by Paul Curran
Contents
* * *
LEFT HAND
OBSCURE ORGAN DISTORTION
A TOWER OF LIMBS
SCATTER
1.1.
a) Perch with your feet on either side of the bathtub.
b) Stare at your cock getting hard through the rising steam.
c) Hear your lungs sucking in the most air they can.
d) Exhale and then thrust your mouth down at your cock.
e) Slip under the water hitting your head and pass out.
1.2.
a) Catch your reflection in the cracked mirror above the sink.
b) Taste the bathroom steam mix with the hallway’s thick dampness.
c) Look at Alex slumped on your bed shooting up heroin.
d) Hear yourself asking Alex about the money he owes you.
e) Listen to Alex describe the English language course he joined.
1.3.
a) Smell Alex’s hair as his mouth slurps on your cock.
b) Let go of the curtain hanging broken from your window.
c) Taste some blood that you noticed on your left hand.
d) Watch your hand pushing Alex’s head away from your cock.
e) Shut the door behind Alex and collapse onto your bed.
1.4.
a) This line has been left blank for no particular reason.
b) Wake up to the sound of a phone ringing somewhere.
c) See the words left hand printed deep inside your brain.
d) Lean back in your chair when you smell your manager.
e) Watch your manager saying there is blood on your collar.
1.5.
a) Spy on a woman in the window behind your office.
b) Feel the head of your cock glide between your teeth.
c) Smell the carpet below your desk after you fall down.
d) Remember Alex calling heroin the only cure for jet lag.
e) Unravel a note that you found in Alex’s coat pocket.
2.1.
a) Click on a Japanese schoolgirl masturbating in a navy uniform.
b) Taste honey in your throat when her limbs are amputated.
c) Look up when you notice a student approaching the counter.
d) Watch the student’s eyes and say the manager is out.
e) Ask your colleague if she can answer the student’s questions.
2.2.
a) Stand in front of your mirror sniffing a schoolgirl uniform.
b) Lay the mirror on your bed and become a schoolgirl.
c) Watch the schoolgirl in the mirror fucking a Coke bottle.
d) Feel the Coke bottle rip the inside of your asshole.
e) Taste soap on your lips and collapse onto the mirror.
2.3.
a) Tap your keyboard until two words appear on the screen.
b) Say the words left hand to yourself in your head.
c) Change the font from Times New Roman to Courier New.
d) Increase the font size until each word takes one line.
e) Put the words in bold and italics before deleting them.
2.4.
a) Feel a layer of sweat and deodorant covering your body.
b) Take your left hand off your mouse and bite it.
c) Realize that your computer screen has swirled into tunnel vision.
d) Try to touch the words coming from your colleague’s mouth.
e) Listen to your chair swiveling around as you stand up.
2.5.
a) Hear the sound of your shoulder barging the toilet door.
b) Breathe in the mix of bleached come and air freshener.
c) Smell your invisible left hand in front of your face.
d) Turn on the hot water tap and taste the water.
e) Look at the water running through your invisible left hand.
3.1.
a) Order a Double Whopper meal at Burger King in Westfield.
b) Go into the Disney store and touch the stuffed toys.
c) Listen to women trying on lingerie in different changing rooms.
d) See a customer pointing you out to a security guard.
e) Look at the security guard asking you to follow him.
3.2.
a) Walk into Central Bar and order a glass of vodka.
b) Take a mobile phone off the counter and call Alex.
c) Look at the phone and say you quit your job.
d) Listen to the traffic going through the Holland Park roundabout.
e) See a schoolgirl in uniform getting off a 94 bus.
3.3.
a) Suck on the last piece of ice in your glass.
b) Breathe in deeply and rub your cock through your pocket.
c) Hear a horn blasting the schoolgirl across Shepherd’s Bush Green.
d) Catch the scent of her white panties as she walks.
e) Hide behind a tree when she looks over her shoulder.
3.4.
a) Listen to the schoolgirl calling to you on Goldhawk Road.
b) Inhale her vanilla perfume as she turns down an alley.
c) Grab her hair and kiss her mouth until she resists.
d) Push her to her knees and pull out your cock.
e) Squeeze her throat and fuck her hard in the mouth.
3.5.
a) Lick your lips then hear footsteps coming down the alley.
b) Glance around realizing your cock has left the schoolgirl’s mouth.
c) Smell garbage as the schoolgirl’s head hits a brick wall.
d) Catch a taste of her panties as she slumps down.
e) Watch the come spurt from your cock onto her legs.
4.1.
a) This line has been left blank for no particular reason.
b) Roll onto your back and look up at the ceiling.
c) Loosen your watchstrap and drop your watch onto the carpet.
d) See the pile of clothes spilling out of your backpack.
e) Dig up a coffee cup and then gargle some water.
4.2.
a) Step through broken glass outside shops all along Uxbridge Road.
b) See men hauling pigs from a truck to a butcher.
c) Look at old men sitting around in cafes smoking hookahs.
d) Smell dead fish and marijuana coming from Shepherd’s Bush Market.
e) Take the alley to the left behind the council estate.
4.3.
a) Stuff your bed sheets into a black plastic garbage bag.
b) Drop the garbage bag on the landing outside your door.
c) Look at Alex scratching and nodding off on your couch.
d) Ask Alex if he got into a fight at college.
e) Listen to Alex mumble about nearly being stabbed to death.
4.4.
a) Let go of the curtain hanging broken from your window.
b) Hear your voice telling Alex you might have murdered someone.
c) Watch Alex asking how you know she was a schoolgirl.
d) Touch Alex’s hair and say she was wearing a uniform.
e) Listen to Alex saying she was probably just a prostitute.
4.5.
a) Hear Alex asking if you really meant to kill her.
b) Tell Alex that your left hand meant to kill her.
c) Listen to Alex saying it was probably caught on CCTV.
d) Hear your voice telling Alex her blowjob was the greatest.
e) Listen to Alex recommending that you blame alien hand syndrome.
5.1.
a) Rub the headlines on the front page of several newspapers.
b) Look at the girls showing their breasts in various magazines.
c) Smell the previous person who has used this phone box.
d) Press the buttons connecting you to Shepherd’s Bush police station.
e) Listen to your voice ask if anyone has gone missing.
5.2.
a) Kick Alex when he says he needs money for heroin.
b) Taste Alex’s saliva and tell him you have no money.
c) Look at Alex suggesting that you come back to Australia.
d) Hear your voice telling Alex her blowjob was the greatest.
e) Listen to Alex saying she was probably just a prostitute.
5.3.
a) Step through broken glass outside shops all along Uxbridge Road.
b) See men hauling pigs from a truck to a butcher.
c) Look at old men sitting around in cafes smoking hookahs.
d) Smell dead fish and marijuana coming from Shepherd’s Bush Market.
e) Take the alley to the left behind the council estate.
5.4.
a) Read words on posters about drug laws and drunk driving.
b) Pick up a brochure on how to secure your home.
c) Go to a bulletin board showing adverts for missing people.
d) Touch the profiles of the missing people in the adverts.
e) Count the numbers indicating when the missing people went missing.
5.5.
a) See a police officer asking where you witnessed a murder.
b) Hear your voice saying that your favorite game is football.
c) Rub your chin as the police officer scans computer files.
d) Look at the police officer making a coded telephone call.
e) Hear the police officer saying there have been no murders.
6.1.
a) Smell a plastic cup offered to you with water inside.
b) Watch a senior officer and say your name is Robert.
c) Close your eyes when the senior officer asks about drugs.
d) Tell the senior officer that you have body dysmorphic disorder.
e) Hear the senior officer telling you not to waste time.
6.2.
a) Feel the banister wobble and taste fish cooking behind doors.
b) Bang on the wall of a couple who are arguing.
c) Unlock the door to your room and smell the interior.
d) Kneel down in front of the cupboard under the sink.
e) Hear some bleach glugging into the sink from a bottle.
6.3.
a) Spy on a woman in the window behind your room.
b) Taste acid on your teeth as the woman dries herself.
c) Step away from your window and slump onto your couch.
d) Listen to rats scratching through walls and along water pipes.
e) Wipe some tears from your eyes and drink some vodka.
6.4.
a) Hear the blood pumping through your neck into your brain.
b) Kneel down in front of the cupboard under the sink.
c) Sniff out a gray canvas bag full of rusted tools.
d) Dump the bag on the counter and remove an axe.
e) Run the blade along the middle of your left arm.
6.5.
a) Close your eyes and then hack into your left arm.
b) Close your eyes and then hack into your left arm.
c) Close your eyes and then hack into your left arm.
d) Close your eyes and then hack into your left arm.
e) Close your eyes and then hack into your left arm.
7.1.
a) This line has been left blank for no particular reason.
b) Hear kids chasing pigeons in the corridors of Hammersmith Hospital.
c) Look up and see a nurse giving Alex a blowjob.
d) Catch words from the nurse about wanting to visit Australia.
e) Watch Alex telling the nurse he will miss her too.
7.2.
a) Listen to the nurse instructing Alex to fuck her ass.
b) Sit on the bed and try to unbutton your jeans.
c) Look at the nurse saying not all nurses are sluts.
d) Kick off your jeans and get on top of her.
e) Rub your finger along her cunt and taste her secretions.
7.3.
a) Smell the nurse’s reflection folding your pajamas in the window.
b) Drag your backpack following the exit signs down a corridor.
c) Find Alex searching through a trolley loaded up with medicine.
d) Listen for the sound of your seat belt clicking in.
e) Look at smoke and fire coming from Wormwood Scrubs Prison.
7.4.
a) Ask Alex to help carry your backpack up the stairs.
b) Knock over trays of rat poison positioned on the landing.
c) See Alex’s clothes on the carpet next to your bed.
d) Touch the faded bloodstain on the linoleum by the sink.
e) Hear Alex telling you that the only cure is heroin.
7.5.
a) Taste rotten flesh as soon as you open the fridge.
b) See a butchered paper parcel stuffed into the ice box.
c) Pull out the parcel and put it on the counter.
d) Unwrap the parcel until you can recognize your left hand.
e) Tell Alex it is a bit too late for surgery.
8.1.
a) Smell the vomit dripping from your mouth and your nose.
b) Rest your chin on the edge of the toilet bowl.
c) Spit out mucus chunks speckled with blood and black ink.
d) Hear the toilet bowl moving away from where you are.
e) Pick up the parcel and put it on your lap.
8.2.
a) Feel dance music beats and watch Alex kissing a boy.
b) Drink some warm beer and bump into the coffee table.
c) Listen to your nose snorting cocaine through a black straw.
d) Turn up the volume and then smell the stereo burning.
e) See the nurse out of uniform walk into the room.
8.3.
a) Tell the nurse it is time to change your dressing.
b) Lead the nurse to the bathroom and close the door.
c) Gag on her perfume as she takes off her clothes.
d) Perch with one foot on either side of the bathtub.
e) Listen to the rhythm of the nurse sucking your cock.
8.4.
a) Lick the nurse’s breasts while she untangles your bandaged stump.
b) Drape the bandage around her neck and pull it gently.
c) Guide her to the sink and push her head down.
d) Pump your cock into her cunt until it slips out.
e) Hear the come squirting from your cock onto her legs.
8.5.
a) Look at the nurse opening her mouth over a tap.
b) Fuck her in the cunt and ass with your stump.
c) Listen to the noise coming from her mouth and nose.
d) Catch your reflection in the cracked mirror above the sink.
e) Taste the bathroom steam mix with the hallway’s thick dampness.
9.1.
a) See someone grabbing your arm off a boy stroking it.
b) Watch someone throwing your arm over your bed to someone.
c) Hear Alex telling someone you were in a car accident.
d) Say to a girl that it was not an accident.
e) Listen to your voice telling everyone you are not joking.
9.2.
a) Hear someone ask how long have you been in London.
b) Bite your lip as you try to catch your arm.
c) See someone writing fuck London on the wall with it.
d) Look at your arm sitting there on the coffee table.
e) Listen to Alex fucking someone on your bed all night.
9.3.
a) Smell the vomit dripping from your mouth and your nose.
b) Cough and gag with your face in the toilet bowl.
c) Look at the reams of blood mixed with the bile.
d) Hear the toilet bowl move away from where you are.
e) Listen to the water dripping from the cistern above you.
9.4.
a) Put on some broken sunglasses and walk up Askew Road.
b) Look at a red curtain hanging across a closed doorway.
c) Read a note saying call anytime to rent Bar W12.
d) Go to the Co-op and take some bread and milk.
e) Sit on your couch and stare at the coffee table.
9.5.
a) Smell burnt toast and dig it out with a knife.
b) Hear your voice telling Alex you have lost your arm.
c) Listen to Alex laughing and asking where you left it.
d) Look at Alex when he suggests coming back to Australia.
e) Accuse Alex of selling your arm to get more heroin.
10.1.
a) This line has been left blank for no particular reason.
b) Press the phone buttons until you hear a dial tone.
c) Untangle the receiver and bang it on the metal tray.
d) See your hand in your pocket and hear coins dropping.
e) Look outside the phone box at a coin that escaped.
10.2.
a) Watch a tram run into a horse on Uxbridge Road.
b) Hear the bell of a pawnshop as you go inside.
c) Stroke the counter and ask to see any unusual items.
d) Walk to Shepherd’s Bush Green and sit on a bench.
e) Smell a voice behind you saying welcome to Taliban town.
10.3.
a) Listen to the zebra crossing before you enter Askew Cafe.
b) Watch Billy serving a blind man by the front window.
c) Focus on the words written in chalk behind the counter.
d) See yourself asking Billy if the all-day breakfast is available.
e) Scatter some coins and tell her to keep the change.
10.4.
a) Drop a spoon in your cup and stir your tea.
b) Sniff your tea after you sit by the front window.
c) Notice flowers tied to the rail by the zebra crossing.
d) Reach out to the rain coming down on stalled traffic.
e) Sip your tea and burn the roof of your mouth.
10.5.
a) Taste sausages, eggs, bacon, mushrooms, and beans on your plate.
b) Scoop some bacon and mushrooms onto a piece of toast.
c) Look at Billy saying you have not been around lately.
d) Tell her that you have been very busy at work.
e) Cut your fried eggs and smell them mix with the grease.
11.1.
a) Hear the bell of a pawnshop as you go inside.
b) Stroke the counter and ask to see any unusual items.
c) Watch someone yelling at you when you leave the pawnshop.
d) Step over chunks of concrete fallen from Victorian terrace houses.
e) Walk to Shepherd’s Bush Green and sit on a bench.
