The Skin Show (15 page)

Andy
felt excited and uncomfortable all at once. He could feel Karen’s reproachful
gaze on the back of his neck. Had she seen him gawking at Sugar earlier?
Probably. Had she noticed Sugar wasn’t wearing anything behind that
napkin-length skirt? He was sure of it.

It
was her idea for Sugar to ride up front.

Yes.
But, he’d been the one to point out how he wasn’t comfortable with Sugar riding
in the back, where her hands were out of sight.

They
weren’t out of sight now. Giving her a glance, he saw they were resting on her
thighs, slightly squeezing. The golden skin dipped in under her fingertips. Her
attention was diverted out the window, watching blurs of green whisk by.

Checking
the clock in the dash, he saw they’d only been driving for thirty minutes with
their new guest, but it felt like half the day had been burnt up. And, Andy
couldn’t stop feeling as if he’d done something wrong, like he was trying to
hide something from Karen, although he knew he shouldn’t be.

“So,
what brings you two to The Skin Show?” asked Sugar without looking away from the
scenery outside.

Andy
shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Well…”

“What
makes you think that was where we were going?” asked Karen.

Sugar
offered a single snort. “Please. Don’t even try that with me. This road is the
only way to it, so don’t play games.” She looked at Andy. “Well?” Her eyebrows
lifted slightly. “How about telling me the truth? After all, we’re all friends
here.”

Andy
sighed, understanding it was useless trying to keep anything from her. He knew
she’d been waiting for them to drive by, so what was the point? “My brother
said we should check it out, so we’re trying to.”

“So
you found the website?”

“If
you can call it that,” said Karen from the back.

“I
know,” Sugar said. “It’s so plain, ain’t it?”

“Why
are they so secretive?” asked Karen.

Sugar
snorted, shaking her head. She looked at Andy. “She’s a cop, ain’t she?”

“What
makes you say that?”

“For
one, she’s dressed like one, and B, she asks questions that are none of her
business.”

“I’m
a probation officer,” Karen admitted.

“Close
enough,” said Sugar. “You got a gun?”

Karen’s
wardrobe was not skimpy, but the gauzy fabric would definitely show if she had
a weapon hidden somewhere on her. Andy doubted that she did.

“Maybe,”
said Karen.

He
wondered if she was lying. If she really had a gun, where was it during the
roadside ordeal? Her purse?

Probably.
She’d left it in the car. She probably didn’t think she would need it.

Andy
checked the floorboard and saw Karen’s purse was not down there. It was in the
back with her. So, if she needed to get the gun…

Why
would she?

Easy:
Sugar. But, he doubted she would try anything threatening. However, she did
ask
if Karen had one.

“It’s
not allowed in the club,” stated Sugar.

“So,
it’s a club?” asked Karen.

“A
club of sorts.”

“Who
are you really, Sugar?”

“I’m
your way in. Now you better stop asking me so damn many questions or I’ll make
sure you wait in the car.” Gone was the cute drawl. In its place was a strict
notice.

Karen’s
mouth slacked open.

Sugar
glanced at Andy and smiled. “Besides, it’s Andy’s name on the list, you’re just
his ‘plus one’.” She looked back at Karen over the seat. “Be thankful you get
to go in at all. People like you wait months to get in,
if
they even get
in.”

Andy
felt as if he’d been sleeping with both of these women and they had somehow
found out and were now battling for his affection. He’d always fantasized this to
be a neat confrontation to witness. Being in the middle of this, he realized
how wrong and
stupid
he’d been to even consider it.

He
wished they’d never let Sugar in the car.

If
we didn’t, we wouldn’t know how to get there.

Maybe
they shouldn’t find it. What was he thinking getting involved in this? He
should have given the laptop to Kaufman, letting him handle it. It could be him
stuck in the middle of this uncomfortable exchange.

It
almost felt as if Sugar had somehow taken them against their will, but without
any force.

Sugar
settled back down in the seat, bringing her left leg over her right knee. The
skirt tugged back, showing all of her leg and the side of her buttocks. Her
flat stomach creased slightly from the folded position. She pulled off the
emerald green sandal from her foot. Flexing her toes, she sighed. “Feels good.”
She sighed again. “Now, Andy?”

“Hmm?”

“Just
keep driving. We’ll be there around dusk.” She looked out her window. “Looks
like the sun’s changing its position, so we’re right on time.”

“Can
you at least tell me…what
is
The Skin Show?”

Sugar
tickled her thigh with a finger. Smiled. “It’s best you find that out on your
own.”

Andy’s
stomach went squirmy.

Sugar
must have noticed his grimace. “It’s okay. Don’t be nervous.”

“It’s
hard not to be. I’m driving to some strange place, and I have no clue what I’m
getting into.”

“You
make it sound so enigmatic.”

“It
is.
”

Sugar
almost looked as if she felt bad for him. Reaching over, she took his hand from
the steering wheel. Her thumb brushed his knuckles. He fought hard to keep his
hand from shaking.

“I
understand. Let me help you calm down.”

Andy
was about to ask her how she intended on doing that when she pulled his hand to
her. Uncrossing her legs, she rested his hand high up on her thigh. Then she
guided it higher. His pinky skimmed wetness.

Sighing,
Sugar’s lips quivered. “There…”

Karen
asked, “What’s she doing with your hand?”

“I’m
holding it,” said Sugar. “Mind your business.”

Surprisingly,
Karen stopped talking. Leaning back, she gazed at the Camaro’s ceiling. Then
she closed her eyes.

Sugar’s
breathing intensified as she made his pinky rub up and down. It slipped over
wetness, felt droplets trickle over the tip. Andy’s penis hardened so fast it caused
his testicles to throb. The head strained against the front of his pants. He
wanted to adjust them, but didn’t dare take his hand away from Sugar. The other
hand had to stay on the wheel, or he might crash. He didn’t want anything ending
this moment.

He
knew he shouldn’t be allowing Sugar to manipulate him like this. But, he was
powerless to stop it.

Then
she pushed his pinky in, and Andy stopped trying.

A
dulled, wooden marker sat on two planks at the aperture of a dirt road that
resembled more of a busted wagon trail. Vines and ivy swirled all over,
traversing at the center and snaking down its lumbered legs as if trying to slowly
crush it like a constrictor. In the wash of the headlights, Andy caught the
faded words
Wildlife Preserve.

The
sun wasn’t entirely down yet, but it was sinking fast. Blood-red light filtered
across the sky. Scabby clots of clouds strangled the sun’s golden hues. Under
the canopy of trees over the road leading in, it was dark as midnight.

The
car bounced when the tires left the blacktop onto the uneven gravel.

“Just
keep driving,” Sugar said.

Andy
did. He kept a firm grip on the steering wheel as the tires bobbled over
gullies and trenches in the old road. His pinky felt numb and useless. The skin
seemed pale and a little shriveled as if he’d been swimming for too long. He
still couldn’t accept how he’d allowed Sugar to exploit his pinky. Although
she’d been silent the whole time, he knew she’d had multiple orgasms thanks to
his tiny finger. She’d shuddered while juices spurted, dribbling down his pinky,
over his knuckles. There were little moist dots on the seat from Sugar’s
releases. He hoped they would wash out. 

Karen
had fallen asleep shortly after Sugar reprimanded her intrusiveness, and was
oblivious to what had happened.

Thank
God…

She
might have pulled the gun out had she known.

If
there really was a gun.

Karen
was awake now, and he feared she might smell the musky scent of their bad
behavior. He’d broken his one firm rule and smoked in the car in hopes of
masking it. Hopefully it hadn’t enhanced it.

After
Sugar’s last orgasm over an hour ago, she hadn’t spoken until this last order.
Several times, Andy had been tempted to force Sugar out of the car, but he
never got further than the actual thought.  

Just
like now, he knew he would do nothing to ruin this. He wanted to think it was
because of Danny, and he supposed most of it was. If he searched deeper inside
himself, he’d realized he really wanted to be here. In a strange sort of way,
he was enjoying this. He hadn’t disregarded Nicole, or Lou Manchu. He also
hadn’t forgotten about the series of events that had led him here, especially
the incident at the vegetable stand.

But,
they hardly seemed to matter as much as they had a short while ago.

And,
realizing that made him feel terrible.

“Almost
there,” said Sugar. Even in the shadowy car, Andy detected her smile. “You’re
going to love it here, Andy. I’m sure of it. Like others, you’ll be more than willing
to sacrifice all you have just for a taste…”

Sighing,
Andy wanted her to be wrong, but somehow he knew she wasn’t
.

The
interior suddenly erupted with blinding light as a loud rumble shook the seat
under him. Looking in the rearview mirror, Andy saw the brightness coming up
from behind, boring down on them like a train, fast and bright.

“What
is that?!” cried Karen. She plugged a finger in each ear.

Andy
felt his grip on the steering wheel tighten. He looked at Sugar, expecting an
answer, but saw she was still only smiling. The light was so harsh it looked as
if the sun was driving up their backside.

The
light was right on top of them now. Just as it looked like they were about to
be rear-ended, the light parted.

Motorcycles
roared by each side of the car, zipping past the windows. Once they were a safe
distance ahead, they merged back together in a formation of four in front of
the Camaro.

As
the ruckus of their engines faded with the distance between them growing, Sugar
sighed as if tasting something wonderful. “I love me some biker boys.”

Andy
was sick with himself for feeling a twinge of envy by her statement.

The
trees began to sink away from the road, opening on a large clearing. Although,
it could hardly be considered clear. Cars were everywhere. The motorcycles
zipped through the path between the parking areas. Standard sized vehicles were
on one side, semi-trucks on the other. Some of the semis had trailers attached
to them, but most did not. It looked as if there was a section near the front for
the bikers.

“Park
to the left.”

Andy
turned at the first opening he came to and drove past flanks of cars. Most of
the vehicles they passed were coated in dust. Some looked dirty enough to have
been neglected in a junkyard somewhere. Mixed in with the filthy ones were
cleaner ones. shimmering faintly under the moonlight. He wondered how long ago
they were left there.

Abandoned…

Andy
shivered.

“Just
find a spot and cut the car off,” said Sugar.

Karen
leaned forward, folding her arms on the seat, and resting her chin on top. “There’re
no empty spots.”

“Doesn’t
matter. Just park somewhere.”

Andy
reached the end of the line, pulled up beside an old Honda hatchback that
looked as if it hadn’t been touched since the early 90s, and shut off the car.
When the motor died, the faint sounds of blistering heavy metal coasted through
the air.

Megadeth.

Andy
recognized the song.

“Tornado
of Souls.”

Sugar
turned to him in her seat. “A metalhead?”

“All
my life.”

“You
really do belong here, don’t you?” Sugar winked, flung the door open, and
hopped out. She slammed the door, rocking the car.

Andy
sighed.

“Wow,”
said Karen. “When the hell did we fall down the rabbit hole?”

Andy
shook his head. About to say something, Sugar’s hand slapped against the
passenger window, making him jump. The pale shape of Sugar’s hand gestured them
to come on.

“Can’t
keep the princess waiting,” said Karen.

“Guess
not.”

Andy
got out first, then raised the seat so Karen could follow. It had gotten cooler
outside, but the air was still heavy with soggy heat. His clothes felt clingy
and uncomfortable.

Being
outside, the music was much louder. Dave Mustaine’s screeching solos, the
laughing and hooting of people, reminded Andy of arriving at a party that had
started without him.

Sounds
like one.

The
moon wasn’t quite full, throwing down a river of washed-out light across the
parking area, giving them enough to see by, albeit barely. Black shapes of
people dashed along the lesser darkness behind them, bypassing parked cars,
rushing to the revelry.

Sugar
turned around, slightly bending while she walked backwards. She beckoned them
to come with her fingers. “Follow me to the fun!” Spinning around on her heal,
she cavorted ahead, her rump swaying high from side-to-side. The skirt rose
with each swing of her hips, the tips of her buttocks peeking out from
underneath.

Karen
walked alongside Andy. He looked at her, recognizing dread in the obscure frown
on her face. He held out his hand, and to his surprise, Karen took it. Her grip
was sweaty and cold.

Drawing
nearer, Andy noticed the neon lights pushing away the dark in a dome of gaudy
brightness. Underneath the flamboyant colors was a large building. Designed
like a house, it was two stories and stone-built, buried under a tarp of ivy
and alpine plants.

“There
it is!” Sugar shouted over the loud music, pumping her fists in the air and
howling.

A
ruckus of howls retorted.

Andy
studied the structure, scanning the wraparound porch and the large crowd of
mostly men gathered under the eave. His eyes skimmed the double doors of the entranceway
to a large bay window. It looked to be boarded up, but flashy pink light
spilled through the cracks, throwing garish inverted crosses through the thin
fissures. Bars had been attached to the front to keep people out.

Or
in.

“The
show’s about to begin!” called a woman’s voice.

At
first, Andy couldn’t locate who the voice belonged to. When he did, his breath snagged
in his throat. A petite girl around Sugar’s age walked a short line at the
bottom of the porch steps. Her torso was slim, nice breasts, with wide hips and
curvy thighs. She wore a white tank top and denim cut-offs. Shoulder-length
dark hair flapped with her movements. Not as sexy as Sugar, but damn close.

He
let go of Karen’s hand as they headed for the back of the line. He was reaching
for his wallet when Sugar grabbed his forearm. “No. You’re on the list. You
don’t have to wait.”

“I
don’t?”

“Nope.
That line’s not for you.”

“How’d
I get on the list?”

“They
called
you
, remember?”

“But
what about them?” He nodded toward the large group of bikers gathering in the
front. “I’m afraid if I cut in front of them, they might slit my throat.”

Sugar
laughed. “Them?” She nodded as if considering it. “They just might be the kind
that would. But, they understand the regulations.”

“
I
don’t,” said Andy.

Smiling,
Sugar rubbed her hand across his cheek as if she felt sorry for him. “You don’t
have to understand.” She thrust her chin toward the greeting girl. “Monica
there keeps them entrained for us. Sometimes the size of our crowds are so
large that we can’t let everyone in on the first night, so they are sent away
and asked to return the next night. Since we’re only open for business on the
weekends, we’ve built up quite a waiting list. But, others, like you, we’ve
been waiting for.”

Waiting
for.

Andy
gulped. Hopefully no one saw it in the low light.

“Let’s
go.”

Sugar
started walking again. As she passed Monica, the greeting girl threw an arm
around Sugar’s waist and pulled her close. Sugar was easily a foot taller than
her, so Monica had to pull her face lower. They started making out,
aggressively, their tongues lashing at each other’s mouths as if angry.

The
sudden amatory display stunned Andy. He quickly turned away, focusing on Karen.
Grimacing, teeth bared, she watched them go at it.

Finally
the people in line noticed what was going on and started cheering them on. This
motivated them to go even further. Arching her back, Sugar thrust her breasts
in Monica’s face. She responded by pushing the shirt open to expose the large
mounds.

The
crowd hooted even louder at this.

Grinning,
Monica’s eyes flicked toward Andy. She winked, then sucked a turgid nipple in
her mouth, not taking her gaze away from him.

Andy
was the first to break the stare. He shouldn’t have been shocked by what he
saw, but he was. Such things weren’t common to him, and probably not to a lot
of people. He guessed that was why people came to The Skin Show, for the
freedom without the judgment.

 He
and Karen shared a jittery look.

“This
is insane,” said Karen.

“I…”
He didn’t even know what to say. Should he apologize to her? He felt like he’d
somehow betrayed Karen by bringing her here.  

Wincing,
Karen’s nose wrinkled into tight little furrows. “This is it.”

“It?”

“Last
chance to change our minds.”

Last
chance…

Before
Andy could respond, the cheers turned to disappointed moans, so he assumed
Sugar had put an end to the show. Turning toward the girls, he found his guess
was correct.

Sugar
had pulled her shirt back together and was snapping it. Panting, she wiped the
slick trails of Monica’s slobber off her mouth. “Wow. Sometimes we just can’t
get enough of each other.”

Monica
stepped up behind Sugar, slapping her on the rump. “We’ll finish later.”

“Damn
right we will.”

Monica
looked at Andy, said, “Maybe we can bring a friend.” Then she was walking away
from them, looking back at them over her shoulder.

Andy’s
skin felt crawly, threatening to peel from his body and run. Andy was so
nervous that his stomach felt like a twisted rag.

Sugar
held her arms out. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Let’s get inside. Like Monica
said, the show’s about to begin.”

Andy
nodded. Then he hollered when a hand slapped down on his shoulder. The weight
of it almost sent him to his knees. 

Karen
spun around. A shrill gasp puffed out of her throat. Her eyes were huge white
orbs in the mottled congestion of club lights.

Andy
looked over his shoulder and saw a giant monster leering down at him—beady red
eyes that dazzled like rubies, dagger-like teeth in a wide, grinning mouth. A
pronged tongue lapped across its thin black lips as if savoring the taste of
something.

Me?

The
fingers that held his shoulder were tipped with talons. He could feel their
sharp points through his shirt. Its scaly skin was flashing, coalescing pink to
purple to green in a never-ending cycle. The metamorphosis was quite beautiful,
really, and Andy found himself growing transfixed, relaxing as he stared into
its chest. It looked like a plastic casing, hollow on the inside, sheer skin
over dimming and brightening layers. 

Its
other gnarly hand rose, light glinting off its claws. Andy flinched at the
sudden movement. For a moment he feared those talons would slice him down the
front. He could almost feel his skin slitting open, blood spilling out.

Its
head tilted. The small eyes shrunk even smaller as they squinted. There was
something about how it was eyeing him—nonthreatening, curious. Then it nodded,
patted his shoulder, and removed its hand. Turning away, it wandered into the
crowd. Those in the waiting line cheered as it plodded past them, its heavy
feet slamming the ground.

“Don’t
mind him,” said Sugar. “I think he knows you from somewhere.”

“Knows
me
?”