Savage Tales

couch, and that sounded relaxing, a good way to earn minimum wage. Ralph also reminded me that the cameras are always rolling for security purposes, and that he didn't really want to look over the footage to see what I'd been doing – if he'd seen what he thought he saw, and then refer it to the higher-ups.
    The appointment was made with the shrink and she came out a few days later. I shook her hand on meeting her and she was a nice-looking dame. Classy with nerd glasses and a tight looking executive dress. She took me into a private room and we just sat there for an hour. I was a bit disappointed I didn't get to lie on a couch, but I didn't mention this to her.
    "So what do we do now?" I said.
    "We talk. Where would you like to begin?"
    "Begin? I don't know. This wasn't my idea, you know."
    "It doesn’t matter whose idea it was. We're here. Let's figure out what's going on."
    "Well, it seems that Ralph must have told you about this—"
    "Don't assume that."
    "He didn't tell you anything?"
    "I didn't say that. I'm just saying that we're starting fresh. My name's Melissa and you're Stuart. Pleased to meet you. We have no history. Let's find out what's going on."
    "I had this dream."
    "Yes?"
    "I had this dream that I was a moth."
    "And?"
    "That's it. I was just a moth living a moth life. Then I woke up and came to work."
    "Uh huh. So where is the problem? Did the dream disturb you?"
    "Oh, sure. A little, I mean. Who wants to be a moth?"
    "Have you dreamed it again?"
    "No, I don't think so."
    "Is there anything else? I'm not usually called in unless –"
    "I was sucking on a blouse in the ladies department. That's why they called you. Ralph caught me."
    "I see. And have you ever had an interest in women's clothing before this?"
    "No! And I don't now. I didn't even realize what I was doing till Ralph caught me."
    "He caught you. That's the word you used. Does that mean you were doing something wrong?"
    "Of course. Why should I be sucking on a woman's blouse? That's not normal."
    "Let's forget what's normal for a second. How did it make you feel?"
    "I don't know."
    "Then pretend you know. If you had a blouse in your mouth right now, how would it make you feel?"
    "Gross. Stop it. I don't like to chew clothes. I'm not a moth."
    "I think you're just reacting to my words now. I want you to close your eyes and allow your emotions to come how they will."
    "They pay you for this? Really?"
    "They pay me for this. Really. Now close your eyes and be honest."
    I closed my eyes as instructed.
    "Now pretend you have a nice juicy T-shirt in your mouth."
    "Okay. I have a T-shirt in my mouth."
    "Good. Now how do you feel?"
    "Okay, I guess."
    "Better than before, without the shirt in your mouth?"
    "I don't know."
    "Imagine you're really chewing it now."
    I salivated a little and pretended I was chewing.
    "Good," she said. "And now?"
    "It feels good… no, great. It feels really right. I know it shouldn't, but it does. My god, it does. It feels so right."
    "I know. Stuart, open your eyes."
    I opened them. To my surprise, in my hands I held a real T-shirt. And it was in my mouth, covered with a wet stain of saliva. "What the hell?" My hands wouldn't let go and my mouth automatically returned to the cotton that tasted so good. I knew it was wrong and I had to stop, but I couldn't. "What the hell?"
    She smiled and said, "It's okay, Stuart. Really."
    She came to me and opened her lips and put them on the cotton shirt as well, and her teeth revealed an unholy set of incisors that cut into the cloth and shred it, and we each emitted a sludgy paste that softened it in our mouths and allowed us to gulp it down all the way, until our mouths met.
    And then we were upon each other, tearing away our unneeded clothes and began to not make love but to fuck with violent animal force that was almost free of emotion. Underneath her dress and underwear and bra, her skin was textured in beautiful patterns and furry, and I realized that so was mine. I thrust into her so deeply that I thought she would break, and finally I came.
    We stared upward into the fluorescent haze for minutes, then new energy came. We used it to leave that place, that confined little office, and to head out into the larger realm and go above the shelves and racks and look down upon it all, a vast booty of fodder for our future meals and life together. We went on and surveyed the many textures and scents and all the places that we might go to next and be in a glade of warmth, a corner