One Day in a Small-Town Desert, chapter 9, page 6

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Zhíno Zhudıro gazed upon Fírí’s pale, wide-eyed face as she backed away from him until she bumped into the wall. His face split with a grin and he cackled a laugh filled with relief and joy. He’d stumbled right onto his quarry. Neither of his gunshot injuries seemed to matter anymore, the pain overtaken by the exhilaration of capturing the twin of Vítí who had betrayed him so viciously earlier that night.

He yanked his handgun from his pocket and pointed it Fírí. Finally he’d get to enact his revenge.

Hopefully he had some bullets remaining. How many shots had he fired? Ten? Eleven? Twelve? Standard clips had twelve. Maybe he had two bullets left. Maybe the gun was empty. But if he didn’t know, Fírí certainly wouldn’t know.

Smiling as nastily as he could, Zhíno jabbed the gun at his ex-girlfriend. “Are you ready to die, whore of Rana? Give me the auto keys, and maybe I won’t kill you.”

Her burgundy sweatshirt covered with ochre dust, Fírí held up her hands as if they’d protect her from a bullet. “Please, Zhíno,” she whimpered. “Don’t shoot. Don’t shoot.”

The old lady stepped into Zhíno’s view, but didn’t block the gun. With a scowl, she snapped, “Put that thing away, dear, before you hurt somebody.”

Zhíno snorted a laugh, his eyes never leaving the blubbering Fírí. “But that’s my plan, you stupid Nuví hag.”

“Lower the gun,” she ordered in a tone that demanded obedience. “Don’t waste your bullets. If you shoot the girl, I’ll call upon Névazhíno to revive her.”

What the plagues is she talking about?

Zhíno shrugged and swung the gun to point at the white-haired woman. “Very well. I’ll shoot you first.”

She raised her eyebrows and shook her head sadly. “Then who will heal you, dear?”

Zhíno narrowed his eyes. His wounds began throbbing. Could this hag actually heal people? He’d heard rumors of Névazhíno cults, but he thought they sacrificed humans for the benefit of animals. Maybe they could sacrifice humans for the benefit of other humans, as well. A slow grin pulled up the corners of his mouth.

“Very well. I’ll let you heal me, but only if I’m the one who sacrifices Fírí.” And has a little fun before finishing the Vítí-twin off.

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