Cutie! Ossian calls, smiling. Cutie is the first man to play! Heres the question! Are you ready to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Absolutely, Bjorn says with a sigh.
A drop of sweat falls from the tip of Ossians nose as he opens an envelope and reads out loud, Who do you think about when youre making love to the Hag?
Very funny, says Penelope.
Will you give me the phone if I answer? asks Bjorn.
Ossian pouts like a child and shakes his head.
No, but if our audience believes you, youll get the first digit of the PIN number.
And if I choose Consequence?
Youll compete with me and the audience will decide, Ossian says. Time is running out. Tick, tock, tick, tock. Five, four, three, two
Penelope watches Bjorn in the wash of the strong lamplight: his dirty face, his stubble, his greasy hair. His nostrils dark with dried blood and his eyes so exhausted and bloodshot.
I think about Penelope when we have sex, Bjorn says.
Ossian boos and makes a disgusted grimace as he jogs in the lamplight.
Youre supposed to tell the truth, he shrieks. Thats not even close! No one in the audience would ever believe that you think about the Hag when youre sleeping with her. Thats one, two, three negative points for the Cutie!
He spins the bottle again and it stops almost at once, pointed toward Penelope.
Oh, oh, oh! Ossian yells. A special case! What does this mean? Thats right! Consequence directly! Direct to go! Ill open the box and see what the Hippo has to say!
Ossian picks up from the table a tiny hippopotamus made of dark lacquered wood. He holds it to his ear as if hes listening and he nods.
You mean the Hag? he asks. He listens again. I understand, Mr. Hippo! Yes indeed, thank you so very much!
Ossian replaces the hippopotamus and turns to Penelope with a smile.
The Hag will compete with Ossian! The area is Striptease! If you can turn on the audience better than Ossian can, youll get all the numbers of the PIN code-otherwise the Cutie will have to kick you in the ass as hard as he can!
Ossian jumps up and down in front of his music system and hits a button so that the song Teach Me Tiger comes on.
One time I lost this competition against Loa Falkman, Ossian says in a stage whisper while he swings his hips in time to the music.
Penelope gets up from the sofa and takes a step forward. She stands there wearing sailor boots, the pin-striped trousers, and the hoodie.
So you just want me to take off my clothes, Penelope says. Is that what this is all about? You just want to see me naked?
Ossian stops singing and his mouth puckers in disappointment. He looks at her coldly before he replies.
Do you believe Id ever be interested in looking at a refugee whores tiny cunt? Thats easy enough to order on the Internet.
Ossian hits her hard. She sways and almost falls, but manages to keep her balance.
You need to be polite when youre talking to me, he says seriously.
All right, she mumbles.
A funny little smile distorts his mouth as he explains.
Im someone who often competes with celebrities from television and Ive seen you there, though I hurried to change the channel.
She looks at his excited, flushed face.
Youre not going to give us the phone, are you?
I promise I will. Rules are rules. Youll get it after I get what I want.
You know we need help and youre using that to-
Yes, of course, Im using it! he screams.
All right, then, lets say we strip for a while and then I get the phone.
Penelope turns away from Ossian and pulls off the sweater and T-shirt. Her scrapes and wounds are discolorations in the strong light. Her body is covered in bruises and dried dirt. She turns around but keeps her arms over her breasts.
Bjorn claps and whistles although he looks sad.
Bjorn claps and whistles although he looks sad.
Ossians face is sweaty, staring at Penelope. Then he stands in the lamplight in front of Bjorn. He rolls his hips and then whips off the loincloth and twirls it around. He lets it run between his legs before he throws it at Bjorn. Ossian kisses the air in front of Bjorn and makes an Ill call you gesture.
Bjorn claps and whistles louder and keeps clapping as he sees Penelope edging near the fireplace to pick up the iron poker from its rack. The ash shovel next to it sways and clangs slightly against the large tongs.
Ossian is dancing in glittery gold underwear.
Penelope holds the poker with both hands as she walks up behind Ossian, who is rolling his hips at Bjorn.
Get on your knees, Cutie, Ossian whispers. Get down and give it to me.
Savagely Penelope brings up the heavy poker between his legs as hard as she can. Theres a loud smack and Ossian falls, screaming with an unearthly sound. He holds himself and writhes around on the floor, howling. Penelope walks over to the music system and gives it four vicious strokes, smashing it to bits while the music squeals to a stop.
Ossian is panting and moaning as he lies on the floor. Penelope walks over to him and he squints up at her with fearful eyes. She stands there looking impassively down. The heavy poker sways slightly in her right hand.