he overstayed his welcome againgot
caught up in his physical fantasy amniotic
floating turning and twisting obscene buoyance flying underwater
he was forever overcome by its
liquid beauty and freedom Freedumb his
lungs cautioned they rapped him on his
shoulder and signaled UP with their thumb
UP or drown idiot
he tried pushing up off the
bottom it was hapless he couldnt purchase
terra firma the soft sandybottom shifted
and slipped underfoot he glanced two quick strokes a clump of dead coral one foots worth crouch purchase push rocket rise
lucky
he broke surface as his eyes sparkled blacknesshis ears were dumb filled with seawater even they
gasped for air
on the beach he saw Jenny
she was calling to her son who
was inside of where he was closer to the shore
something towsomething toe something something
nothing he wasnt processing anything except trying to
fill his lungs sputtering seawater blowing spray
sucking at the air like it was a tit
coughingchoking air saltwater air saltwa air sal
air air Air aahfuck When we burn pay attention to us his
lungs cried
You asshole
he
cleared his throat hawked phlegm
he could feel the sea pulled at
his legs Come Lets play some more
Ha
she was built she was difficult to ignore Come
play with me
Maybe later he yelled or at least
thats what he thought he cried his
hearing was still muffledstill filled with her she spoke directly to his
brain she curled like a happy snail in the wraps and coils the living coral of his brain she moved in when he was only a boy she should have been ashamed of herself having her way with him but it was so wonderful someone had to be stupid to deny themselves pleasure a childs pleasure why adults adoltswhatever thought pleasure was theirs alone confounded him
aahpleasure
Jenny
somethingtow toe somethingtoe tow
Wha
wha he was still rockedstill reeling
he
liked toes he liked Jennys toes feet he
hadnt paid much attention to them before she had long toes long feet elegant arches Zion
would be jealous
toe toes
he had recovered enough to swim
in
Jenny was with her boy
she was roughly toweling him dry
he was unhappy with his mother
she was unhappy with him
she pulled the towel down around his
shoulders and let loose of it
it hung like a cape
wearing it he stomped over to another
beach towel he laid on the sand near a driftwood log and squatted like an Indian
he looked out at the sea
swimming up to the beach he found
his legshis footing and walked out of the water off the wet sand onto the dry hot
sand hot he was grateful for its burning it reminded him of his lungs and he thought maybe it might reinforced
their heattheir desperation maybe the next time hed pay attention to them
that was a mighty big bet
Jenny
Not now, please. You didn’t see him swimming out after you.
he wasnt going to play volley
with her question
statement statement question toe or tow
tow toe
he wasnt dumb tow undertow she cried to her son about undertow
No I wasnt aware he followed me As I told you I was going for a swim
He followed you.
Had I known I would have come
back Hes
not big enough yet lowering his voice so the boy wouldnt hear him Im going to have a word with him
she could twist a statement a question
he walked over to the boy Bryan
Yes.
This is a fine beach fine water
Yes.
I apologise I didnt know that you followed me out Had I known I wouldntve let you The sea can be treacherous Do you understand what treacherous means
I do.
Good It can
be life threatening If you keep up your swimming then next year we
can swim together in the deep water
Id like to then quietly The
sea is really so very, very beautiful.
Yes She is very beautiful A distinct pleasure
2315, Friday,
12 10. 18
1206, Twosday,
23 10. 18
