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Nov. 1st, 2004 05:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
axesladegah, LJ is being stupid...all I did today was read a really cool book by Theresa Nelson called Earthshine. Made me want to RP since the dad made me think of Saffie and the daughter of Jamie, but hopefully I'll be able tomororw. also watched Desperate Housewives last night *giggles* annnd, the second chap of Can't Stand the Light. Yes, I know 1 isn't finished yet but it will be. And if some of it sounds funny, my dad proofread it. We're not through the whole thing though, so it'll probably sound much more natural towards the end.
(James pushes away from the typewriter, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes in an attempt to fight back the colorful-painful memories. Losing the fight, he moves the chair back to the desk and begins to write again)
I'd heard tales of life at the Sombrero Club, but none of them could begin to describe the real thing. People, seemingly genderless folk, were dancing on tables singing on the stage, and otherwise entertaining. The only way of telling someone's gender was what they were wearing, and often this was ineffectual.
After Angel paid our way in, I followed the group around as they had obviously all been here before. A person who seemed to be young boy with long, blonde hair walked after we were seated at a table in the back; tweaking Angel's leg,
"Been awhile."
"Cora!"
Then, I realized that this creature was actually a woman. I stammered nervously and downed another shot of vodka. Freddie laughed, nudging me,
"Take it easy sailor. You need to be able to walk at the end of the night."
I didn't know why he said this, so I just kept drinking and watching the throng of people. None of the dancers seemed to notice how out of the norm they were. Couples, both partners who were both clad in suits or dresses ,were dancing and kissing passionately, something I had always yearned for but had never been able to experience, as I had been hidden away from the scene the moment I showed an interest in it.
I noticed, as I picked up the liquor bottle, that everyone but Freddie was gone to the dance floor. Angel was in-between a man and woman, laughing and kissing both of them. Mickey was dipping some sultry thing in a red cocktail dress; and Cooper was conversing with a butch, blonde man. Suddenly, everyone froze. I had no idea why, I must have missed whatever had been said by Jack Fairy, who was standing still by the microphone.
Freddie smiled, putting his hand under my chin to turn my head,
"It's her, The Sparkling Diamond.", pointing with his free hand to a staircase off to the right. A young woman in a man's dress-shirt, tucked into a short red skirt was walking down the stairs, smiling at the few who had shoved their way to the railing, handing her things. I gasped, she was beautiful.
One of the stagehands handed her a tophat, which she perched elegantly on her head. She crossed to a low table just in front of the stage, swinging her right leg onto it, stretching the limb out and sighing contently into the microphone Jack had put in her hand. I heard the man at the table next to us, a gentlemen in a pinstripe suit with blonde hair down to the nape of his neck, lick his lips. I understood why, of course. This girl was more than just a vamp, more than just the embodiment of everything that was sexual in women. She sparkled.
A few of the other lasses walked over to the microphone stands by the table as Mandy swung her other leg up so
she was perched on the edge of the table. She lowered the brim of her hat, singing softly,
"The minute you walked in the joint, I could see you were a man of distinction. A real big spender, good looking, so refined," her eyes seemed to lock right on mine, and she smiled,
"Say wouldn't you like to know what's going on in my mind?", jumping off the table, walking through the crowd of men and women who tossed bills at her feet and into her palms. One of the other girls took Mandy's tophat off, and started collecting the gifts as she sang,
"So let me get right to the point, I don't pop", she kicked her right leg high in the air, letting one of the customers run their hands along it before snapping the limb back down,
"My cork for every guy I see. Hey, big spender!", she took a handful of bills from a rather upper-class spectator, a woman in a fur coat, and rubbed against her,
"Spend a little time with me."
The words stopped having meaning, all I could hear was her voice, no words, only intonation. I heard the man at the other table talking to someone who I realized was Jack Fairy, their conversation going on over the top of the one I was having with Freddi.
"When do I get to meet her?"
"After her number...."
Freddi nudged me, so I wasn't able to hear the rest
"After her number, I've arranged a special meeting, just you and Mandy. Totally alone."
I squeaked,
"Alone?"
"Yes, totally alone."
Towards the end of the song, Freddi got up to signal Mandy, bumping into the man next to us and spilling a drink on the man's lap. The man snarled and Freddi laughed nervously,
"Horribly sorry. Just passing through..."
I didn't hear the rest of the converation, I was too occupied with watching Jack and Mandy. He was dangling a diamond-and-sapphire necklace, teasingly in front of her, and she was batting at it like a kitten with a ball of string.
"Is the investor here Jack?"
"Doll! Would I let you down?"
"Where is he?"
"He's the one Freddi's waving a hankie at."
Mandy squinted. Freddi was shaking a handkerchief at a young man with bright green hair and stunning eyes. Though his eyes seemed purple, they were probably just dark blue.
"Are you sure?"
"Let me take a look," Jack peered around Mandy's waist and saw Freddi waving the same handkerchief at a blonde haired man. He smiled,
"That's the one dewdrop."
"Oooh!", Mandy taking the necklace in hand, waving the necklace at the green-haired gentlemen in acknowledgement. Mandy ducked behind the others, who were dancing dirtily against each other to conceal that she was changing costumes. She lifted her shirt over her head without bothering to unbutton, sliding her skirt down her legs,
"Will he invest?"
"Chocolate! After spending the night with you, how could he resist?"
Mandy smiled, sliding the straps of her slinky black dress over her shoulders and holding a mirror up to her face as one of the stagehands zipped up the back of the dress,
"What's his type? Sexless pixie?", Mandy sucked in her chest and held her hair back to make it seem shorter. Jack shook his head and she rolled her eyes, continuing,
"Girly debutante? Catholic school girl? Cheerleader?", she listed off a few in a snarky voice and Jack clucked his tongue.
"Or smoldering vamp?", she growled, showing her teeth. Jack smiled,
"I'd say smoldering vamp", he shoved his jacket and shirt off,
"We're all relying on you, pet. Remember. A real show, with a real audience. And you'll be-"
"A real actress", Mandy sighed and shoved her way through the dancers, pulling Jack with her. Jack pretended to try and cover up his partial nudity and Mandy laughed, singing,
"Hey, big spender! Hey, big spender! Hey, big spender!", she sashayed to where Freddi was standing with the investor. She winked and sang the last line in a raspy, sexy voice,
"Spend a little time with me..." she smiled at the young man,
"I believe you've been expecting me."
I couldn't believe it. In front of me was one of the sexiest women in London...and I couldn't say anything but, 'yes.'
She smiled, turning to the crowd,
"I'm afraid it's lady's choice", she said. When I didn't stand up to stand by her, she pouted and the crowd groaned mockingly. I had no idea what was going on, but Coco and the others kept urging me to stand up. Mandy started swaying her hips to the beat of the music, yelling.
"Oh! Oh!"
I stared in disbelief as everyone started clapping in rhythm and chanting,
"Mandy! Mandy! Mandy!"
Mandy grinning, turned around to me. Freddi yelled over the loud music,
"I believe you've met my friend, J-"
"I'll take care of it Freddi," she smiled,
"Let's dance." She pulled me onto the dance floor, where couples of every gender, race and type were already going at it. I stood back for a moment, soaking it all in, before a few butch women shoved me over to Mandy. People were straddling their partners, pretending to go down on them...and I soon became aware that Mandy was doing the same to me.
I turned back to my table. My friends winked and I winked back, putting my arms around Mandy's back. She smiled, wrapping her arms around my neck,
"It's so wonderful of you to take an interest in our little show."
"Well it sounds very exciting. I-I'd be delighted to be involved."
"Really?"
Now, I was incredibly naive, having no idea until later as to how Mandy took many of the things I said,
"Assuming you like what I do, of course."
She smiled,
"I'm sure I will."
I dipped Mandy, following the other couples' lead.
"Freddi thought we might...uh...be able to do it in private."
Her eyes widened,
"Did he?"
"Yes...you know, a private...session."
"Ohh..." she grinned, running her fingers down my arm,
"I love a little music after supper," she laughed. I just blinked and stammered, dipping her again.
Later on that night, Mandy was back at the top of the staircase, perched on the railing and singing with a white spotlight on her,
"Hey, big spender! Hey big spender! Spend a little time…with..." she gasped, bending forward slightly and falling off the railing. Jack yelled as her body fell to the ground, but one of the stagehands caught her in his arms. Jack licked his lips and jerked his head for her to be taken to the dressing rooms, getting the crowd to applaud this like it was just an act and
started chanting her name.
"Put her over here," Cecil pointed Harley to a low couch in the corner. Harley set Mandy on it and Cecil put a bottle of smelling salts under her nose.
Shannon looked at Mandy, then to one of the other girls,
"Don't think that rich boy's gettin' his money's worth tonight."
"Don't be unkind Shannon!"
Mandy blinked a few times and let out a loud sigh,
"Ohh...Cecil...", she smiled. Cecil sighed,
"I told you not to go on tonight."
Mandy smiled faintly,
"The bleeding stopped by the time I was dressed."
"You're still weak pet. I don't think you're strong enough to meet with-"
"No!", Mandy bolted up right and stood up, beginning to change,
"You know I have to Cecil."
Cecil sighed. Jerry stuck his head in then, and Cecil heard Jack yelling the words,
"...I can see some lonely dancers who are looking for a partner or two!"
Jerry jerked his hand to the girls,
"Come on, make those people thirsty. Any problems?
Cecil snarled,
"Nothing you need to be concerned about."
Jerry nodded and walked out. Cecil walked around, picking up the clothes Mandy had discarded. He looked at her pale skin, saw that her underwear were saturated in blood, and that she was still wincing if she bent over too far. He sighed, shaking his head. Even if it was done legally, a girl like her couldn't work for two weeks after an abortion. But he knew she had to work two days after one, that the Pill made her sick and there was no way to make customers wear condoms. So, he just threw the clothes in a hamper and went to help her get ready.
(James pushes away from the typewriter, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes in an attempt to fight back the colorful-painful memories. Losing the fight, he moves the chair back to the desk and begins to write again)
I'd heard tales of life at the Sombrero Club, but none of them could begin to describe the real thing. People, seemingly genderless folk, were dancing on tables singing on the stage, and otherwise entertaining. The only way of telling someone's gender was what they were wearing, and often this was ineffectual.
After Angel paid our way in, I followed the group around as they had obviously all been here before. A person who seemed to be young boy with long, blonde hair walked after we were seated at a table in the back; tweaking Angel's leg,
"Been awhile."
"Cora!"
Then, I realized that this creature was actually a woman. I stammered nervously and downed another shot of vodka. Freddie laughed, nudging me,
"Take it easy sailor. You need to be able to walk at the end of the night."
I didn't know why he said this, so I just kept drinking and watching the throng of people. None of the dancers seemed to notice how out of the norm they were. Couples, both partners who were both clad in suits or dresses ,were dancing and kissing passionately, something I had always yearned for but had never been able to experience, as I had been hidden away from the scene the moment I showed an interest in it.
I noticed, as I picked up the liquor bottle, that everyone but Freddie was gone to the dance floor. Angel was in-between a man and woman, laughing and kissing both of them. Mickey was dipping some sultry thing in a red cocktail dress; and Cooper was conversing with a butch, blonde man. Suddenly, everyone froze. I had no idea why, I must have missed whatever had been said by Jack Fairy, who was standing still by the microphone.
Freddie smiled, putting his hand under my chin to turn my head,
"It's her, The Sparkling Diamond.", pointing with his free hand to a staircase off to the right. A young woman in a man's dress-shirt, tucked into a short red skirt was walking down the stairs, smiling at the few who had shoved their way to the railing, handing her things. I gasped, she was beautiful.
One of the stagehands handed her a tophat, which she perched elegantly on her head. She crossed to a low table just in front of the stage, swinging her right leg onto it, stretching the limb out and sighing contently into the microphone Jack had put in her hand. I heard the man at the table next to us, a gentlemen in a pinstripe suit with blonde hair down to the nape of his neck, lick his lips. I understood why, of course. This girl was more than just a vamp, more than just the embodiment of everything that was sexual in women. She sparkled.
A few of the other lasses walked over to the microphone stands by the table as Mandy swung her other leg up so
she was perched on the edge of the table. She lowered the brim of her hat, singing softly,
"The minute you walked in the joint, I could see you were a man of distinction. A real big spender, good looking, so refined," her eyes seemed to lock right on mine, and she smiled,
"Say wouldn't you like to know what's going on in my mind?", jumping off the table, walking through the crowd of men and women who tossed bills at her feet and into her palms. One of the other girls took Mandy's tophat off, and started collecting the gifts as she sang,
"So let me get right to the point, I don't pop", she kicked her right leg high in the air, letting one of the customers run their hands along it before snapping the limb back down,
"My cork for every guy I see. Hey, big spender!", she took a handful of bills from a rather upper-class spectator, a woman in a fur coat, and rubbed against her,
"Spend a little time with me."
The words stopped having meaning, all I could hear was her voice, no words, only intonation. I heard the man at the other table talking to someone who I realized was Jack Fairy, their conversation going on over the top of the one I was having with Freddi.
"When do I get to meet her?"
"After her number...."
Freddi nudged me, so I wasn't able to hear the rest
"After her number, I've arranged a special meeting, just you and Mandy. Totally alone."
I squeaked,
"Alone?"
"Yes, totally alone."
Towards the end of the song, Freddi got up to signal Mandy, bumping into the man next to us and spilling a drink on the man's lap. The man snarled and Freddi laughed nervously,
"Horribly sorry. Just passing through..."
I didn't hear the rest of the converation, I was too occupied with watching Jack and Mandy. He was dangling a diamond-and-sapphire necklace, teasingly in front of her, and she was batting at it like a kitten with a ball of string.
"Is the investor here Jack?"
"Doll! Would I let you down?"
"Where is he?"
"He's the one Freddi's waving a hankie at."
Mandy squinted. Freddi was shaking a handkerchief at a young man with bright green hair and stunning eyes. Though his eyes seemed purple, they were probably just dark blue.
"Are you sure?"
"Let me take a look," Jack peered around Mandy's waist and saw Freddi waving the same handkerchief at a blonde haired man. He smiled,
"That's the one dewdrop."
"Oooh!", Mandy taking the necklace in hand, waving the necklace at the green-haired gentlemen in acknowledgement. Mandy ducked behind the others, who were dancing dirtily against each other to conceal that she was changing costumes. She lifted her shirt over her head without bothering to unbutton, sliding her skirt down her legs,
"Will he invest?"
"Chocolate! After spending the night with you, how could he resist?"
Mandy smiled, sliding the straps of her slinky black dress over her shoulders and holding a mirror up to her face as one of the stagehands zipped up the back of the dress,
"What's his type? Sexless pixie?", Mandy sucked in her chest and held her hair back to make it seem shorter. Jack shook his head and she rolled her eyes, continuing,
"Girly debutante? Catholic school girl? Cheerleader?", she listed off a few in a snarky voice and Jack clucked his tongue.
"Or smoldering vamp?", she growled, showing her teeth. Jack smiled,
"I'd say smoldering vamp", he shoved his jacket and shirt off,
"We're all relying on you, pet. Remember. A real show, with a real audience. And you'll be-"
"A real actress", Mandy sighed and shoved her way through the dancers, pulling Jack with her. Jack pretended to try and cover up his partial nudity and Mandy laughed, singing,
"Hey, big spender! Hey, big spender! Hey, big spender!", she sashayed to where Freddi was standing with the investor. She winked and sang the last line in a raspy, sexy voice,
"Spend a little time with me..." she smiled at the young man,
"I believe you've been expecting me."
I couldn't believe it. In front of me was one of the sexiest women in London...and I couldn't say anything but, 'yes.'
She smiled, turning to the crowd,
"I'm afraid it's lady's choice", she said. When I didn't stand up to stand by her, she pouted and the crowd groaned mockingly. I had no idea what was going on, but Coco and the others kept urging me to stand up. Mandy started swaying her hips to the beat of the music, yelling.
"Oh! Oh!"
I stared in disbelief as everyone started clapping in rhythm and chanting,
"Mandy! Mandy! Mandy!"
Mandy grinning, turned around to me. Freddi yelled over the loud music,
"I believe you've met my friend, J-"
"I'll take care of it Freddi," she smiled,
"Let's dance." She pulled me onto the dance floor, where couples of every gender, race and type were already going at it. I stood back for a moment, soaking it all in, before a few butch women shoved me over to Mandy. People were straddling their partners, pretending to go down on them...and I soon became aware that Mandy was doing the same to me.
I turned back to my table. My friends winked and I winked back, putting my arms around Mandy's back. She smiled, wrapping her arms around my neck,
"It's so wonderful of you to take an interest in our little show."
"Well it sounds very exciting. I-I'd be delighted to be involved."
"Really?"
Now, I was incredibly naive, having no idea until later as to how Mandy took many of the things I said,
"Assuming you like what I do, of course."
She smiled,
"I'm sure I will."
I dipped Mandy, following the other couples' lead.
"Freddi thought we might...uh...be able to do it in private."
Her eyes widened,
"Did he?"
"Yes...you know, a private...session."
"Ohh..." she grinned, running her fingers down my arm,
"I love a little music after supper," she laughed. I just blinked and stammered, dipping her again.
Later on that night, Mandy was back at the top of the staircase, perched on the railing and singing with a white spotlight on her,
"Hey, big spender! Hey big spender! Spend a little time…with..." she gasped, bending forward slightly and falling off the railing. Jack yelled as her body fell to the ground, but one of the stagehands caught her in his arms. Jack licked his lips and jerked his head for her to be taken to the dressing rooms, getting the crowd to applaud this like it was just an act and
started chanting her name.
"Put her over here," Cecil pointed Harley to a low couch in the corner. Harley set Mandy on it and Cecil put a bottle of smelling salts under her nose.
Shannon looked at Mandy, then to one of the other girls,
"Don't think that rich boy's gettin' his money's worth tonight."
"Don't be unkind Shannon!"
Mandy blinked a few times and let out a loud sigh,
"Ohh...Cecil...", she smiled. Cecil sighed,
"I told you not to go on tonight."
Mandy smiled faintly,
"The bleeding stopped by the time I was dressed."
"You're still weak pet. I don't think you're strong enough to meet with-"
"No!", Mandy bolted up right and stood up, beginning to change,
"You know I have to Cecil."
Cecil sighed. Jerry stuck his head in then, and Cecil heard Jack yelling the words,
"...I can see some lonely dancers who are looking for a partner or two!"
Jerry jerked his hand to the girls,
"Come on, make those people thirsty. Any problems?
Cecil snarled,
"Nothing you need to be concerned about."
Jerry nodded and walked out. Cecil walked around, picking up the clothes Mandy had discarded. He looked at her pale skin, saw that her underwear were saturated in blood, and that she was still wincing if she bent over too far. He sighed, shaking his head. Even if it was done legally, a girl like her couldn't work for two weeks after an abortion. But he knew she had to work two days after one, that the Pill made her sick and there was no way to make customers wear condoms. So, he just threw the clothes in a hamper and went to help her get ready.
