Authors: Richard Laymon
Fiends SSC (35 page)
‘Like having a life-size Barbie doll.’
‘You’re my Barbie doll,’ he said, his voice muffled by doughnut, white powder and red jelly on his lips. ‘She’s my Joycie doll.’
Joyce smiled at the top of Barbara’s head.
‘Isn’t it… difficult to dress her? I mean, she’s stiff, isn’t she?’
‘Oh, we manage. Some outfits are trickier to get on her than others, but we make do the best we can.’
Barbara started to take another bite of maple bar. But it would be a muddy lump in her mouth like the first one, and tough to swallow. She set down the bar and drank some coffee.
‘Is something wrong with your maple bar?’
‘It’s fine,’ she muttered.
Frowning with concern, he leaned forward slightly. ‘Is it Joyce?’
‘Of course it’s Joyce. What do you think?’
‘We went through all this last night, darling. I thought you understood.’
‘My God, you dress her up like she’s
real'
real'
‘She
is
real.’
is
real.’
‘But she’s
dead!.
You cart her around from room to room. You
dress her up\
You put a
bra
on her. Probably panties too, for all I know.’
dead!.
You cart her around from room to room. You
dress her up\
You put a
bra
on her. Probably panties too, for all I know.’
‘Would you prefer her
without
panties?’ he asked. Raising his eyebrows, smiling slightly, he bit again into his doughnut.
without
panties?’ he asked. Raising his eyebrows, smiling slightly, he bit again into his doughnut.
‘I’d prefer her
gone!'
gone!'
Nodding, he chewed for a while. He swallowed. He sipped his coffee. ‘You’ll get used to her. Once you’ve gotten to know her better, I’m sure you’ll…’
‘I want her out of here.’
‘Out of the kitchen?’
‘Out of the
house.
Preferably in a fucking
graveyard}.’
house.
Preferably in a fucking
graveyard}.’
‘Oh, dear. You
are
upset.' The look of sorrow on Darren’s face made her heart ache for him.
are
upset.' The look of sorrow on Darren’s face made her heart ache for him.
‘I’m sorry,’ she murmured. ‘I am. I love you so much. But Joyce…’
‘She frightens you, doesn’t she?’
Barbara nodded.
‘She doesn’t bite, you know.’
‘I know.’
‘She doesn’t
do
anything.’
do
anything.’
‘She looks at me.’
‘They’re only glass eyes,’ Darren explained gendy.
‘They’re not hers?’
‘Hers didn’t fare well in the… process. But if they bother you… Back in a sec.’ He pushed himself away from the table and hurried from the kitchen.
***
While he was gone, Barbara studied Joyce’s face. Glass eyes. They sure looked real. Too real, too bright and aware. Did it make things any better, knowing they were fake? For a few moments, she thought so.
They’re not Joyce.
They’re not her dead eyes. Nothing much more than a couple of shiny marbles poked into her sockets.
Sockets.
The
real
Joyce hasn’t got eyes. Were they gouged out? Popped? Dragged out with forceps? Did they just shrivel away in the ‘process’ and fall out?
real
Joyce hasn’t got eyes. Were they gouged out? Popped? Dragged out with forceps? Did they just shrivel away in the ‘process’ and fall out?
Those beautiful, lively eyes gazing at the top of Barbara’s head were pieces of glass stuck into pits.
Do
they
ever fall out?
they
ever fall out?
Does Darren take them out lovingly, from time to time, and polish them up?
Barbara stared at Joyce. No eyes. God! Those aren’t her eyes. They’re covers. Hatches put there to conceal a pair of hideous cavities.
Cringing, she looked away. Thanks for telling me, Darren. Thanks a lot.
‘Here we go,’ he said, bustling into the kitchen. ‘This’ll be just what the doctor ordered.’ He kissed the top of Barbara’s head, then hurried around the table.
She looked up in time to watch him slide sunglasses onto Joyce’s face. They were much like those worn by the Highway Patrolman who’d stopped Barbara last month for making an unsafe lane change on the Santa Monica Freeway. Wire rims, teardrop shaped lenses with silver reflective surfaces.
‘How’s that?’ Darren asked. Stepping away, he admired the effect. ‘Make her look rather dashing, don’t you think?’
Now I can’t tell where she’s looking, Barbara thought. But she didn’t want to hurt Darren’s feelings. He was
trying
to help. ‘That’s a lot better.’
trying
to help. ‘That’s a lot better.’
Maybe it is better, she told herself. Now, at least, her eyes are out
of sight. Maybe I can forget about them. Forget they aren’t eyes, just socket hiders.
Darren sat at the table, looking pleased with himself. ‘For every problem, there’s a solution.’
‘Guess so,’ Barbara said. She picked up her maple bar and forced herself to eat it.
When Darren asked how she would like to spend the day, she suggested going to the beach. ‘Fabulous idea,’ he blurted. ‘It’ll be like we’re still on our honeymoon.’
‘Just the two of us, right?’
‘Of course.’
‘You don’t want to take
her
along?’
her
along?’
‘Joyce’ll be fine right here.’ He winked. ‘She’s really pretty much a home body.’
In the bedroom, Barbara tied her string bikini into place, then covered up with a blouse and shorts, and slipped into sandals. Darren came in while she was making the bed. ‘I’ll get the towels and things while you’re changing,’ she told him.
‘I’ll be done in a jiff,’ he said, and winked.
Before they left, Darren carried Joyce into the living room. He set her down on the sofa, tucked a pillow under he head and pulled off her shoes. ‘All comfy?’ he asked. He patted her leg, then took the beach bag from Barbara’s hand and led the way to the door.
***
It was wonderful to get out of the house. Away from Joyce. At the beach, they roamed along the shoreline, holding hands. They spread towels on the sand, massaged each other with sun block, stretched out side by side, lay motionless under the heavy sun and soothing breezes.
Exhausted after a night of so little sleep, Barbara slumbered peacefully.
Later, they explored the pier. They wandered the souvenir shops. They rode the bumper cars. Darren sank a basketball three times in a row and won her a furry, pink teddy bear. They ate fried clams and homemade potato chips on a bench high above the ocean.
Then they returned to the sand. They spread their towels again, lay down, and again Barbara fell asleep.
She awoke when Darren kissed her shoulder. ‘We’d best be on our way.’
Her stomach twisted, knotted itself into an icy clump.
‘Not yet.’
‘We don’t want to burn.’
‘We won’t. The sun block…’
‘Nevertheless. We should be getting back.’
‘It’s still early.’
He glanced at his wristwatch. ‘It’s after three.’
She nodded. She forced herself to smile.
Her smile became genuine as she pulled the shorts up her legs. ‘I know, let’s go to a movie!’
‘A movie?’
‘Sure. A matinee. It’ll be great!’
‘Well…’
‘Please?This is out last day together before… it’ll be off to work for you in the morning. We won’t have another chance to
do
anything till next weekend. Please?’
do
anything till next weekend. Please?’
‘Sure. Why not?’
They returned to the car, drove to a parking structure near the Third Street Mall, then went to a cineplex. Of the six movies playing there, one was scheduled to begin in fifteen minutes. Darren bought tickets, and in they went.
Soon, the theater darkened. Too soon, the movie ended.
‘It sure will be great to get home and take a nice shower,’ Darren said as they walked through the lobby. He patted her rump. ‘Together.’
‘Why don’t we stay for another?’
‘Really, darling. I think one’s enough.’
‘Please? You know how I love movies.’
He smiled. ‘How’s this? We’ll drop by the video store on the way home and rent a couple for tonight.’
She sighed. She didn’t want to
start
anything. ‘All right. If you’d rather do that.’
start
anything. ‘All right. If you’d rather do that.’
So they drove to a video store.
Barbara studied the shelves of tapes, shaking her head, unwilling to make a choice. Over and over again, she found reasons not to accept videos Darren selected. She’d already seen this one, that one didn’t sound very good. ‘Don’t worry,’ she said several times. ‘We’ll find something. There must be
something
decent around here.’ And they kept on looking.
something
decent around here.’ And they kept on looking.
She managed to stretch out their search for more than an hour. Finally, Darren said, ‘Let’s just grab a couple. I’m starving.’ Barbara grabbed two that she’d noticed when they first came in.
***
Back in the car, she said, ‘Why don’t we have a bite to eat before we go home?’
‘Take-out?’
‘I’d rather eat
in
a restaurant. It’s so much more fun.’
in
a restaurant. It’s so much more fun.’
‘Look how we’re dressed.’
‘We don’t have to go any place fancy. Jack-in-the-Box or Burger King. Whatever.’
Darren drove to Burger King. They ate at a table. While Barbara slowly consumed her meal, she tried to think of another way to delay their return home.
Give it up, she finally thought. I’ve stalled him as long as I can without making a fuss. We can’t stay away forever. Might as well get it over with.
So, when the meal was done, they climbed into the car and drove through the dusk, heading for home.
Where Joyce would be waiting.
Maybe we’ll be in luck, Barbara thought, and the house burnt down while we were out.
Fat chance.
They rounded a corner, and there it was. Still standing.
‘Did you have a good time?’ Darren asked as he swung into the driveway.
‘Wonderful. I really hate for it to end.’
‘Nothing’s ended, darling.’ He stopped the car, leaned toward Barbara and stroked the back of her head. ‘Our life together has only begun. We’ll have so many fine times.’
‘I suppose so.’
‘No supposing about it.’
She followed him into the house. Darren carried the sack of video tapes into the living room and set it down at Joyce’s feet.
‘She won’t have to watch the movies with us, will she?’ Barbara asked. ‘Couldn’t you… maybe put her in another room?’
‘I could. But the sooner you get used to her the better. Don’t you think?’
‘I don’t think I’ll ever get used to her.’
‘Oh, you will, you will. Give it time. Now, you go along and start your shower. I’ll be along in a minute.’ He winked. Then he crouched, slipped his arms under Joyce, and lifted her off the sofa.
Barbara’s heart slammed. ‘Where are you taking her?’
‘The guest room.’ He grinned. ‘Time to get her out of the daytime attire.’
She hurried ahead of them and shut herself into the bathroom. Trembling, she took off her clothes.
The daytime attire, she thought.
He’s stripping her. Then he’ll be waltzing in here and putting his hands on
me.
me.
That’s what
he
thinks.
he
thinks.
She thumbed down the lock button, then went to the tub and turned on the shower.
He’ll just have to choose, she thought as she adjusted the faucets. Joyce or me. He can’t have it both ways.
What if he chooses her?
I can’t lose him. Not over a damned stiff!
Sighing, Barbara stepped to the door and unlocked it.
She climbed into the tub and slid the glass door shut. The hot spray felt wonderful splashing against head and face, sliding down her body.
His hands will be clean, she told herself. They’ll be all soapy when he rubs me. They won’t have Joyce on them.
But she’ll be waiting when we come out.
Dressed in her little see-through nightie.
God!
Standing around in her nightie and shades while we watch the movies. Then standing by the bed while we make love.
I can’t take much more of this.
Maybe I shouldn’t let him have me again till she’s out of the house.
No, he’d end up resenting me. I can’t do anything to
make
him get rid of her. He’d hold it against me forever. It has to be his decision.
make
him get rid of her. He’d hold it against me forever. It has to be his decision.
If only she hadn’t been preserved so well. If she was rotten or stinky, he sure wouldn’t have kept her around.
What if I go to the market tomorrow while he’s at work, pick up some really stinky cheese, poke some into her mouth? Poke some into her
everywhere
?
everywhere
?
Yuck! I’d have to touch her.
There are always gloves for that.
Darren will think she’s going bad.
And get rid of her?
What if he probes around and finds the cheese?
Would it be worth the risk?
Barbara flinched, startled, as the shower door rumbled open. She turned. Joyce stared in at her, smiling. No silver shades, no nightie.
‘No!’ She staggered backward as Joyce rose, lifted high by Darren behind her. ‘Get her
out
of here!’ She slipped. Her rump smacked the bottom of the tub. ‘Ow!’
out
of here!’ She slipped. Her rump smacked the bottom of the tub. ‘Ow!’
‘Darling! Are you all right?’
‘No! Get her out of here! What’s the matter with you?’
‘This’ll be a great way for you to get better acquainted. Really. Did you hurt yourself?’
‘I’ll live.’ Barbara scooted backward and drew her legs up to her chest as Darren stepped into the tub with Joyce. Holding the body against him with one arm across her belly, he slid the shower door shut.
The spray splattered off Joyce’s shoulders. Water spread down her body in shiny streamers.
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