James: I have a technique. What man doesn’t? Jesus, we all need something to do, don’t we? Something to bring a smile to our lips. The moan against the chest, little flutter of eyelids. Control for the fingers, keep that hand steady, steady still all the way down. Pressed tight in the dark. But what more?
“Surely” you plead, “Surely” you cry, “We need more than that.” And you say that with such conviction, Like it’s the easiest thing in the world to have any more than that.
Jesus.
Finds Jess, after she has been thrown into the river.
I made her. Opened up the door and there she was. Perfectly formed.
James walks through the crowd, who part for him.
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me describe her:
She stands doe-eyed under warm lights with hair falling from yellow to brown. Skin lying fawn-like over her words. I hear the faint cry of a wild animal and she appears, smiling across the ground. She undresses and I watch a string of orange lights leading from her feet to mine. Snowskin away from my fingers, yet I feel the strength of images in her eyes and all I want to do is speak. All I want to do is speak. But I never can, and she always disappears.
Snowskin left in the water.
Born alive; thing of the imagination.
But who can say, who can truly say?
My sea-eyed girl,
Come into the arms of your ever-loving man.
James embraces Jess.
Jess kisses him.
James becomes visibly on edge.
So I go back into those doors. Even with you, my love. And I’m hoping to be done with it all, but here it keeps on coming.
James smiles and calms.
A thing of my own, made under bedroom sheets.
It’s a story for me to tell, And my God, I tell it well.
James kisses Jess on the neck.
But I feel long and I feel hard and this thing lies down on the river bed.
James pushes Jess down into the water. Everyone is watching, silent.
James undoes his belt.
James advances on Jess in the water.
He is violent and he is aggressive.
He almost drowns Jess, but stops before she can be killed.
She stands gasping.
He is shaking.
He leaves.
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