They spread my legs. Obscenely, indecently — and that humiliation torments me more than anything else. It’s silly, I know. With everything that’s happened, this shouldn’t be what preoccupies me. Yet I can’t shake it off. You can’t, when you’ve never been stripped of your dignity quite like that before. And I’ve always been shy — painfully so — probably because of how I was raised. My parents never let a hair fall from my...

The neighborhood pub was half-empty. Peter was sitting at one of the end tables, staring at a woman's leg, bare to mid-thigh. He finished his drink and continued to watch. About twenty minutes ago, he had parted ways with a friend of his, with whom he had discussed the results of the matriculation exams and the matches of his favorite football team. If it weren't for that leg and its owner, he would have left long ago. He...

I looked through the peephole and saw the sweet face of the neighbor from apartment 10. I wondered what she wants from me. We had a nodding acquaintance and sometimes greeted each other with apathetic, “Hi” since she moved to live next door to me nearly a month ago. I opened the door and blinked with surprise. Her arms were encased in plaster up to the armpits. The tips of her fingers were peeping above the cotton padding...

That evening I drank two glasses of ouzo. Usually I drink only one but that evening I drank two. For once. And maybe that’s why I had a strange dream. Or maybe the cause was rooted in the green salad I stuffed myself. If so, then the nitrates definitely can do miracles. I was sleeping meekly and soundly when I saw a lovely girl. She had a long copper blond hair, pale blue eyes and body of a model. I continued sleeping non...

Two beautiful green eyes were staring at her from the mirror, eyes sodden with sadness. In these eyes the sadness always, even in the merriest moments, somehow managed to crawl in and take its proper place. And the present moment wasn’t a merry one at all – she had realized she was head over ears in love. Yes, for Belinda the infatuation meant only more and more sufferings, because she knew pretty well that no one would m...

I pulled out the note from my pocket and looked at the address my colleague had jotted down. It turned out that I’m about twenty meters from the place. The building was old, with crumbling stucco walls and a richly graffitied entrance. It was obvious though that it had once looked beautiful and memorable, probably sixty or seventy years ago. The entrance door creaked pitifully as I pressed the handle. I was about to start...

He was walking up the stairs of a subway when he heard clicking of heels. He looked up and saw a woman appearing on the top landing. Nicely curved silhouette, outlined against the setting sun. Her face was barely visible due to the bright light, but he made out her chubby cheeks. She started down the stairs, her ponytail swaying back and forth. The subway was deserted and the only thing disturbing the silence was the clic...

We were sitting on the couch, watching TV, when the doorbell started to ring. Nicole swung her braced leg around, preparing to stand up. I stopped her with a gesture, then reached out and tickled her toes, which were curled up in a way I found very seductive. “Don’t bother; I will open the door,” I said and reluctantly withdrew my hand. “Thank you, Peter. Who could that be?” Her eyes flickered worriedly. A blond girl abou...

Chapter 5 – On the Couch With my help Jill made herself comfortable on the couch. I propped her casted leg on a stool, stole a glance at her toes and handed her the remote control. She looked at it as if she wasn’t sure what to do with it. “What am I supposed to do now, watching TV?” she said indignantly. “You are supposed to rest. You decide how to do that.” She kicked her pump off and rested her right leg on the couch,...

The ambulance stopped in front of the apartment building where Jill lived. I helped her get out and handed her the crutches. She tucked them under her armpits and headed slowly toward the entrance without saying a word. The cast seemed much more out of place here than in the hospital. The people walking along the sidewalk were staring at her as if they had seen a ship in the desert. Feeling their unhealthy interest, she t...

Pratt took his time smoothing the fiberglass around Jill’s waist. I wondered if he wanted to make a perfect mould or just was enjoying the lovely curves of her hips. Jill was lying motionless, her eyes partially closed. Her fingers were locked together as if she was trying to suppress her nervousness. I was glad to see that her face had more colour than before. The doctor finished the upper part of the cast, then smiled a...

“We have to place her on the table over there!” Pratt said to the nurse. There was a low examining table in the corner. Jill looked around her, obviously wondering what was about to happen. I tried to meet her eyes, but she avoided my gaze. Connie wheeled the stretcher near the table, and smiled forcefully at Jill. “Could you please ask Moira to help us?” the doctor said. The nurse nodded and left. A minute later she retu...

I was at home, playing online chess when my phone started to ring. It was Jill. I felt blood rushing to my face. My heart was already galloping. I hadn’t seen her more than three months. Back then she told me that we should stop dating and should just be friends. It was very hard for me, but there was nothing I could do. “I need your help, George,” she said. Her voice was strange. As if she had problems breathing. And som...

Two weeks later, Nicole was getting around on her crutches quite confidently. The pain in her pelvis was under control and she looked much better. Since the accident, we were very careful in bed. Most of the time, I just let her do what she wanted, but assisted her if she needed any help. She had limited mobility in her hips so we were forced to contrive new techniques. I was learning how to meet the requirements of her b...

Nicole lay on her back with her thighs apart, and her knees pointing at the ceiling. Her bare feet were hanging limply, almost touching the bedclothes. The cast wasn’t heavy, but surely was very restrictive. With her hips completely immobilized, she was helpless as a baby. She was able to turn on her side, and even to pull herself up into a sitting position, but that was all she could do. In these moments of activity, she...