The Recycled Man, part 2’, Rob Sharp  Illustrations © 2009
Cécile Matthey.  Previous chapter: The Recycled Man, part one
[ Corpsicles © 2009 Cécile Matthey ] There was a thumping in his
head as Finn woke up. Not like the usual whisky hangovers he had
every morning—this one was accompanied by screams. The Tallyman
sat bolt upright on the bed, Salamander already in hand. Even
before he struggled to get his pants back on, he stuffed the
business end of the gas-fired gun with perfume beads snatched
from a shallow bowl next to Julie's bed.  Ever since the two
attempts on his life—ha!—his second life—the universe had been
turned upside down, and shaken vigorously. He was just a dead
man trying to keep his own books balanced in this dour recycled
world. 18 months dead, with a custom made personality programmed
into his fucking brain; which told him he was a debt collector,
a corporate executioner, and a dog lover... Not a bloody moving
target!  There was no sign of Julie Francisco, the doctor turned
sex-worker he