Sirens, p.26
Sirens, page 26
who it was who had crept into her bed that night - that she had known
and had wanted it all along. Y" she broke away from Yasmin's grip. t's
it! ' Yasmin shouted, misinterpreting the movement. is far better than
tears.' Im through crying,' Daina said. Her voice sounded oddly to her
own ears. ' anyone.' asmin came and stood beside her. Together they
looked at the bosom of the Pacific. ' is there left to cry anyway?"
Yasmin said softly. ' either of us.' She at the ends of the towel Daina
had given her, which around her neck. ''s all in the past ... all that
rotten shit. And the past is forgotten.' She sighed. ' at the is it
remembered.' ' turned her head, gave the other woman a quizzical h, you
know,' Yasmin said, ' Wailing Wall. Don't look .1@surprised. I'm half
Israeli ... Sephardic, which is why my is so dark; my mother is a
Frenchwoman, fair-skinned fair-haired. In Jerusalem, at the Wall, the
long torturous of the Jews is remembered ... and revered.' She put
elbows on the polished wooden railing. In that position, breasts hung
lushly, her buttocks taut, straining the sheer of her panties. Daina
thought she felt a bit dizzy. learned very early on," Yasmin was saying,
' know what and to take it ... by hook or by crook.
We Israelis are tough.' .7hen why should you feel any remorse for
George?' Daina sharply. ' got what you wanted.' She knew that the r she
felt was with herself. -If Yasmin was offended, she chose not to voice
it. ''m only n after all.' She smiled. ' father is a very humane man.
told me he got that way by having been forced to kill the y during the
war.' ,.'Would he do it again, dyou think?' Daina said.
"Kill, I .'Yes,' Yasmin said immediately. ' it would mean defence of our
homeland. But more, in that moment confrontation, there is no question
of humanity, only ival.' Daina thought of Jean-Carlos and of what he had
said en she had asked him how he had broken out of Morro 226 227
Castle. ' had to strangle a guard,' he said without a trace of pride. '
time came when I was presented with the opportunity. It was only a split
second, mind you. There was no time for philosophy or rationalization.
And this is what I found out in that moment: the organism has the will
to survive. It is deeper than anything. I do not speak now of duty or of
heroism. These are different matters, entirely.
"What I am describing is the moment just before death. Your death. The
organism has the will and the will allows the resources to be tapped. '
was being beaten and had I allowed it to continue I would surely have
died that day. Not to accept that opportunity would have been sheer
madness. There was no question of humanity. Absolutely none. I ceded
control of my body to the animal. I let him take care of me and he did.
You, Daina, must learn the same thing. You must learn not to fear that
part of you.' ' don't know whether I can,' she had said, thinking of her
time of impotence years before. ' shall see,' jean-Carlos had said,
putting his scarred forefinger against the side of his nose. ' shall
see.' ' -' The other woman turned hei head so that her long blueblack
hair, sailed out by the wind, brushed Daina's cheek. '?" Daina had been
on the verge of asking the question - the same one she was certain now
that she had wanted to ask Lucy. She could not then; she could not now.
The same fear still transfixed her. She could not accept that part of
herself; there was too much letting go involved. What would I become,
sbe thought, what would happen to me if I should say to Yasmin, Will you
go to bed with me? She wiped her forehead with the comer of her towel
and said instead, ' about some lunch? There's cold cuts in the gallery!
But belowdecks, it was even more difficult because the quarters were so
cramped. Daina became acutely aware of the sweep of Yasmin's dusky
shoulders, her lithe torso, the contours of her slightly rounded belly
and the heat that seemed to emanate from between her thighs. The dark
hump pubic mound was all too apparent as she walked or sat tell you
something that's odd,' Daina said, to get her off sex. ' you remember
that day Chris picked me up set?$ asmin spreading mustard across a thick
slab of wheat nodded. She added lettuce, sliced tomato, made the '
whole. ell, at lunch we ran into someone who Chris had known ago. I'd
have thought it would've been a happy reunion it wasn't." "Yasmin leaned
over, opened the refrigerator, took out a of Lite beer for each of them.
She took a bite of her wich. ' So when it happened, I was confused by
it. The guy was sive but even before that I got the feeling Chris didn't
nt anything to do with him.' Yasmin opened her beer. ' he never liked
the ', that wasn't it at all. I think I'm coming to understand now. It's
as if those people from your past remind you of t you once were and, in
some way, that diminishes what have become. People are like anchors: you
can move to in times of trouble but then again they can drag you ".10h,
your tastes change, you begin to move in different es.2 - ."That's only
part of it.' Daina had begun to see just how erent Yasmin and Maggie
were. In memories of Maggie, t she thought of now were the whinings, the
weaknesses, insecurities. She felt again Maggie's unbounded unhappis
like a chill breath from beyond the grave. Yasmin had stopped eating and
was watching Daina ly. ' know,' she said. Without moving her gaze, she
ped her long fingers into a jar of green olives. Her nails ed as she
drew out the cylinder of pimento from the ow centre. She ate that in
tiny, nibbling bites as if it were greatest delicacy. ''s what happens
when you become a star, isn't it? You I it, too. It's happening to both
of us.' 228 229 Yasmin took the olive between her fingertips, extended
it across the short expanse of the table. ',' she said quietly. ' up.'
While Daina chewed on it, she resumed eating her sandwich. ' to both of
us, darling. To you. You're the one Beryl's working on. You're the one
this film's about. Don't think the studio doesn't feel it, too. They may
be fools some- times but they're not complete idiots. ' think George was
the first of us to understand it, really. Even before Marion or Rubens.
Heather Duell's become a locomotive. It's generating so much power, so
much word of mouth already, that the momentum's out of all control.
That's why Beryl's having such a ball with it. It was her idea to do
that twelve-page colour insert in this week's Variety. No words ... just
photos: you, me, George, Marion even. But you were on the front and the
back. The project's a publicist's dream.' Daina, though she had worked
beside this woman for months, began at last to view her as a person and
not just a personality. ' resentment you must feel.' ', no." Yasmin
shook her head, her hair obscuring one eye. ''m too much the pragmatist
for that. I know that built like this' - her hands came up under her
breasts, thrusting them out and up so that Daina felt a spasm in the pit
of her stomach. She turned her head away - ''ll never get the leading
roles. The last actress who could was Loren and times were different
then.' She shrugged, dropped her hands, picked up the remains of her
sandwich. ' I'll go into the hospital when we wrap," Yasmin said around
a bite of food, ' have my breasts reduced.' She swallowed, frowned. ' do
you think about that?' She waited until Daina's head came back around
and their eyes locked. ' just a little bit to reduce my cup size from D
to C.' Daina's mouth was dry. ' don't think you should change anything.
Your body's your own. Why should you give it over to them?' ' do you
want to be a star?' Yasmin said seriously. Daina's eyes dropped and,
after a time, she said, ' right then. I think it would help.' ' course
it would!' Daina's voice was thick with anger. ' disgusts me, making
yourself over in man's image 1' 230 man" Yasmin said. '. There's a hell
of a s obscene, any way you look at it 1' asmin put her hand over
Daina's. Leaning slightly across table, her eyes so clear, so sincere,
she was a female; their ,-a sacred bond between them, not at all sexual
now but sociological, perhaps even anthropological. ' will do for
stardom, Daina? How fiercely does that flame inside you?' Her fingers
tightened, draining the blood m Daina's flesh. Her voice was now a
whisper. ' much you want it? .,'.;Daina stared into those eyes. They
seemed like mirrors, ecting two tiny replicas of herself and, as she
watched, she ught she could see the images moving as if of their own
tion. ' want it.' Who said that, she or the replicated Yasmin sat
perfectly still.
"What if you had to sleep with bens in order to do it?' 11 love Rubens."
...'What if that were part of it? That you were required to act if you
loved him in order to -2 -Stop it 1' Daina tried to pull her hands away.
"You're teni. mg me.' But how hard had she tried to free herself? of her
was fascinated. She heard Baba's words echoing, an ever let yo'self be
treated like that, mama. Oh, yeah. knew where it was, all right. I don't
believe you're frightened at all,' Yasmin said with conviction. ' think
you want ta convince yourself that u're not like that.' Again she
squeezed but no pain ran ugh Daina's fingers, only a kind of electric
current so erent from that she felt with Rubens, it seemed momentarily
n. ' think you know just what I mean.' ",Yes,' Daina whispered. ' right,
yes. I'd sleep with him. t pretend to love ... I don't know." "Yes, you
do.' Her gaze was steady. ''re two peas in a , Daina. You know that,
too.' Daina tossed her head.'No, I don't.' Yasmin shook her.
"Look at you.' Her voice was chiding. ou're so terrified, you're
trembling. What've you got to be *d of F 231 Daina felt the anguished
pull of her stomach as it tightened. ' don't know,' she said, ' I'm
frightened of.' ,'Oh, yes, you do.' Yasmin was very close now, her musk
strong. ' finally know what it is you want.' She took Daina's hand in
her own so that the palm lay open, waiting. Daina felt the strength of
the other woman as she gripped her fingers from beneath. ' you have to
do now is reach out and grab it.' She snapped Daina's fingers into a
closed fist. ' wants me to fire Monty! ' so you should,' Yasmin said.
''s the smart move to make; the only move.' ''s something else at work
here ' it, Daina.' ''s loyalty ' never helped anyone's career. It won't
do a thing for yours! Daina said nothing but silently she cried: You see
how it is Monty. You're only a corpse to them. But you're more than that
to me. She turned away, hiding her face from Yasmin's sight, and
thought: What am I do? Malaguez brought Heather and Susan into the hot
box. Susan gasped aloud when she saw what they had done to Bock. She
twisted from Malaguez's grip, threw herself across the room. On her
knees she held Bock's head, cradling him against her breast. ','
El-Kalaam said. ' want you to supervise the others outside. You know
what to do. Send Rita back.' Malaguez nodded, left. A moment later, Rita
appeared, her MP40 slung obliquely across her back.
Her large dark eyes flickered from Bock to Susan and back again. ' he do
what we want?' ',' El-Kalaam assured her. He turned his attention back
to Bock. ' away from him,' he told Susan and when she did not comply, he
made a motion to Fessi. The rodenteyed man stepped forward, pulled her
roughly by her hair, jerked her head back. Fessi grabbed her with his
other hand, pulled her, gasping, to her feet. He took her a little bit
away 232 Vthe centre of the room. One hand roamed her body as -Kalaam
came forward, bent over Bock. He took the trialist's chin in his hand,
lifted up his head. Bleary, hot eyes stared dazedly into his. ' you
awake, Zionist?' He slapped Bock firmly on each until the colour rose in
the other man's face. ', I see're quite awake now.' He glanced upward
for a moment, Susan. ' lady friend is here.
I thought it only right for two of you to be together at a time like
this! ' time like what?' Susan said. Her eyes rolled wildly. t more are
you going to do to him?' She began to E-Kalaam pinched Bock so that the
industrialist's eyes sed. ''s too late for you now, Bock. Your
stubbornness A taken us all beyond the pale. You're responsible for
events We are blameless! ' is too much blood on your hands already,'
Bock ed. ' much blood! ' talk now. just watch." Slowly Bock turned his
head. His eyes widened. ',' he 0- thed.
"What is she doing here?' He seemed greatly tated. "She's going to help
us put on a little show! '.' Bock's head went from side to side. '
Susan, no.' but Bock,' El-Kalaam said, ''s no way to act. This w's be
mig produced just for you.' @,-'No,,' Bock said, his head wagging.
"No, no, no.' His voice n to rise in pitch. Fessi's fingers left red
welts where they poked and prodded's flesh. Then he put his hands on her
shoulders, forcing down. He took out his pistol, aimed it at her.
Bock began bering. ' the love of God,' Heather said. 7-,@@'Shut
up,'El-Kalaam warned her. Fessi stared down at the top of Susan's head.
"You see what is about to happen, Bock,' El-Kalaam said. ee what your
stubbornness has brought upon your woman.' omewhere in the villa the
telephone rang. El-Kalaam made motion to Rita who went across the room
to where the phone 233 sat next to the upturned bed. Susan was
whimpering. Fessi gripped her until she cried out. In the background:
Rita's hushed voice speaking into the phone. ' will be as it was before
with you. She will be overcome and she will faint. And when she awakes,
it will begin all over again.' Fessi closed his thumb and forefinger
around Susan's neck. '-Kalaam.' It was Rita's voice. It froze them all.
' prime minister is on the line.' Still El-Kalaam did not move or turn
his head from the grotesque scene before him. ''s six o'clock,' she said
softly but clearly. ' deadline for our brothers' release has come and
gone.' ' does the Pirate want?' His face had gone hard. ' wants an
extension on the deadline,' Rita said. ' are problems. He wants to talk
to you. He assures us that ' him," El-Kalaam said with deliberate
calmness, ' get out his old photograph.' ''t you want to ...' She held
out the receiver. ' him and hang up.' Rita did as he ordered. Bock, who
had been staring at Susan and El-Kalaam all this time, moaned and was
sick again. A look of disgust and loathing passed across El-Kalaam's
face as he watched Bock writhing on the floor in front of him. ''s no
good to us any more,' he said. ' good at all. Except perhaps as a lesson
the Pirate must learn.' He reached to the heavy -45 calibre army
automatic holstered at his right hip. He drew it out, transferred it to
his left hand. He took Heather, brought her forward until she was
standing directly in front of Bock's crouching form. ',' he barked, '
your pistol to this woman's head.' Rita came across the room, placed the
muzzle of her aslutomatic against Heather's right temple. Heather's lips
parted and she began to tremble. ', rabbit killer,' El-Kalaam said, 'we
shall see what you are truly made of.' Carefully he placed his own -45
in the palm of her hand. He curled her fingers around the grip one by
one. ' husband wanted to make me a wager. He said YOU could shoot a gun.
You're a huntress, aren't you? All right. All you have to do is pull the
trigger! He came closer. ', look. You don't even have to aim.' ther
stared down at the enormous gun in her hand. your finger on the
trigger,' El-Kalaam said almost ' husband said you knew how to shoot.
Will you e him out a liar?' es does not lie,' she said. Her forefinger
curled around gger of the automatic. I- laam reached out, put one hand
along the barrel UL pistol. He brought it up, aiming it at a spot just
between Ps eyes. Heather looked down the barrel at Bock's shining d
face. His eyes goggled at her and there came a strange ing from his
throat. -."'Pull the trigger, Heather,' El-Kalaam. said. It was the
first e he had called her by name and she jumped. ' think t him as a
frightened rabbit held in your sights. You've killed rabbits!
Heather's eyes squeezed shut. Tears clung to the ers, sparkling in the
harsh, dcfining light. They ran down cheeks, dropping, left-right, on to
the floor at her feet. ' many rabbits have you killed, Heather?"
