Apocalypse of Jude

Janice cheers heartily as Gary drinks, then shoos him with her hand.

“Off you go and join Paul at the pool table, and let Audrey come sit here so I can talk to her.”

She gives him a wink as he acquiesces. Once he is gone, she taps her hand on the empty seat, inviting Audrey to move closer. Audrey moves over, pulling a long face. Janice leans over, speaking in a strong whisper, accusingly to her ear.

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself looking this antique tonight. You’re only thirty-one, but you look like fifty tonight.”

“I can’t help it. It’s those pills I took to bring it off. That chemist said it would work out okay, but you can never be the same after doing that. But how could you know what I’m talking about?”

Audrey’s voice is bitter.

“Listen Audrey, I’m not going to mince my words. If Gary wanted kids, he’d of have stayed married. And if he can’t leave you alone, so what? Don’t be a fool. Now that Gary’s got his promotion, you’ve got to make yourself look smart. I know he’s going to ask you what you’ve done with the money he’s given you for that purpose. Don’t look shocked that I know. It’s my business to know these things. I heard him speaking to you, saying he can’t stand to look at you the way you are now. And can you blame him after the past three years of being married to that witch woman. He wants a good time, and if you don’t give it to him, there are others that will.”

“Is that right?” Audrey looks at Janice with a straight look.

“Yes, that’s right. So you had better hurry up about it.”

“Well then I’ll know who to thank, won’t I?”

“Oh go on with you. Go and find that man of yours and make him yours. I’ve got some seduction to do on Caul here.”

She gives Caul a short side glance. “He causes me such despair.”

Audrey complies by haughtily turning from her stool and stalking into the pool room alongside. Janice meanwhile turns back to Caul, goblet in hand and offers it to him. He shakes his head. “I find little in this success to toast.”

“Neither do I, but this is the way things are moving, isn’t it?”

Janice drinks resignedly from the glass, lays it on the bar, then takes his hand.

“You know, selling cosmetics, is not, despite appearances, a pretty world. I just can’t keep up with all these new fragrances and make-up styles anymore.”

He takes his hand back and looks strangely at her.

“What do you want Janice?”

“Tell me how it is that you landed up stranded in this bar.”

“The stories of my wanderings are my own.”

She laughs an exasperated laugh, letting her hand dust his knees to try disaffect any hint of the urgency to hurry up with him, because it is time.

“Seeing that’s the case, I’m going to go that side. See you later darling.”

Wasteland Mix: Fragment 50