You nod your head. Settle the tube up against your right breast; the same bite, the same pulsing. [["Let's finish this."|let's finish this]]
"Got it?" she asks.\n\nYou check your pocket again. [["Got it."|Got it]]
When you pull your end loose, the last of his boob dribbles out onto the roof.\n\nYou laugh, then look down at your chest, and [[laugh some more.]]
"I'll flush it down the jacks," you promise. Alice watches as you place it back into your pocket, [[never touching the ends.]]
As you grow, he flattens. You can feel the weight sinking onto your chest with [[every pulse.|every]]
"Yeah," you reply. There's not much else to say. [[Except]]
"Sorry," you say. "It's just - now I'm here - it's dangerous, you know?"\n\n"I know," says Joe. [["No worries."|No worries]]
"Sound."\n\nYou agree. But seeing it now, so real, your resolve is [[beginning to fail.]]
You hand it back. He polishes it, raising your suspicions that he has no idea what he's doing.\n\nJoe [[raises it up]] above his head
Do you? There's no reason you can't [[back out|Back out]] now. Call an end to this recklessness and go home.\n\nOr, you know, [[stick with it.]]
"Sound," you reply, and, [["do you want to get out of here?"|Get out]]
![[alice]] & [[joe]]\na short ==game== about boobs\nin two perspectives
written by [[kevin mcgowan|http://thekevinmcgowan.wordpress.com/]]\nfor the [[boob jam|http://theboobjam.com/]]\nstylesheet by [[leon arnott|http://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/5163]]\n\n[[start over|Truestart]]
"Oh!" It secures itself to your skin with a burning kiss. You feel like a bicyle tire.\n\n[["Is it okay?"|Is it okay]] Joe asks.
While Joe starts undressing, you sit with your arms folded to [[protect your chest.]]
And even as you fix the suction end to your remaining breast, your right hand is sitting where the other one used to be, scarcely daring to believe that it's [[gone at last.]]
You glance up at Alice, then back down again, quick. She's getting undressed.\n\n[["You can look, you know."|You can look]]
"You don't mind, do you? I'm just..."\n\n"It's fine," she says, "really. [[I should have thought ahead."|I should have]]
For a moment, you forget to breathe. Cross-eyed, you kneel there, listening to the sound of blood in your ears as the tube [[does its work.]]
So you look. Alice takes off her blouse and stuffs it into the carrier bag. This time, she spots your [[curiosity.]]
You're both lopsided - two glasses half full - but already it all seems so exciting. Keeping hold of the tube in one hand, you use the other to pull Joe into a [[hug.|hug]]
Alice's arms are folded; maybe she's angry after all.\n\nShe nods. "Yeah, of course. [[What about the tube?"|The tube]]
And when you close the hatch behind you, although you're not sure you did the right thing, you're sure of [[this:|this]]
Now your skin is out there, clammy in the cold air: your back, your stomach, [[your boobs.]]
"It is, it's working," you say, and somehow you don't sob. "Thank you. [[Thank you so much."|Thank you]]
You want to ask. She's too busy scanning the view to notice.\n\nAfter a minute, she indicates away from the edge. [["Shall we?"|Shall we?]]
"Meet me on the roof," you said.\n\n[["Why the roof?"|Roof1]] asked Joe, who never thinks ahead.
She nods; introduces the tube to her right breast. [["Let's finish this."|Let's finish this]]
It takes a total of ten minutes for the tube to do its work. Joe's right side is barren, leaving your right side [[wonderfully round.]]
Out of your pocket comes the little metal tube, open at each end. It flashes against the sun.\n\nAlice extends her hand to [[take it.]]
"Shorter than I expected." You turn it over and over. Joe [[shrugs.]]
The pulses of light are flowing towards Alice. Good. She keeps stock still as you manoeuvre your chest into position, lining up the free end of the tube just above your [[right nipple.]]
Since when was life easy? Since when did your gambles start coming good?\n\nWhat does it matter?\n\n[[###]]
No, no, no. He isn't like that. You [[force yourself|eyes]] to look up while Joe strips off his binder.
She sits across from you, cross-legged. [["Let's see it, then."|Let's see it]]
"I'll flush it down the jacks," he says at last. You smile. He places the live tube back in his pocket, [[never touching the ends.|never]]
It takes a lot of effort to [[unzip your hoodie]] and cast it aside.
No no no. She isn't like that. You cough, and you [[force yourself]] to lower your arms.
"It is, it's working," says Alice. Her voice is about to break with emotion. "Thank you. [[Thank you so much."|Thank you.]]
Now she's down to just a sports bra, Alice has come out in goose bumps. "Come on," she says, freeing her arms from the straps. [["Show me yours."|Show me yours.]]
and brings it [[smashing down|smashing]] on its top, hard against the roof.
The straps are beginning to hurt your fingers.\n\nYou reach Joe. [["All right?"|All right?2]] you ask.
"Hey." He doesn't move, so you stroll over, [[shifting your bag]] from one hand to the other.
You pant and heave up the steps, carrier bag swinging from your fist. Push away your nerves and push open the [[hatch.]]
"Put your end on first," Joe says, and he hands you the tube.\n\nYou kneel up and hold the mouth of the tube to your [[left breast.|On]]
It's warm. Melts into your sensations seemlessly, [[gladly.]]
"Put your end on first," you say, and you hand it to her. Alice kneels up and holds the mouth of the tube to her [[left breast.]]
"Sure," you say. "Do you?"\n\n[["Sure,"|Sure]] says Alice.
The tube is pulsating. Tiny rings of gravity, tugging at the air, pushing at your fingers, bending your skin out of shape. [[Stomach-churning.]]
You pass him the tube, careful to [[keep your fingers away|keep]] from the openings.
It takes a total of ten minutes for the tube to do its work. Alice's left side is swollen, leaving your right side [[wonderfully flat.]]
The tube is pulsating. Little bands of light peel off from one end, the end you hit, and travel down to the other. They melt away when they get there - back into the metal, or [[into the air.]]
You have a good view of the city. Little people, little cars. All [[going places.]]
You gather up your carrier bag, and the two of you wander back to the hatchway. [[Leave]] your misguided ambitions up here with the gulls.
"Meet me on the roof," said Alice.\n\n[["Why the roof?"|Roof]] you asked.
Alice hands back the tube. Each pulse is a gentle suction, teasing the skin on your hand slightly out of shape. Be extra careful to [[keep your fingers away]] from the openings.
A busy world. A scary world.\n\nAfter a minute, you indicate away from the edge. [["Shall we?"|Shall we?2]]
You lead Joe about half-way back towards the hatch, where you both [[take a seat|sit down2]] on the concrete.
"Sound." You glance him up and down, trying to read his signals. //Rude to stare.// Quickly, you turn your gaze out on [[the city]] instead.
You button up your blouse just as Joe zips his hoodie. He catches your eye.\n\n[["I'm not pissed,"|Not pissed]] he insists.
Then, suddenly, you see something.\n\n[["It worked!"|Worked]] You sieze the tube to get a better look.
Nodding, you follow her about half-way back towards the hatch, where you both [[take a seat|sit down]] on the concrete.
There's a [[beat]] while it could be about to go either way.
You can't delay any longer. Reach for your top button. With false bravado, you say: [["You can look, you know."|You can look2]]
Alice begins to dress and so do you, working your binder back on over your head. You came here expecting to never [[wear it again.]]
No. [[Not really.]]
The bloody tube. [[What about it?]] Leave it out here to play havoc with the pigeons and gulls? Take it home and wait to see what weird manifestations its unused energy devises?
Stupid. Now Joe's watching as you tear off your blouse and stuff it in the bag. Why are you putting yourself through this all over [[again?]]
Without meaning to, you bring your arms up to [[cover them.]]
You never expected to be crying [[happy tears]] on a rooftop while siphoning off fat and breast tissue onto a woman's torso, huh.
You reconfigure your t-shirt and zip up both your hopes for this strange little meeting. Alice gives you a reassuring smile. [["I really don't mind,"|I really don't mind,]] she says.
"Do you know how to work it?"\n\nWell, do you? [["Sure."|Sure.]]
You hold your breath. [[It hasn't worked.]]
"Hey." She's coming over.\n\nYou stand still, waiting near the edge. You [[check your pocket]] for the familiar shape of that metal tube.
Your sports bra is screwed up inside your bag. 'Cause you didn't think you'd ever have to [[put it back on.]]
<<display "Truestart">>
You're both lopsided - two glasses half full - but already it all seems so wonderful. Keeping hold of the live tube in one hand, Alice uses the other to pull you into a [[hug.]]
Out of his pocket comes a bright tube, open at each end. Hints at a rainbow when it catches the sun.\n\nYou extend your hand to [[take it.|take it.2]]
She hands it back. You rub it between your hands, forming a silent prayer that it isn't a dud.\n\nYou [[raise it up]] above your head
So that's it. [[That's what you're going to do.]]
[["All right,"|All right]] you reply.
"Got it?" you ask.\n\nHe fumbles in his jacket pocket. [["Got it."|Got it2]]
//Pfft. What is she, twelve? Who do you think you're kidding, [[baby tits?]]//
Off with the Spiderman t-shirt, too. Most people never even get this far. Alice is politely pretending to concentrate on her shoes, which is [[sweet of her.]]
The tube has shifted position, tilting towards you and pulling closer to your ribcage as flesh disappears. You can feel the weight lifting from your chest with [[every pulse.]]
"Sound," you declare. [[Joe grunts.]]
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[["All right,"|All right2]] he replies.
Alice looks sympathetic. "Do you still want to do this?"\n\nDid you ever want to do [[this?]]
"Do you know how to work it?"\n\n[["Sure."|Sure.2]] He seems unconvinced.
He folds his arms in defence against the cold air. Does it feel better, now you're both [[topless?]]
You let your newly ample breast meet his flat side as you bury your face in his shoulder. Between tears and giggles, you're not sure what you're saying - you just need [[somewhere to put this joy.]]
"Shorter than I expected," she says, turning it over and over. You [[shrug.]]
and bring it [[smashing down]] on its top, hard against the roof.
//Pathetic. Why does he call himself a man, with tits like that? [[Who does he think he's fooling?]]//
In the blink of an eye. Just like that.\n\n//Good fucking riddance.//\n\n[[###]]
Maybe. You hum a reply, vague and annoyed, looking down at [[yourself.]]
And you're connected up again, one hand sitting on your new shape, confirming how right you were about how [[right]] it feels.
Your heart flutters. Don't you know that it's dangerous to mess around with this stuff? Dipshits like you are memorialised [[every fucking day.]]
So that's it. [[That's what you're going to do.|That]]
At least you didn't do the wrong thing.\n\n[[###]]
"Nah," you say.\n\n[["Oh,"|Oh]] says Alice.
"I brought a new bra and a jumper," she explains. She always [[thinks ahead.]]
You turn around to see Alice closing the hatch behind her.\n\n[["Hey,"|Hey]] you shout back.
At least you didn't do the wrong thing.\n\n[[###]]
You let your newly flat side press up against her one buxom side as she buries her face in your shoulder, sniffling and laughing and [[thanking god.]]
You could still [[back out]] now. Offer to pay back her share for the tube, put your binder on, and walk away.\n\nOr you could [[press on.]]
And when you close the hatch behind you, although you're not sure you did the right thing, you're sure of [[this:]]
You rub your eyes and he comes into focus, a dark outline over by the building's edge.\n\n[["Hey,"|Hey2]] he shouts back.
No worries, apparently. That's good to hear.\n\nYou look down at [[yourself.|yourself]]
Joe doesn't look confident either, but you can tell he's not going to [[say anything.]]
When it touches you, you see why Alice called it //strange.// An urgent kind of tugging on your flesh - not painful, but [[not pleasant.]]
All too soon, you have to prise her away. "One down," you remind her, [["one to go."|One to go]]
But nothing's ever that easy, is it? There's no such thing as a free lunch. You're better off [[playing it safe.]]
"Oh!" It secures itself to her skin with a gentle hiss. Her mouth is a perfect "o" of shock.\n\n[["Is it okay?"|Is it okay?]] you ask.
//Still there. Okay.//\n\nAlice has reached you, now. [["All right?"|All right?]] She smiles.
"Sure," you say. Joe [[doesn't respond.]]
Tiny pulses of light are flowing towards you. You hold still as Joe manoeuvres himself into position, lining up the free end of the tube just above his [[right nipple.|Ont]]
Early, alone, you feel calm. You even begin to forget why you're here.\n\nThen you [[hear her,]] calling your name.
"It worked!"\n\nAlice grabs it from you and holds it up for [[inspection.]]
He sits across from you, hunched over. You beckon. [["Let's see it, then."|Let's see it2]]
Sunlight and cold air hit you hard. Up, up into the arena.\n\n[["Joe!"|Joe!]]
Alice having gathered up her carrier bag, the two of you wander back to the hatchway. [[Descend]] to reality with little to show for your jaunt into the world above.
"Look!" breathes Alice. "I think it's working."\n\nYou [[look down.]]
Why'd he push you away? He's smiling.\n\n"One down," he says, [["one to go."|one to go]]
At least now he's looking elsewhere. [[What must he be thinking?]]
"Because it could get messy," said Alice, who always thinks ahead. "And we won't be disturbed there."\n\nSo here you are [[on the roof.]]
"No, thank you," Joe argues. He sounds too happy to cope. He sounds [[like you feel.]]
"Nah," you say.\n\n[["Oh,"|Oh,]] says Joe.
Oh god, Alice is looking. [[What must she be thinking?]]
"Yes! Just a bit - a bit strange. Come on."\n\nYou motion for him to join you. He gets up on his knees and [[shuffles close.]]
Exposed. You save yourself for a few seconds by mumbling, [["I brought a new bra and a jumper."|Bra]]
"Sound." Alice looks around: at the city, at you.\n\nShe has a [[carrier bag.]]
You grip the end of your binder in both hands and [[peel it over your head.]]
When she pulls her end loose, the last of your boob dribbles out onto the roof.\n\nShe laughs, then looks down at her chest, and [[laughs some more.]]
"What about the tube?"\n\nJoe starts. [["Fuck."|Fuck]]
But life's not that straightforward, nothing's that straightforward, blah blah.\n\nJust finish getting dressed and [[go.]]
"Do you still want to do this?" you ask.\n\nHe blinks at you. "Sure," he says. [["Do you?"|Do you?]]
"Because it could get messy," you said, "and we won't be disturbed there."\n\nSo here you are [[on your way to the roof.]]
He looks thoughtful for a while. Since he was the one to fetch the bloody thing, you figure disposing of it - now it's been activated - is his [[responsibility.]]
"No, thank you," you counter, and a moment ago you weren't tearing up but just saying it makes you realise [[how much you mean it.]]
Joe has zoned out. "Look," you tell him. "I think it's working."\n\nHe [[looks,]] and his eyes light up.
He grimaces when it touches his skin. A few seconds later, the first drops of [[new flesh]] reach you.
There's a guy crying while he pumps fat and breast tissue onto your torso. [[What the fuck is your life?]]
He just stares. "Come on," you say, freeing your arms from the straps of your sports bra. [["Show me yours."|Show me yours]]
She gulps. "Yes! Just a bit - a bit strange. Come on." She beckons you onto your knees. The tube is only a few inches long - the two of you must [[shuffle close.]]