damn good grilled cheese
Brielle was tickled when he order
a cold glass of milk
Milk?
Really?
Really Im surprised when people are surprised Why You
think Im too old to be drinking milk
No, it’s just that it’s been a long
time since I’ve been with someone who’s ordered milk with their food, usually
soda pops or coffee. What the hell, I
think I’ll join you.
Great Well compare moustaches
Moustaches. Oh you’re bad.
Wha I think youll look great with a blonde
moustache Against your complexion your
auburn hair the redhighlights Im thinking
Neapolitan ice cream
Neapolitan. Neapolitan.
she said it asif it was strange in her mouth
Do they still make Neapolitan ice cream?
Somewhere Id bet though Im not
keen I like Butter Pecan However for you Ill make an exception
Butter Pecan, shesh. then her eyes went bright So, ah, you think I’m exceptional?
he laughedsounded like a dogs
bark
Brielle Yes You are exceptional but don let it go to yer
head I still gotta getya out here
through the doorway to walk you home
she smiled deliciously You are so charming.
So you an my Maw say
the grilled cheese was good cold
her moustache was better than
his
it was because of the shape of
her mouth
in the parking lot she rushed up
behind himjumped up on his back nuzzled his neck kissed it
Would you be my pony until the
street. I can’t remember the last pony back ride I had; I promise, I swear, I
won’t forget this one if you allow me to ride you.
Ifya promise to remember ya got a ride
she wrapped him in her arms her
head beside his Ooh, you smell so good.
Good until I start sweating
Aww, then you’ll smell even
better, smell like who you are.
he chuckled Yare a queer little bird Brielle
Thank you.
she tugged on his right ear to
have him go right at the street
she was light
he thought he could carry her forever
she was thrilled he didnt put her
down
she whispered in
his ear You’re
such a good horsey. and kissed it
he whinnied
she laughed I’M SO
HAPPY!
Doesnt take much huh
It shouldn’t, don’t you think?
I think I have simple pleasures too
Birds of a feather! she laughed
Okay Yes Birds Brielle
she tugged on his left ear
he turned left
his ears were apparently reins
she laughed then whispered Wish I had spurs
Jesus girl Were becoming mighty familiar mighty fast
You want me to slow dow . .
. . No I can keep up
I believe you can.
they went left then right another
right left right another left
Just
up the street a bit further; I can’t believe you gave me a ride the whole way.
Tell ya wha next time I ride We can take turns
Haha, oh shit.
You think you can remember how to
get here?
Given our convoluted
conversations I think if I could follow our
currents and flowsoverflows thisll be a cinch Besides yare my inscentive
Incentive, that’s sweet.
In scent tive Brielle If I misstep all I have to do is put my nose
up in the air and inhale find your scent Your
scent Inscentive
Are you making up words for me?
I told you I write
You have.
Is it, like I’m a . . . a . muse?
You a – muse me
she gave him a big kiss on the
back of his head Thank you!
Yare welcome
Which house
Here on the left.
Ooh.
Wha
It doesn’t look the same, like the
same house, the fascade is . is . different. I’m disoriented.
Whas the address
5135.
Its 5135 Here he set her downfelt like he was going to launch into the atmosphere
suddenly feeling so light with Brielle dismounted Here give me your key
Okay.
after handing him the key she
crouched on the sidewalk cowered
Are you okay
I don’t know.
Ill be right back Watch from here
he went up five concrete steps
that mounted a berm small decorative
lions were to either side at the top he
followed the paver walk grass growing up in between them to the front door
the key slipped in
he unlocked the door
pushed it in a bit
he took the key out of the lock
and walked down towards her
Brielle he said as he returned to the top of the steps Yare home
Huh Doesn’t
look right. The
fascade, something’s . . different . Different.
he went down the steps to her and
reaching for her elbow she grabbed his arm with both hands frightenedshe startled
him Brielle Wha
The key opened the lock?
Yes
5135?
Yes
I’m not sure.
Well lets go up Your key unlocked it . .
. . You’ll go with me?
Ill go with you
Come on Im right hereright with you
as they ascended the steps she
said It looks so strange.
Asif you were in a dream
she lookedupsuddenly into his
face Yes. Exactly. In a dream.
I like drea . .
.
. Nightmares?
A nightmares a dream
You don’t think they are
different?
I don no
they went up the walk slowly as
Brielle steeled herself
You
recognised the lions an awfully
nice touch
The lions, yes.
she didnt take her eyes off the entryway You left the door open?
I did
at the threshold she stopped again I’m not familiar with this, anyofthis.
he stepped behind her and took
her by the shoulders pulled her back against his chest then turned her and as he
did he embraced her
she was trembling
Therethere Brielle Were okay Yare okay yare okay
Please
give me a moment. This
is so strange, so
strange.
All the time in the world Were okay yare okay he said it with conviction he could feel her beginning to gel feel her
strength gathering
Okay.
I . . ah . think, despite my
confusion, I think we can ah . . we can enter.
Okay Letting go of you Lets go in
she laughedthen laughed
harder and bit harder We’d look ridiculous, huh, shuffling in clutching
each other.
Ive looked ridiculousbeen
ridiculous before wouldnt be skin off my
ass
But you’re something else. No. I’m
okay. We can go in.
he liked now the firmness of her
voiceliked its assuredness returned Then
madam if I may Ill open the door all the
way an follow you in
Oh, thank you sir.
she stepped forward without
trepidation as he pushed it open and stepped aside
OH MY escaped her
the front room looked asif a kids enormous or
many jungle gyms madeup of steel bars pyramids cubes had been pushed over tumbled
together laid on modern vibrantlycoloured sectional ottoman furniture a seating
group
Brielle was
agog then delighted then confusednervous
she leapt up onto the bars separate poles climbing them and at once seemed to throw
gymnastic moves playing poledancing became utterly childish and alternately
utterly seductive working her way up and up to an impossiblyimplausible high
ceiling
it were asif a gigantic spider
on acid had spun an alacritous glintingsteel web irregular unsymmetric threaded
various diameters and upon it as the ceiling seemed to give way opened up upon it
strung them were beetle-like carapaces beads smooth insets facets unfurling
wings doorways splitting yawning opening into ascending rooms bedrooms dens
bathrooms opened segregated private filled with steaming bathtubs impossibly
inverted hanging upside down not dumping their water dictated by queer gravities
and she from atop a brightred glistening bead aquiver like jelly like a
dribble of mercury freed from a smashed thermometer peeking inside it perhaps through
an aperture he couldnt see she she
cried Come! You should join me! Join me!
I’ve found my bedroom.
she laughed as
she disappeared from sight entering it
her laughter became muffled though
she continued laughing laughing
happily and as he grabbed bars to scale
up after her they became malleable they bent they couldnt support his weightturned
to cool teardrops under his grasp he let go of them because the failed him
he grasped at other bars they avoided him like wary serpents then suddenly slowly the
fractal mass receded moved away from him leaving an opaque pearlescent slime on
the wood floor that seemed to harden he likened it more to a surface of an undisturbed pond not telling its depth revealing the depth of
the muck at its bottom and hardened like a honeycoloured lacquer like unforgiving resin that would later form amber
the
heapthe festooned bars stopped moving presented
a gulf between him at it a moat
he couldnt hear Brielle
though he could still see the brightred
bead she disappeared into
he wondered if he should risk
crossing the floorrisk crossing itrisk the bars that moved away from
him failed him
should he risk risk
he decided No
he woke perhaps
a cowards way out he didnt read fantasy
1021, Sunday,
17 11. 19
1249, Saturday, 6 3.
21
