“Metamorphosis IV”

 (thanks to cheezburger.com for the photo)

These pieces are called ‘flashers’.  They are short scenes or stories of 200 words.  They aren’t easy to write, but they are instructive.  They exact a certain amount of discipline, as in learning not to love all your words.

Lady Nyo

–

Laura twisted in the wind. Well, rotated in the air conditioning.  Bart had a new kick, called ‘Shibari’.  An ancient Japanese practice of wrapping things.  Precisely.  With hidden knots. She should have thought twice when he insisted she strip.

Arms wrapped behind her back, more rope holding her legs together, she sighed.  She didn’t mind hanging upside down, was even getting used to the headaches.

Bart, however, was having a bit of his own transformation, and Laura didn’t know if she liked this one bit.  He was becoming ‘weirder’, taking up hobbies. Piercing was one, this shibari another.  Laura was seeing Bart in a different light, helped along with her new, nighttime vision.

*Goddamn Japanese!  Why can’t they stick to wrapping small packages?*  

Bart told her ‘shibari’ was the ancient art of “wrapping the heart.”  She bought it, didn’t even mind the bananas, mangos and kiwi he stuck between the bindings.  He was, after all, a common fruit bat.

Up on the roof, Bart had other plans. From under his wings, he drew out a new black, leather- riding crop. He slapped it on his palm, laughing with glee.

Laura was about to obey.

–

Jane Kohut-Bartels

Copyrighted, 2008, 2012