The Skin Show (13 page)

“To
make a long story short, Lou got in the dealing business, and since I was good
at talking to people, I became his pusher. I was the one who gave Danny his
first joint so he’d shut up and stop begging me for one. But, I wouldn’t let
him do anything harder. Once I stopped selling, though, he went crazy with it.
Got on meth…and well you know the rest.”

“So,
you blame yourself for his drug use?”

“Well,
I got him started, didn’t I?”

“You
got him high on weed, there’s a bit of difference between that and meth. I
think he just rebelled against you by trying so many things that he got addicted.
No, it wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah,
sure.”

“Danny
told me you hated him because he stole Nicole from you.”

Andy
felt his hands clench into fists. “He didn’t
steal
her. We were already
broken up. She wanted a break from having a relationship, or so she said. Next
thing I know, he’s bringing her around everywhere he goes. People are telling
me they’d seen Danny and Nicole kissing in public, or holding hands, but they
kept denying it. One night, I had to know for sure, so I drove over to Danny’s
trailer. Nicole’s car was there. I went to the door and could hear them…you
know.”

Karen
nodded.

“Well…I
sort of flipped out, yelling, and started pounding on the door. I could hear
them panicking inside, running around. I guess they were trying to hurry up and
get dressed. When Danny came to the door, he tried to smile it off, and that
just made me angrier. I beat the hell out of him that night. I was arrested and
Nicole bailed me out.”

“Wow.
That’s a record you have.”

“Yeah,
something to be proud of.” He shook his head. “Anyway, on the way back to
Danny’s, Nicole told me everything. And she’s stayed with him ever since. I
didn’t even know they got married until Nicole told me about it one day, months
later. Said they ran off to the justice of the peace. I asked her why and you
know what she told me?”

“I
can hardly imagine…”

“She
said Danny needed insurance, and since he couldn’t afford it, she married him
and put him on hers.”

“Whoa…”

“Something,
isn’t it? I just…don’t understand how he…maybe deep down I’m just jealous of
him.”

Andy
wondered if he’d been the one who’d gotten hooked, would Nicole have stayed
then. He liked to think so, but something always told him she wouldn’t have. It
was that hold Danny always managed to get on someone. Nicole had given up any
chance in having a comfortable life for a crumbling trailer in a derelict
trailer park with a junkie for a husband. She stayed through it all. Sure,
she’d told Andy she was going to finally leave Danny, but he doubted it would
have lasted longer than a week.

He
looked at Karen, wondering if his brother had the same effect on her.

“What
about you?” asked Andy.

“What
about
me?”

“Why
are you out here? I mean, you’re going a little beyond your call of duty,
aren’t you?”

“Ouch,
Andy. That one stung.”

“Sorry.
I didn’t mean to be nasty about it.”

“Are
you implying Danny and I have something going on?”

“Well…if
you do, you wouldn’t be the first. And, I guess I couldn’t blame you. He’s just
got…something about him.”

“You’re
brother’s definitely cute, but not my style. I like them a little smarter and
cleaner, if you catch my meaning.”

Andy
wasn’t sure if he did, but it almost sounded as if she was hinting at him. He
shot that idea down. A girl like her wouldn’t be into someone like him. “Not
really,” he said, finally.

“I’m
out here for a few reasons and all of them revolve around you. That’s all I’m
willing to share at the moment. Still working out the details in my head.” She
raised her eyebrows.

Andy
could tell by the heat in his face that he was blushing. “Me?”

Karen
nodded. “That’s right, pal. And don’t press me for more information. I’m not
ready to share it yet. I will say this, though. You might not be willing to
admit that you’re out here because you’re worried about Danny, but you are. And
I think that’s amazing. You could have just as easily turned your back on him a
long time ago. You never have, even if you thought you had. That’s…noble.
Sounds cheesy as hell, but it’s true.”

Andy
feared his skin might ignite before too long.

Karen
sat up. The wind fluttered her skirt, blowing it above her knees. She didn’t
bother trying to adjust it. “Nicole really messed your head up. And, it’s none
of my business, but I think she continuously messed your head up after you
broke up. Even by coming to your house the other night, she might have been
coming to you for help, but it was still messing with your head. I do not like
to speak ill of the dead, but she was a bitch for doing so. She
had
to
know it screwed with you, and she still did it. That’s not cool with me.”

Nodding,
Andy agreed with Karen once again. Whether it was intentional or not, Nicole had
fucked with his emotions for a very long time. He’d always known she was the
reason he’d never been in a serious relationship after theirs had ended.
Trusting women had become impossible for him. Even now, he still didn’t trust
Karen, as much as he wanted to.

“Ready
to head out?” she said.

“Not
really.”

Smiling,
Karen studied him. “Enjoying our time together?”

“I
am.”

“Me
too.”

Andy
caught her eyes, their sapphire haloes looking deeply into him. The wind lifted
her hair, flapping it gently around her lovely face. She had wide, plump lips
that were arching into a half-smile. The urge to lean forward and kiss her, to
rub his hands across her smooth legs, was powerful. He resisted it. For now.

“But,
we should get moving,” he said.

Karen’s
face turned into a disappointed smile. She reminded Andy of someone who’d just
received a gift she didn’t like but wanted to be polite. “Right.”

“But,
we should pick back up from here later. Maybe we can stop for the night. All
this driving in one day—it’s just too much.”

“Are
you sure you want to?”

“Very
sure.”

Karen
nodded. “I can’t wait.”

Again,
Andy felt himself wanting to take her in his arms, and again he composed
himself. They had a list of things to do, and taking a break to screw around in
a meadow wasn’t at the top.

Finding
The Skin Show was top priority.

The
Camaro passed a motel to the left. Andy looked through his window and saw the
sign at the end of the parking lot:
The Pearl Palace.
Below the name was
a tin sign, the black faded letters said Vacancy. The parking lot was fairly
empty, but a black Chevelle sitting in a space stuck out from the scarce others
that were there. Something about such a cool car parked at a shithole motel
seemed to scream it didn’t belong. Ignoring that impulse, he smiled.

And
there’s where we’ll stop on the way back.

Not
the most romantic place, but it had a bed, and that was all either of them
would want. He’d already convinced himself they wouldn’t find The Skin Show, so
after a little while longer they’d be turning back.  

Ten
minutes later they were bordered by open fields again. Up ahead on the side of
the road, Andy could just make out the blurry shape of a produce stand.

“Look
up there,” he said. “Civilization.”

Karen
strained her eyes. “Oh yeah, look at that. There’s actually real people there.”

Andy
eased his foot off the gas when he noticed the old couple. A man and woman sat
in wooden chairs in front of crates stocked with tomatoes, cucumbers,
watermelon, and cantaloupe. They also had supplies of oranges, apples, kiwi,
and pears.

“Let’s
ask them if they’ve ever heard of The Skin Show,” Karen said.

“Are
you sure that’s a good idea? I mean—they don’t look like the kind of people to
hang out in a place with that name.”

Karen
shrugged. “Maybe they can point us in the right direction.”

Andy
doubted if they could, but agreed that asking the old people couldn’t hurt. The
woman from the gas station’s warning swirled into his mind, but he ignored it
as he slowed the car down. He drove past the stand and parked beside an old
beater pickup truck. Its tailgate was down, empty crates sitting on top.

He
followed Karen out of the car, over to where the old couple sat.

Both
were probably in their sixties, heavy in the torso area, with graying hair. The
man had on spectacles that had slipped down the bridge of his nose. He’d
dressed himself in a pair of overalls and a long-sleeved flannel shirt
underneath. The woman, whom Andy believed to be the man’s wife, wore a heavy
sun dress. Her massive breasts pushed against the front, threatening to bust
through the cloth. Grayish, sand-colored hair was pulled behind her head and
held there with a rag of some kind. A lovely face of smooth skin showed that
she had once been a very pretty woman. The man stood as they approached. “Hello
there, young people. Glad you stopped.”

Karen
held out her hand. “Me, too! I’m Karen, and this is Andy.”

The
husband shook Karen’s hand, then turned to Andy and did the same. His hand felt
rough, and the grip was strong.

The
wife stood as well. “Nice to meet you both. You are such a lovely pair. I’m
Bonnie and this is my husband, Henry.”

Karen
and Andy shook her hand next.

“Interested
in any fruit today?” asked Bonnie. “How about some veggies?”

“I
wouldn’t mind some of those pears,” said Karen. “How much?”

“How
many do you want?”

“Three
sounds good.”

“A
dollar should cover it,” said Henry.

 “Really?”
said Karen, surprise in her voice. “What a steal!”

“You’ve
got a look about you,” said Bonnie. “We like it. So, we don’t mind cutting you
a break.”

Karen
reached for the pocket book by her side that wasn’t there. “Shit.” She covered
her mouth, her eyes wide and embarrassed. “Whoops.” Her voice was muffled
behind her hand. Lowering it, she said, “I left my purse in the car.”

“I
got it,” said Andy. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his wallet, then
fished through the small amount of bills. He had two singles, and removed one
of them. Then he gave it to Karen.

“Thanks.
I’ll pay you back in the car.”

“Don’t
worry about it. Just share one of those pears and we’ll call it even.”

Karen
nodded. “Deal.”

“Good
man,” said Henry, admiringly, as he took the dollar from Karen.

Bonnie
stepped over to the stand, carefully selected three pears, and dropped them in
a plastic bag. She walked back, handing the bag to Karen. “Thank you.”

Karen
waved a hand. “If these taste half as good as they look, I should be thanking
you.”

“Isn’t
that sweet?” said Bonnie.

“Very,”
agreed Henry.

Andy
wondered if she was waiting on him to ask about The Skin Show or was working
her way up to it. When he saw Karen take in a breath, he knew it was the
latter. There was a change in her demeanor, as if she felt bad for having to
ask them.

“While
we’re standing here,” said Karen, “maybe you can point us in the right
direction.”

“Sure,”
said Henry. “Gotten turned around?”

“A
little,” said Karen. “We’re trying to find a place called The Skin Show.” She
grimaced as if smelling something awful. “Believe me, we’re not looking for it
because we want to hang out. Andy’s brother might be there and we just want to
get him home. But, we’re not having any luck locating this place. I’m starting
to think it doesn’t even…” Karen stopped talking when she noticed Henry’s
facial expression.

His
smile had turned to a strained curve that looked uncomfortable. “Skin…Show?” He
spoke through gritted teeth. “You’re heading out there?”

Bonnie
lowered her head, shaking it as if ashamed. “Damn.”

Karen
glanced at Andy, her face twisting into a confused mask. “I’m sorry. Did I say
something wrong?”

Henry
dropped the smile completely, sighing. “I’m afraid you did. If you must know,
yes, you’re heading in the right direction. But, just know that there’s nothing
there to see. Nothing you
should
see.”

“I
don’t understand,” said Karen. She stepped back, closer to Andy.

Henry
stepped forward, closing the gap Karen had just made. Bonnie followed. “God
will judge the outsiders. Expel the wicked person from among you!” His voice
had changed, becoming breathy, more southern than it had been before.

Like
a tent preacher…

“Cast
out the wicked ones! Cast out
you
!”

“Cast
them out, Henry!” screeched Bonnie. “Cast them out!”

“The
Skin Show is dwelling afflicted with demon sin; the evil one has placed his
hand on top of them. Contaminating their souls! You walk with them?” He came
closer. “Do you walk with the contaminated? The forsaken?”

Andy
reached out to Karen. “Let’s go.”

Karen
was shaking her head at Henry. “No. I’m not. We have to find…”

“It
is evil that you seek, and it is evil that you will find! Cursed me! I have
been fooled again, blinded by false benevolence!” He stuffed his hand into the
chest pocket of his coveralls and brandished a large pocket knife. With the
flick of a wrist, the blade appeared.

Karen
jumped back.

Like
serving at volleyball, Henry swung upward and punched the blade into his right
eye to the hilt.

“Holy
shit!” cried Andy. He couldn’t process what he’d just seen. No way did Henry
just stab himself in the eye. That couldn’t have just happened.

But
it had. There was no denying Henry as he staggered, the knife poking out of his
eye. Blood spurted from the wound, cascading down his face in dark torrents.
Looking up, he pleaded for forgiveness of his moment of weakness. “Take my eyes
from me! If I can’t
truly
see, then I should not see at all!”