Russell Banks - Outer Banks

Rex would have forbidden me to do all these things, if he’d been here, and when the war is finally over and he has been repatriated, he will come home again, and I hope we both can sit down and cry for what has been lost. If he can’t do that, I will leave him.

THE END

1.

It was morning when their jumbo jet was ready to descend, and by then Egress and the Loon were both quite drunk. — Boy, oh boy, Loon, I feel like havin’ a party! Le’s take some speed an’ stay up four days ‘n’ nights in a row! It ain’t every day y’get back from a goddamn pilgrimage, y’know! the king cried to his diminutive friend.

— Hoo haw! Hoo haw! Hoo haw! the Loon carefully responded. He knew how wild the king could get when he was drunk.

Champagne glasses in hand, the two staggered out the door of the aircraft and walked unsteadily through the arrival gate. — They ain’t no one here t’ meet us, the king observed, surprised.

— And it’s a good thing, too, the way you’re dressed, the Loon said, pointing at the king’s grain bag, which was spattered with caked mud, champagne, salt spray, dried semen.

— Yeah, I guess you’re right, the king agreed, and they walked to the taxi stand, got into a cab, and instructed the driver to take them to the palace. — Toot sweet! the king said flirtatiously.

— Going to see the queen? the driver impertinently asked. He was a bent-over, long-haired hippie type who closely resembled a ballboy who’d once worked at the gymnasium.

— You betcha! Egress said heartily. He loved the fact that the driver didn’t recognize him. — I’m gonna fuck ’er, he confided.

— Yeh. You and everybody else, the driver said, winking.

2.

When the cab pulled up at the palace gate, the Loon saw the handwriting on the wall and decided to seek cover. — Say, Egress, I’m going to split for my place, okay?

— Yeah, yeah, sure, sure, Egress said, thinking only of Naomi Ruth and how happy she would be to see him again.

As soon as he reached his tree house, the Loon made a few quick phone calls and confirmed his suspicions. Just as I suspected, he thought. The queen has taken over. He made one more call, found out when the next bus left for his small, southern hometown, and packed a large suitcase with most of his belongings, his simpler, lightweight clothes, his chambered nautilus, his five favorite records, three favorite books, four favorite autographed photographs of movie stars, and his thumb-sized lump of hash.

The Loon was not a prophet, actually, but with regard to political matters, he was practically clairvoyant. This was doubtless because he himself was as apolitical as a four-year-old child. With his talent, he ought to have been made the premier political advisor in the state. But, ironically, the very thing that gave rise to his talent disqualified him as a councillor: he had no loyalties whatsoever to anyone, except as he himself was personally threatened or rewarded. His politics were based entirely on what he saw as necessary for his own continued survival. This did not, however, make him amoral, for, in all his personal dealings with people, he remained both generous and kind.

3.

Egress the Hearty strode manfully into the Great Hall and roared, — Honey, I’m home!

The tapestry-covered walls soaked up his noise and left him standing alone in silence. — I like the way she’s decorated the place, he mused, fingering one of the thick tapestries. — French. Then he saw her, standing on the dais at the far end of the enormous room, and he ran, arms spread wide, to her. — Baa-a-a-bee-e-e ! he bellowed.

After he had kissed, hugged, and fondled her awhile, he began to realize that she had not responded, that she had stood still throughout, as if she were made of alabaster, silent and motionless and cold to the touch. — What’s the matter? Aren’t you thrilled to see me? he asked her. — Hey, baby, he growled in his sexy voice, — you really turn me on when you hold it back like this. He started to paw her breasts.

But still there was no reaction. — What the fuck …? he exclaimed, drawing back to look at her. Maybe she had the rag on or something. You never can tell.

Finally, she spoke to him in a low, calm voice. — Egress, you’ve been gone for more than seven years, and in that time I’ve acted in your place…

— Fantastic, terrific, he said. — That’s why you’re the queen.

— And in those years, she went on, — I’ve made a number of decisions, executive decisions. Foremost among these is the decision that I am to remain the chief executive, even after your return. I am, to put it simply and crudely, taking my turn, she declared.

— If you were a fucking man, he hissed, — I’d kill you. But you’re not. You’re a woman. My woman. Now, c’mere and give me some ass.

4.

A troop of Abenakis emerged from behind the arras next to the queen, and at a signal from their chief, the one called Horse, they surrounded Egress and tied him with deerhide thongs and pitched him onto the floor in a heap at the queen’s feet. Egress was beginning to feel a little frightened. — You’re serious ! he exclaimed to her.

Not answering him, she turned and regally left the hall.

— Horse! Don’t you recognize me, man? I’m your king! It’s me , Egress the Hearty, for Christ’s sake!

— Yeah, I know who you are, the red man answered. — Or rather, I know who you think you are. The fact that you think you’re still in charge, though, just because you’re who you are, doesn’t mean goatshit around here anymore. It’s hard to run around claiming Divine Right when you ain’t got no Enforcer! Horse joked, leading his band over to one of the far corners of the room. He was still wearing his jukebox, and one of the warriors punched E-5, a Buffy Sainte-Marie tune, and the group formed a small circle and started to dance.

— For god’s sake, don’t you guys have any loyalty to your own kind??? the king shrieked at them. — Where are your balls!!! Egress was beginning to comprehend what was happening, and his fear had turned to rage. Trussed up like a pig in a market, he roared, thrashing and rolling himself about the room.

Sadly, while the other Indians danced, Horse watched him. — The only good king is probably a dead king, he murmured to himself.

5.

This is how Egress escaped: The Abenakis, as redmen often will, took to drinking, and after having exhausted themselves with brawling, singing, and dancing, fell asleep in a pile in the corner. At dawn, a young girl, coming from one of the barracks rooms where, apparently, she had been visiting her boyfriend or her brother, stole across the Great Hall in the half-light and almost stumbled over the fuming body of Egress.

— Watch it, for Christ’s sake! he snapped.

— Oh, golly, I didn’t see you there! I’m terribly sorry, she said sincerely. She was wearing a high school cheerleader’s uniform and had large, pointed breasts. — Are you all right? she asked the king.

— Listen, I was captured by some Indians working for my wife, the queen, because she hates men. Do you hate men, too? he asked kindly.

— Oh-h-h, gosh, no ! I just love them! I mean, I have too much respect for men. I’m 37-24-37, you know, she said proudly.

— That right? Well, then, why don’t you just untie me, honey, so I can stand up and get a good look at your body?

— Oh, I’m so em-barrassed! she giggled, bending down to untie him, brushing his nose with her naked thigh as she worked.

When she had freed him, he stood up, grabbed her by her left breast, and together they ran from the room to the courtyard outside. There he leaned her against the wall, yanked down her panties, and stuffed his stiff cock into her. He pumped half a dozen times, came, and quickly withdrew, saying as he left, — I’ll be in touch.