Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet No. 20 by Kelly Link Gavin J. Grant Read Free Book Online

the flap of skin back over the opening, the squeaking still audible through a dozen air holes.
    Scott reached down, picked up Cary's hat, and handed it to him. “So why do you do this kind of thing?"
    "Life mutilates us,” Cary said, patting his stomach. “We can either resist or accept. When you choose to accept, the world can no longer harm you."
    In the slashing beam of the streetlight, his face looked inspired.
    * * * *
    A couple of weeks later, Reverend Michael invited Scott to a neighborhood meeting at his house.
    The plastic covers had come off the living room furniture. Scott shared a black leather couch with the Carsons. Bruce and his seldom-seen wife sat on another.
    "Have you heard from Dawn?” Margaret Carson asked Scott.
    "Not a word."
    "That's sad,” she said. “Caitlin must miss her."
    "She doesn't really remember her."
    "Here he comes,” Jennifer said. She popped up and trotted in her stiletto heels to the front door.
    A police car had turned into the driveway. Jennifer brought the officer inside and introduced the neighbors. He shook hands with everyone and sat beside Reverend Michael.
    "He's sure one weird guy, this Cary Ginder fellow,” the policeman said. “He showed me his arms."
    Jennifer leaned forward. “What's wrong with his arms, officer?"
    "The right one has some kind of mold growing on it, ma'am. He says he's altered his sweat glands so they sweat sugar to feed it. The mold is black and green, and at least an inch long. He combed it back with a brush while we talked."
    Michael shook his head. “I don't know what to say. I never thought ..... Is that legal?"
    "In general,” the policeman said, “a person has a right to do whatever he wants to his own body."
    "I don't agree,” Margaret Carson said. Her puffy blond hair was so stiff with spray you could balance a baseball on it. “There's such a thing as limits.” She moved her hand between two invisible points in the air. “Life exists between here and here. Not just any old place you can dream up."
    "Who are you to set those limits?” Bruce asked. He called himself a libertarian, and he seemed to be, except when it came to his wife.
    "Perhaps you can have this discussion another time?” the policeman said. “Can I go on? OK. Apparently, this guy used to have a rodent cage in his stomach, but he's taken it out. Now he has some kind of aquarium in there, made of his own flesh.” He glanced at his notes. “An artificial cyst, he calls it. There's neon tetras swimming around inside. Bright blue fish in his stomach. The skin's transparent all around, so you can see them fine."
    Mr. Carson put his hand to his chest and pursed his lips.
    "We can't have someone like that living here,” Margaret said.
    "Someone like what?” Michael said. “There's no one else like him. He's a club of one."
    "That's not true,” Scott said. “Body modification is a worldwide movement. And it appears that Cary is one of the leading figures. He has a whole aesthetic theory going. It's almost spiritual, really."
    "Spiritual?” Michael said. “Don't be ridiculous."
    "Actually, he views what he does as rather Christ-like. He feels that he's taking the pain of the world into his own body. All the things he does have symbolic significance. For example, he says the neon tetras represent, ‘drawing into the shelter of your body the remaining sparks of love in a darkening world.'—"
    Michael stared at him. “It's like a religion?"
    "Yes,” Scott said, “I guess you could say it is."
    "Wow,” Jennifer said. She was breathing hard. “What if he's the Antichrist?"
    "Oh, come off it,” Michael said. “He's not the Antichrist. He's a sicko. Scott, you're a doctor. Can't this Ginder be locked up for harming himself?"
    Scott shook his head. “I don't think so. The rules for involuntary commitment are strict. They'd have to release him in seventy-two hours."
    The policeman nodded. “The doctor is right. Look, friends, I feel a lot like you do. However,