EXCERPT:
God, but it hurt!
I’d always wondered what it’d be like
to get shot in the arm. I mean – I know
that sounds bizarre, but you know what I mean, don’t you? In a
But always finding
the exit in the end – bursting out into sunlight and into the arms of the
rescue force. Cynical cops
would cheer; my co-star would gasp, having been the last person to hold out
only the faintest of hope for my survival, and exclaim at my incredible and
indomitable ability to beat the odds.
My co-star. Right….
All I knew was that, in reality, it
hurt. It hurt one huge great hell of a
lot, and I couldn’t seem to stop the bleeding.
I sat slumped down against the wall, and I didn’t seem to have a lot of
energy in my superbly athletic, masculine legs to get me up and running
again. And I really did think I should
be doing that. Running
away. Even in the best films, the villain didn’t
stop at one shot, did he? I didn’t know how the rest of the team was
faring – let’s face it, I didn’t know if I was in at the end of the story, or
just opening up the whole can of blood-spattered worms. I hadn’t given it sufficient thought in the
first place.
“But you’re so brave,” my co-star would
say. “Jeez, Bailey, we’d given you up
for dead! I never thought you’d talk him
around – I never thought you’d get out before he let loose the whole damned
arsenal and blew up the bank!”
“It’s my job,” I’d modestly say. “As a negotiator, we have to be trained to go
into potentially dangerous situations.
For God’s sake, don’t make a fuss!
Let me set off for home with just your handkerchief as a bandage, and
maybe you’ll have supper with me later on…”
Right.