknow.”

Gash grabbed the picture.“Take a goodlong look.”

The guy stared at the picture,frowning.“The brunette, she left well before the blonde.She wenta bit crazy, fucked in the head, and left.Never saw or heard fromher again.The blonde, she made a big show of leaving.Don’t knowwhere they went.”

“What do you mean thebrunette went crazy?”

“She tried to kill herself orsome shit.It was just rumor, but she went a bit fucked in thehead, tried to kill herself, hysterical.”

“Anyone else been here longerthan you?”Gash asked.

“No.I stay here ‘cause there’sno fucking rent.It’s a shithole, but no one claimed thebuilding.”

Gash growled and turned to leave.Hardy and Steven followed him out to their bikes.

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