Read Everywhere That Tommy Goes for Free Online

Battle of the Bands week, and we have a lot of reservations.”
    Troyer turns around and winks at me. “I don’t see many cars out front. You must have at least one room available, luv. I’ve come from very far away, my car’s broken down, and I’m stuck for the night. Couldn’t you find just one room here in this lovely place?”
    Man he’s talking sweet, and with that smile of his, there’s no way she’s refusing.
    “Well, sir, I suppose for just one night I might have a room.”
    In five minutes, he’s got the key. I still can’t explain why I follow him, but I do. We head down to room 21, which is located around back. Well, at least it will be quiet with no street noise passing by.
    As we walk inside, I get smacked in the face with a musty cigarette stench. “Shit, Troyer, this place stinks, and to top it off, I feel one of my nasty headaches coming on.” I reach into my pocket, pull out my pills, and drop four—dry. “I’ve got to rest for a while.” I take off my pants and shirt and dive onto one of the beds while I wait for the pills to kick in.
    “You do that, mate. I need some fresh air, so I’m going to take a walk. I’ll be back in a few.”
    I’m relieved when Troyer leaves, and part of me hopes he never returns. I stare at the ceiling for a bit before I doze off.
    *   *   *
    A car door slams and wakes me up. It’s a little past nine PM . Sounds like people are starting to check in for the night. I look around—no sign of Troyer. I get up and turn on the light.
    There’s blood all over the place
. The bed, my undershirt, my hands—everything is soaked.
    Shocked, I look in the mirror and see that my face is streaked with blood, too. I bolt toward the bathroom, pull open the door, and find the girl from India laid out in the tub—naked and tied around the ankles. My eyes almost pop out of their sockets, and my mouth opens wide, but no sound comes out. The poor girl’s wrists are bound and held up above her head by a rope suspended from the shower spout. Blood is still dripping from dozens of knife wounds all overher body. The bottom of the tub is a pool of red liquid. I drop to my knees, gag, and dry-heave. All at once, my stomach reverses, and I lose my lunch.
    About to scream, I catch myself. If anyone hears me, I’m dead.
    The whole room starts spinning.
    *   *   *
    Some time after midnight, I wake up in the same spot. Nothing’s changed. The girl is still as dead as can be, and her blood is still everywhere. Fuckin’ Troyer—he’s done it to me again.
    I pace the room back and forth, passing the mirror and looking, hoping to see someone else on the other side. Troyer, even—that backstabbing, stupid-ass, toothy-grin, murdering motherfucker.

CHAPTER 6
    It isn’t until eight AM that I wake up, sunlight bursting through the blinds. No sign of Troyer. I leap out of bed and rush into the bathroom, hanging on a glimmer of hope that maybe this was all a dream. No such luck. The girl is still there drenched in blood. My knees get weak. I fall to the floor and start crying like a baby. I can’t stop shaking, and I can’t think straight. My heart slams against my chest, and I roll over, curl up into a ball, and wrap my arms around my shins. My mind is spinning out of control, so I stay in the fetal position, praying for my head to clear.
    Slowly, reality sinks in and I get up, convinced that the only way to escape this nightmare is to wipe it out of my mind, forget it ever happened, and bolt before the cleaning crew comes around and finds the mess in the bathroom.
    After splashing water on my face, I get dressed and scan the room hoping that I haven’t left any evidence that can tie me to all this. Then I grab the white undershirt I left drying on the heater and stuff it in my crotch. I did my best to clean it last night, but it still has some faded bloodstains on it. If anyone finds this, I’m dead, so I can’t leave it here. Gotta find a good place to ditch it.
    Once