by Tara Ellis
The sun was finally settling down for rest and the moon awakened for its time to shine. Artemis was nested into his bed watching the rush of the plains passing by his window. Prior to this he had a craving for a night snack, but the high of cocaine makes it hard for one to sleep. So he laid there, letting his mind wander as it pleased. He thought about how he wanted to leave show business, about his legacy. How will the brand continue after he was retired, or will it thrive after his death? Truth was, he could no longer deny it to himself, that it was time to hang it up. He was 64 and still performing with vibrancy on stage in front of crowds. To his fans he was ageless. But his joints were telling him a very different story. What was left of his current tour was 5 more stops, 5 more performances, 5 more episodes to record. Including a special performance he was invited to do at the White House.
Around this time Artemis was hounded by his fellow producers, who didn’t know anything about circus life until they met the ringmaster in the late 70’s. They were trying to get his compliance on the contract extension from the network for three more seasons. Artemis didn’t return any of their phone calls; he wasn’t sure where he was going just yet.
The feeling of retirement grew every day within the old man, but he didn’t want to leave knowing there were disappointed hearts within his fans. He knew for years American houses had accepted him inside and he believed his fan base was like an extension of his family. Well not his real family for obvious reasons, but a family nonetheless.
Natalie walked in the room, her presence distracted him away from his thoughts. For a brief moment she saw concern enveloped on his face. But the expression fled once he looked at her. She thought to ask him what was bothering him, but figured it wasn’t worth hearing the old man complain.
He watched her change into a night gown and that got his blood going. Natalie saw the look in his eyes, she saw the hunger within him. She knew it wasn’t for food but of her flesh he craved. She sashayed over at the foot of his bed and took a seat and asked him “Whatcha lookin at ole man? You see som’m you like?”
He smiled.
Truth was, she wasn’t sexually attracted to Artemis as a person, but Natalie held a curiosity about him as a cultural phenomenon. Back in her home town Atlanta, where they met, Natalie was known as a professional socialite; well that’s the nicest way I can tell you she was a whore. The preferred term of what a professional socialite likes to be called is a ‘Sugar Baby’. Basically how she made a living was to search out for a wealthy older man and keep his company in exchange for her bills to be paid. She would give them attention and they would pay for her company. Most of the time Natalie would take clients out to the clubs, bars or any type of social outing, of course these saps would pay for the evening as well as reimburse Natalie. But for those high rollers that wanted special attention, if we all know what’s meant, had to lay down the cost and she would be ready to go. With a mother like Natalie you can’t really blame Scarlett for how she turned out. 7 years ago she met the ringmaster and she’d been pleasing him ever since.
“I could devour you,” said Artemis with a groggy voice. “I wish I could, but I….”
“Butchu have to wake up early tomorrow mornin. I hear ya, yada, yada, yada. You bet not get old on me Artemis.”
“There is no point to escape it. Old age comes and death creeps by waiting for his moment to strike.”
Natalie turned off the lights.
“If you die, I think I’m goin have to go right along witchu.” She slipped under the covers holding onto Artemis. He turned to her.
“You and I both know that you’re not going to kill yourself for me.”
“How you goin tell me what I’ma do and what I ain’t goin do before I do it.”
“Because I know you.”
“Well I know that you must not even know me at all, to allow yourself to question me in the first place.”
“I know you good and well that’s why I keep you. You have me attracted to more than your beauty, I’m also attracted to your confidence. You have a type of confidence that is just as gorgeous as you are.”
She nestled with him under the covers.
“The thing that gets me aboutchu,” she said. “And don’t take this the wrong way either. Is your power and fame. I just think it’s sexy to see a man with a lot of accomplishments.”
Artemis tried not to laugh in her face, but he failed.
“No I’m serious, don’t laugh at me. There is alot gals that find it attractive to have a man take care of em.”
His laughter grew and so did her agitation.
“Don’t make me out to be a gold digger.”
“I didn’t say that,” he said. He almost wanted to say “you said that yourself”, but to keep the peace he didn’t. He knew what they were to each other; he just didn’t care for the façade.
“I love you; I figured I’d say that,” she said. “And when I say I’ll follow you even in death, I mean it.”
“When I die I’m not going anywhere. I betrayed god himself and failed the devil. It’s just nothingness for me.” When those words crept out of Artemis’s sleepy mouth it baffled Natalie what that could of possibly meant. She stared at the ceiling with wide eyes wondering who exactly she was sleeping next to. And because she believed excess worrying caused wrinkles; she turned over figuring that he was a silly ole man that said silly ole man things.
Arrival
