The Minotauress

But his father was already fading back out, his grip loosening. Then, in a course exhalation that was nearly inaudible, he said, 'Only you can save us, son... '

Jake Lohan fell back into the smothering embrace of his coma, perhaps forever.

««—»»

'Sorry about your dad, man,' Ajax said on the ride back.

Dean didn't reply, keeping his eye on the darkening road. He didn't want to talk, not now. He was too confused, and Ajax seemed to understand this. What Dean needed was distraction, not focus, and—like magic— Ajax provided it, when a souped ‘72 Chevelle soared by in the oncoming lane.

'Oh, man!' Ajax railed. 'Did you see the blond hunk'a box in that Chevelle?'

'That was Judy Nesher,' Dean remarked aside.

Ajax shot a funky glance. 'You know her?'

'Know her? I fucked her in high school. Does the term ‘screamer' mean anything to you?'

'Shit, man! You fucked that piece of work? And you left this town?'

Dean shrugged. 'She's a pig. I'd only fuck her when I didn't feel like jerking off.'

'What a fuckin' stud!'

'Actually, her mother's a lot hotter.'

'You fucked her mother?'

'Yeah,' Dean admitted as though it were an inconsequential matter. 'A threesome—fucked both their brains out on the kitchen table where Mrs. Nesher was making deviled eggs for the homecoming party. Shit, between the two of 'em, I don't know which was louder: Judy, her mom, or a rock in a gearbox.'

'What a fuckin' stud!' Ajax repeated in awe.

After a quick glance, Dean decelerated, then pulled a screeching U-turn. Next, the 4x4 was pulling into the gravel parking lot of a long roadside bar. A gaudy neon sign blinked: GORTYN'S WOODLAND TAVERN.

'Gorty's,' Dean said under his breath. He idled around the parking lot, then backed into a distance space.

'Dynamite,' Ajax celebrated. 'I could use a beer but... why are you parking way over here?'

'We're not going in. I just want to see who's here.'

Ajax flicked a cigarette out the window and lit another. 'Earth to Dean's brain? Best way to see who's inside is—duh—to walk inside.'

'You don't understand,' Dean sniped back. 'I can't just walk into Gorty's and have a beer.'

'Why?'

'I'm Dean Lohan,' Dean said. 'That's why.'

Ajax frowned at the reply but before he could say anything, he caught a glimpse of another hot blond walking toward the front door. 'Shit! Look at that slice of meat—'

'That's Mary Cotten.'

'A brick motherfuckin' shit-house—'

'I fucked her,' Dean admitted. 'But then I shit-canned her the next day 'cos she shaves her pussy.'

Ajax gawped at him. 'You—'

'I don't like all that shaved shit, and that racing-stripe shit. I wanna fucking fistful of hair down there. I want sod.' Dean paused, pointing at the long tavern window. 'See the tall redhead, in the Danzig T-shirt?'

'Oh, you mean the one right there stacked like Thanksgiving dinner?'

'Yeah. That's Chrissy Croner. I fucked her.'

Ajax was flabbergasted.

'She was an ass-fuck freak. She'd give herself an enema every time I came over.'

'How long did you date her?'

Dean's face crinkled in objection. 'I didn't date her, I just fucked her in the ass a bunch of times. I'd never date a girl like that. She wears too much makeup.'

'Are you shitting me, man? Hell, I'd eat her makeup! '

'She's a trailer hog. I ain't got time to hold hands in the fuckin' park.' Dean whipped out a can of Skoal and dipped a pinch. 'All these girls out here? They're skoads.'

'Skoads?'

'They're fuck-pigs, Ajax—'

'Oink, oink—'

'And they ain't worth a guy's time except the time it takes to punch their holes and slam the door in their whiny faces.' He pointed again. 'See the brunette over there by the pool table?'

Ajax squinted. 'Yeah... and I just came in my pants. Let me guess? You fucked her.'

'I fucked her,' Dean said. 'I'd pin her feet back behind her ears and fuck her so hard she'd sound like a dog- toy being stepped on. She was a good nut... but then I got sick of listening to her talk. She wouldn't get the