Collection of Terrible Things Done by Terrible People (eBook)

KillJoy (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
228 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3509-7813-1 (ISBN)

Infos

'A Collection of Terrible Things Done by Terrible People' is a dark, gripping exploration of human corruption and revenge. Set in Stockton, the interconnected stories reveal morally complex characters driven by twisted motives and broken minds. KillJoy's debut novel pulls readers into a world of violence, betrayal, and the fragile limits of sanity.

If you bother to read this, your first question is probably: Why are you using a pen name? Your second is likely: Why KillJoy? Those are secrets I'll never tell. What I will give you is this: I'm a father to a little girl who's one of the only bright spots in a world full of terrible people. When I'm not writing about the worst of humanity, you'll find me playing Twisted Metal, Fallout, or Baldur's Gate 3, because dystopias are just more fun when you're in control. I dive into history and politics through podcasts because, apparently, I don't have enough reasons to lose sleep. The last book I read was American Psycho-a real palate cleanser, right? And if you need to know what gets me through writing about people at their worst, it's the music of Rob Zombie, Wage War, Ice Nine Kills, and Falling in Reverse.

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"e;A Collection of Terrible Things Done by Terrible People"e; is a brutal and unflinching examination of the darkest corners of human nature. Set against the gritty and unforgiving backdrop of Stockton, this collection of interwoven stories explores the lives of morally ambiguous characters, each navigating their own personal hell of corruption, revenge, and violence. Through vividly crafted scenes, KillJoy masterfully peels back the layers of each character's psyche, exposing their raw motivations, deep flaws, and the consequences of their actions. As each story builds upon the last, readers are taken deeper into a world where sanity teeters on the edge, and justice is as warped as the minds of those seeking it. From power-hungry opportunists to emotionally shattered individuals, every character is forced to confront the terrifying repercussions of their own decisions. In this relentless debut, KillJoy's sharp and uncompromising narrative voice leaves no stone unturned, daring readers to look into the abyss alongside the characters. "e;A Collection of Terrible Things Done by Terrible People"e; is a haunting and visceral journey through the ugliness of the human condition, making it a must-read for those who seek stories that challenge and unsettle in equal measure.

Textauszug

Prologue

“Jenna,” Hunter said as he felt his face get warm, “we weren’t supposed to spend over thirty bucks. I can’t accept this.” The entire office gasped with envious shock as Hunter held up the brand-new, sealed PS5. From the corner of his eye, Hunter could see Jeff folding his arms as he did his best to keep a scowl from sliding down his face.

“Oh, Hunter, it’s nothing,” Jenna said with a sly grin. “My brother works for Sony and has, like, ten of them. He gave it to me and I didn’t have a use for it. I know you’ve been wanting one. Do you like it?”

“Like it? I can’t wait to set it up.” Blowing past the thirty-dollar limit on a PS5 for the company’s Secret Santa this year wouldn’t have been so bad if everyone hadn’t been well aware that Jenna had bribed Jarome, who had actually pulled Hunter’s name, to swap with her. Twenty dollars and a few Xanax could fetch you just about anything from someone in Stockton. To Jarome’s credit, he had said nothing—it was just the third year in a row Jenna had “happened” to get Hunter. Despite Vortex Visual’s small size, drawing the same name three years in a row from a pool of twenty-two was highly improbable—less than 1 percent, to be exact. The abysmal odds, though, took a modest second place in regards to the rationale for the office’s jointly-held aspersions on the matter. Nobody would’ve given two shits about it if it weren’t for Jenna’s glaringly obvious fuck-me eyes that she cast whenever she walked by Hunter’s cubicle.

“Stick to the spending limit next time, Jenna,” Garret called. “Anyway, it was an exceptional year for Vortex, and I couldn’t have done it without you all. I have included a holiday bonus on all of your next paychecks and now invite you to come and make some plates of food for yourselves. I hope everyone likes sushi.” Everyone except Jeff clapped and fixed themselves some food.

“Hey,” Jenna approached from behind and tugged on Hunter’s sleeve.

“A goddamn PS5? Jenna, what the fuck?” Hunter’s smile was one of amused annoyance.

“Too blatant?”

“I mean, if you haven’t noticed, Jeff has been stabbing daggers into me with his eyes since I took it out of the bag.”

“Fuck that Great Value Mitch McConnell—let’s get away for a bit.”

Hunter looked around the office and saw everyone gorging themselves, none the wiser. “One minute. You go first,” Hunter said, lightly running his hand down Jenna’s back. She gave Hunter a wink and left the room. Hunter made a few quick goodbyes to a handful of his closer coworkers, telling them he was heading out for the night. Sneaking out of the conference room, he cautiously weaved through the cubicles, peering around the corner to ensure no one was nearby.

Knock knock.

The handle clicked, and the door opened just enough for Hunter to slip in. He didn’t even have enough time to put his gift bag on the ground before Jenna wrapped her arms around him and slammed her mouth against his. His back was firmly against the door, his hands grabbing her ass as he felt her grinning between their heated kisses.

“Fuck me, baby,” Jenna begged, her breath hot on his neck. Hunter could only nod as he quickly undid his belt, his pants slinking down his legs. Jenna unbuttoned her khakis and let them fall, primed and ready as she turned and bent over for her lover. Just as he was about to lower his boxers, however, they were both immediately startled by the loud, sharp chirping of Hunter’s phone.

Hunter cursed as he desperately tried to retrieve the device from the crumpled pants between his legs on the ground. The building was dark and quiet, and his ringtone would fill the entire hallway. “Shit,” he said, seeing the name on the screen. “H-hey babe, what’s up?”

“Hunter, I’m so sorry to bother you. I know you’re having fun at your office party, but I just wanted to ask if you could pick up my prescription from the pharmacy before it closes? My head is killing me, and I don’t think I’ll be able to make it over there.” Lenore sounded as if she was on the verge of tears.

“Oh, sweetheart, don’t be sorry. Yeah, I’ll get out of here and pick up your meds right now, okay?”

“Thank you, baby. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I know I haven’t been able to do too much the last few months, but I did get the crib set up this morning.”

“That is so awesome, Lenore. Listen, don’t apologize for anything. I’ll head over right now and get your stuff, okay? Just leave the door unlocked for me, it’s pouring out.”

“Okay, babe, I’ll see you soon. I love you.”

“I’ll see you soon,” Hunter said, hanging up. He looked away from his phone to see Jenna scowling. “Sorry.”

Jenna rolled her eyes and picked up her pants, the moment gone. “Isn’t the bitch supposed to be at high risk for miscarriage? You’re getting awfully close.” The words were sharp, and while Hunter was complicit in the crime, they still cut into him.

“Can we not hope that it’s a miscarriage? Like, I know I’m cheating on her, but that’s still kinda fucked up.”

“Do you wanna pay child support to her after you divorce the bitch? Don’t expect to be with me if you’re interested in raising another woman’s child.”

“I—okay, look, thank you for the PS5, even though I do not know how I’m going to explain getting that. I gotta get out of here before the pharmacy closes. See you Monday?”

“Yeah, yeah. Just keep your dick out of her snatch. I’ll know if you’ve been screwing her.”

“Hey, don’t get pissy with me. It’s complicated and I’m trying to make it work. Look,” Hunter said, grabbing her delicate face in his hand, “I love you. I just need you to be patient with me.” He opened the door, his heart leaping into his throat as his eyes met Jeff’s. “Christ, Jeff. What the fuck, man?”

“I know what the two of you have been up to, and I don’t like it one bit. One bit, Hunter. I’m going to talk to Jarome next week and I’m not sure what your future with Vortex is going to look like.” Jeff wheezed, crossing his arms as he looked Hunter up and down with disgust. His eyes fell upon Jenna, and his demeanor shifted into something softer and more empathetic. “And Jenna, I’m very disappointed in you. What would your father think, doing God-knows-what in the storage closet of your place of employment with a married man?” His tone was father-like and preachy. It made Jenna want to vomit.

“Jeff, this is fucking harassment, you custardy, slack-jawed piece of shit. Why don’t you go get a job as a proctologist already, because you clearly love being up everyone’s ass,” Jenna shouted, pushing past Jeff with her shoulder. He stood wide-eyed and shocked as Hunter fixed his pants and followed his paramour out into the foyer. “I have to get my purse and shit, but I’ll message you on Docs,” Jenna said.

Hunter opened his mouth to speak but said nothing as she disappeared from view. With a shake of his head, he hit the remote start on his key fob to warm his car. Silently, he stood, gazing through the main doors of the building.

While he was familiar with the wet winter in Stockton, tonight the rain was of almost biblical proportions, pouring down relentlessly. The heavy drops pounded against the pavement, creating a deafening roar that filled the night. He took his phone out, revealing the time and the backdrop of him and Lenore in bed, smiling at the camera. Reminiscing about the night they got married, he recalled the softness and perfection of everything—the warmth of her touch, the sweetness of her laugh, the way her eyes sparkled with joy. Feeling sick, he glanced at the time, questioning the pharmacy’s holiday schedule. He quickly Googled it and saw he had twelve minutes to get there before the doors closed.

—

Hunter had run in just as the pharmacist was flipping the counter sign to close. Despite her youthful appearance, she looked miserable and had deep black circles under her eyes. He was about twenty seconds into his sob story about having a pregnant, helpless wife at home when he realized he was essentially looking into a mirror of apathy. It appeared as if customer service and the expectations of fidelity today only got you so far.

“Look, I need these pills. I’ll make it worth your while,” Hunter said, reaching into his wallet. He pulled out a crisp ten-dollar bill and something out from his pocket, which he quickly rolled up inside the cash. The pharmacist saw a small plastic baggy poking out with a couple of white rectangular bars inside that she was very familiar with.

“Last name?” she asked, snatching the cash from Hunter. They completed their transaction and Hunter was out the door, now short of the Xanax he was counting on having this weekend. More suffering. More atonement.

The drive home was cold and miserable, the heating in Hunter’s car really only kicking on as he pulled onto his street. He parked in the driveway and let out a deep sigh, preparing himself. The rain was still coming down so heavily that his own front door wasn’t visible. The thought of a hot shower to rinse away the day’s accumulated sense of shame and regret motivated him to grab his things and make a mad dash inside.

Much to his surprise and annoyance, he realized the door was left cracked open. He went in to find that the rain had made its way almost to the kitchen....

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 1.2.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3509-7813-1 / 9798350978131