The Hooker: A Reprehensible Acts Story (8 page)

I
don’t know why I want English.
 
I know we
don’t have any great history between us or anything, but he impressed me.
 
He should take it as a compliment.
 
But I would understand if he didn’t.

Anyway,
just make sure someone’s here before Friday.
 
The clock is ticking.
 
You know
where to find me.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

The
idea for the REPREHENSIBLE ACTS series came from a situation I've run into with
editors from time to time when they think the tone or subject matter of a piece
will tweak the reader’s sensitivities in the wrong way.
 
I've had an editor call me up and say,
"That’s a bit bleak.
 
Do you want to
tone it down?"
 
I can in some cases,
but not in all.
 
I was asked to drop a
couple of stories from my collection ASKING FOR TROUBLE because of tone.
 
THE HOOKER was one of those stories.
 
Sometimes, you just have to go where the
story takes you, in all its ugly glory.
 
A story should make us feel something—even if it's revulsion or
disapproval.
 
Over the coming months and
years, I'm planning to bring you some novellas and stories that press your
buttons.
 
I know these stories won't be
for everyone, but I hope some of you will join me on these voyages to rack and
ruin, because at the end of the day, if it can happen to them, it could happen
to us.

OTHER TITLES BY SIMON WOOD

Dragged into Darkness

Working Stiffs

Accidents Waiting to Happen

Paying the Piper

We All Fall Down

Terminated

Lowlifes

Asking for Trouble

The Fall Guy

Did Not Finish

Hot Seat

No Show

Crestfallen

The One That Got Away

As Simon Janus

The Scrubs

Road Rash