At the stairs, it became obvious she wasn't going to make it up on her own two feet She got down on all fours and took the steps one at a time, testing every handhold and foothold as if she were climbing a mountain. On the way she lost a sandal; she could hear it clatter down the staircase. And at the top of the staircase she simply collapsed, her face against the dirty floor, and lay there letting the world spin wildly about her…
Dreams wavered in front of her eyes, going in and out of focus the way the world did when she tried to sit up. After a while she stopped trying to sit up. She lay there and took it all in. It wasn't as if she really had any part in it though, even when the visions that entered her mind were visions in which someone named Nan, or Annie, or whoever, took part-looking strangely like herself the way she looked when she looked in the mirror, only…kind of far away somehow, kind of uninvolved. The people in her vision touched her and prodded her and poked her and fondled her and did things to her, some new, some old, some strange and some familiar. It all didn't seem to be happening to her, really: she seemed to be seeing and feeling at one remove…
…There was a strange smell in the air, and voices talking. The woman's was familiar, the man's strange to her. She blinked and looked around her face. A few feet away she could see the legs of the couch, and, before it two pairs of bare feet, a man's, thick-veined and hairy, and a woman's, soft-skinned and graceful, As she watched, the woman's foot crept across the man's and, toes clenching sensuously began to caress the man's instep, slowly, languorously. Voices: .. Hey, gimme the roach, dammit, don't go Bogarting on me there…mmmmmmm… yeah…yeah…Oh, yeah… "Mmmmm. Right Riiiiiight."
"Jesus Christ what a mess this joint is."
"Mmmmm-hmmm. Me and the lady of the house over there had a party last night Not bad either. I was just gettin' warmed up when I had to go pick yon up. Damn you, Artie, anyhow. I could have balled all night And you have to go use it all up on the old lady."
"Right Best fucking stud in Brentwood. Don't bitch, baby, it pays the rent"
"Faggot You couldn't even get it up."
"Shit I needed some sleep. Balling that wrinkly old bitch is work. She'd put anybody but me in die hospital in a week of that"
"Faggot! Faggot!"
"Get your goddam hands out of my fly. You want it you gotta beg for it."
"No. No, stop it you're hurting me. You're hurting me. Goddammit Artie, you're hurting me. You're gonna leave a bruise, and then what the fuck am I going to look like when I play that house party gig Friday?"
"Cover it up, hey? Wear a Band-Aid." r
"You son of a bitch."
"Anyhow, we got all night tonight."
"No I don't I gotta get back to class."
"No you ain't. Get the kid to teach it. The assistant what's her name."
"Oh, Artie…"
"Suck my dick."
"Now?"
"Yeah. I wanta get my cock sucked. Right now."
"But, honey…"
"Fuck it get down there and eat it Look, you got it up, you gotta get it back down again."
"Do I have to?"
"You bet your ass, bitch. And you better swallow every drop. I don't want any spots on my pants. I gotta wear these things to Bel Air tomorrow night Come on, don't fuck around. Get your fat ass down there and gimme the best blowjob in town. Theeee best, right."
"But Artie… " (the man's feet moved apart, splayed, turned out The woman got down on her knees, her round bottom in the air, her wrinkled soles bunch, the toes clench. The woman was enjoying this. Nan looked up, now. The woman's head was bobbing crazily up and down over the man's lap. From her position Nan could see the woman's hand come down between her legs, and, visible between the voluptuous thighs, rub her crotch vigorously.)
"Hey, ohhhh, that's nice, that's nice. You just don't look right baby…unless you got your mouth full of dick…just you wait till tomorrow…yeahhhhhh
…I'm gonna chain yon up and pass you around to the crowd…and we're gonna play post office my way…Yeahhhh…pass of Zora around in the circle…spin 'er in the middle of the floor…an' whoever she points to…she's gotta do whatever they want…Right in front of everybody…I can't wait to see…that big buck nigger from the Cop Story cast…fuck you up the ass…with that big tool o' his…I'm gonna get it all on videotape…and we're gonna play it back the next day…and…ohhhh, yeahhhh…bh, yeahhhh…that's the old cocksucker…oh, yeah…oh, me! Oh, my! Oh, I'm gonna blow it…you better get ready, kid…here I come…here I come…oh, yeah…Yeah…Yeahhhh…YEAHHHHHHHH…"
"I gotta get to work."
"The fuck you do."
"No, Artie, I do."
"Call the cunt, what's her name. Tell her you got the curse, can't go shakin' that old ass if it smells like a fish market and you got it all stuffed full of rag."
"I don't wanta."
"I don't give a fuck what you want You get that? Now get over there and call!"
(Nan got her hands under her and pushed. She raised her body an inch, two inches.)
"Hey, look Sleeping Beauty."
"Yeah. I think she must be comin' out from under that shit I gave her."
"Maybe she'd like to suck me off too. I got a bone on again."
"So ask her. Tell her. Who the fuck you think I am? You ain't Miles Standish."
(Nan sat up gamely. She shook her head. She had to get out of here. Maybe Louise or someone would help her. She had to call…call someone…Maxine…Max…the sculptress…she had to find help…)
"What're we gonna do with her?"
"I dunno. She's freaked out on that stuff I gave her."
"She's comin' out of it Maybe she needs some more."
"Yeah, why should a jerk like you have all the fun."
"So get her a glass of water. I got some more in my pocket."
"Okay."
(Strong, none too gentle hands guided Nan on hands and knees to the couch. She looked up; a rigid penis stared her in the eye. "Here," the voice said matter-of-factly, hands forced her slack jaw down, forced the big penis inside her mouth. She gagged; her head shook; she tried to spit it out)
"Hey, God dammit none of that. Give her the pill."
"Okay. Just figured she ought to be working for her keep."
"Okay, just give it to her. There…drink it down, cookie…there…we're gonna take you for a nice ride."
"Ride? What the fuck do you mean ride? She ain't going with us."
"Oh, hell, Artie. Let's take her to the party. We'll have some fun with her. She won't mind. Look, she's happy. She's smiling."
"That's the shit taking effect"
"Same difference. Look, she's on a downer. Well cheer her up."
"I dunno…you're gonna get in trouble doin' that sometime."
"She isn't a bad piece of ass."
"How would a goddamn frigid bitch tike you know?"
"I asked the ouija board, you dumb faggot."
"Fuck you."
"Look. Just put her in the back. You can get in the back with her. Put the seat down. She can blow you while I drive us back to the beach."
"Okay. What the fuck."
"That's what I say."
"Okay. Okay, well have a party. Practice for the big party tomorrow night"
I'll go get the wagon and back it up near the door."
"Balls. She doesn't weigh anything. I'll carry her down."
"Okay. Just lemme get our shoes."
"Check the medicine cabinet while you're at it"
"Sure. The chick won't miss it where she is."
'I'll meet you downstairs."
"Okay."