Objects of Worship Read Free Page B

that.”
    Both of them stay silent for a few minutes, while Sara
gets fresh linen.
    Rose helps Sara change the bed. “You saw how the god
reacted tonight. If I can’t stop you from seeing her — at least
be careful. Please. But . . . I don’t know what to do. About us.
I don’t know if I really believe that you still love me. Maybe
I don’t trust what you’re becoming.”
    Sara didn’t come home last night. She didn’t even leave a
message.
    Rose is tired. It was a big day for new releases, with
nonstop waves of customers. She unlocks the door to the
apartment, wondering if Sara is gone for good.
    Rose walks in to devastation. The couches are shredded.
The television is on the floor, the screen shattered. Most of
what was on the walls or on shelves is now on the floor, in
pieces. The kitchen is a mess of broken china and splattered
food. Everything is covered in dark, stinky slime.
    The god.
    Rose rushes to the bedroom. The bedroom is mostly
intact, with only a trail of dark slime leading to the altar.
The god rests in its niche, exuding dark smoke. The air is
thick and odorous. Rose coughs.
    “What the fuck . . . Rose . . . ?”
    Rose turns to see Sara enter the bedroom.
    “What happened here?”
    “What do you think? You’re so selfish. You didn’t come
home last night. You can’t just abandon the god like that. If
you want to leave, fine. Leave. But there are rituals.”
    “I’m not leaving. We just talked late into the night
yesterday. I didn’t even sleep. It was simpler to go straight
to work from Jane’s.”
    “You think I’m stupid? The god knows what’s really
happening.”
    “Maybe the god doesn’t know as much as you think it
does.”
    They don’t talk for the rest of the evening. Sara cleans
up the apartment while Rose tries to comfort and placate
the god.
    In silent agreement, both women climb into bed at the
same time, their backs turned. The god slips in between
them. The women turn toward the god, toward each other.
The god’s warmth is so delicious. Rose is surprised when
Sara kisses her, and she’s surprised, too, that she lets her.
The god hasn’t accepted tribute of any kind for days. It
rarely leaves its altar, now, which Sara still hasn’t cleaned.
It reeks.
    Sara is snoring, but Rose wakes her up. “We need to
talk.”
    “Can’t it wait, babe? I’m too tired.”
    “No. It can’t go on like this.”
    “Fuck. What are you talking about?”
    “Look at the god. You’re ignoring it.”
    “So what? Why don’t you take over? I’ll even help with
the transfer ritual. You care about the god a lot more than
I do. And clearly it cares about you more, too.” Sara tips her
chin toward Rose’s belly.
    “Is that what this is all about? You’re jealous!”
    “No . . . I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” Sara sits up
and gently puts her hand on Rose’s arm. “Look. I don’t want
to worship anymore. I started thinking about this stuff
before the baby. And before I met Jane. I don’t mind if you
still worship, but it feels wrong for me.”
    “What does that mean? You can’t live here if you don’t
worship. The god can’t tolerate that. Look at it. Do you want
to live like that woman? She can’t even walk into a store
without making trouble. Things are just going to get worse
unless you stop being so selfish.”
    “I’m not being selfish. And neither is Jane.”
    Rose pushes Sara away. “Maybe you should just leave.
Stop pretending.”
    “Have you ever thought that maybe the god is the
problem, and not me?”
    Through the door, Rose hears voices inside the apartment.
Isn’t Sara supposed to be at work?
    Rose walks in. Sara is sitting on the couch. With that
woman, Jane.
    The god is lying at their feet, collapsing on itself.
Rose rushes to it, offers it her saliva, holds it against her
breasts.
    “What is she doing here? What were you doing to the
god?”
    Jane says, “Only what should be done to all of them.”
Sara interrupts her with a