Christopher Moore Island Of The Sequined Love Nun (v5.0) (pdf)

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Tastes like shit! several of the men chanted.
Abo, the fierce one, said, I am chosen and now Sepie is chosen. I will
marry her.
Several of the other young men seemed less than pleased at Abo s an-
nouncement.
Come on, man, Tuck said. You might need a little attitude adjustment,
but you re not chosen.
I am, Abo insisted. Look. He turned his back to the group and ran
his finger across a long pink scar that ran diagonally across his ribs. The
Sky Priestess chose me for Vincent in the time of the ripe breadfruit.
Tuck stared at the scar, stunned, hoping that what he was thinking was
as far off as his PMS theory had been. The Sky Priestess? That was the
music last night, all the noise?
Yes, Malink said, Vincent brings her in his airplane. We never see it,
but we hear it.
And when someone is chosen, then does the jet always fly the next
day?
Malink nodded. No one was chosen for a long time until Vin
Island of the Sequined Love Nun / 191
cent sent you to fly the white airplane. We thought Vincent was angry with
us.
Tuck looked to Abo, who seemed satisfied that the chief was backing
him up. Where do you go when you are chosen?
You go to the white house where the Sorcerer lives. There are many
machine.
And then what? What happens in the white house?
It is secret.
Tuck was across the circle in Abo s face. What happens there?
Abo seemed frightened and turned away. Tuck looked around at the
other men. Who else here has been chosen?
The fat kid who had been pouring twisted so Tuck could see the scar on
his back.
What s your name, kid?
Vincent.
I should have known. Vincent, what happens in the white house?
Young Vincent shook his head. Tuck turned to Malink. What happens?
Malink shook his head. I don t know. I have not been chosen.
A familiar voice called out of the dark, They make them sleep.
Everyone turned to see Kimi coming down the path from the village.
The old cannibal creaked along behind him.
Abo barked a reproach to Kimi in his native tongue. Kimi barked back
something in the same language. Tuck didn t have to know the language
to know that Kimi had told the fierce one to fuck off.
Kimi, are you okay? Tuck barely recognized the navigator. He was
wearing the blue loincloth of the Shark men and he seemed to have put on
some muscle. Tuck was genuinely delighted to see him. The navigator ran
to him and threw his arms around the pilot. Tuck found himself returning
the embrace.
Several of the young men had stood and were glaring at Kimi. One of
the jugs of tuba had been kicked over, but no one seemed to notice the liquor
running out on the sand.
Kimi, do you know what s going on here?
A pretty white woman with yellow hair. She come out of the fence and
take the girl away. They will put her to sleep and when she wakes up she
will have a cut here. He drew his finger across the back of his ribs.
No! Abo screamed. He leaped over the crouching Malink to get to
Kimi. Without thinking, Tuck swung around and caught Abo
192 / Christopher Moore
under the jaw with a roundhouse punch. Abo s feet flew out from under
him and he landed on his back. Tuck rubbed his hand. Abo tried to struggle
to his feet and Malink barked an order to two of the young Vincents. Re-
luctantly, they restrained their friend. Vincent has sent the pilot, Malink
reminded them.
Tuck turned back to Kimi. What happens then?
You owe me five hundred dollars.
You ll get it. What happens then?
The chosen has to stay in bed for many days. There are tube stuck in
them and they are in much pain. Then they come back.
That s it?
Yes, Kimi said.
Malink stood now and addressed Kimi. How do you know this?
Kimi shrugged. Sepie tells me.
Malink turned to Abo, who had stopped struggling and now looked
terrified. She said she would not tell. The girl-man put a spell on her.
Tuck stood rubbing his knuckles, watching this little tropical opera and
feeling like someone had snapped on a light and found him french-kissing
a maggoty corpse. The cooler, the surgical garb, the flights on short notice,
the second jet waiting on the tarmac in Japan, the guards, the secrecy, the
money. How had he been so fucking stupid?
Malink was hurling a string of native curses at Abo, who looked as if he
would burst into tears any second.
You dumb motherfuckers! Tuck shouted.
Malink stopped talking.
She s selling your kidneys. The doc is taking out your kidneys and
selling them in Japan.
This revelation didn t have quite the effect that Tuck thought it would.
In fact, he seemed to be the only one concerned about it at all.
Did you hear me?
Malink looked a little embarrassed. What is a kidney?
PART THREE
Coconut Angel
42
Bedfellows [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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