under the big black sun: a fable
Why? Why does a man kill?
Given a choice not to, why does he commit what can be seen (outside of, say, a larger view) as the ultimate robbery?
These are the questions being plummeted.
The latest session is under way and Martin feels finally about to get something now. He has the wealth of his relationship with Mac at hand, the narrative fact-matrix, and here comes more. They are up to the point of Mac's sister, and a detail is about to spill.
"Me and John used to, uh . . ." Mac seems deeply uncomfortable. Martin goes for water, practices tact, then tries again.
Mac tells him. "She was about six, eight maybe. We used to chase her and knock her down, she wore these dresses. We'd pull it up over her head. The guys would come along and we'd show them her . . . drawers. She'd cry, more when Mamma made her wear old ones with holes in them."
Martin waits. Mac is truly emotional, repentant.
This can't be it.
"Mac, that stuff by itself, couldn't have . . ." Made anyone feel actually suicidal. Martin was sure there was more. Something good waited at the bottom of this.
He tries to get there slowly, asking about her education as a nurse, hoping to ease gently into her illness, when Pat and the chief and Tim come in. The chief is flustered and decidedly impatient. They ask Martin to step out.
"Whoa! Wait just one minute here—" Martin finds himself physically removed to the end of the hall.
Mac is told the situation briefly, and then the lawyer called. He will be free shortly.
"What?" Martin shouts, advancing. Tim escorts him out of the jail.
