Tom and Chloe
Michele Matheson
Tom appears as a large, dark outline, a faceless shape of a man. As he comes closer Chloe sees he has the condom in his hand, his Levi’s are still undone, and he has taken his undershirt off. He weaves his way to Chloe, holding on to the couch and massaging his crotch. He is less angry now, and the pot is mixing with the whiskey. Standing above her, he throws the condom so it bounces off her ear to the carpet. Chloe lowers her head. Veins rise through the pale delicate skin of his feet. She looks at the blonde tufts of hair on his toes. His skin should be like leather. He should have talons.
“What the fuck is this?” he says.
Chloe looks at the big blue bong she had left on its side, her underwear in two pieces, and the foul water seeping into his thick beige carpet. “I spilled.”
“Fuck it.” Tom sways, twisting his toes into the carpet as his giant frame falls to the floor beside her like a thousand losses.
Michele Matheson is the author of Saving Angelfish, her debut novel, published by Tin House Books. It can be found in book stores, on Amazon.com, Powell’s.com and most online book stores.
www. myspace.com/michelematheson