Dividing Earth: A Novel of Dark Fantasy Read Online Free PDF Page A

wait to see is Mike Randall’s beautiful cock.”
    Mary cupped a hand over her mouth.
    “Please,” said Grady, smirking. “You’ve sucked a little dick in your day.”
    “Not a little one,” Mary retorted. She was surprised by how quickly it came out.
    Grady threw her head back and bellowed laughter.
    Mary took stock of her acquaintance. Back in high school, she’d always chosen the artsy crowd, kids who might show their art in the local lesbian pub, or, after a quick shot of whatever was handy, shout out a few lines of bad verse from the back of the bar. She’d never had a friend like Grady, a girl who if she hadn’t grown up in a trailer should have. Did this make Mary a snob? “I had a boyfriend,” she said, taking a deep breath, reminding herself that she’d wanted to go away to college because she’d been sick of the sameness of high school life. College was about getting out from under what you knew.
    “A boyfriend? Listen, don’t ever date a guy under twenty-five. Most couldn’t satisfy a farm goat with a cattle prod. Other than the illustrious Mister Randall, that is, who just happens to have the eighth wonder of the world attached to his pelvis. But Mike doesn’t have a manual for it, he’s just blessed.”
    Mary laughed, caught Grady’s eye and smiled at her.
    Bass greeted them as they trudged the ravine. At the crest, it changed from a deep sensation to a bright sound. Then Mary caught sight of the two-story dump of the frat house. She hesitated. In high school, frat house was an exotic, enticing image: dusky corners where boys hovered over girls, beers held like labels for their amorphous personalities; dark rooms where couples groped for the parts they’d longed to touch in the light; whispered refrains, half-poems, and boozy dreams. But here, with the romance of the old campus behind them, the house caught her off guard. She’d never actually seen one.
    Grady grabbed her by the arm. “You okay?”
    “Yeah,” said Mary, but she couldn’t take her eyes off it. On the porch, a crowd fought for the limited space. There were so many that she found it hard to make out individuals: pale ovals twisted on fleshy sticks, some framed by clumps of oily wire, others by blonde helmets; arms that ended in claws or knobs flashed out, ownerless; t-shirts advertised personalities while others were bold enough to emblazon their ideals and demons in streaks of ink on their flesh.
    “Chicken?” asked Grady.
    “After you,” said Mary, and they started down the hill together.
    The kids parted without a word from Grady and Mary trailed behind her, amazed at the magic of it. She jumped when Grady screamed, “Mike!” and ran into a muscular set of arms. She hopped onto him, curling her legs around his hips. Mike Randall’s hair bounced stiffly.
    Mary smiled nervously, averting her eyes as the dark boy flanking Mike took her in. He leaned over, whispered something into Mike’s ear and Mike pried Grady from him. His grin was feral. “Who’s your girlfriend?” he asked Grady, running his eyes up and down Mary’s body.
    “Mary,” she offered, although she had the feeling he had only wanted to hear her voice, not her name.
    Mike stepped toward her, repeated her name, and his eyes fastened onto hers.
    * * * * *
    Mike told Mary to sit. She obeyed and her senses regained their foothold: The thrum of yelling, conversation and music blasted back. Mike strolled off to the center of the frat house’s living room. There, three rusted garbage cans stood, bound by telephone chord. Sloshing around their tops was something that smelled like fruit punch. He scooped a Styrofoam cup through the red liquid and glanced back, flashing a smile. The room dimmed until all she saw was this beautiful guy making his way back, and she thought, If only Scott could see me now.
    Mike slid his knees onto the couch, placed the cup under her lips and tilted it, slowly pouring the liquid into her. She only stopped to cough once. When