My Dinosaur Era Chapter 42
By beanzie
- 48 reads
back at the beach, I can see the women
ginny bouncing up and down
patrycja lying back on the sand
petula sat upright, slightly apart
hands clasping her knees
the people are different now, late afternoon
those that have finished work
young people who have found their way into the sunlight
I pick my way through them, smiling
mildly inebriated
from wine, from the sun, from hope
I sit next to petula, she stays looking ahead
did you swim, I say
no, not yet, she says
patrycja stands up and goes with ginny, back into the sea
timmy, says petula
yes, I say
I’m actually terrified
what are you terrified of
going back, figuring out all the shit that I left behind
you didn’t leave any shit behind, you left a shit situation, true
is it really that simple, I just go back to brighton and start a new life, with you, on my own, fresh start, all that jazz
it’s never simple, no, but we can make it as simple as we can, we’ve got your back, there’s love for you here
love conquers all, right, christ the number of times I heard jonny say how much he loved me, I could never say it back, not even once, not even when it would have helped me to do so
selfish romantic love, love that squeezes you, that forces you to be what someone else wants, that ain’t love
I know, I’m sorry, I don’t know why I brought jonny into this, that prick never loved me, I was his trophy girlfriend, not even a very good trophy at that
petula, I care about you, ginny cares about you, patrycja cares about you, this is love, why do you think you are here, what brought you here, it wasn’t just anger and fear was it
no, I came here because I felt like I could trust you
because of jurassic park
mainly because of jurassic park, yes
ginny waves from the waves
we wave back
I touch petula’s elbow
she turns to look at me
do you still trust me
yes, timmy, I do, all of you
good
patrycja mentioned about the ferry tomorrow, are you sure you don’t mind going back early
it’s only a day early and it was an early flight so we are not missing much
she said it’s nearly thirty hours
yeah, it’ll give us time to figure some stuff out perhaps
yeah, like where I’m going to live
I have an idea about that
oh yeah
ginny comes scampering up the beach
patrycja follows her, leisurely pace
oh my god, we’re going on a massive boat, says ginny
yes, we are, I say
oh shit, that reminds me, the funicular railway, I’ve not been yet, oh god, where is it, patrycja, where is it, says ginny
we laugh at her, spinning around, excited, a tiny tornado
hey, relax, it’s open till the evening, says patrycja
oh, right, good, says ginny
it’s five now, we can go soon, is it far, I say
ten minute walk, just over there, says patrycja
a funicular today and a big boat tomorrow, I’m so excited, says ginny
are you into modes of transport generally then, says petula
hmm, well, mainly buses at home, I take the number two bus, it goes all the way from rottingdean to steyning, takes ages, like two hours sometimes, says ginny
my phone is nearly all selfies that ginny has taken on the bus whilst drinking cans of beer, I say
wow, you’ll have to show me your collection sometime, says petula
you are a funny little person, says patrycja
I am, I’m fucking hilarious, says ginny
ginny throws herself at patrycja
arms just about reaching around her neck
patrycja picks her up, swings her like a child
ginny screeches, she swings her again
aaaaarrrryyyyrrggghhhhh
we join in with her noise, we laugh, lying in the sand, breathless
ginny comes back to earth, still clinging to patrycja
fucking hell you are strong, says ginny
no, you are just small, says patrycja
ginny buries her head in patrycja’s breasts
they rock each other, peace reigns for a moment
ginny pulls away
come on, we need to get on that little train, says ginny
there’s an amusement park at the top, says patrycja
fuck, really, says ginny
yes, but it is closed till june comes. says patrycja
why the fuck would you get me all excited about it, says ginny
because it is funny to see your face like this, says patrycja
you are mean, says ginny
she grins, slides her dress up over her still damp bikini
well come on you two, I want to go sightseeing, says ginny
we get to our feet
you are such a bully, I say
oh shush, timmy, you love it, she says
ginny and patrycja walk on ahead of us
I take petula’s hand, turn her gently towards me
funny though, you don’t see her trying to bully patrycja, do you, I say
she wouldn’t get very far, says petula
yeah, she’s right though, I do like it when she bullies me, it’s her way of caring, as fucking strange as it is, I say
she really loves you, says petula
in her own way, yes she does, I say
do you ever wonder if you might be in love with her, says petula
I have done, yes, but I’m not, I say
how can you be so sure, says petula
because I don’t believe in the whole in love thing, you either love someone or you don’t, I say
hmm, ok, let’s go and see her funny little train and we can talk more about this when we are passing the time on the ferry, says petula
twenty nine hours stuck on a boat with me, lucky you, I say
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Comments
This is our Pick of the Day Mon 8th December
I've been following this - or trying to - from the beginning. I'm put in mind of Danielewski's House Of Leaves, some of Joyce, and Patrick McCabe's Poguemahone.
This is a good thing. It's different, strikingly so, in fact - and that's why it's Pick of the Day today. I'm sure it is festooned with fruit already, but it deserves it all.
Well done.
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You have a real talent for
You have a real talent for creating proper 3 dimensional characters - well deserved gold for this one Beanzie
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