Good Morning, Darkness by Ruth Francisco

Author:Ruth Francisco [Francisco, Ruth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mysterious Press
Published: 2013-11-20T22:00:00+00:00

* * *

Whoever invented liquid soap must have been gay.

This is what Scott was thinking as he stood in the yellow-tiled shower at his gym, squirting handfuls of soap into his palm, then smearing it over his arms and thighs. He imagined a shower room of butt-naked men massaging their sperm over one another, then thought of the night when he was naked and got blood all over his arms and chest. He lifted his palm into the cascading water and imagined himself an Aztec priest standing high above a crowd, ripping out the heart of a young warrior whose spilled blood assured the fertility of the soil and swaying stalks of corn.

Someone opened the door to the men’s locker-room; cool air rushed in. Despite the sting of hot water shooting down Scott’s back, a chill spread over his skin.

He’d done nothing to feel guilty about. He chastised himself for his attacks of panic. He’d done what needed to be done—a sacrifice that assured the continuity of life—his life.

He put his head under the spray and scrubbed his scalp vigorously. He should be celebrating—he’d closed his third sale this month, which made him Bay City’s number one Realtor. He ought to call someone up and go out for a nice dinner, but all he could think was that it wouldn’t be any fun, not without Laura. Then he realized: Today was the anniversary of when they first met. Funny he should remember it.

They’d met in the produce section at Gelson’s. He saw her with a red plastic basket on her arm, looking at the stacks of avocados and tomatoes. It was the kind of grocery store where a clerk rearranged the fruits and vegetables as soon as you took one. Of course, you paid double for the privilege of seeing such perfect pyramids of produce, but no one seemed to mind. Laura stood there staring at the fruit. When she felt Scott watching her, she turned and looked at him. There was a flash of alarm in her eyes, then interest; she held his gaze until he felt he had to say something.

“You can touch them, you know.”

She smiled. “They’re beautiful,” she said.

Scott was fascinated. Was she crazy? She didn’t look it. She was gorgeous. What kind of woman got mesmerized looking at fruits and vegetables? He had to find out.

“You want an avocado?” he asked.

She nodded.

He put his fingers around a dark green fruit in the middle of the stack. He glanced over at her, daring her to dare him. Her eyes—God, they were beautiful, cobalt blue—got big, and one corner of her mouth lifted. Slowly, he pulled out the avocado, holding out his other hand, like a magician casting a spell, to keep the pile from collapsing. He offered it to her and bowed.

Then she laughed. It was like wind chimes—no, more beautiful than that: like the wind blowing through a cave, playing crystal stalactites.

He glanced doubtfully at the avocados. “We better get out of here.” As he took her by the elbow and led her down the aisle, she picked the vegetables she needed.

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