SNUFF (h.s.)

Chapter 34

The Shaman Mist

Harry was holding a hard worn baleen toothbrush. He'd pressed the middle of the tube leaving the mountain edges poking and Sylvester's mug squashed as if a cartooned leg had turned him double 2-D. He put another bean of fruity toothpaste on his two front teeth for the second scrubbing round. Don't press the paste at the center, Nora advised, squash it from the top edge.

His bike chain hand was swirling. He'd spilled paint on the dentures metal, he lifted it at the open window trying to detect the stubborn stains. He brushed the four front teeth he was missing, their tiny bubble outline shone smelling of grocery store and peeled plaster.

He glanced at the rear view mirror, he licked his thumb and cleaned a red smeared fingermark. He wiped on his denim thigh as if he was sharpening an open razor on a leather belt. He didn't dare to catch an Olympia from the backseat even though his throat was as dry as a crow's. He believed his timid turn of hand would grab a beer plus a side order he wouldn't appreciate. Take a look there, he nodded at a blank spot left by a Datsun truck filled with watermelons and a Piaggio tricycle. His flivver Caddy would turn to an accordion to fit.

Nora passed an ideal space guarded by a plastic chair, these parking spots remained open until they weren't much to look at like your irritating uncle's obnoxious sweaters with the knitted skiers. She wouldn't park in truck stop cafés, neither would the owners allow her to sit her smudgy caboose there. Harry did a sizzler job, but that was her view on the matter and didn't expect anyone else to do so.

Harry had pulled yellow, burgundy and pink lines on her face. He painted the skin under her brows indifferent for the shade for he wanted to stick flower petals there. These fitted her shape unwearied and unmarred of their freshness. He colored her face in the shade of a tortoise's turquoise shell, he made lines and spots of white intact in every stroke. He had an untrembling hand that took care of the edges, the outlines and the tiny details. It floated stable as a rod. He'd painted the presence of an ebony dove on her nose and forehead.

Her neck had serpentine and labyrinthical lava lite shapes. She had split paint on her mouth like ripe seeds, her silver scaled skin shimmered. Harry had a handful of ideas, he didn't leave any uncovered part. The paint had worn under her breasts, between her fingers, among her thighs. The brush hairs took a turn on the fine line of her cunt. He'd created a seashell on the reversed triangle and two lidless eyes on her nipples.

She was driving in a posture allowing her to touch the car with the least of her body, most of the paint had dried since the afternoon. Harry attempted the final brushing lap on his dentures, he put his hand out of the window rinsing the teeth with a used corn can. He placed the tin on the dash, a crystal drop rolled and dripped on his conchos forming a dark circle. He opened the small mirror on the sun visor, he held his wide mouth and buttoned the teeth.

He said she was circling the block. She wanted to take another look on the other side. Harry was watching the opposite side and there was nothing worth of their roaming. I just checked here, she replied she knew but wanted to see herself anyways. He didn't fancy parking around here, Nora reassured him they'd stay there to get rid of the baggage. Two hook hair strands had plungered on her cheeks.

This is why he was worried, he said. He didn't want any loose-lipped looking after them from their balcony. You see any balconies here, Nora asked. He remarked that an individual with an elephant's ear needn't a balcony to get them. She requested he reads his Lucky Luke volume, they'd find a place to cram the clunker. The body in the backseat would soon start to stink.

The Caddy was coasting, her eyes were following the company. One of the kids was wearing a smeared crumpled bandage, though it was new. Two intact fingers were poking like antennas. He had a walk as if a pair of hard-peeled oranges were stuffed in his groin. And he wanted to give that impression. He was followed by four kids; girls and boys that come in twos.