Windburn in the Crossing, Page 2

person shooter that the industry ask us to preview because we’re the best in the business.”

  “I’ll look forward to reading your review.” Kavita said comfortably.

  “Our readers don’t want to know about poetry.”

  “Possibly not, but there’s a zeitgeist to voice in every world.”

  “I think we should give her the job” said Tim, “She writes like Jane Austen and she kills zombies.”

  “Guys there’s a process to this” said Michael.

  “Now you say that” Steven muttered bitterly. Kavita lit another cigarette and sat back. It had been a long week and it didn’t seem to be getting any better.

  “Would you take the job?” Steven asked finally.

  “Of course” she said softly.

  “But why? We’re a tiny magazine in Manchester and you’re a successful fashion journalist?” “I’ve learned some different stuff about myself recently” she said “it’s made me view the world in a different light.” She poured herself another glass of water and waited. She wanted to talk, she wanted to tell them that her life had been pulled apart and she was looking for somewhere to hide. But she smiled a smile that accentuated her cheekbones and waited. They offered her the job and she smiled again.

  Steven sent his panel out and looked at her. “Sorry about that.”

  “It’s okay, wolf stuff can take people a while to get used to.”

  “Thank you. Well I see from your form that you’re free to start, so why don’t you start on Monday?”

  “Thank you.”

  “Just one thing, I think you made a mistake when you were ticking the boxes on your form.” “No,” she said softly, “I didn’t.”

  “Do you mind if I have another cigarette?” Steven asked.

  “Not at all, I’d stopped myself until recently”. Steven tore up the form and lit it.

  “Tell people if you want to”. They shook hands and he walked her to the door. He’d had a confusing afternoon and now he stank of smoke. He thought of his girlfriend’s stance on all things polluting and realised it was the thing that would upset her least if she could see into his head.

  Kavita crossed the road and let the newsagent’s door chime shut behind her. Aside from cigarettes, the brands on the shelf were unfamiliar, mostly vegan and all organic.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I’m Maria’s friend”

  “Oh hi, you’ll cheer her up.” She pointed to the back of the shop. “She’s in the quad”.

  Maria was sitting on an aging dining room chair being comforted in a rather predatory fashion by a woman in dungarees. “Hey” said Maria, brightening visibly.

  “I got the job.”

  “Congratulations! Have some of this.” She handed over a pint glass with fluorescent contents. Kavita took a mouthful and choked. “They made it for me in the house,” Maria explained mournfully and took another mouthful.

  “What’s happened?”

  “My best friend has got a boyfriend and she wants him to stay the night.” Kavita lit a cigarette and looked sympathetic, it seemed unwise to comment until she knew more.

  “I haven’t slept in the same house as a man since it happened.” The silence descended again until the angry looking woman in the dungarees picked up the pint glass. “I’m Mary by the way, and I completely support Maria. Men oppress enough of our spaces without taking this too.”

  “What’s he like?”

  “Well Felix is very nice unfortunately.”

  “Of course he’s nice, men have opportunities and they can afford to be nice.”

  Kavita took another mouthful of the horrible drink and felt her anxiety coming back.

  “Shall I show you to your room?”

  “I’m happy to get a hotel if you’re not up to entertaining” she said slightly stiffly.

  “Please stay.” Maria stood up and touched her arm. “I’m really looking forward to celebrating with you.”

  “You’re very tall for a wolf” Mary said.

  Kavita looked at her and waited before she answered. “Yes I am” she said, and followed Maria into the house. Mary was still talking to her, she heard the word subjugatory and something more about oppression.

  The group stopped when they reached the woman crying on the stairs. Maria handed her the drink and she swallowed recklessly and started crying again. “You’re my best friend Maria.” She looked up pleadingly “Asha what do you think?”

  “I’m Kavita, we’re very different”

  Jane picked up her heavy rimmed glasses and looked at her. “Yes I see, well nice to meet you, sorry it’s a bit wierd.” She moved to one side and Maria led Kavita to the room with sanded floors and a big pine bed.

  “You haven’t got much stuff.”

  “I left in a hurry.”

  “Well you’re taller than me, but I think my stuff would fit you.” Maria took a step closer and felt the charge between them. When Asha knocked on the door, it was a surprise to realise how sorry she was to see her.

  Asha closed the door behind her and put down her bag on the bed. “Are you okay? My mum told me what happened?”

  “How does she know?”

  “She means me,” said Kavita.

  “What’s happened to you Maria?” Asha asked slightly sharply.

  “Jane wants Mike to stay the night” Asha looked at her in silence and lit a cigarette. “Tell me you’re not really going to lose the best friend you have over a nice man that you like.”

  “She can sleep at his.”

  “Maria I’m not having this conversation with you. My cousin’s found out that she’s a man and been disowned by her family, have some perspective.”

  The silence stretched for some time, punctuated only by lighters and inhalation. “You don’t have to be a man if you don’t want to. I mean I assume it’s a case of you being chromosomally male, but very definitely having a woman’s body.”

  “Don’t be naive Maria. You know wolves have to register and wolf men have to have licences. Perhaps if you spent less time persecuting innocent people you’d actually use your angst for something useful.”

  “Sorry” said Maria rather pointlessly and sat down on the bed.

  “Kav come back with me, you need to be with your family at the moment.”

  “What about your dinner party?” Maria said hopefully, then fell silent when she saw the look on Asha’s face.

  “This was supposed to be my new start Asha. I wanted to decide who to tell.”

  “Maria won’t say anything.”

  “She hates men.”

  “I don’t hate you at all.” Maria told her, trying wildly to justify her previous remarks. “You’re clearly not a man.”

  “Maria honey, you go make us one of your nicer cocktails, Kav I’m sorry, I really am, if it’s any consolation I just phoned your brother and yelled at him.”

  Maria tore herself reluctantly out of the bedroom and sat down beside Jane, still on the stairs with the pint glass. “Come and make drinks with me, tell Felix he can come too.”