The Cage

The sound of heavy wheels on marble filled the room.

The cage, with gold bars.

The Amazons hauled Becca off the ruined bed. She was a rag doll.

They tossed her inside. The floor of the cage was cold metal.

Becca pushed herself up on trembling arms.

-What is this? she slurred. Am I a zoo animal now?

Art stood on the other side.

-You're whatever I say you are.

He stepped closer. He stopped inches from the bars.

-Come here.

Becca hesitated.

Art pointed down.

-Come. Here.

Becca crawled. Her knees dragged on the cold floor.

Art reached through. He grabbed her hair. Yanked her face against the bars. The cold gold pressed into her cheek.

-Open, he said.

He unzipped his pants.

Becca opened her mouth. She didn't have a choice.

He used the bars. He pressed her against them, using the metal to hold her in place while he used her mouth.

-Good girl, he groaned.

He pulled back. Becca slumped against the bars, gasping.

Art looked down at her. He looked at the bars separating his skin from hers.

He frowned.

-I hate it, he said.

Becca looked up, wiping her mouth.

-Hate what?

He kicked the cage. The gold vibrated.

-It's in the way. It keeps me from you.

He looked at her with a hunger.

He reached for the latch. The lock clicked. A sharp, mechanical sound. He swung the door open and stepped inside. The cage shrank.

He dropped to his knees. He grabbed her waist and pulled her down to the metal floor. Becca gasped as the cold steel bit into her spine. Art settled between her legs. He looked down at her. His eyes were wild.

-You broke me first, he whispered.

He drove into her. He buried himself to the hilt in one motion.

Becca cried out.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, locking him in.

He moved with a desperate rhythm. Grinding her against the cold floor. He buried his face in her neck.

-Mine, he growled against her skin.

He flooded her. He collapsed on top of her, his weight pinning her to the floor. They lay there. Tangled in each other, breathing, heaving in sync.

Art lifted his head. He looked at where they were joined. He looked at the sweat making their skin stick together.

-I want to be deeper inside you. All the way.

He turned to the thin woman on the other side of the gold bars, watching

-This isn't enough, he growled.

-The coffin? the doctor asked.

-The coffin, Art said. Bring it in.