When she took another small step, one so small she thought I probably wouldn’t notice it, I fired a warning shot, nicking the top of her ear. She ducked, wincing in pain. I expected her to scream. To cry. To drop this carefree, crazy act she had going on. What I did not expect her to do was fucking smile. She lightly touched her ear, a few drops of blood coming away on her finger. Maintaining eye contact with me, she put her finger in her mouth and sucked it clean, hollowing her cheeks.
