Excerpt: Memories That Fade Like Photographs

And all of a sudden I am aware of four things happening at the same time. The first is Ali dropping a shopping bag full of tins, running outside and throwing up violently. I’d wince at the sound if it wasn’t for the second thing I notice. Rian grabbing me by the neck and pinning me to the wall.
“What have you done? You bastard, you killed her!” he’s screaming over and over, beating me all over. But I barely notice that either, after I notice the third and fourth things. Thirdly, I notice that the thirsty ache in the back of my throat is gone, completely. And then I see the blood. All over the floor. I don’t thirst after it, like I instinctively know I should, for I realise the body parts semi submerged in them. The first one I notice is the head of Nicky Taylor, separated from her body. For a second, I want to join Ali outside, vomiting all over. His noises have stopped, so I’m guessing he took a glance back in and passed out. How Rian can stand there in a pool of his dead girlfriend’s blood, though, is totally beyond me. Everyone reacts differently I suppose. Especially to death.