Chuck Palahniuk - Pygmy

Eyes of host brother open, look from floor, lips say, “I told you not to follow me…” Eyes zigzag cracked with blood tunnels inside white part.

Leather pocketbook spread open on floor, splashed in blood, hollow of dollars. Knees of operative me bend so allow hands of this agent to retrieve.

Clear-yellow bully say, “Hey, Cedar, is this your little colored bitch?”

Hold pocketbook slippery wet in blood, this agent say, “No pygmy.”

Clear-yellow bully, foot stand on cowering pig dog, yellow hair swing across fire blue eye, bully say, “You a gook? A nigger? A sand flea?” Say, “Exactly what breed of wetback bitch are you?”

Could be, this instant, elbows of operative me fly and drive fast, wham-pow , to soft corners of head temple, stun brain of yellow bully. Blackout. Foot of this agent stomp down trouser waist of bully to pool around bully feet. Next then turgid weapon of operative me, violate stunned anus, humiliate with seed the forced screaming pain of clear-yellow bully. All dry friction.

Clear-yellow bully lift shoe from head of host brother. Fashions face of half smile, says, “Okay, Cedar, you can go fuck your little colored bitch.” Say, “Thanks for the cash.” Shoe of bully step in puddle of blood, and clear-yellow bully print blood in zigzag design of shoe bottom going away, blood design of diagonal traction lines going less red, less clear until feet bend around new product wall corner, gone.

Solely remain trail blood steps.

Solely witness, peek from terminus product aisle Doris woman cadaver squinting for watch melee. Next now, cadaver scuttle, scurry retreat, vanished.

Pig dog lift own self to rest on both elbow against floor. Zigzag engraved, embedded in cheek of host brother face. Dermis patterned dark pink, later red, later purple in shoe traction design. Diagonal many line of purple electric bolts, channels carry water bleed out eyes down, zigzag switchback far as pig dog hand slap water gone.

Finger of operative me, made straight to direct eye, this agent say, “Tennis shoe,” at blood design on floor. Next, embed design in cheek.

And pig dog brother slap eye water off own face, say, “No, you stupid pygmy…” Say, “That’s a fucking track shoe ” Zigzag red and white stripe down cheek, like American flag flutter in wind. Host brother scoop air with hand, say, “Follow me.”

Next then, pig dog make operative me small parade until where many million shoe for sell area. Shoe on wall shelf. Pile shoe burden many table. Shoe craft from leather like pocketbook remain inside fingers of operative me, glued this agent with colding blood. Shoe craft from fabric like hanging pocket tail of host brother.

Pig dog inhale dripping of nose blood, gurgle, make straight finger at each shoe, say, “That’s a tennis shoe, you little pygmy.” Make finger at new shoe. “That’s a track shoe.” Make finger at other new shoe, one after other, say, “Bowling shoe…wrestling shoe…basketball shoe… cross-training shoe…volleyball shoe…baseball shoe…walking shoe…football…soccer…” Only all shoe make finger at, every shoe appearance alike. All shoe twin. No different.

Next then, feet parading around new corner, pig dog discover place many baby animal imprison. Silver cage like wheeled cage shoved by operative Tibor, agent 23, only trap for baby dog, grouping several baby dog. Next new cage, other breed baby dog. Other cage, baby cat. Wall builded cage bricks of baby cat and dog on top and below, all baby animal cry. Stand on silver wire or nest asleep curls of wood. Other wall, cage of baby rodent, many breed rat or mouse. Same as laboratory. Other wall, glass cage of snake and lizard. Heavy in air animal stink, bubble noise out water bin of fire-colored fish.

Pig dog brother make finger straight at wall cages, say, “This, pygmy, is what you’d call a fancy restaurant.” Make finger straight at baby dogs and say, “That’s called ‘beef’” Say, “Pick one out, and they kill it and dress it right here. I swear.” Make straight finger at baby cat and say, “That’s pork.” Make finger at rat, lizard, snake, baby rabbit, say, “Chicken…veal…fish…crab …”

Head of operative me rock own chin up and down to make agreement.

“Yum-yum,” say host brother, smiling bruise zigzag face, hand rubbing circle around own belly. Say, “Them’s good eating.” Take back hollow pocketbook.

Next then, feet parading around new corner, pig dog discover wall of bottles inside filled gold liquid, clear bottles. Making eyes sideways, both ways fast, host brother twist open top cap of bottle so expose liquid. Pig dog say, “Hold your hands out, pygmy, open side up.”

Operative me make hands in front, cupped to ceiling.

Pig dog pour gold liquid too deep inside hands of this agent. Gold liquid flooding to splash on floor. Host brother twist cap lid closed over bottle, replace on shelf. Say, “Go ahead, pygmy.” Slap both of own hands, flat open on own bruise face smudging blood there. Say, “Like that.” Say, “It’s called ‘aftershave.’”

Open hands of operative me splash gold liquid on cheeks of this agent. Mimic to rub liquid around face and neck. Gold sting, smell hot poison, reek to make eyes bleed water, medicine stench scald burn skin of operative me.

“Aftershave,” repeat say pig dog brother, say, “Drives the fine ladies wild.”

Printed in English letter, word letter black against white label of bottle, English letter spell, “Listerine.”

This agent, eye of operative me suffering fire pain, say how in America told all ladies glad liberated to always expose many fragrant vaginas. No ever possess maidenhead. Develop hobby of enjoying many frequent abortion. Always hungering to fashion moist lady mouths tight around gentlemen genital.

Pig dog brother merely rest eye on this agent. Eye no blink.

Mouth of operative me say, “Is no correct?”

Host pig dog say, “I wish…” Swinging smudge blood face from side then side, say, “Little pygmy, from your mouth to God’s ear.”

Inside head of operative me fashion image of host sister. Sister, cat eyeing all happen. Stealth cat image inflate turgid weapon within trouser of this agent.

Next then, feet parading around new corner, pig dog discover door printed English letter word Men . Displayed there outline picture man, two arm, two leg.

Pig dog say, “This here’s called a spa.” Make finger straight at door, say, “You go in here, and they got bowls of water set on the floor. The cleanest, freshest water in these United States.” Say, “You only have to kneel down and you can drink all you want.” Pig dog eyes no blink. Mouth no smile. Say, “Go try it. You’ll love the taste.” Host brother hand push “Men” door open to reveal inside walls white tile, floor tile.

Only one step with foot, operative me cloaked within smell, reek like baby animal restaurant. Stench of too many sulfur-base amino acid. Diet heavy with dead flesh. Cola soda of sodium benzoate combine citric acid inside intestine to mix benzene until trigger cancer. Reek of cancer bowel. Fecal impacted colon stink.

Nose of operative me solitary within spa room, door swing close behind this agent.

Several bowl of glazed ceramic hang in row from wall. Metal wall screen several small booth holding water drinking bowl on floor inside each. Rolls paper napkins ready hang from metal wall beside each water bowl, for to wipe mouth. Exact as pig dog teach.

Next then, door of one small booth swing open fast to, swish-bang , collide white tile wall behind. Metal door boom open and voice say, “Hey, pygmy…” Male voice say, “Yo, little bitch…”

Clear-yellow hair hanging. Electric-bolt blue eye. Black tunic lettered, “John 3:16.” Blue denim trouser holding pocket of thefted paper money. Clear-yellow bully jerk head, swing eyes from behind yellow hair curtain. Bully say, “You come from one of those dick-mutilation places?” Say, “Whip it out, pygmy.” Say, “Show me what the witch doctor done to you…”