“Hello sweet-heart,” she said. “Change your
mind did you?”
The woman at the bar
beamed broadly at Angelo. “Sooner or later they succumb to my charms.” She was
a little bit drunker than the last time Angelo had seen her and asked her for
help.
“Oh, oh, OH!” she said
admiringly. “Who’s your friend?” Her eyes were goggling out of their sockets at
Righteous. “Isn’t he a big boy,” she said, hoiking up her boobs to best effect,
her eyes bright with possibilities. His
eyes remained as blind as the night. It was then she caught sight of Noot mooching
around behind Righteous. “Oh my dear Jesus what is that?”
“Oh. Don’t worry about
him. He’s a friend.”
“He’s also damn ugly,” she
said. “At least he could put some pants on. He be scaring off the customers.”
“Belle, I’d like you to
meet Righteous Alchemy. He’s the Prophet I was looking for.”
“So you’re the Prophet
huh? Well there doesn’t seem to be much profit in being a prophet if that’s all
you got to wear. Ha ha,” she said, eyeing their dilapidated clothes. “You two
look like bums. I could lend you a couple of dresses if you like. And what’s
with the lizard? Jesus. What is he?
Some new kinda pet? Why don’t you get a poodle? I shouldn’t even be seen with
you lot you know. Give me a bad reputation.”
“We need your help,
Belle.”
“Stop saying my name like
it’ll win you the jackpot.”
“We got some girls in
trouble.”
“You don’t say,” she
said, smiling cynically and chewing noisily on her piece of gum.
“Bad choice of words.
No. Not like that. They’re in trouble and we need to rescue them.”
“Yeah. You guys are
always trying to rescue us girls. Thanks, but no thanks. This is the gift I got
from the last guy who tried to rescue me.” She pointed to a scar on her cheek.
She turned away from them and stared into her drink thoughtfully. It had
obviously brought back some painful memories.
“Got lots to be thankful
for though.” she mused drunkenly. “I’ve lived longer than most girls on this
station. But sooner or later something’s gonna get ya. If it ain’t the drugs or
some disease, it’s gotta be some dumb-ass bully-boy beating the crap outa ya.
But I’m philosophic about it you know. Que Sera, Sera.”
“But why do you settle
for this?” asked Angelo, knowing full well it was a stupid question but just
humouring her.
“What else can I do? I’ve
got a place to stay, nice clothes – enough to eat. Best I can hope is some nice
guy like you comes along and falls in love with me. Takes me away from all
this. Ha ha. Joke.”
“Who knows?”
“Yeah? Don’t start with
your crap; giving a girl hope. You guys are all the same. All sweetness and light
until you get what you want and then the next thing you know we’re back on the
barstool. But,” she added, trying to remain positive, for she wasn’t a morbid
person, “I got nothing to complain about really.”
“Maybe we can help each
other?”
“Now where have I heard
that before?” she said with a smile. “You really are a newbie, ain’t ya?” She
looked towards the bar. “You buy me a drink?”
Angelo, Righteous and
Noot just stood silently in front of her, looking like the survivors of a
shipwreck.
“Didn’t think so,” she
said. “Damn, why do I always get the bums without any bread? Oh well. It’s a
slow day, and I could do with a bit of company.” She rootled around in her
purse. “What’ll you have?”
“Whiskey,” said Angelo
before he had time to control his mouth. “Dear Lord yes, I would like a
whiskey.”
“And the Prophet? What
you want sweetie? He’s not deaf as well is he?” she said, stroking Righteous’
big bicep admiringly.
“Thank you for your kind
offer. Although I have never had one, I too would like a ‘whiskey’,” answered
Righteous.
“Hoo boy. You’re in for
a treat. Long as you don’t get ugly when you’re drunk, ‘cause you’re a very big
boy; with very big muscles….hubba hubba. Barman! set ‘em up.”
Angelo let the whiskey burn
its way to the bottom of his stomach and languished in the spreading glow of
its warmth. Soon it infused into his blood and brain and the world took on a
more cheerful aspect. He watched with amusement as Belle nibbled on Righteous’
earlobe and whispered secret sweet nothings in his ear. It was an incongruous
sight. By the fifth drink she was sitting on Righteous’ lap, him looking
strangely calm and composed, and her snuggled against his chest as she listened
to Angelo’s story. After three hours and many whiskies later she was nearly in
tears over the plight of the three women they had left behind on the alien
planet.
“We have to do something
about them,” she said. Angelo was amazed that anyone actually believed his
story. However, she had had a lot to drink which went a long way to promoting
the credibility of their tale. And then there was the fact that she had taken
to Righteous in a very heartfelt manner. She obviously went for the strong
silent type. Angelo also suspected Righteous might actually be enjoying her
attentions.
“We have to do something,” she said again.
“I know,” said Angelo.
“But we don’t know what. How do we get back there?”
“I have a plan,” said
Belle, grandly waving a drunken arm at the universe. “Why don’t we hire a
taxi?” she said with a ‘aren’t I a clever girl’ look on her face.
For a moment this seemed
a very reasonable suggestion until Angelo had time to think it through.
“I don’t think a
taxi-driver is going to take us through the wormhole. Not for all the tea in
Chinasia.”
“Oh, oh, oh, I know. I
know,” said Belle bouncing up and down on Righteous’ knee. “I know someone who
might take us. Well, he might….for a price.”
“What sort of price?” asked
Angelo. “We don’t have a penny between us and you don’t look like a
millionaire.”
“Well, maybe you’re
right. I have some money……..but……..”
“Take us to him,” said
Righteous, suddenly speaking for the first time in an hour. Belle got such a
surprise from his deep voice suddenly reverberating in her ear that she nearly
fell off his lap.
“I suppose so. Sure.
He’s not too far away and I reckon I got enough for cab-fare. But….” she said,
tugging at the rag Righteous was wearing, “…we gotta get you some clothes first;
and a bath.” She hopped off onto her feet and grabbed Righteous’ hand.
“Come on. Let’s get you
decent,” she said and set off through the crowd.
Angelo staggered after
them and Noot followed suit. As they passed the stage, Angelo wondered briefly
what had happened to the horsey lady and hoped she was okay.
“This way, my fine
stallion,” said Belle to Righteous who seemed to swim through the sea of people
quite effortlessly, an arm around Belle’s waist to make sure she wasn’t jostled
or inconvenienced in any way. Angelo wondered if Righteous even knew that he
was in love. What a strange fellow.
Belle had some boiler
suits hanging in the hall closet and laid them out on her bed while Righteous
and Angelo were busy in the Sani-unit. While she waited, she looked around the
room. She had lived here for over two years and it seemed like she was noticing
it for the first time. Just as well Righteous was blind. If he could see how
she lived…..
She saw her life as he
would see it: the wallpaper torn and mouldy, damp patches spreading up from the
floor, unrecognizable stains on the threadbare, dusty old carpet…not to mention
the crumpled, grimy, grey sheets and their assortment of stains and colours.
Sure, her clients weren’t there for the décor, and anyway she always had the
lights turned down low, but still, surely it had not always been this bad?
Sordid was the word that came to mind. Things had just gotten slowly worse and
she hadn’t even noticed. Now it was too late. Like the ring of grime that
collects around the rim of the bath, after a while you just can’t get it clean
anymore.
But she was better than
this. Surely she was better than this? She’d always thought she was better than
the other girls, that this was only temporary, and that this wasn’t really her. But while she slept things had just
gotten older and uglier, herself included. She was nineteen years old now and
over the hill. No more taking the pick of the crop. The young ones got that. Recently
she’d had to accept any old pervert for peanuts and do things she wouldn’t have
dreamt of doing a year ago. She suddenly realized how close to rock bottom she
was. No wonder she had agreed to go with these men so readily. It was like she
had been thrown a lifeline. No matter how cock-eyed their story, a chance like
this comes along never in a lifetime. They accepted her, and liked her…and more
importantly, they needed her help. ‘Oh dear god’ she thought. ‘Please do not
let me screw this one up.’
She looked around the
room and noticed Noot. The creature sat to one side trying to keep out of the
way, watching her with kindly eyes.
‘Poor thing’, she thought
and did her best not to pull a face every time she saw him.
“Shame. I suppose you
miss your family and your planet too?” she said.
“Noot,” came the
response.
“But really. We have to
try and find some clothes that’ll fit. I know I am accustomed to seeing men’s
genitals on a regular basis, even green ones, but seriously, this is a bit ‘in
your face’ – even for me.”
“Noot,” he replied
contritely.
“Here, try this,” she
said, holding a loose coverall-cum-apron out to him.
“Noot,” he said, quite
baffled by what she wanted of him.
“Let me show you,” she
said, holding the suit open for him. “Put your leg in here,” and she patted his
huge thigh and tried to lift his leg into the suit, at which point he
overbalanced and they both ended up on the floor. They were scrambling to their
feet when Righteous and Angelo came into the room….quite naked.
Belle thought she was
going to have an aneurism and had to breathe slowly and deeply for quite a few
seconds to stop from passing out with excitement. Her colour changed from a
blanched white to a deep musky crimson as she tried to find something else to
do with her eyes. Righteous of course was completely oblivious of all this and
stood there in all his magnificent glory, waiting patiently as per usual.
‘So it’s true what they
say,’ she thought and all but threw their coveralls at them and rushed into the
Sani to try and regain her composure. Angelo patted Righteous on the arm.
“I don’t know if you
know it, but I think you have an admirer there.”
“Noot,” agreed Noot.
