8/7/2019 Short Collection of Stories by JGuest http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/short-collection-of-stories-by-jguest 1/28 Snowy Canvas with Fox The clock radio starts to play, and his eyes slowly open. Sleep grit hugs the corners of his eyes and keeps them closed. He crumples out of bed, and by touch he paws the tops of books that are stacked and form an endless maze in his bedroom. Empty wine bottles and the stubs of cigars litter the floor. There is a white shroud of ash that covers the furniture. He makes it to the bathroom, bouncing from wall-to-wall in the hallway. The faucet comes on and muddy water flows in spastic spurts for a moment, then it becomes clear. He joins his hands under the water and cups it in his palms. As he splashes his face the water stings him with its’ coldness. “Rob?” a voice calls, “Are you going?” He doesn’t respond to the woman in his bed down the hall. Instead he turns the knob in the shower and the water pounds the floor. He looks out the window and sees a snowy meadow. Amber stalks rise up from the snow and somewhere in the canvas there is a red fox with a big bushy tail and black boots that shuffles about in a zigzag way. He goes this way and that and then he stops to look about. The man begins to see his own reflection in the glass. He blinks and sees that through the window there is only a brick wall. He thought it was the countryside where he grew up but his eyes have tricked him. His mind is a patchwork, of events. There was the day that he came home to the woman, and he did
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The clock radio starts to play, and his eyes slowly
open. Sleep grit hugs the corners of his eyes andkeeps them closed. He crumples out of bed, and bytouch he paws the tops of books that are stacked andform an endless maze in his bedroom. Empty winebottles and the stubs of cigars litter the floor. There isa white shroud of ash that covers the furniture. He
makes it to the bathroom, bouncing from wall-to-wall
in the hallway. The faucet comes on and muddy waterflows in spastic spurts for a moment, then it becomesclear. He joins his hands under the water and cups itin his palms. As he splashes his face the water stingshim with its’ coldness.
“Rob?” a voice calls, “Are you going?” He doesn’trespond to the woman in his bed down the hall.
Instead he turns the knob in the shower and the waterpounds the floor. He looks out the window and sees asnowy meadow. Amber stalks rise up from the snow
and somewhere in the canvas there is a red fox with abig bushy tail and black boots that shuffles about in a
zigzag way. He goes this way and that and then hestops to look about. The man begins to see his ownreflection in the glass. He blinks and sees that throughthe window there is only a brick wall. He thought itwas the countryside where he grew up but his eyes
have tricked him.His mind is a patchwork, of events. There was
the day that he came home to the woman, and he did
not recognize her. Even today, he still has no idea
who she could be. He thinks she lays theremotionless, waiting to reach inside of him and pull out
all of his warmth. There is no name by which to callher, for she has none. She is asking him nothing butquestions and receiving nothing but silence. He laysawake every night to protect himself from her. He has
painted a sigil beneath his bed in a mixture of tobaccoleaves ashes and cheap wine. It has a stickyconsistency, but it keeps her away so that he can
sleep sometimes. In the morning when he awakesshe is always with him. He comes out of the showerand lay with her again. He stares up at the ceiling fan.The blades turn widdershins around and around, it
brings him into a kind of rest, but she snarls and sniffsbeside him.
In the morning he lays down and outside he
hears the sound of a bluebird of happiness. Hourslater, the front door is ajar and the tub is clean and
dry.Everything is back the way it should be. She is like aknotted clump of hair at the back of your head thatcomes undone and is brushed well, or the time whenthey pushed all the pianos into the street and doused
them with gasoline. The people looked on andclapped their hands. Everything is fine. There is just aman, and the imagined woman has gone away.There is no fox, and no canvas. There is a window.There is a page of fallen snow and the rays of sun
The paper was folded in half horizontally and placedon the table. On both sides were various shapes andscribbled lines. There were diagrams and symbols
and charts showing subjects and objects. Frompositive and negative, protons and electrons, stamenand pistil, masculine and feminine to male andfemale, the chart read.
There was a picture of the sun and the earth andother celestial bodies. It rested on the table between
the two women. Together they looked at the piece ofpaper on the table. They were completely fascinated.
There was the tree of life sketched out and a trianglethat said Father, Son and H.G., one on each of thethree points. There was a yin yang and another
triangle with numbers all around it. Sandy and Aaronwere two girls who had just met at a bar and after a
couple of drinks they went back to Aaron’s place tohang out.
us some more drinks if you want to.” They went to theapartment and found this paper on the kitchen table
and Aaron began looking around for the cause.“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” said
Sandy, who was staring at the paper and breathingcalmly. “By the way, have you ever been married?”
Aaron said, “Well…no, no I haven’t. I havetrouble with people, I like to watch them, but get tooclose to anyone? No, people are too unpredictable. I
like my solitude Sandy. I like to watch animals at thezoo, which feel complete equanimity with theirsurroundings. Life is a dance Sandy and if I lose myfooting and someone steps on my feet I go to the zoo
for a while and I feel better.”“Aaron. What’s the matter?”“Nothing, I…I am not upset,” Aaron said. “I’m
fine.”“Yeah, fucked up insecure neurotic and
emotional…fine.” Sandy touched her hand. “I barelyknow you. Well…you—could count the last threehours, but it just doesn’t seem like nothing’s wrong.”
Aaron smiled and wiped at the corners of hereyes without smearing her makeup.
“Oh…don’
t cry,” Sandy said.“What does this piece of paper mean? It frightensme that someone’s been in my apartment. No onehas my key and yet here it is!” Aaron was visiblyshaking. She dabbed at the tears with her fingers
again. She was careful not to poke herself in the eye
with her fake nails painted a lime green.“You know we had a good time at the bar. Just
relax. I’m sure we
’ll find out where this paper came
from soon enough.”“I bet the doorbell will ring any minute now with
an answer good enough to satisfy the both of us.”
The doorbell buzzed. Aaron lived in an apartmentafter all. She grasped Sandy’s hand. “Please answerit. I don’t know who it is.”
“It’s not my place. I hardly know you. We
’re bothkind of giddy though,” Sandy gave Aaron a toothy
smile, “I’ll answer your door darling.”Aaron nodded slowly, but she did not smile back.
“Lighten up sweetheart,” Sandy said, “I’m on it.” Shekissed Aaron on the cheek. When she opened thedoor there stood a man in a white suit, expertly
tailored. His white fedora and his ivory cane he restedagainst the wall as he walked in. He gave no
introduction.“You just let him in!” said Aaron.Sandy said, “He walked right past me.” The man
smiled at Sandy and winked. “You could at least havesaid hi pal. Why don’t you tell us where you come
from?” said Sandy.“And who I represent next perhaps…I—am surethat you would love to know.” He gave both of theladies a smile and sat down at the table.
man?” Sandy said. Aaron could only nod. Hermovement was slower this time, like a collection of
tics.“I’ll go make some drinks.” Aaron said.While Aaron was over at the bar the man said
nothing to Sandy. Sandy also kept her mouth shut,
but she was dying to say something to him. She justwanted Aaron to be in the room in case he saidsomething important.
Aaron came back with three mugs filled with iceand a green drink to match her lime nail polish. “It’s aJamaican Paradise,” she said.
“It certainly is!” said the man in the white suit, “I
don’t mind if I do have a drink.”What a weirdo, Sandy thought. He freaking
winked at me. She shook her head and caught him
glaring at her as he sipped the green libation. Sheraised her own glass, she raised it above her head as
if to toast the three of them, but instead she brought itto her lips and took a sip. Upon tasting the tequila andthe midori, she took a larger drink from the tall mug. Itwas delicious.
Aaron was not drinking her Jamaican Paradise.
She was watching the ice cubes crack and meltagainst one another as she was cracking againsteverything in the room. She curled a lock of hairbetween her fingers. Her eyes were glazed over andher breathing was shallow and uninvolved.
make you an offer and I think that you should reallyconsider it, because you need what I have to offer.”
Aaron looked at him and squinted her eyes. “Youthink you need what I offer anyways, and it is the endof the month and I have a quota to meet. In thisspecial case, I won’t be asking for your soul, I only
want your apartment and everything in it except foryou. In exchange I will give you two wishes.”
He opened a white briefcase and a light shone
out of it so brightly that even he had to look away. Hepulled out a small cardboard white box with a blackskull on the top and handed it over to Sandy whopassed it to Aaron. Sandy said, “Do I get a deal with
you? Because I don’t want one if I do, and I don’t takeoffers from Morningstar if you catch my drift. Maybe Ishould leave.”
“Yes Sandy,” the beast said, “if you knew whatwas good for you, you would leave.”
“Oh, to hell with it! I want to see what Aaronwishes for you bastard. I’m staying.”
“As you wish. What do you think of my offerAaron?” Morningstar said.
“I really like my apartment and everything in it.
There are two things I would really want, and theyaren’t easy to get. Can you give me a little time tothink it over?”
standing all day. It’s really not good for you. Soon
you’ll feel sober and tired as well.”“You mean tried,” said Sandy.
“I mean that too.” He turned to Aaron and smiled.“Hello Aaron. I’m sorry I was gone so long, but youdidn’t call or anything. You know?”
Sandy said, “You know, I don’t believe this crap.”
“I know that. It’s okay if you don’t believe. I’m realenough to your friend here. I’m sure that she has tworeally good wishes to make.”
Aaron spoke up. She said, “What if I wished forall mankind to be given admission into an age ofpeace? What about permission to eat of the fruit ofeternal life?”
“These are things that I cannot grant. Don’t askme for such things. You must wish true.”
“I thought I could wish for whatever I wanted.”
“Well you can’t.”“I wish that you would kill yourself,” Aaron said.
The Morningstar said, “I would not be able to doit.”Sandy was drifting in and out of sleep on thetable. “What if I killed you?” asked Aaron.“You should really make that your second wish,”
he said.“You are trying to trick me. You cannot be theMorningstar.”
“Fine, I’m not. I’m your neighbor down the hall.My real name is Rufus. I just wanted to figure a way to
soul to him in order to procure his powers for a weekand it’s been three days and it seems like his powers
leave something to the imagination. I was tryingsomething out.”
“Why did you lie to me? And Sandy too,” saidAaron. Sandy woke at the sound of her name. Rufus
sat. Sandy was staring right at him. Her eyes flashed.She opened her mouth to say something but closed itagain. She had a white purse with the letters L and V
scattered all about in pastel colors. She reached inwith her right hand and pulled out some body spray.Sandy took the cap off and put the bottle behind herback. Rufus was still looking at the floor.
She walked over to him and motioned with herleft hand for him to look up at her. When he did shetook off his black wire rim glasses and sprayed him in
the eyes. “Oh.” Rufus fell on the floor and rubbed athis eyes vigorously. He planted his hand on the floor
and Sandy firmly planted her boot heel on his hand.He cried out in pain. She kicked him in the ribcage.
She turned to Aaron, “Help me pick him up.”Aaron nodded. When they got him on the chair again,Aaron ran off to get some rope. What kind of powers
have you got then?” Sandy asked.Rufus whimpered. He said, “I can fly. I can speedup time—You knew that. I can take you to anywherein the world if you want to go…please don’t hurt me.”
his forehead with blue luminescence. “You. Share out
power with none unless you would share the fate ofthis fool.”
“Morningstar,” said Aaron, “What about thewishes?”
“You shall receive your desires by giving themup, not by seeking wishes from tricksters such as this!
Immortality and knowledge of all things is a crutch. Iknow these are your wishes, but think on this. Deathgives our lives meaning. Without it, why would you
create? What would the point be if you had all thetime in the world? You want to know everything?There are things that are known, things unknown andthere is the unknowable where no one can see. Leave
well enough alone before you hurt yourself.” TheMorningstar vanished and Rufus disappeared withhim.
Sandy said her goodbye to Aaron and left theapartment three days later. She walked down a long
and lonesome road. There in the middle of the roadshe saw a shiny point of light. She walked into it andsaw that the universe was just a drop of moisture on ablade of grass. She went further still. She flew up intothe sky and found that it was made of glass. She tried
to bore a hole in it and when she came out, she sawthat she had been inside of a marble. The marblerolled down the street and into a gutter. It was rainingand the grass smelled like old books. The dropletshelped Sandy to grow to twice the size of the marble
“How to stay alive in the woods?” asked Leah.She wiped the crumbs off of her blue corduroy vestfrom the rainbow chocolate chip cookies that the threeof them had been eating.
“Yeah. Have you ever tried to do it before? I onceread this book about living off of the land.” Johnny
said.
Leah said, “I don’
t really like to camp very much,”she saw a chocolate chip in her lap and stuck it in hermouth. She was still scowling as she sucked.
“The last time I went, Offred came and she spentthe whole time in the tent screwing with Fred, her newlover. I felt like such a third wheel.”
“When do we take the casserole out? I’mstarving,” Morgan said.
Johnny looked at her. He rubbed his tonguearound his lips. “Soon.” Then he squeezed his handswith their white knuckles tighter into the arms of hisbrown velvet chair. Being a pot seller had its perks.
He liked his furniture and he liked Morgan. His sisterand his new girlfriend sat on the matching brownvelvet couch and giggled. “Offred is a bitch,” he finallyadded, “What were you doing while they got it on?”
“You know me. I was laying down in the back ofthe car with that bottle of rum that you bought for me
Morgan smacked her on the leg. She spoke inher soprano voice that everyone but Johnny could seewas annoying. “Jeez. We just smoked fifteen minutes
ago. Blah blah blah. Can you hear yourself? We girlshave to get what we can. Johnny isn’t always sogenerous.” She made a sharp ‘huh’ sound for
emphasis. Morgan had known Leah for two yearsnow, and they had always been friends. Leah wasn’ttoo keen on having Morgan be her brother’s new babygirl. She had seen what he did to the last one.
“Come on. Don’t tell me you don’t wanna gethigher. It’s my weed anyway.”
Morgan’s eyes lit up. “Oh yeah! Are you going
down to T-town on Friday? I know this guy at workand I was wondering if—“
“What? I would pick some up for you? You neverpay me back. I always smoke you up when you want.I don’t want to front you the money, when you arealready smoking all of my personal stash. How come Ialways front everything? Hey come on. You know that
it’
s true.” She was rolling them around again. “Youhave a job, give me some money if you want somestuff of your own.” Johnny was close to whininghimself. Leah thought that Morgan sure was notbringing out the best in him.
Down by the banks of the river, the ferryman hoed hisyams. Darkness was slowly swallowing the blue of the
sky. On the other side of the river, there was a pathinto the forest. A double rainbow could be seen fadingaway among the jade tree branches. Ganesh stoodon his side of the river watching the rainbowdisappear. There was water boiling in a metal pot
hung over his fire. When the ferryman Ganesh turnedhis attention to the water’s boiling he also looked
towards the east to the crossroads far off in thedistance. As the night gained, it was getting harderand harder to see the road.
Market where the Rajah lived. To the north of thecrossroads was the town of Hedda, and to the south
was the town of Tavern. To the west was whereGanesh the ferryman lived along the river and theforest. As the sun set a figure appeared out of theforest.
Ganesh saw the stranger from across the river.The ferryman’s eyesight was still quite sharp; his facewas old and looked like the bark of a tree. He eased
his old body up and walked proudly to the river. Hesat in the boat and rowed across. By the time thestranger had reached the river the old man waswaiting for him on the bank. He nodded and reached
out his hand and Ganesh helped him into the boat.The stranger wore a cloak that hid his face and theshape of his body well. Ganesh looked into the
stranger’s shadowed face and said, “Welcome to myriver. I am Ganesh.” The night was very silent and the
only sound the ferryman heard was the quietbreathing, the paddle gliding through the water anddroplets splashing on the river’s surface. The strangerwas not one for long conversation. He was content tohear the ferryman speak in his accent.
“You should stay the night in my little hut, there isan empty bed,” said Ganesh “and besides, it is notwise to travel in the fields and swamps of this landduring a black night such as this. The moon is darkand you would stumble and lose the path.”
see it. He appreciated the ferryman’s concern and toldhim so. They reached the other side of the river and
this time the stranger got out of the boat and helpedold Ganesh onto the bank. Then, he took the hood offof his head. His skin was bluish and dark. He couldsee the surprise in the old man’s eyes and the
stranger winked at him and smiled.“I am obliged that you would have a creature
such as me in your home. I am Barnabas. There is
only one way I can pay you back, but it will be a bigpayment. You will have to do me a favor,” he lookedcuriously at Ganesh, “for my payment will be worthmuch more than your ferry service.”
“You don’t have to pay me, consider the ridefree,” Ganesh said. He looked at the stranger andfrowned.
Barnabas laughed, “No, I am afraid you mustaccept this gift.” his eyes flashed, “For I have no
choice but to give it to you and you have no choicebut to receive it.”
Ganesh was troubled by this one’s manner, hisblue skin and strange clothing, but he said, “Well I amhungry. We will eat and then you shall stay the night.
Let us work out this business later.”The old man went into his hut shaking his headand returned with two clay bowls. He also brought outa pitcher of rice wine. They ate dried yams and riceand told stories until late in the night. They drank rice
wine and eventually Ganesh slept. Barnabas carried
Ganesh into the hut and laid him carefully on a bed ofstraw.
Then Barnabas changed. Suddenly he was ablue fox. He leapt over the fire and ran across thefields quicker than it takes to tell it. Ganesh woke onlyonce during the night and heard an unearthly noise. It
sounded as if a man and a beast were howlingtogether in the dark cold night.
When the ferryman awoke the next morning, he
rubbed the grit out of his eyes and turned onto hisside. Then he quickly and quietly got up and walkedout of his hut. The fire was still burning well, so hewent down to the bank and pissed into the river. He
saw a dark cloak drifting south down the river so heturned around. There he saw Barnabas, now cookingrice over the fire. The pitcher was filled with fresh
water and Barnabas handed Ganesh a bowl of rice.The color of his skin was no longer blue. He
looked browned by the sun and his brow was light. Hehad a beautiful face and in the sun Ganesh found himmuch less disconcerting to look at. While Ganesh ate,Barnabas spoke to him.
“I have to pay you, and then you will owe me one
boon. This apple belongs to a street magician wholives in the marketplace to the east.” Barnabashanded Ganesh a silver apple. “She sells pottery, thedesigns of which she finds in her dreams. Take this toher and you will have earned your payment.”
before you go and pay for it already.” Ganesh used allof his charm. “After all, I do not wish to go on some
kind of fool’s errand. Surely you can find a fool to take
this journey for you.”The wind blew through the trees on the other side
of the river. Ganesh stared into his bowl of rice and
then he looked at the ground. Barnabas was laughingunabashedly and spooking the birds out of the treeswith his jest. He became still and then Barnabas
waited for Ganesh to look into his eyes. When he didBarnabas continued and Ganesh started to eat somemore.
“I have stolen this apple from her and if I return it
she will turn me into a scorpion and make me stingmyself to death.”
Barnabas reached for the pitcher and drank. As
he drank, he stared hard at Ganesh. He put thepitcher down and sighed. Ganesh looked at the silver
apple. He was not a fool and he did not want to goand leave his river. Especially when people needed a boat to cross it, he thought, this time of year, many travelers would need to get from the forest to the market and someone would have to row them across.
Ganesh was not a fool and would not accept any kindof gift for any ridiculous boon.Barnabas gave the ferryman a black wooden box.
It was ornately carved and Ganesh saw that it wouldnot open unless it was unlocked magically. The wood
someone had been killed for Barnabas to get it.Barnabas did some guessing of his own and
said, “Oh, no one was killed for that box. The streetmagician gave that to me. She said that she had nouse for it as it was a catholicon, and there wasnowhere to put it besides she said. If you ever open it,
I am sure there is great magic inside.”“Catholicon! A medicine to cure all disease!”
Ganesh snickered at such ridiculousness, “Listen to
me, you fox! I have no desire in me at all to leave.There are plenty of fools on the way to the market. Ihave business of mine own.”