Animal Instinct | Fiction

She looked up and smiled. You think she's coming over but she hesitates. You are a little nervous about approaching gorgeous women, or even making eye contact.

Janney glances down again, hiding her eyes behind the glossy cover of the unread magazine.

She knows the magazine hides tea stained teeth and puckered bottom lips. She pretends it's waiting for a kiss, except really it's swollen. A blackish blue circle spreads down her chin across her jaw and below her sleeveless mock turtleneck.

Wondering why it's called a turtleneck, Janney retreats even deeper into her mind. Turtle's necks don't look like this or do they? I've only seen turtles on The Discovery Channel on my Black & White Sony.

Revelation, B&W Sony shattered on the bedroom floor. No more Animal Kingdom, Wild Discovery or National Geographic on TBS. That one started this whole thing. I'm addicted to that one, she thinks. Almost like a soap opera but those are stupid. Fake people, fake glamorous lives and melodrama.

I like the real world. I like animal instincts, pure nature and the outdoors. I'm gonna miss watching my animal shows. My release, my time to exhale. Shattered. No more 8pm Monday through Friday on channel 44. No more Saturday and Sunday on TBS. No more hour of freedom every day.

She tries to bring herself into the present. She's got to work to do but the memory won't let her go.

Eyes closed head tilted back, way back the howling, oh the deliciously plaintive howling, howling at the moon. Family packs, hunting together, feeding frenzy. Only the Alpha female can have pups and will kill any others. The alpha bitch is in control.

Janney sits on the floor enthralled by the flicker of the B&W and the wolves. She gives in. She gets carried away and into freedom with the howling. She momentarily forgets. Anthony makes her remember. Janney's howl wakes him up. Anthony's hard right hook brings her back to reality and pushes her body, face down into the tattered rug.

When she looks up, his back is already moving sluggishly away from back to the living room and the sofa bed he shares with her mom.

Tears stream down her face. "Mom's gonna kill me".

The memory fades, finally letting her go as she notices the chiming of a clock. Janney practices what she gonna say to the man who smiled at her, "Hi, I'm Janney. Why don't you buy me a drink. I need a little release."

I'm finally free. She puts the magazine down and stands up, smiles and approaches the man who smiled at her just a few minutes ago.