Loving a Zombie
"You've got to get off the bench, man."
Chris flinched; Shane decided that was a good enough sign. "Come on...move your foot. Yeah...that's it. One foot after the other. You're almost to the shower." The faucet spun. "You want to shower in your tights? Fine." The water ran over Chris' puffy eyelids, his blank faced.
"Here we go...drying you off. You know, this would be sexy, if you were into it."
Chris said nothing.
"Take off your boots." No movement. "Fine, I'll do that for you, too." That done, he packed them away into a duffel bag and tossed his clothing in Chris' direction. "Come on, get dressed. I'll drive you to the hotel."
Chris did as he was asked...in slow motion, until he could hide behind his sunglasses. Then he followed Shane out a back door.
The limo would have been impressive to anyone else. Shane took note that Chris didn't pay much attention to the fancy chrome interior, the mini bar. Knowing that briefness would be a mercy to Chris, Shane instructed the driver to head over to the Plaza.
Silence filled the limo. Shane searched for a distraction, found it on the back of the Johnny Walker label, and began to read the ingredients.
"Why do they do it?"
Between the water and hops, Shane looked up. Chris still couldn't meet his eyes.
"Why do they play with us? Turn our feelings upside-down?"
"Most of them don't. You landed a prized tuna, however."
"I loved her, man. I didn't even mean to." Chris shrugged. "I don't get what he has that I don't. Is it the S&M thing?"
"Maybe. Is she into cavemen?"
"I don't know. I thought I did, and I didn't. I don't get the dominance thing. The stomping-a-person-into-the-ground-with-your mind-thing, yeah. But not throwing a chick around by her hair."
"But at least you're talking about it. Does that make you feel better?"
He shrugged. "Yeah. But some little part of me wants to fall to the floor and scream 'why' like I'm in Gone with the Wind."
"That'll get better. By next week, you won't even remember her name until you're spanking her in the middle of the ring."
When the limo rolled to a stop before the Plaza, Chris exited without any further assistance. "Thanks, man."
"Nah, thank yourself for getting back into the game."
"I don't know how you keep yourself going..."
"I just like to think that everything happens for a reason."
"That's how you got over Martin, right?"
"Yeah." An unexpected thickness filled Shane's throat.
"Hey, I'll see you around." Chris said, leaving Shane alone in his polished sepulcher.
And Shane simply released him, his own advice echoing in his lonliness.