Lustra and I hum softly with The Truth's music as we get closer to Island City.
Dawn is breaking, soft colors light lacy clouds that hold deeper colors that pulse through the sky, light and warm.
Luminous breaths, the breaths of dawn, move serenely, in concert with my still and prospering agony and with Lustra's muted longings and illicit curiosity and with the cool music of The Truth and the convulsing rays of sun.
The Truth moves from the water to the beach to the road.
I know where Quench is, where she has to be. Dreena's house. Closer now, like fingerprints on water. I make myself feel like I have to find her. I make myself try to care. Lustra shivers as she flashes on glints of the answers she wants.
And Quench, not so far away from us, waits. Relentlessly disarmed, chained, she's paying a price for song and singing. Singing for some kind of mad love. I can't hear her song, but I think maybe I can feel it.
The Truth is quiet for a little time as we shoot down a main road running to Island City. Lustra and I are lulled to doze in each other's comfort and the speeding plush of The Truth. We snap alert when The Truth begins to broadcast a song; we realize Quench is the one singing it.
Dreena hisses, spitting, too hot too cold bleeding screams as she watches us in her screens, watches us getting closer. She cackles at her prisoner: "Prisoner, Prisoner," the words drop from her lips like ashes from a cigarette set to sear flesh. "Captive!" she screams. "I'm gonna burn up your baby," she sings, mocking the kinds of songs she thinks Quench is probably singing inside. "Inside! Inside! But you'll sing my songs on the outside, won't you? You little deformed fucking sea creature...I know exactly what you are..." Voice like a steel pipe connecting, she paces the room, swishing a whip.
"I don't care really, what you are or where you come from. You'll see what happens to water in Island City," she says coolly, then mutters: "You tiresome little minty fresh, little dab of – you little shit – fucking candy. There's no room for candy here."
Quench looks serene, unknowing.
"Just go ahead and sing for the people. And make sure that what you sing goes with the scenery. " She snaps at Quench with her whip; the tip is moistened when it hits her ankle. Quench starts to sing.
Traveled through the airwaves, pushed through me, and filtered universally through the speakers of The Truth, it comes out like this:
I used to be lonely
I used to be so so lonely
But I didn't know nothing
(didn't feel a thing)
'bout lonely
Until I met you
Until I let you
Kiss my lips and take my breath away...
Will it rain again?
Will it ever rain again?
I shoulda known better
Than to quit you baby
You got a hold on me
But I had to see
I ain't got what you need
I don't wanna lose you
But you're already gone
I didn't choose you
You just came along
Now I'm crying for rain
To ease the pain
I'm crying for rain, baby
If you could only
Make it rain again
I'm waiting for you to find me
With arms that bind me
And love that blinds me
But don't hurry
Love
Don't rush
It's only love
You can only lose it
Then Dreena slaps a steel band across Quench's mouth; it digs into her golden cheeks like a hull on water.
Dreena sees on her screens something big trailing The Truth through the city. She chooses not really to make it out, though briefly, heavily, she knows exactly what it is and what it means.
"That," she says, jabbing a finger at the screen "is not part of my show."
She snaps her finger at Quench, "just don't forget to sing my song on opening night," she says, and stalks from the room.
The day is bright blue and hazy as we glide through the city — The Truth's speakers loop Quench's song. We pass posters and billboards advertising Dreena's show. It's called All The Way and the posters make Lustra suck in her breath.
The Truth stops at the Water Torture so we can buy tickets. The place is empty except for the bartender. He sells us the tickets. (What we had to pay!) Quench's song is still playing, and Lustra asks me to dance, just to dance with her for a little time.
I don't mind. We go to the mirrored dance floor, cool, empty, blue lights throbbing. We hold on. The feeling of body on body is good right now. It's enough to be this way, isolated in the cool damp of the club. And now it's more than enough as flesh fascination takes over. Fingers, mouths reflecting. The burn taking. Lessen the strain. Bend to the pain. Down on her knees. I pour into her and she lets me and it makes visions in her head.
Anything for visions. Please. Please. Please.
We leave the Water Torture at dusk and get back in The Truth to find the speakers hushed. The richness of earned silence satisfies us, and The Truth moves along as the night ushers in another Quench song that lulls us to sleep.
My dreams are tortured and nourished by the little song. Lustra sleeps next to me and is careful with her dreams, lest they slip into mine. Here's the song:
You found me at the end of the world
Drowning in the edges of time
Beginning to cry
For loves gone by
You threw me into your arms
Hold me soft
Hold me tight
Just don't let your arms break around me tonight
Don't let your arms break
Around me tonight
Days gone by
Loves never die
Something in the way
Couldn't let me stay
I left you with only this kiss
(this kiss)
So hold me soft
And hold me tight
Just don't let your arms
Break around me
Tonight
You may think you're dreaming
But lover, it's only me screaming
Screaming your name
Your name
Your name
Your name
My love...
In the night...
Vonica and Jiggle watch what will soon be part of the "live" show, All the Way. I've got all night baby ... They'd gotten a song out of Quench — the song that would start off their soundtrack — when Dreena was momentarily absorbed in her own preparations. It was just what they needed. Just to be with you ...A professional job. They helped Dreena unlock Quench's voice. Hearing it was like stepping into another world for them. It made them want to see me again. It made them want to see rain. ...hope you get to see the show, my baby/hope you get to/ yes I do... They've woven together pictures from their night on the town and will project that footage. They hope I stop in to see them before tonight but imagine I have other plans...I ain't cried my last tear for you baby...They wait and watch the crowd draw.
We are awake again and The Truth is moving through a day even hazier than the one before it. Sand blows over the road. What a heat.
Quench's music continues to play. Never looking behind us, we enjoy the sound and the motion.
We're close to the house. The Truth drops us off down the street. I move with the suitcase. Lustra blends with the gathered throngs. It looks like almost everybody left in Island City is here. Some of the old boys appear on the street. They use devices to ease the crowd into a kind of order. Still, agony, excitement, confusion, anticipation leak out of the people and spin in the air. The sunset is loopy and bleeding. I'm in the house already, wandering through the old rooms. Rooms to get lost in. Rooms I've never been in. Rooms I've only seen. Dolls. The smells in here. Impossible to remove. Like a drug that never leaves you; its smells you always recognize. The screens have multiplied since I've been gone. The boys have been busy. I almost wish I was a part of it. A different part. Wish I was watching instead of watched. I am watching. Watching the street. But I'm part of the show, too. I think. I must be.
Oh. I have to go down to the bottom floor. I can't take those stairs. Why should I? There's lots of ways to get down there.
Screens everywhere down here. Phosphorescent rainbows dance on black haze. Not like the screens upstairs. The boys let the crowd slip in. I see Lustra. She's looking kind of resolute. Where is Dreena? I tried to find her in the screens upstairs, but I wouldn't unless she wanted me to and obviously she didn't. I didn't find Quench either. I didn't try too hard. One screen was black water splashing, with flickering, orange steams drifting from it. Another showed me looking into it. That's when I decided to come down here.
The lights dim. Most of these screens feature black, marble backgrounds with orangebrown bubbles that expand until they absorb into the black.
The restlessness of the crowd intensifies. The boys push buttons like crazy. A dim sound slowly filters in as the screens go blue. The crowd stills. Quench begins to materialize, her song low. Everybody strains to see and hear. She's wearing a strappy dress, short and clingy, the color of Lustra's shoes. That color against that gold skin. I shouldn't pay attention to that. Pay attention to the fluxing electric chains running from her wrists, from her legs (don't look at the shoes...the shoes are too much) — pay attention to the eyes, jade triangles, emerald stars, gold gold lashes...no. I need to be alert. Need to watch the show. Carefully. On the screen I'm moving up behind Quench. I'm reaching out to touch the chains. Cut to dolls, to Dolly with dolls. To Dare in the rain. Stairs. Breaking glass. I'll never know what glass was breaking then. Even the screens don't show that. Quench raining onto the beach. So good I brought the suitcase. We're gonna need the suitcase. The All the Way Motel. We can go to The All the Way Motel. Vint flashes onto the screens. No. No. The Truth stretched and diluted. Lies. If we could find The Sea of Love, find it together...The song gets louder. Quench takes focus. I'm watching myself touch her, but I can't feel it. The voice rolls out of her. Her eyes hold me. This is what she's singing:
Don't try to save me
I'm already gone
(The chains spark while she moves her hands, while she strolls the lengths of the screen.)
Don't try to enslave me
Cause honey
I'm already
All wrapped up in you...
(Do you hear that? That light rush in the backbeat?)
There was a time
It seems a little
far away
(The crowd hears it. The crowd is mesmerized. Quench starts to move. So so glittery.)
I tried to catch your heart
And honey
Like the rain
It seemed
To be falling
(Hot laughter buckles the blue of the screen. Dreena.)
I couldn't wait the pain
To mend
You know I came too early
(The rush is stronger now. Sounds like water.)
And even if you send me away
Honey
Your song will always haunt me
(The sparking chains glow red. Quench's skin starts to bubble slightly.)
It's late and dark and velvet
So soft from making rain
(All the screens emit small flames. The crowd starts to frenzy. Quench's voice disembodies. The screens fill with too many scenes, shots, stills, sequences, actions, words. The crowd starts to lose its unity. Each person flies from screen to screen, trying to take it all in. People collide. People are trampled. The rushing gets louder; the flames grow. People get burned. Never mind. Shh. The least we can do is listen, just listen for a little time: )
Yea I was really singing
They tried to run
But it was drawn
And even if you send me away
Honey
Your sweet love won't be forgotten
Even if you send me away
Darlin'
I'll still faint every hour
Even if you send me away
Baby
I'll always be your only lonely
And even if you send me away
Your sweet love wont be forgotten
Most times I'm kinda crazy
So?
I feel funny honey
In your deep eyes forever
I'm set to spin
I was down on the street
Looking pretty
Feelin' low
I saw you looming large
Against
The hot sweet night
You put me in your big gaze
You filled me up
And ran me over
And even if you send me away
Sugar
I'll drink your easy feeling
Even if you send me away
Lover
I'll try not to keep from breathing
Waves fill the screens as her voice fades out. And then there's water everywhere. The water from the screens joins the vast wave that's been trailing us through Island City. Joined waters breaking through the walls of Dreena's house. Joined waters carrying away the flames and the people and the house and us and everything and I can't really talk about it right now but maybe I'll be back to tell you more
