Page 9 of Bump in the Night
Pumpkin
Whatever happened to Saturdaynight?”
It’s my favorite song! My excited heart is in my throat. In quick succession, we ring the doorbell, are invited inside, and I’m offered a red solo cup full ofsomething.
Like there’s a conveyor belt rolling past us in a candy factory – and we’re here to sample all the treats – John, Elliot and I are offered beer, shots, and a paper plate that has what looks like gummy bears on it. I know to politely decline everything that’s offered to me because of who I’mwith.
“Is this everything you hoped for?” John asks me as we wade our way around a group of dancing people. Some people are making out. It’s pretty dark because of all the blacklights, and the ceiling has a colorful spiderweb pattern projected ontoit.
The staircase on the right of the wide brownstone has those fake cobwebs covering it, while on the right – where the fireplace and mantle are – fake candles and a fog machine on the floor make everything spooky. A girl in a nurse’s uniform and a red bra that pushes her tits up to her chin offers us some novelty hypodermic needles filled with what I assume is food-coloring dyed shot of something. It smells like it’s vodka – though with my limited experience, I don’t reallyknow.
“It’s everything and more,” I say to John with a grin as I push my backpack into his chest. “I’m going to dance. Who wants to joinme?”
“We’re going to watch,” Elliot says, folding his arms across his broadchest.
I get out on the dance floor and start moving my hips, doing a little twist. I find John and Elliot standing against the wall, right where I left them. John smiles and laughs as Elliot keeps his stern eyes on me – but is that the hint of a smile I see on Elliot’s face? I think it is. I don’t know if he’s smiling because I’m having fun, or because of how silly I know I look when I dance. I keep my eyes on them as long as I can, but I start to get swallowed up by the crowd of peopledancing.
I know Elliot and John won’t let me out of their sight. I know they’rewatching.
I let myself go loose. I’m moving my feet like the floor is covered in hot coals, and all around me, strobing purple and blue lights keep the tempo. I’m participating in an ancient ceremony, and I keep trying to find John and Elliot at the edge of the room, moving my hips the whole time. I finally find John as he walks toward me, easily wading his way through the crowd. He’s at least a foot taller than everyone else, and definitely bigger – and he’s walking right towardme.
There’s something in his eye – something I’m quite certain I’ve never seenbefore.
“I can’t just watch, Pumpkin,” he says, putting his hands on my hips. He gives them a little shimmy and shake as he rotates them slowly with his big, masterful hands. Oh, my word – his fingers dig into my fleshy hips as watches me, moving them to the music. With every movement, I rotate my hips a little bit more slowly – a little bit more deliberately. With every rotation, I become wetter. His eyes are hungry – flashing, intense. I gulp. It feels like he’s trying to remove my clothes with hiseyes.
I throw my arms around his neck, my confidence sprung from somewheremysterious.
“You’re beautiful,Pumpkin.”
Beautiful?My pulse quickens and my heart flips. I’m floating on a freakingcloud.
My favorite song is playing – not just my favorite Halloween song, but my favorite song, period. I’m dancing with one of my two men. There’s only one way this could be moreperfect.
I shake my hips to the music, doing a little twist. John twirls me away from him and then closes his body aroundmine.
If he weren’t holding me up right now, I’d absolutely be falling down at his feet, and I’d probably be trampled by all the people dancing. The energy is electric as we sway to the music, his shoulders rocking like they’re keeping time for NASA. And then, he pulls me a little closerstill.
“Bless my soul,” he whispers near my ear. “You’re amazing,Pumpkin.”
The sax solo in the song kicks in and I bite my lip to keep the smile on my face in control. My heart, though, that’s something I can’tcontrol.
I feel so good in John’s arms that I could die – but my happiness doesn’t make sense because there’s something missing. Elliot is missing. I want John with all my heart, but then, I also want Elliot with all of it, too. How can my want be divided in two and still be whole for each of my men? I nuzzle my face into John’s chest and he wraps his arms around me a little tighter, still swaying to the music. I feel one of his hands drop from my shoulder and fall at the small of myback.
Then, I feel him unwrap his arms from me. It’s like I was sleeping and my big, comfy blanket’s been yankedaway.
“Come with me,” John says, slipping my hand into his. “We aren’t taking our eyes off youtonight.”
Please, promise me you won’t take your eyes off me, John. Please. Elliot too. I need youboth.
I start to follow John, but someone bumps into me, sending me scrambling backwards. I almost fall down, but the bodies are packed in so tightly here that there isn’t even enough room for my body to find the floor. I crane my neck to try to see around the throng of people, but I think I’ve lost John in thecrowd.
My eyes dart around the room and I realize I can’t find John or Elliot now. I’m being squeezed in on all sides like a gumball in a big, glass bowl, when suddenly, my feet lift off thefloor.
My heart soars into my throat when I realize that two shirtless, waxed men my age with neon, glow-in-the-dark warpaint smeared onto their cheekbones and chests, are hoisting me into the air and over their heads. If this is an ancient ritual, I’m thesacrifice.
I’m carried, head whipping back and forth between them, until I’m riding over the crowd like I’m on a wave. Hands pass me to other hands until I’m placed on my feet on top of a closed baby grand piano, tucked into the corner of the living room. With the music coursing and pumping through me, I find my footing – but my heart is still in my throat. It’s like ice water has replaced myblood.
My eyes dart everywhere until I spot John and Elliot, and suddenly the blood in my veins warms up again. Their efforts to get to me are impeded by a wall of dancing bodies, but still they press onward. The frenzied dancing doesn’t stop, and I feel the flames of the energy below me lick myfeet.
