Body Parts (Rye & Claire 1) Page 4

  Claire was no longer an adult dangling at the end of a rope; she was thirteen-year-old Clarice, daughter of a mine inspector. And the giant buildings that capped off the Star Mine looming ahead, her hiding place. She had to make it to the mine. She kept pumping her arms faster and faster. She couldn’t let them catch her.

  A volley of words drifted down the well from above, she opened her eyes shaking her head to clear it of her past. She couldn’t understand what was said but she picked up the urgent tone. She tilted her head back and opened her mouth to call out but the breath was driven from her lungs as she suddenly began to plummet, the rope had gone slack.

  Chapter Seven

  In her little trailer, squatting in the bottom of the tiny shower, awash in memories, Crystal began to sob. Remembering how titillating it had been listening to Jan talk about her first time, how naïve she’d been. Had it only been a few weeks ago? Now she was having sex with strangers in front of cameramen and technicians. What was Jan doing now? As the shower enveloped her, she let the memories flood back yet again to that more innocent time, and how it had all started.

  Jan reclined on the futon, fluffing the pillow as she lay back. “Actually I was a virgin until the week that my parents left me alone.”

  Crystal fidgeted in the beanbag chair, pulling her gum out of her mouth and rolling it between her fingers.

  “I was at school, trying to think of which boy, but I kept remembering what my friends said, how the guys would grope them and then get all excited. Just the thought of that grossed me out.”

  “Who’d you chose? Anybody I know?” Crystal said, popping the wad of gum back in her mouth

  “I was attending my chess club meeting and remembered how Mr. James was always looking down my top, while he pretended to be looking over my shoulder. Anyway he’d been divorced for about a year, so I told him I had no hot water and that my parents were away for the week and could he come over.”

  Crystal sat up popping her gum and nearly chocked. “God, Mr. James, hmm, he does have a cute butt.”

  “Do you mind,” Jan snapped. “I didn’t pick him for his butt. I figured he might have a little finesse. Maybe understand my feelings. Boy was I wrong.”

  Crystal sensed from Jan’s response that this might not be a story laced with pleasure.

  Jan settled back into the futon and looked up at the ceiling

  “I’d almost forgotten what the end result would be,” Jan said. “Then suddenly it was over, and what a mess. I was actually surprised. Pretty naïve, huh?” Jan laughed nervously.

  “I ran to the bathroom to clean up. When I returned, he started to cry, said if anybody found out he’d get fired, could even go to jail. Then the asshole got up and left, no last kiss, no thanks, no nothing. Some first time.” Jan Laughed again. “I’d pictured a gentle touch and at least an orgasm.”

  Crystal got up, walked over and sat on the futon next to Jan who was now sitting up. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea.”

  Jan wiped away tears. “Pretty awful, huh? Definitely not worth crying over. You know Crystal unless your first time left you walking on clouds I don’t want to hear about it.”

  “Yeah maybe I should have asked you about your best time instead of your first.”

  Jan blew her nose and straightened her robe, ran her fingers through her hair and gave her head a little shake.

  “Alright, the ad has piqued my curiosity. ‘To qualify for an interview …’ I wonder what that’s supposed to mean?” Jan said, leaning over and pulling the telephone off its stand and setting it in her lap. “What’s that number again?”

  Crystal turned, taking the gum out of her mouth, and gave Jan her best I’m confused look. “I don’t understand, less than an hour ago you seemed dead set against following up on it.” Crystal opened her mouth and placed a stick of her favorite Black Jack gum on her tongue.

  Jan pulled some slack in the phone cord. “I don’t know, maybe I’m not ready to call it quits, and maybe you’re right—we need to follow every lead. Now what’s the number?”

  Unsatisfied with Jan’s answer, Crystal made several snapping sounds with her gum before picking up the newspaper.

  “Here it is, 521-2655.”

  Jan got right through to a person, which surprised her. She figured there’d be a message instructing her where to go for the interview. The voice on the other end wasn’t deep or sexy, and none of the questions seemed to pertain to appearing nude in front of a camera. The longer the questioning went on, the more she wondered when they’d get to the point. Sex.

  Crystal sat in the beanbag chair trying unsuccessfully to read her friend’s expressions. When Jan finally hung up after nearly twenty minutes, she practically jumped out of her seat, ran over and plunked down next to Jan on the futon.

  “So, what did they say? Did they ask about your breasts? Did they use a lot of foul language?”

  Jan just held up her hand. “Stay put.” Then got up and walked the phone back to its stand. Getting a pen and pad, she walked over to the beanbag chair, sat down and began scribbling notes. “You aren’t going to believe this,” Jan said.

  “You’ve got about thirty seconds before I explode. Now c’mon, I’m all ears,” Crystal said, chomping her gum animatedly and bouncing up and down on the futon.

  “There was no sex talk. He wanted to know my height and weight and if I had ever smoked or used drugs. He did ask if I could commit seven days to a shoot and if I had reliable transportation. He said I would have to move to the Pacific Northwest.”

  “The Pacific Northwest? Shit. What about the money, how much, how much?”

  “Hang on to your panty hose, girl!” Jan consulted her notes. “Lewd and Lascivious, Inc. will provide day time housing, two meals a day, guarantee return fare or transportation from the site of the shoot, and pay three hundred dollars a day in return for an uninterrupted seven day contract.”

  Jan was now grinning from ear to ear. “There’s more.”

  “You’re kidding.” Suddenly Crystal became subdued and serious. “What kind of kinky stuff do they want for that kind of money?”

  “Here’s the kicker, everything you’re asked to do is in the contract and if you fulfill the contract there’s a bonus.”

  “I don’t know. It sounds too good to be true. Maybe we should just pack up and head for home,” Crystal said.

  “Now look who’s changing her mind.” Jan folded her arms across her chest. “It’s too late anyway, I’ve already made up my mind. I’m at least going for the interview.”

  “Yeah and where’s that? Some sleaze part of town?”

  “Not at all. They’ll meet us at one of the soundproof listening booths at Black Crow Books and Music.”

  Crystal wanted to hang around looking at books while Jan interviewed, but they finally decided that she’d drop Jan off two blocks from the Black Crow. The interview was scheduled for ten in the morning. Crystal waited in the parking lot across the street. She circled the block and waited in public parking, vowing that if Jan didn’t come back in two hours, she would call the police.

  Jan tried to look casual and uninterested as she walked past the listening booths. There it was, number 8, but it couldn’t be. The man inside looked like any normal businessman, dressed in a blue suit, white shirt and a tie. She made a note of his appearance, took a deep breath, pushed open the door and stuck just her head in.

  “Mr. Hubble?”

  “Yes, Louis Hubble. And you must be Jan” He stood and extended his hand.

  She stepped into the room, letting the door close behind her. “Jan Eckert,” she said, shaking his hand.

  “Please sit down and relax, I don’t bite. I have to admit you look younger then you sounded over the phone. Do you have a driver’s license I could look at before we get started?”

  Jan fumbled wi
th her clutch purse until she found her license and slid it across the table.

  Hubble looked down at the drivers license and up at Jan several times.

  “Great, thank you. Can’t be too careful,” Hubble said, handing Jan her driver’s license. “Do you have any questions before I get started?”

  Jan was still trying to calm herself and just managed to smile and shake her head.

  “Fine, but if you have any questions don’t be afraid to interrupt.” Hubble paused for a moment, smiled, and then cleared his throat. “Alright then, Lewd and Lascivious, Inc. is a professional movie production company. Our movies do not go on the Internet, all nudity and sex is within the context of the script. Actresses are not asked to perform off the set, but may be assigned a female coach to ensure quality performance and as few takes as possible. How are you doing Ms. Eckert? Any questions?”

  Jan had finally gotten her voice back. “I think I’ll hold my questions until you finish, thank you.”

  “Fair enough. Our director, like directors everywhere, has the option to change a scene to better fit the story line. As an actress employed by Lewd and Lascivious Inc. you have the option to refuse any direction that might break the terms of the contract, which I’ll cover in a minute.”

  Hubble outlined the conditions of the contract explaining that protection against sexually transmitted disease was of paramount concern as was the abstention from the use of drugs and tobacco.

  When he finished laying out the contract, Jan couldn’t think of a single question.

  “I can understand that you may be a little overwhelmed,” Hubble said, reaching down by his side for the briefcase. Laying it flat on the table he flipped the latches and lifted the top, withdrew a book-sized cardboard box that he up ended, pulling out two videotapes. “These are two of our productions from last month. I’d like you to take them home and watch them. As you do, try to imagine yourself in the part of the lead female. If you’re offended or feel you couldn’t do what she’s doing, simply place the tapes back in the box and mail it to us, postage paid of course. If on the other hand, well if you have no problem with what might be asked of you based on what you see, mail the box back empty. I’ll put the contract, map of how to get to the location of the shoot and some other incidentals in the box and send it back.”

  Forty-five minutes and six sticks of gum from the time Crystal parked and began reading her copy of People magazine, she was startled by a knocking at the passenger window.

  Jan stood peering in pressing something to her chest.

  “Oh my god, you scared the hell out of me,” Crystal said.

  “What did you lock the door for?”

  “Hey what’s that?” Crystal said, pointing to the box Jan had set on her lap.

  “Porn!” Jan said with a grin.

  When the girls got back to their apartment they opened up the futon and moved the combination TV/VCR onto a wicker footstool about two feet away, hoping to catch every detail on the little twelve-inch screen. Jan popped in the first tape.

  Flugelhorn music and the sound of heavy breathing followed shortly after the opening credits. Jan was about to fast forward it when the title appeared in bold letters—“Dark Rendezvous”—then faded to black. A woman sat topless in front of a huge makeup mirror.

  Crystal chewed her gum furiously. “If this gets gross or anything, I’m not going to watch.”

  “There you go again, it’s not like you’re a virgin,” Jan said.

  Crystal spit out her gum. “Yeah but doing it is one thing, watching it is another.”

  “For crying out loud, this is a pornographic movie and probably contains more than a topless woman putting on makeup!”

  A man stepped out of the bathroom, toweling off his wet hair. He was totally nude and erect. Within seconds, the woman had dropped to her knees and forgotten all about her makeup.

  Crystal leaned forward and pressed the stop button. “Ok, truth now, could you do that?” she asked.

  “Mr. Hubble said that depending on the script I might be asked to perform only one nude or sex scene the entire week. I could do almost anything once,” Jan said.

  “Yeah, I guess after doing Mr. James you could.”

  “Hey,” Jan snapped. “I didn’t do him, ok.”

  After much debate, Jan sent the box back empty and five days later got the box back in the mail with a contract she was to sign and bring with her to the site of the shoot.

  She stood at the kitchen counter, shaking the contract out of the mailer when Crystal walked over. They’d decided that the final decision would have to be based on the contract. After watching both of the tapes Mr. Hubble had given her, the women were aware that this was an “anything goes” production.

  Crystal followed Jan like a puppy, across the room to the futon. “Well what does it say?”

  Jan didn’t answer; she was reading intently, Crystal at her side attempting to read over her shoulder. Suddenly Jan threw the contract into the air exhaled a great sigh and slid from the futon to the floor.

  “What, what? C’mon, what did it say?”

  “None, no sex, period. It says in no uncertain terms that I will only be in three nude scenes. Nude in a swimming pool, on the lawn next to the pool, and partly nude under the covers in bed, alone.” The two girls looked at each other with silly grins. “That’s it, I’m off for Oregon day after tomorrow!”

  The two girls squealed with excitement and did a little jig, high stepping in a circle and shaking their breasts at each other, then falling to the floor with laughter born of nerves over the thought of being filmed nude.

  Crystal suddenly stopped, gasped, and clutched her throat.

  “What’s wrong?”

  No reply, she began to claw at her throat.

  “Can you breathe?”

  Lips growing pale, eyes watering, Crystal shook her head to the negative.

  Jan quickly stepped around behind her, lifting under her armpits. “Stand up!”

  Clasping her hands and placing her thumbs against Crystal’s diaphragm, she pulled in, hard. Then relaxed and squeezed again, this time with success. A wad of gum shot from Crystal’s mouth landing across the room. The two collapsed to the floor.

  “God, you and that fucking gum. One of these days it’s going to be the death of you.”

  Crystal sat in silence still breathing heavily. “Thanks, Jan.”

  Without warning she leaned over and gave Jan a hug.

  “Come on you would have done the same thing for me,” Jan said, and gently pried Crystal’s arms from around her neck.

  Big alligator tears ran down Crystal’s cheeks.

  “What’s come over you?” Jan said.

  “I just couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You know, going to Oregon and everything. I know it all sounds pretty straightforward, and Lewd and Lascivious may be OK, but what kind of people will you be working with? I want a plan.”

  “A plan? What am I going to do, get kidnapped?”

  Suddenly Crystal was serious, popping a stick of gum in her mouth. “A plan, goddamn it.”

  She popped her gum as her color changed in a combination of anger and frustration. “You could be raped, or forced to take drugs, or refuse to have sex and run out of money.”

  Jan held her hands up in supplication. “You’re right, now that I think about it some kind of plan might not be a bad idea. What did you have in mind?

  “You’re going to have to help me out here, it’s not like I’ve been thinking about this a lot,” Crystal said.

  Jan suddenly snapped her fingers. “I’ve got it, why don’t I call you every night. The cell phone is paid up and still has three months on the contract.”

  Crysta
l spit her gum into an old gum wrapper, replacing it with two new sticks.

  “That’s good, but if something did happen, and you couldn’t call, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

  Jan was tired of the topic, but could see by the way that Crystal was hammering her gum that she was still agitated.

  “OK, got it. Let’s put together a packet of three-by-five cards with my description, and the make and model of the car. I’ll call at,” Jan paused for effect, scratching her head, “eleven o’clock every night. If I miss a night and you can’t reach me, you take the packet to the police the next morning.”

  Crystal stopped chewing her gum long enough to smile. “Sounds like a plan to me.” Then started chewing again as she went to the kitchen to search for three-by-five cards.

  The water turned cold bringing Crystal out of her reverie. She leaned forward shutting off the shower, stepped from the stall and toweled off, put on a clean robe. Walking to the foldout table that came out of one side of the tiny kitchen, she poured herself a cup of coffee.

  Setting the mug on the table, she reached over, opened the small cabinet above the bookshelf, took out an accordion filing system and set it on the table next to the mug. She rooted around among papers and receipts until she found her original contract with Lewd and Lascivious Inc., laying it on the table. She wrapped her hands around the warm mug and began reading.

  When she found the passage that stated she’d be paid for each full shoot, she made up her mind to finish out the day, no matter what. After all, she’d need all the money she could get in order to get back home.

  She sipped her coffee and wondered what Jan’s reaction would be that night when she told her she was quitting.

  She picked up the contract, so angry over letting herself end up like this that her hands shook, but as her thoughts turned to her friend, her anger changed to concern, then speculation. What if Jan was in trouble and couldn’t call? What if she had quit and was driving down to pick her up? Crystal took a deep breath to calm her imagination. After all it hadn’t been that long, what could happen in a few days? A pounding on the door rocked the tiny trailer. “Report to the director.” Cinching her robe, she placed the contract back in the cardboard file box, returned it to the cabinet, and walked down the narrow hall.