[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Torturo stroked his back and kissed his neck. No. It was a
good dream.
Good for you, maybe. Nick relaxed under his hands. You
didn t throw up in a culvert after a mouthful of blood and cooked
organ.
Except for that part, I remember it being pretty good for you,
too. Torturo leaned over and kissed Nick, brushing his lips gently
over his new lover s cheek and lips.
106
ALIVE ON THE INSIDE
Nick stayed still, not responding. That part was& He ran out
of words and instead, kissed Torturo hot and urgent, with wet
tongue and open mouth. He looked confused when he pulled back.
But now, I m what, five hundred miles from my house? How am I
going to get home?
Torturo shrugged and moved in again, wanting more of Nick s
kisses. The last one had left him hard and he pressed against
Nick s back. Nick stared at the floor.
I don t know where we are. Or when, Torturo said.
Nick looked up. What do you mean, when?
I mean, I don t know how much time has passed since we
slept. You ll get used to it. He wasn t sure he could explain the
hibernation just yet. It didn t matter. He stole a kiss now that he
could reach Nick s mouth and wrapped himself around Nick s
body, rubbing his cock against Nick s back.
Nick just stood up and looked at him as if he were crazy.
Torturo hated that look. He d seen it on many, many faces over the
years.
I need a shower and clean clothes and I want& Nick sank
back to the bunk. I don t even know what I want.
Torturo licked the back of his neck. You seemed to want me
fucking you.
Nick shuddered, whether from the tongue or the words, Torturo
didn t know. So crude.
He laughed and started dressing, Yes. And hot. And messy.
He kissed Nick s cheek as he bent to retrieve his socks.
I m really damned now, aren t I? I took a ride on the hell-
bound train.
Welcome aboard. Torturo grinned. You re in good
company. After all, you get me.
107
ALIVE ON THE INSIDE
Nick looked at him and slowly smiled. If it s all the same, I d
rather have breakfast. I m starving. His stomach rumbled a
counterpoint to back him up.
That, too, was a typical reaction. Torturo laughed as his own
stomach growled and he finished dressing.
All right. Torturo opened the door of the train car on a cool
autumn morning. Nick shivered in his short-sleeved dress shirt.
Torturo offered one of his sweaters and suit coats, which were far
too big on Nick s small body. Nick rolled up the sleeves of the
sweater. Torturo smiled at him, enjoying how cute he looked. Cute
was not an adjective that he normally applied to men, but Nick s
slight form in the oversized clothes, boyish face and look of
anticipation all seemed to merit it. Follow me.
* * *
Nick followed Torturo to a tent with a flag flying high above it.
Mess tent. Soup s on when the flag s up, Torturo said. Nick s
stomach growled more urgently at the smell of bacon and eggs and
coffee.
Everyone seemed to already be in there, eating as if they were
all starving. The giant had a gallon pot of oatmeal and ate it with a
spoon the size of a water dipper. Hannah s bowl was the size of a
soup tureen and she was halfway through it, a few stray oats in her
mustache. The twins smeared jam on toast, Alice having blueberry
and Dinah having grape. A whole loaf s worth of nibbled crusts sat
beside their plate. Tiny Tabitha had tackled a full-sized bowl of
oatmeal and two strips of bacon, which were longer than her arms.
Nagina laughed at something Mingxia had said, her wings
fluttering with her mirth. Mingxia sipped from a cup bigger than
108
ALIVE ON THE INSIDE
her head. Nagina returned to her oatmeal.
Torturo picked up a coffee mug almost as large as his whole
face and filled it with some of the best coffee Nick had ever
smelled. He picked up a tray and Nick followed suit, getting his
own soup-bowl sized coffee mug.
Torturo charmed the cook, getting ten strips of bacon, a dozen
eggs scrambled with cheese and cooked very soft, and five slices
of toast. Nick had a more modest plate with a soup tureen of
oatmeal and five strips of bacon.
Nick devoured the food and went for seconds, ignoring
Torturo s grin when he sat back down with more oatmeal and
some eggs.
So, anyone have the paper yet? Torturo asked, after getting a
refill of his coffee. He d demolished his eggs and bacon and had
stolen a piece of toast from the twins.
Alice passed the paper and two more slices of toast over. He
read the date aloud. Nick shook his head, certain he could not be
hearing right. October 24th, 1985. Argillite, Kentucky. Halloween
Faire to host Phantasmagoria Carnival.
He read the article aloud, to odd bursts of laughter Nick didn t
understand. He ate the last bite of the eggs and bacon as Nick
rejoined him with his third tray. They finished eating in silence as
the others drifted out.
After the Giant and his wife and the twins had left, Nick looked
at Torturo. What am I? Just a tag-a-long?
They wouldn t have fed you if you were, Jene said from
down the table. Jean wiped their mouth and then slapped Gene s
hand as he reached for another piece of toast. You ve had eight,
she scolded her left side. It s good marmalade, he returned. She
conceded and they had another slice.
109
ALIVE ON THE INSIDE
They re right, Torturo said. He got up and retrieved the
coffee pot. You ll work. A place will open up for you. What can
you do?
Nick shrugged and swallowed the end of his own toast. I can
sell stuff. Kinda what I do.
Can you sell the Show? Torturo poured Nick more coffee.
Extra warm up? Mountain mornings are chilly. He held his
whiskey flask over the cup, but Nick shook his head. He added a
small dollop to his own coffee and tucked the flask away.
Easily, Nick said.
Torturo went vague-looking for a minute, as if listening to
something that only he could hear. Then, he smiled at Nick. Your
clothes will be waiting in my train car. You ll be sharing with me.
They bussed their dishes and headed back to Torturo s car. The
Backyard was already fenced off and small tables and chairs were
set out for the performers. Nick watched the Ferris wheel go up, its
cheery white paint and red and yellow lights replaced by black
with purple and orange lights. The creepy sight made him shudder.
To distract himself from thinking too much, he asked, So what
am I now that I ve been hauled along?
You already asked that, Nick.
I mean privately. They went into the car, glad to be out of the
north wind that blew down off the mountains. Nick looked
embarrassed at having asked the question.
Mine& if you want it.
But your what? Nick persisted. Your, he hesitated and
forced the words, sex toy? Your house boy?
My beloved. Torturo drew him close to punctuate it with a
kiss. Nick looked confused and Torturo stopped, simply holding
him. It s not so strange, really, is it? he asked, a puzzled look on
110
ALIVE ON THE INSIDE
his face.
That s something you say to a woman, because she expects
it, Nick said flatly.
Torturo snorted. Well, that s not very romantic.
Nick shrugged. Romance is something you do to keep her
happy. He knew all about romance. He d studied magazines and
books on how to make his woman happy and have a successful
relationship.
Torturo shook his head and lit his first cigarette of the day. So
young to be so jaded, Nicholas.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]