Bruno Crane
The Friend
‘Here within the hour,’ the manager said.
I make it back to my room without anyone trying to lock me up.
But I could feel the eyes on me as I passed through the corridors, could hear the muttering.
It’s quite clear they’ll all be crowing to the police as soon as they get here with tales of my misdeeds.
I have to get out of this place or I’m as much of a fool as a frog that stays in a pan of boiling water.
I’ll be suspect number one, and then they’ll search my room.
I’ve got the couple of bars of gold I took last night while Narracott wasn’t watching, at least. It’s not much – it’s certainly not what I’d hoped for – but it’ll pay off some of my debts and keep my head above water for a while.
And freedom is a damn sight better than the hangman’s noose.
The train is the safest way out of here.
There is just the small matter that I have never driven a train before, but how hard can it be?
Surely the thing practically drives itself.
I gather my belongings, the two bars of gold, thinking what a stupid, trusting fool I was.
How I wish I’d had the gall to steal more!
Then I leave this place for the last time.