Monday, December 7, 2009

A Twist Of Noir 293 - Paul D. Brazill

M - PAUL D. BRAZILL

A version of this story is available in the LESS THAN THREE ebook

Freddy looked at the razor with the same mixture of contempt and relief that he’d felt since he first started shaving at twelve. He smothered his body with shaving foam and then glided the blade down his arms, legs, back, gut – everywhere.

He’d done it so many times that he didn’t need to concentrate, he just focused on the night in front of him, savouring the buzz that the can of Kronenburg and the spliff had given him.

A song corkscrewed through Freddy’s mind; a song he’d known for almost as many years as he’d been shaving. M’s song. The first time he’d heard it, it had been like lightning hitting a plane; like a kick in the eye with a stiletto heel. M’s first big hit and he was hooked immediately. He become a fan and then an obsessive.

And it wasn’t just M’s music. He bought her books. He saw her films – derided though they were. He even bought her perfume. His bedroom had been like a shrine to M for so many years and he couldn’t believe that tonight – because of some freak accident – he was actually going to met her. And more.

Salty O’Rourke, mournful in his black suit and top hat, took the money and closed the heavy door behind Freddy, who walked to where M lay, carrying a bottle of her favourite champagne and a single red rose. She was naked except for her jewellery, her crimson lips and bottle blonde hair standing out against the snowy white skin and the lavender cushions that she lay on.

Freddy placed the rose on her breasts, popped the champagne cork and made a toast. To us, he said. As he crawled on top of M, he felt the chill of the room and her cold, hard skin against his raw, flabby flesh.

Tonight, he felt, would be like the very first time for both of them.

BIO: Paul D. Brazill was born in Hartlepool, England and lives in Bydgoszcz, Poland. He has had stories in A Twist Of Noir, Powder Burn Flash, Thrillers Killers n Chillers, Beat To A Pulp, and other such classy joints. He can be found stalking ‘you would say that, wouldn’t you?’ He also writes a regular column, ‘I didn’t say that, did I?’ for Pulp Metal Magazine.

14 comments:

Al Tucher said...

A kick in the eye with a stiletto heel--just like the impact of this story. Good creepy job.

Anonymous said...

I sat down with a cuppa to relax and then read THIS! What a kick in the head! Eek! you got me with that!
Very good, completely unexpected twist.
10 out of 10!

Lee Hughes said...

Another tale of your's that just gets better with each reading.

David Cranmer said...

I will say you creeped me the hell out--which I'm certain was your intent.

Two versions of the same story? I'm intrigued on the history there.

Joyce said...

Eeeeewwwww! Really sick stuff, Paul. This one really makes you shudder. Superb, as always!

Michael Solender said...

Top!

Paul D Brazill said...

Thanks everyone. I aim to please, and creep from time to time!

David, the first version was only 3 pargraphs-since that is the aim of the ezine- and I just broke it up and changed the punctuation a bit. exactly the same, otherwise.

Carrie Clevenger said...

Eeeeee! Oh my. Necrophilia! Wow Paul. Nice tale.

David Cranmer said...

I have a couple pieces of my own floating around that I'm interested in expanding on. I've read where Poe did it frequently with his stories.

Alan Griffiths said...

Just as nasty and just as good as the first time.

Anonymous said...

Good one! The razor made me think of something gory and bloody, but that wasn't it. Dead stuff, though!

Laura Eno said...

Creepy, Paul! Excellent stuff - in a morbid kind of way. ;)

flashbulb100w said...

Ohhh Freddy is one creepy and twisted dude.

Pamila Payne said...

I love how you focused so intensely on the whole body shaving in the beginning, I was so busy trying to wrap my head around that, I was totally caught unawares by the ending. I liked both versions.