8FOLD: Jolt City # 5, The Lion, The Witch, and the Unicycle!

[Martin Phipps]

Tom Russell wrote:

>    "Okay," shrugs Martin.  "To start with, what is a
> vibra-jacket?"

Sounds like something you'd buy in a sex shop.  Oops!  Sorry!  I was
thinking of vibra-panties.

>    "It vibrates one's molecules out of synch with
> reality," explains Fay, handing him a clunky orange
> vest. "Here, better to show you."
>    Martin slips it on and begins to fasten it.  Fay
> stops him.
>    "Now, I'm going to set the dial so that you're only
> slightly out of synch.  You'll be able to pass through
> matter through an act of will, but you won't
> automatically fall through the floor or anything."
> She turns the dial.  She nods at Martin, who fastens
> the jacket.
>    Martin's insides shimmer: the same queasy feeling
> he got when Darkhorse had phased right through him.
> [*-- JOLT CITY # 4.]  He swipes his hand through the
> nearby table.
>    "It's hard to describe," says Martin.  "It's not
> like it isn't there at all.  It is.  I can feel the
> hardness of it,

What was Martin touching again?

> the texture.  But passing through my
> fingers.  Like blood, like warmth.  Like food in the
> belly."
>    "Don't think," says Fay.  "Don't concentrate at
> all."  She reaches out her hand, a gorgeous deep
> brown, and presses it against his chest.

Hmm...

> It stops
> there.  He can feel it, a solid sensation at the
> tingle tips of his molecules.
>    "See?  That's why you don't fall through the floor.
>  Now, if you think about it, if you let me through..."
>    Her hand presses into his chest, into his heart,
> but it feels more like he's pressing into her.

Mmm...

> He can
> feel her pulse, and with each beat it runs through his
> entire body, echoing soundlessly.
>    Though his heart is pulsing at its own rate, his
> body is pulsing at hers.  At her command.
>    She withdraws her hand and rubs it.  "It's warm,"
> she says softly.

Oh G-g-god.

> he thinks
> of Fay Tarif rubbing her hand

and wishing he could be that hand?

>    "Good, you're awake."  The voice is from Canada.
> Probably Quebec (slight french twinge).

Feh.  Americans seem to think Canadians have picked up some French
intonation.  That's funny, eh?

I actually thought this was better than last issue.  I won't go into
why because I don't want to say anything bad about last issue.  Let's
just say at no point did I go "How the @#$% did he do that?" at any
time while reading this issue.

Martin