Parker wonders what the hell is going on here. It seems so surreal. Franklin’s got a man tied up on his bed and he’s rambling on about old films?
He tries a question, but it emerges only as noise.
‘You’re right,’ Franklin says. ‘I should let you speak.’
He rips the tape away from Parker’s mouth and then reaches in and pulls out a long length of cloth, as though he’s a magician performing a trick. Parker coughs. The inside of his mouth feels desiccated and scaly, his tongue a shrivelled lump of useless flesh.
‘Here,’ Franklin says, ‘have some water.’ He reaches for a glass on the bedside cabinet, presumably placed there in readiness for this moment, and angles it towards Parker’s parched lips. Parker raises his head, sips the water and swirls it around his mouth before swallowing. It occurs to him too late that the water may be drugged.
‘How’s the music, by the way?’ Franklin asks. ‘Do you like my selection?’
Parker doesn’t want to discuss music or films or Franklin’s dysfunctional parents. There are more pressing things on his mind.
‘Where are we? Why have you brought me here?’
Franklin appears genuinely puzzled by the question.
‘Why? Because you asked me to.’
‘What are you talking about? I didn’t ask you to drug me and tie me to a bed.’
‘No, but you asked for my help. You said you wanted to get back with Megan.’
It seems such a warped response. A bit like slapping someone who says they’re starving.
‘How can this possibly help to achieve that?’
‘Have faith. Drastic situations call for drastic measures.’
Parker doesn’t like the use of that word ‘drastic’. He would prefer something like ‘sensible’ or ‘reasonable’.
‘This… this is a joke, right? A prank.’
‘No joke. I take your situation very seriously.’
‘But… but you can’t just kidnap people. You can’t just keep them prisoner.’
‘Actually, I think you’ll find I can. Nobody else knows you’re here. We’ve got all the time in the world. We’ll get to know each other quite well.’
Parker doesn’t want to become bosom buddies with this man. He doesn’t want anything more to do with him. Wishes he’d never spoken to him in that bar. Regrets even going into that bar.
‘Just… untie me, okay? Let me leave. I’ll pay you everything I owe you. I’ll double it. Triple it. Please. Untie me and let’s sort this out.’
‘It’s not about the money.’
‘If it’s not about the money, then what is it about? What will it take to let me go?’
‘I’ve already told you. What it will take is for you and Megan to get together again.’
It feels to Parker as though they are in two different universes. To Franklin, what he is doing seems to possess some kind of logic. To Parker, it’s an impossible situation. Being held captive in a bedroom and resuming a relationship with Megan are totally incompatible. He doesn’t understand how Franklin cannot see it from that viewpoint.
‘And how will tying me to a bed accomplish that?’
‘Because it means you will have to stay here. And that means we can work together. You and I. We can act as a team. Combine forces. Megan will be powerless to resist.’
It still makes no sense to Parker.
‘I… I don’t understand.’
‘You will.’
And with that, Franklin reaches behind his back and pulls something from his waistband. Parker lifts his head to get a better look.
And then he wishes he hadn’t.
Franklin is now holding up a large pair of kitchen scissors.
Parker tries to hide his terror. Tries telling himself there is a perfectly good reason for this.
He says, ‘What are they for? The ropes. You’re going to cut the ropes, right?’
‘Not exactly.’
Franklin looks Parker up and down. Finally reaching a decision, he brings the scissors to one of Parker’s ankles. Then he begins to cut along the leg of his cotton trousers.
‘What the hell are you doing?’ says Parker, hearing the panic in his own voice.
‘Undressing you. This is the easiest way.’
