Bringing Up Bonjo
By Linda Seton
Chloe runs without any clear sense of where she can go for help. She risks a look back just as the leopard comes up on her right. Chloe spins around and the cat shoots past her.
The leopard tumbles to the ground and twists around to pursue the girl. Panting for breath, Chloe scans the open field and roadside for any place to hide.
All she sees is a smirking Lex.
Chloe runs straight toward him. His eyes widen in surprise as she throws herself on him and brings him to earth. The leopard bounds up and watches the two people thrashing around on the ground; the bored cat drops to the grass and begins to chew at its feet.
Lex comes up on top straddling Chloe. Pinning both of her hands to the ground with one of his, he reaches for a rock. White-knuckled, he hefts it above her face.
"You're not real!"
Chloe sees the rock, focuses her gaze on Lex's face and says the only thing she knows that might save her life. "Lex, I love you."
He blinks at her and lowers the rock. "What?"
"I love you Lex. Just you. Not the money or your crazy family tree. If you pumped gas for a living and could still quote from The Decameron I'd love you. It's all about you -- the inner you that you work so hard to keep protected. It's like you have a wall..."
"Around my heart. Yes, I know." Lex sits back on the ground and tosses the rock aside narrowly missing the leopard.
Chloe eases up and gently touches his shoulder. Lex squeezes her hand and after a moment asks. "I wonder what Jung would make of this?"
"Jung was a misogynistic nightmare." She stops short of pulling her hand away. As the leopard hiccups, Chloe continues, "You want to know what I think your problem is?"
"That's why you're here. Please feel free."
"You're always trying to replace something that you feel you've lost out on with the women in your life. You're starting to look ridiculous that every time some woman comes along with the whole 'I love you for you' line you marry her. And, yes, Clark can't keep his mouth shut about your personal life."
Lex considers what she said for a moment. "What do you think I'm trying to replace? Mother's love? Father's love? What?"
"I don't think it matters what you're trying to replace. I just think you need to stop."
Lex shakes his head. "From my past experience, you're very direct for a hallucination. No, soft pedaling and symbolism from you. Please, continue. I need to stop replacing things I feel I've lost?"
"Can't you just want someone that brings something new into your life? Something you never knew you wanted? Something other than complete adoration of you? I understand that you want to be loved -- loved just for being you -- but until you can love someone just for being her I'm not sure there's any 'you' to love." Chloe takes a breath.
Lex sits quietly considering and then looks her in the eye. "You don't love me. It was all a trick." He pulls his hand free. "I can't believe I fell for it, again."
"Why should I love you Lex? You tried to kill me with a leopard and a rock."
"Fair enough." Lex rises and helps Chloe to her feet. "What you're telling me is that I have to earn your love."
"No, you have to earn people's trust. Sometimes love happens after that."
Lex seems to be considering her words as he retrieves his leopard. The cat, a little less drugged, half-snarls at him as the leash falls around its neck. Lex turns to Chloe, "The symbolism of the leopard is still lost on me. I mean, why a leopard?"
"I don't know, Lex. This is your subconscious, remember?" Chloe rubs her eyes as she tries to remember if this really is his subconscious.
"Right." Lex leads the cat and Chloe trails after them. He glances back, "I don't think you're trying to kill me anymore."
"That's good, Lex."
tbc
By Linda Seton
Chloe runs without any clear sense of where she can go for help. She risks a look back just as the leopard comes up on her right. Chloe spins around and the cat shoots past her.
The leopard tumbles to the ground and twists around to pursue the girl. Panting for breath, Chloe scans the open field and roadside for any place to hide.
All she sees is a smirking Lex.
Chloe runs straight toward him. His eyes widen in surprise as she throws herself on him and brings him to earth. The leopard bounds up and watches the two people thrashing around on the ground; the bored cat drops to the grass and begins to chew at its feet.
Lex comes up on top straddling Chloe. Pinning both of her hands to the ground with one of his, he reaches for a rock. White-knuckled, he hefts it above her face.
"You're not real!"
Chloe sees the rock, focuses her gaze on Lex's face and says the only thing she knows that might save her life. "Lex, I love you."
He blinks at her and lowers the rock. "What?"
"I love you Lex. Just you. Not the money or your crazy family tree. If you pumped gas for a living and could still quote from The Decameron I'd love you. It's all about you -- the inner you that you work so hard to keep protected. It's like you have a wall..."
"Around my heart. Yes, I know." Lex sits back on the ground and tosses the rock aside narrowly missing the leopard.
Chloe eases up and gently touches his shoulder. Lex squeezes her hand and after a moment asks. "I wonder what Jung would make of this?"
"Jung was a misogynistic nightmare." She stops short of pulling her hand away. As the leopard hiccups, Chloe continues, "You want to know what I think your problem is?"
"That's why you're here. Please feel free."
"You're always trying to replace something that you feel you've lost out on with the women in your life. You're starting to look ridiculous that every time some woman comes along with the whole 'I love you for you' line you marry her. And, yes, Clark can't keep his mouth shut about your personal life."
Lex considers what she said for a moment. "What do you think I'm trying to replace? Mother's love? Father's love? What?"
"I don't think it matters what you're trying to replace. I just think you need to stop."
Lex shakes his head. "From my past experience, you're very direct for a hallucination. No, soft pedaling and symbolism from you. Please, continue. I need to stop replacing things I feel I've lost?"
"Can't you just want someone that brings something new into your life? Something you never knew you wanted? Something other than complete adoration of you? I understand that you want to be loved -- loved just for being you -- but until you can love someone just for being her I'm not sure there's any 'you' to love." Chloe takes a breath.
Lex sits quietly considering and then looks her in the eye. "You don't love me. It was all a trick." He pulls his hand free. "I can't believe I fell for it, again."
"Why should I love you Lex? You tried to kill me with a leopard and a rock."
"Fair enough." Lex rises and helps Chloe to her feet. "What you're telling me is that I have to earn your love."
"No, you have to earn people's trust. Sometimes love happens after that."
Lex seems to be considering her words as he retrieves his leopard. The cat, a little less drugged, half-snarls at him as the leash falls around its neck. Lex turns to Chloe, "The symbolism of the leopard is still lost on me. I mean, why a leopard?"
"I don't know, Lex. This is your subconscious, remember?" Chloe rubs her eyes as she tries to remember if this really is his subconscious.
"Right." Lex leads the cat and Chloe trails after them. He glances back, "I don't think you're trying to kill me anymore."
"That's good, Lex."
tbc