Uneasy Reading: 4 Horror Shorts Read Online Free PDF

to come easy; not after all she'd done. A job
that came out of nowhere like this was usually a setup. Hell, even
Vincent should be smart enough to know that. "Where are we supposed
to pick it up, and where do they want us to take it?"
    "I'll tell you that after I get my burrito,"
Vincent said. He blew into his hands to keep them warm.
    "Right," Joey said. If it was a setup, he
was going to shoot first.
    "How about we turn on the radio and get some
tunes?"
    "I only get the easy listening station when
it's raining."
    Vincent reached over and turned the radio
on. 'Rocky Mountain High' began playing as they turned into the Del
Taco drive-thru. Joey shook his head and stifled a laugh. Syndicate
enforcers and runners always listen to John Denver before a job…
just because they're that badass.
    2.
    The storage facility parking lot was empty.
The late hour and the driving rain were to thank for that. They'd
driven down to the unit while Vincent slobbered on his burrito.
Joey could barely make out what the dope was saying between bites.
Apparently, the goods were supposed to be in a storage unit under
guard of the Haitian. At least that was good news.
    Joey had been friends with him… although
friend might be too strong a word. He was as close as people in
their line of work could really ever be. If the Haitian was there,
Joey knew that at least it wasn't a setup. They'd both helped one
another out of jams before. He had even been the one to tip Joey
off that Giovanni wanted him dead.
    He opened the automated gate with the code
Vincent provided and drove to Storage Locker 10B, located on the
far side of the complex. He drove slowly, watching and waiting for
signs of an ambush. He didn't see anyone – but that didn't mean the
place was empty.
    He parked and grabbed his shotgun from the
trunk. His .40 was nice, but the scattergun could be a hell of a
deterrent if Carlos or one of Giovanni's other goons decided to
show. "Where's the Haitian?"
    "He's probably inside," Vincent said.
"Doesn't make much sense to stand out in the rain, does it?"
    "You'd better be carrying a piece," Joey
said as they made their way toward the unit.
    "Jesus, man, I told you it ain't like that.
This'll square us both with Giovanni," Vincent said. "Besides, guns
make me nervous."
    "You're a real shitty drug dealer, you know
that?"
    "I've been told."
    "Yeah, well what exactly was it that put you
on her bad side in the first place?"
    "What do you think? I was sampling more of
the goods than I was selling. She didn't like that too much and
threatened to break my hands," Vincent said.
    "Broken hands ain't that bad. At least
they'll heal."
    "Shit, Giovanni knows how to hurt a person
the deepest. How could I roll my smoke with busted hands?"
    "Good point. We wouldn't want you to get
clean and sober."
    "Hell no," Vincent said. "Could you imagine
what that would be like?"
    When they reached the unit, Joey saw the
rollup aluminum door. It was already partially open – about two
feet off the ground – and the lock was missing. He wondered if the
Haitian would even hear them approach over the sound of the driving
rain.
    "Haitian," Joey called. He didn't know the
man's actual name and he'd never bothered to ask. He doubted anyone
did. After a moment, he called out again. When the Haitian didn't
respond, Joey pumped the shotgun.
    "He's in there," Vincent said. "He's got to
be."
    "Open the door and find out," Joey replied.
He stepped back to give Vincent room to lift the door.
    "Great," Vincent said. He lifted the door
open.
    "Go in and turn on the light," Joey said. He
held the shotgun to his shoulder, aiming at the dark maw of the
open unit, well aware that he was a perfect target.
    "No, man, you can do it. You've got the
gun," Vincent said.
    "Damn straight I have the gun," Joey said,
moving the barrel of the shotgun slightly so that it pointed at
Vincent's chest. "Go in and turn on the light."
    "That's cold, man." He stepped inside and a
moment later light flooded the