Hailstone Read Online Free PDF Page B

fight? Do you have the guts to do that?”
    A slick of sweat gleamed on Amanda’s face. “My, it’s hot in here.” She fanned herself with one hand. “I do feel odd.”
    Magda took a cigarette from her packet. “Do you feel a little dizzy?”
    “Well, yes.”
    “Smoke this with me. It’ll make you feel better. Honestly it will. I won’t tell a soul, it’ll be our secret. And you’ll walk away today with another weapon in your Godly arsenal, that of knowing your enemy.” Magda lit the cigarette and put it in Amanda’s mouth. “There we are. Breathe it in. Not too much, or you’ll cough. There we go.”
    Amanda made a face. “That’s disgusting.”
    “Of course it is, you’re not used to it. Here, have another drag. God won’t let you get addicted, I promise.”
    “Okay.” Amanda looked dubious. She took a second drag. “Gosh, my head is spinning, but in a good way.”
    “You’re doing so well.” Magda slid off the table and fetched the vodka from under the sink. “Now have some of this. After all, you have two enemies, right? You should get to know them both.”
    Amanda didn’t need much more prompting to take a healthy swig of vodka. She shuddered. “That burns!”
    “Yes, it’ll warm you right up. Here, have some more.”
    Amanda took another drink, then another drag of the cigarette. She started to giggle. “Did you know that your kitchen is really, really yellow?”
    “I know .” Magda lit her own cigarette, since Amanda wasn’t giving back the other one. “John picked it. He has terrible taste.”
    “Maybe he likes eggs.”
    Amanda’s statement made Magda giggle. Within moments both women were convulsed with laughter.
    Amanda took a deep breath. “You know, I really do thank you for this opportunity, Magda – is that a kind of car?”
    “I’m not a car. Call me Mags. Drink?”
    Amanda swallowed more vodka.
    “Come on,” Magda said. She slid off the table and collected her camera from the sideboard. “Let’s get back to the lounge room. You can finish curing me.”
    *
    Amanda, lying on the floor, giggling.
    click
Amanda emptying the cooking brandy down her throat.
click
Amanda smoking cigarettes.
click
    Maybe Amanda wasn't so bad after all. Magda lay down beside her new best friend.
    "Amanda."
    Amanda turned her head to look at Magda. "Do you know you're really beautiful? But your walls keep moving. You might need a new house."
    "Do you think so?" Magda moved closer; her mouth hovered a bare inch away from Amanda's. "Do you really think I'm beautiful?"
    Amanda looked at her very seriously. "Yes, I do. Beautiful like God."
    "Then kiss me."
    Amanda closed the distance between their mouths without hesitation. She moved her warm, slightly wet lips over Magda’s with more experience than she’d expected of a church-going virgin.
    Magda lifted the camera up above their heads with one hand.
    Click.
    Amanda's eyes rolled back in her head. She passed out.
    *
    T he day hadn’t been a dead loss after all; Amanda was more fun than she looked. Magda hummed to herself. She floated about the house clearing away all evidence of cigarettes and alcohol. She drank some water and ate some fruit to sober up. She wanted to have some kind of control when Preacher arrived to take Amanda’s report. She printed out the photos of Amanda from the computer and put them in a nice neat folder. She opened all the windows and sprayed air freshener all through the house to rid it of the cigarette smell. She washed up and hid the two empty bottles. Then she went back to Amanda with some water, an aspirin and the folder clenched under one arm.
    Amanda snored on the lounge room floor.
    “Amanda.” Magda nudged her with her foot. “Wake up.”
    Amanda groaned in protest.
    “Preacher will be here in about ten minutes darling, you really should wake up.”
    Amanda opened her eyes and blinked. “What happened? I feel weird.”
    “You’re still drunk. Here, take this.”
    Amanda sat up and rubbed her