Bringing Up Bonjo
by Linda Seaton
The two walk in silence for a few moments.
"Can I tell you a secret, Chloe?" Lex asks.
"Sure, Lex."
"I caused Helen to jump out of plane and possibly kill herself."
"Helen is fine. She made it back from the honeymoon but you didn't."
"No, the second honeymoon. She tried to kill me on the first honeymoon and I might have killed her on the second honeymoon."
Chloe struggles to focus. Her head is pounding and this could just be more than she can take. "Helen told the press this story about you saving her life when the plane went down. Giving her the last parachute and all. Which is just ridiculous because you both weigh like nothing – why couldn't you share?"
"When I got back from the island she told me that my father tried to kill us both and drugged the wine on the plane. I was out cold and she couldn't wake me so she used the last parachute."
"She's a doctor, right? Because doctors are known for leaving people to die, aren't they? Don't they give them classes about moving patients? I wouldn't have left you. How hard could you be to drag or roll?" Chloe pauses. " And you were on an island?"
"Yes, and I wish you had been there. I never really trusted Lewis."
"Lex, you're being a little heavy-handed about proving that you trust me. And who is Lewis? You mentioned him before?"
"He was a hallucination. His trying to kill me made me distrust hallucinations. But…"
"…you trust me."
"I'm still trying too hard, right?"
"You're asking me? 'Clark, let me find out all the pertinent and less the pertinent information about someone and yes, I know, you'll never say thank you or tell me the truth about anything'."
The leopard shakes its head and roars. Lex jerks the leash tight and the cat falls to heel.
"Maybe that's why you're here. I mean my anima in Chloe form. She tries so hard and ends up being forgotten."
Chloe does not respond and the unlikely threesome turn up the driveway of the castle. The leopard yanks at the leash and Lex pulls its front feet off the ground. It rotates around on its front legs pawing at the air. It finally surrenders and Lex allows it to resume walking.
Chloe hangs back and warns, "I think it's starting to come out of it. Is there any place we can stash it?"
"I'll just unleash it when we get in the house. We'll probably never see it again."
"Maybe it would be happier outside?"
Lex drags the uncooperative leopard to the front entrance of the castle. "I think it's a little cold outside for the leopard."
"But if it is only a hallucination then what does it matter?" Chloe half pleads.
"Maybe we're judge on how we treat our hallucinations. Would you like me to lock you outside with the leopard?"
Chloe shakes her head 'no' and follows man and cat into the house.
tbc
by Linda Seaton
The two walk in silence for a few moments.
"Can I tell you a secret, Chloe?" Lex asks.
"Sure, Lex."
"I caused Helen to jump out of plane and possibly kill herself."
"Helen is fine. She made it back from the honeymoon but you didn't."
"No, the second honeymoon. She tried to kill me on the first honeymoon and I might have killed her on the second honeymoon."
Chloe struggles to focus. Her head is pounding and this could just be more than she can take. "Helen told the press this story about you saving her life when the plane went down. Giving her the last parachute and all. Which is just ridiculous because you both weigh like nothing – why couldn't you share?"
"When I got back from the island she told me that my father tried to kill us both and drugged the wine on the plane. I was out cold and she couldn't wake me so she used the last parachute."
"She's a doctor, right? Because doctors are known for leaving people to die, aren't they? Don't they give them classes about moving patients? I wouldn't have left you. How hard could you be to drag or roll?" Chloe pauses. " And you were on an island?"
"Yes, and I wish you had been there. I never really trusted Lewis."
"Lex, you're being a little heavy-handed about proving that you trust me. And who is Lewis? You mentioned him before?"
"He was a hallucination. His trying to kill me made me distrust hallucinations. But…"
"…you trust me."
"I'm still trying too hard, right?"
"You're asking me? 'Clark, let me find out all the pertinent and less the pertinent information about someone and yes, I know, you'll never say thank you or tell me the truth about anything'."
The leopard shakes its head and roars. Lex jerks the leash tight and the cat falls to heel.
"Maybe that's why you're here. I mean my anima in Chloe form. She tries so hard and ends up being forgotten."
Chloe does not respond and the unlikely threesome turn up the driveway of the castle. The leopard yanks at the leash and Lex pulls its front feet off the ground. It rotates around on its front legs pawing at the air. It finally surrenders and Lex allows it to resume walking.
Chloe hangs back and warns, "I think it's starting to come out of it. Is there any place we can stash it?"
"I'll just unleash it when we get in the house. We'll probably never see it again."
"Maybe it would be happier outside?"
Lex drags the uncooperative leopard to the front entrance of the castle. "I think it's a little cold outside for the leopard."
"But if it is only a hallucination then what does it matter?" Chloe half pleads.
"Maybe we're judge on how we treat our hallucinations. Would you like me to lock you outside with the leopard?"
Chloe shakes her head 'no' and follows man and cat into the house.
tbc