Frankie Fey
by Rigby Taylor
Chapter 34
Revelations
After the evening meal everyone sat on comfortable chairs in a large circle in the lounge, faces almost in shadow because Prudence had dimmed the lights to lessen feelings of embarrassment at revealing a tiny bit of themselves.
'I was a fat little girl,' Columbine sighed, 'bullied and abused at school and at home, which I left the day I turned sixteen. I decided to be strong, accept my fate and not be intimidated by the beautiful people. To celebrate my decision I bought a thong bikini and went to an aquatic theme park. When standing in a queue at a kiosk waiting for ice cream, a slender and graceful young woman in an identical thong to mine said loudly, "Fuck you're fat! Do you really think anyone wants to see your flabby carcass and ginormous arse?"
'I felt ten years old again; seething with hatred, determined on revenge. So I followed them around, ending up in the Big Slide, where, to avoid overcrowding at the top, people have to wait in a cage at the bottom of the stairs until the gate opens and lets about a dozen up. The doors closed just before they got to the stairs. The bitch and I were the only females in a cage full of drunken males on some sort of stag do. Gagging on beer fumes I pushed through until I was directly behind the evil cow who was trying to swallow her boyfriend's tongue.
'Two sharp tugs was all it took to snap the fastenings on bra and thong and drag them both off. Before she could react I barged my way out, binned her bikini then stood outside the cage and watched. It was at least ten minutes before attendants arrived, stopped the fracas then carried two bruised and naked bodies out onto the grass. The boyfriend bleeding, she screaming "Rape!". A wall of smart phones recording every detail to post on social media completed my revenge.'
'You exaggerate your size,' Frankie said politely.
'She is pretty fat,' Harley sniffed.
'Retribution is one of life's greatest pleasures,' Empirika nodded.
'She deserved it,' Massimo added.
'But you're still sensitive about your shape and size, aren't you, Columbine?' Prudence asked sweetly. 'Your turn, Harley.'
Columbine shot her a glare of distilled dislike.
'My defining moment?' Harley stared unsmiling at Massimo and Empirika, who stared right back. 'At fourteen my mother disappeared because my father was a shiftless gambler in debt to a man who was threatening to cut off his ears and eyelids. The night after she left, our door was smashed in and a couple of heavies dragged us out of bed, put hoods over our heads, shoved us in the boot of a car and took us to a large house in the country, where a smooth, wealthy prick was standing in front of a fire. He asked if Dad had the money. Dad shook his head. One of his heavies stripped me, felt my arms and legs, made me bend over, looked in my mouth and arse, then told the smooth man I was clean and healthy.
"We'll take your kid as payment." "In full?" Dad asked. "Yes." "I'll need a receipt." The man nodded, took a pad from a drawer and wrote something. Dad checked it, grinned and held out his hand to seal the deal. "Fuck off," one of the heavies said, so he did, and that was the first happy day of my life. From that day on I was well housed, fed, clothed, secure, had regular health checks and a generous allowance to do as I liked when I had no clients. It was a form of slavery, I suppose, but give me that over low wages and having to house, feed, and clothe myself with no free time and no money left over for fun.' Harley looked around belligerently, daring anyone to disagree. 'Servicing men is no different from a mechanic servicing cars or a doctor servicing patients. I was a happy slave, and still am.' He looked at Columbine who didn't smile.
'That explains why you were not a good provider for your family,' Empirika sneered. 'Having been taken care of your whole life, and still doing it.'
'But your point is interesting,' Prudence said kindly. 'Studies have shown that throughout history domestic slaves with benevolent masters have usually led better lives that those of the grindingly poor. It is arguable that the majority of today's homeless poor would be delighted to be slaves with a master who housed, fed, treated them decently and took care of them. Instead, we are creating a vast underclass of working poor with none of the advantages slaves enjoy, because that is the cheaper option. The consequences, though, will be horrific. Hordes of diseased, filthy starving beggars and criminals making cities dangerous for the wealthy minority, who then impose horrible punishments on those they've maltreated, for the slightest misdemeanour.' She turned to Massimo. 'Ready?'
Massimo nodded and scratched his head. 'While working on a shoot in Melbourne I boarded with a family in a nondescript suburb. When I arrived the family were sitting goggle-eyed in front of a two-metre TV. My host, a middle-aged, flabby nonentity in singlet and shorts, paused the video, thrust out a clammy, soft hand and barked, "I'm Randy and the wife's Darlene." I wanted to wash my hand but first had to waggle Darlene's claw, averting my eyes from the bright pink housecoat that flapped open to reveal sagging tits. Sixteen year-old Lusa and fourteen year-old Sherrin didn't even look up from the frozen picture on the screen.
'I was told to squeeze between the girls on the settee while they finished watching the DVD, in which a girl who looked the same age as Sherrin was kneeling on the shag-pile sucking on the erection of a pumped up gym freak, while a powerful hairy chest was screwing her from behind. "Spit roast" Sherrin giggled and every one laughed. I couldn't join in. Afterwards, Randy made a show of adjusting his genitals while asking if I was going to seduce his daughters. More laughs. When I said I wasn't, he ranted about not wanting queers in his house, because they were decent God fearing people!
'Sherrin asked if I'd liked the video. I asked if she'd like to have that done to her. "In your dreams!" she sneered, missing the point. After cocoa and a biscuit, Randy showed me to my room and the bathroom. Ten minutes later I was showered and lying on top of the bed wondering whether to wank when Darlene sidled in, closed the door and dropped her dressing gown to reveal a scrawny, heavily perfumed, almost tit-free body. 'Fuck you look old,' I said. She wrapped herself and stomped out, leaving the door wide for Randy who sauntered in and sat on the bed staring at my groin. He asked if I'd ever screwed a man. I said I hadn't. He said I could board for free if I'd fuck him. I said I'd sooner chop my cock off, so he shrugged, said it had been worth a try and sauntered out.'
Massimo sat back in his chair with an uncertain smile. 'Until then I'd thought I was normal and would fuck a hole in a tree if I was randy, but it was a relief to realise I had some standards and would prefer no sex than to touch those sorts.'
'Very sensible of you,' Prudence stated sweetly. 'It's a relief to know you're a man with high moral standards.'
Empirika snorted.
'Amen to that,' Frankie whispered.
Prudence caught his eye and smiled, then turned to Empirika and nodded.
After a contemptuous sniff to prove she thought it a stupid idea, Empirika sprawled back in her chair and spoke in a bored drawl. 'Ten years ago I took care of an aunt who'd broken her hip. The road behind her place winds up a steep hill past a lookout. It's a nice view over farmland, but most people just drive on. I used to walk up for the exercise, fresh air and the view when I felt like murdering my snappy old aunt. At the edge of a parking area there's a parapet in front of a nearly vertical drop of about twenty metres to a stony stream. I considered leaping off more than once.
'One day I was sitting with my back to a rock out of the wind when I heard a vehicle pull in, a car door slam, and screaming. Keeping out of sight behind my rock, I turned and watched a woman run across to the parapet shouting, "You have to marry me! You said you loved me so I told everyone at work and all my family that I was getting married! You're a user, an abuser, a rapist, a creepy crawling worm of a man and useless in bed.…" How she expected him to want her after that, beats me. When that didn't work, she collapsed to the ground, shuddered, and filled the air with fake sobs.
'The bloke apparently thought the tears were real so said he was sorry, but he had always thought they were just friends, good friends, and he wanted to remain friends, but he was not the marrying kind. She started howling again and I was on the point of warning him not to believe her when he surprised me by sticking to his guns. "Cry as much as you like, Louise, I can't marry you. We would be at each other's throats in weeks." "I don't care,' she screamed. "I don't give a fuck if we're happy or not, I want to get married! If you don't marry me I'm going to jump off this wall." She clambered onto the parapet and stood facing him. He took a step forward. "Keep away from me!" she wailed with more fake sobs. "If you won't marry me I'm better off dead. I've invited everyone at work to the wedding. I will not be made a fool of!"
'The boyfriend, who was plain but pleasant, slightly overweight, fair and freckled, tried once more to calm her. I could see the stupid man was going to capitulate so said loudly, 'She's faking. She won't jump.' They got such a fright, both took a step backwards. That was Ok for him, but Louise had no more steps to take. In silence she swayed, arms flailing fruitlessly and then the silence ended as she disappeared into the void accompanied by an unearthly howl.
'We both froze for a second, then raced forward and peered over the edge. Louise was lying in an impossible position. 'She's dead.' I stated, wondering why I was pleased. All he said was "Fuck". Now you're free, I added. "Fuck," he said again.
'The cops are going to think you pushed her,' I said calmly.
"But… but I didn't. You know I didn't."
I was feeling bitchy so said, 'In a way you did. You refused to marry her even after she warned you she'd jump.'
I let him sweat for a few seconds then suggested we go down so it looked as if we cared, and then call the cops. If they didn't take too long I'd stay and tell them what happened.
We sat on rocks beside the blessedly silent woman whose face was buried in gravel. I told him he was better off without her. He nodded and we discussed what to tell the cops.
'When they arrived they asked us to re-enact what had happened, so we stood side by side enjoying the view. The guy asked me to marry him. I said a gleeful 'Yes!' and leaped onto the parapet saying, 'take my photo up here! I'm so happy!' Then while he was going back to the car to get his camera, I pretended to stumble, flailed my arms, and made the cops shout to be careful and insist I come down before I also fell over. We made statements, went to the cop shop the next day to sign them and I never saw him again.'
'Did you feel pity for her?' Frankie asked.
'Of course not! Stupid bitch. She should have pretended to be the sort of girl he wanted to marry, and made herself indispensible. Serves her right for letting him see what a silly cow she was before tying the knot.'
'That's very interesting,' Prudence said quietly, 'You have hidden depths, Rikka.'
Empirika's face closed up. 'Thank you, Prudence.'
Prudence turned to Frankie. 'What revealing tale have you in store for us, Frankie?'
While mulling over his life, Frankie had discovered he was a very private person, unwilling to reveal anything important. He also didn't trust the Kwins. It had been a fun few days but it was time to go. Empirika was not going to make a sculpture of him, he realised with relief, there would be no series of videos, and nothing would come of these stories, which he was certain were all lies. Possibly therapeutic for the Kwins, but Frankie Fey was not in need of therapy. He had no problems, wasn't dissatisfied with life or anything else. He loved and was loved by Ingenio and Constantine and that was all that mattered. Certainly none of the events that had shaped him were for public gaze. But there was one thing he wanted to clear up and this was his chance to do it.
'Since my first day at school,' he said seriously, 'I've had girls chasing me, trying to kiss me, wanting me to kiss them. Teachers laughed when I complained, saying I should enjoy it while it lasted. So I kissed an unwilling girl and was punished for sexual harassment. When I was eleven a soft, unhealthy boy who hated exercise, tried to kiss me. He was as unwelcome as the females. For self protection I became arrogantly dismissive towards all females and wimpish males who even smiled at me. Then at university I met a female with a brain, outlook, values and mindset that attracted me. But by habit and fear of inviting trouble, I avoided friendship by keeping our association strictly professional. Too late I discovered that my barriers had been unnecessary. We could have enjoyed three years of mental pleasure and friendly companionship. I doubt if I will again find such an intellectual soul mate, but if I do, I won't make the same mistake.'
'Why didn't you discuss the situation with the woman instead of assuming the worst?'
'Experience, Harley. Having never met a similar female, I was totally unprepared. Discretion is the better part of valour, and all that.'
'She was probably a slag,' Massimo grunted. 'Men are always attributing noble qualities to women they don't really know. Wishful thinking at its stupidest. You're better off without her.'
'Or she's better off without such a narrow minded bigoted male!' Columbine muttered audibly.
'Thanks Frankie.' Prudence smiled sweetly. 'I guess it's now my turn to explain why I'm strange.' She looked down at her feet, pulled a wry face then sat up straight and gazed into the space above her listeners' heads as if recalling a faded memory. 'My father is a pastor of the Exclusive Sect of the Sacrificial Lamb. There are perhaps a million adherents worldwide and they are not evangelical. They believe they have been chosen by the God of the Torah, Bible and Koran to live a life of total purity in order that they may drift like fluffy sheets of heavenly toilet paper among the devil's disciples, soaking up all the shit of the world. Sex with people outside the sect is forbidden, but compulsory within, so we can increase in number without diluting the essence of our God-given exceptionality.
'My rational, logical, highly intelligent brain, although seriously affronted by the idiocy of these beliefs, was persuaded by the fear of physical torture to remain silent. Despite my efforts to remain pure, at high school I fell in love with a teacher, Agnes Fortune. I was sixteen, she twenty-seven. At first it was her brain and mathematical genius that attracted my admiration, and then her ability to excite every part of my body with fingers, tongue and lips that made me her willing partner in every aspect of love, lust and desire.
'Naturally, rumours about our carnal transgressions in the mathematics store room were soon flitting around School social media sites like "Chatter", 'Babble" and "Blabber". Eventually, the Headmistress called us in, castigated us for not being more discreet, and asked Agnes if she wanted to continue teaching. To her shame and my mortification, she said she did, and accepted a transfer to our sister school in Western Australia, leaving me to endure jibes about being the jilted Sacrificial Lamb of Miss Fortune's lusts.
'My parents were equally furious that I had drawn attention to their sect, and withdrew me from school. For three Holy Days in a row I stood naked before the congregation, lambasted for my transgressions. On the fourth day I was returned to the loving fold of the community by rubbing holy oil on the naked body of the Supreme High Moderator, who then fucked me without a condom on the high altar, to the affectionate cheers and loving applause of the entire gang of doting idiots.
'As for my studies. I finished them under the brilliant tuition of an Under Pastor by the name of Eion Shaft, with whom I lived as a sex slave for the next eighteen months, after which I was considered cured and permitted to attend the Rationalist University, where I met Frankie, who enabled me to make my final rupture with that insane sect by inviting my parents to see me dance. I gave them the impression it was to be a work of graceful beauty that would so enrapture the audience it would soak up every immoral, base, villainous, and dishonourable vibration in the theatre. Instead, they saw me cavorting naked and being rudely fucked by a pagan satyr. Unfortunately, the shock didn't trigger terminal heart attacks, but it did sever the connection between us forever. So now I am blessedly free.'
Prudence smiled softly and sank back in her chair.
'Brilliant!' Frankie laughed.
'Yes, an amusing pack of lies,' Columbine sniffed. 'Your specialty, I think.'
Frankie caught Prudence's sly wink, so he relaxed. She did not need defending.
'Yeah, good one Prudence,' Empirika yawned. 'But I'm so stuffed I'm off to bed.'
'I think I'll take a stroll outside,' Harley announced. 'I don't feel tired and it's a beautiful night. Nearly full moon.'
'I've been sitting so long I'm ceasing up, so I'll join you,' Massimo yawned following his father.
'Was any of your story true?' Frankie asked Prudence.
'Only one thing.'
'That you met me.'
'Precisely.' After checking they were alone, she whispered, 'Be a dear and follow Harley and Massimo. But take great care not to be seen!' After a friendly pat on his cheek, she joined Empirika in her bedroom and Frankie wandered casually out into the shadows, following muffled voices along dark leafy paths towards the river.
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