The Cormorant (38 page)

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otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in

any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is

published and without a similar condition including this

condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and

incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or

localities is entirely coincidental.

Contents

1. TITLE PAGE
   
2. PART ONE: FILTHADELPHIA
   
3. INTERLUDE: NOW
   
4. 1. PUT A RING ON IT
   
5. 2. SCALPER
   
6. 3. INTO THE BLACK
   
7. 4. HER HAUNTED HEAD
   
8. 5. THREE DAYS WITH THE DEAD
   
9. 6. EVICTION NOTICE
   
10. INTERLUDE: ONE YEAR AGO
    
11. 7. MIRIAM VERSUS THE FRIEND ZONE
    
12. PART TWO: MILE ZERO
    
13. INTERLUDE: NOW
    
14. 8. SHAKE ON IT, DARNELL
    
15. 9. RED ROCKET, RED ROCKET
    
16. INTERLUDE: YOUNG MIRIAM LEARNS TO DRIVE
    
17. 10. THE SUNSHINE STATE CAN GO FUCK ITSELF
    
18. 11. RINGY-RINGY
    
19. 12. LIKE MOSES IN A RED FIERO
    
20. 13. TORCH KEY
    
21. 14. HEMINGWAY’S SPIRIT
    
22. 15. DISEASEBURGER IN PARADISE
    
23. 16. HELLO, MIRIAM
    
24. 17. IT’S NIGHT, AND STEVE MAX IS BLEEDING
    
25. INTERLUDE: NOW
    
26. 18. BLACKOUT
    
27. 19. RUM, SODOMY AND THE LASH
    
28. 20. TOUCH AND GO
    
29. INTERLUDE: NOW
    
30. 21. JAILBIRD
    
31. PART THREE: VILLAGE BY THE SEA
    
32. INTERLUDE: NOW
    
33. 22. RECOGNIZANCE
    
34. 23. ARE WE THERE YET?
    
35. INTERLUDE: THE FATHERLESS GIRL
    
36. 24. NO SLEEP FOR SINNERS
    
37. 25. SHARING IS CARING
    
38. INTERLUDE: NOW
    
39. PART FOUR: 305 TILL I DIE
    
40. 26. DAUGHTER OF THE YEAR
    
41. 27. THE GOOD NEWS GOSPEL
    
42. 28. DEATH ON THE DANCE FLOOR
    
43. 29. MISTER MIDNIGHT AND THE GHOST OF HAIRLESS FUCKER
    
44. INTERLUDE: FRANKIE
    
45. 30. A LOW, LOW OFFER
    
46. 31. GULL HEART
    
47. 32. A TALE OF TWO MIRIAMS
    
48. 33. THE TIDE IS RISING
    
49. PART FIVE: LOS MARTIRES
    
50. INTERLUDE: NOW
    
51. 34. VACANCY
    
52. 35. THE SPIRIT OF THE THING
    
53. 36. THE FOX
    
54. 37. THE FISHER QUEEN
    
55. 38. PSYCHICS AT SUNDOWN
    
56. 39. NEW OLD FLAME
    
57. 40. GIMME SOME SUGAR
    
58. INTERLUDE: SUGAR’S STORY
    
59. 41. TWO THINGS
    
60. INTERLUDE: NOW
    
61. 42. LITTLE LADY HANDS
    
62. 43. MURDER WAS THE CASE THAT THEY GAVE ME
    
63. 44. SUMMERLAND
    
64. 45. DARK CROSSING
    
65. 46. TWO TREE KEY
    
66. 47. THE HANGED WOMAN
    
67. INTERLUDE: YELLOW JACKETS IN SEPTEMBER
    
68. 48. TWO DAYS LEFT
    
69. 49. HOBBLE AND LIMP
    
70. 50. THE MONSTER WE MADE
    
71. New page
    
72. INTERLUDE
    
73. 51. STILL ALIVE
    
74. 52. PRETTY PRETTY CICATRIX
    
75. New page
    
76. FIFTY-THREE
    
77. 54. CURTAINS
    
78. INTERLUDE: NOW
    
79. 55. LOST TIME
    
80. INTERLUDE: NOW
    
81. 56. LEAP BEFORE YOU LOOK
    
82. 57. CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION
    
83. 58. PREDESTINATION
    
84. 59. AT LENGTH DID CROSS AN ALBATROSS
    
85. 60. THERE PASSED A WEARY TIME
    
86. 61. I FEAR THEE AND THY GLITTERING EYE
    
87. 62. AS A SLAVE BEFORE THE LORD
    
88. INTERLUDE: THE VISION
    
89. 63. THEY SEEMED TO FILL THE SEA AND AIR
    
90. 64. MOTHER MAY I
    
91. PART SIX: KEYS AND LOCKS
    
92. 65. THE REAPER’S TOUCH
    
93. 66. MOTHER MAY I?
    
94. 67. THAT’S SOME BUDDHIST SHIT, RIGHT THERE
    
95. 68. GONE FISHIN’
    
96. 69. THUMB OUT
    
97. INTERLUDE: NOW
    
98. 70. THE BOX
    
99. 71. BRUJA
    
100. 72. NAILS IN THE COFFIN
     
101. Acknowledgements
     
102. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
     
103. BY THE SAME AUTHOR
     
104. Imprint Page