Oscar's Place

Trish turned her head and pointed to a spot in front of the bar. "Oscar lifted that floorboard," she said, "and dug three graves in the crawlspace down there. He buried me in the middle grave and Tommy on my left, then he pulled the floorboard over us and laid down in the last grave with Tommy's revolver. He buried himself—all but his head and one arm—and then he shot himself."

Nick downed the last of his beer. Emily wrapped her hands around her glass. She turned it around then asked the obvious. "So you're all dead? You're ghosts or something?"

Trish laughed and smiled, "I suppose we are," she said. She held her hands up and gave an exaggerated shrug. "But honey, do I look dead to you? I don't feel dead—I feel very alive. We're all part of this old hotel now, like the stairways, and the building stones, and the arched windows that you thought were cool."

Trish went on with her story, "After all that, it took years for people to figure out that we were gone and to work out all those legal things. The smell in here faded before Tony opened his place, and just like always, life—or whatever this is—went on.

"Time is different for us now than it used to be. It doesn't really pass—it's more like we're walking through it. We can see where we came from and in a way we can see where we're going—until tonight. Now there's a wall that we can't see past."

Trish flipped her hand toward the lobby door and said. "Your friend that showed you around? He forgot to shut off the juice when he left. Tonight there's gonna be a gas leak and something will make a spark—it won't take much, maybe just a rat running across one of those frayed old wires."

She held her hands up with her fingers pinched together then opened them suddenly to mimic an explosion; her eyebrows went up, and she mouthed a silent boom. "The building won't be here anymore, and maybe we won't be here either. We just don't know."

"If you know all about it, isn't there something you can do to stop it?" Nick asked.

"Stop it? Oh no, dear. It is what it is," Trish said. She looked over her shoulder to Oscar then went on, "I'm not sure we'd stop it if we could.

"All this time we've worked, and we've watched, but we've never forgiven each other; we've never gotten along." Trish motioned to her cleavage and said, "You'd think that a girl with my goods could get a little action now and then—hell, my husband and my boyfriend are both right here—but nope.

"The guys feel the end coming too," Trish said, "I don't think they want to leave things this way any more than I do. Tonight I want to get together with my men and maybe get them to see eye-to-eye with each other. Then we can go out with a different kind of bang, if you get my drift."

Trish slid out of the booth to stand by the table. She touched Emily's shoulder and joked, "If I'm wrong about my guys then I might be back for yours. A girl could do worse, you know?"

"Why tell us all this?" Emily asked. "Do you need us to do something?"

Trish leaned forward with her hands on the edge of the table. She said, "Yeah we do, honey. We need you to remember us. Tell people who we were, so they can finally put us to rest." She turned away and walked to the booth where Tommy hunched over his drink.

Emily stared into her glass and Nick slipped his hand around her waist to reassure her, or maybe to reassure himself. She was stiff at first, but he stroked her side, and she relaxed against him.

"I don't think I'll have any trouble remembering them," Emily said. She looked up from her drink and told Nick, "But I may have a hard time believing what I remember."

Nick studied Emily's expression then asked, "Do you want to go now?"

"What, and miss your shot at Trish?" Emily asked, and nudged him with her shoulder. She glanced to where Trish was talking to Tommy and went on, "I don't know what it is, but something makes me want to stay and see what happens."

If the lighting had been better, then Nick might have seen Emily blush. "Okay, that sounds bad," she said. She was embarrassed, but Nick could feel it too. He wanted to be there for the rest of the story.

Nick looked past Emily to where Trish leaned her hip against Tommy's shoulder. Tommy was a wiry man, younger than Nick. Trish suddenly laughed aloud and stepped her legs apart. Nick could tell by the way her skirt moved that Tommy's hand played between her thighs.

Trish stepped away from Tommy's touch then bent down to reach under her dress. She pulled her panties down and stepped out of them, and then dangled them, so he could snatch them from her fingers.

"Oh my God! That didn't take her very long!" Emily whispered. She stifled a giggle while Trish turned away from Tommy to where her husband watched from the end of the bar. She stepped up to him with an exaggerated sway of her hips, a mischievous grin, and a flirting flip of her skirt.

From their booth Nick and Emily couldn't hear what Trish first whispered to Oscar. She rose on her toes and kissed his throat, but he pushed her away. The second time she rose to him he let her lips linger, and they heard Trish plead, "Oh babe, let me make you feel better." Trish squeezed Oscar's huge bicep in one hand while her other hand ground against the front of his jeans.

Oscar pushed his wife away again with his fists gripping the front of her blouse. Nick could see Oscar's sudden excitement in the set of his jaw and in his tense muscles. Trish gasped in surprise when he ripped her blouse open, and buttons flew across the room.

"He's going to hurt her!" Emily said. She turned away and buried her face against Nick's shoulder, but then immediately turned back to watch again.

Oscar pulled his wife's bra straps down and bared her big, beautiful breasts, and then he pulled her to him with a rough grip on her arm. He forced her to her knees and tossed his apron away. Oscar opened his jeans and freed his thick, hard cock while Trish pulled off her torn blouse and unhooked her bra. She looked up at her husband, and he thrust his veined shaft into her waiting mouth.

The sudden excitement seemed to be too much for Oscar. He put his hand on the back of Trish's head and forced his cock down her throat. He roared like a beast then let her fall back, gagging and coughing.

His excitement was contagious. Nick felt Emily's hand on his leg, and her fingers stroked along his thigh. Nick turned to sniff the scent that rose from Emily's neck, and she pulled her hand back, suddenly conscious of what she was doing.

Tommy stood from his back booth and moved to a table to watch while Trish regained her balance and again took her husband in her mouth. Tommy leaned back in his chair and pulled his hard cock out of his pants. He wrapped it in Trish's panties and stroked himself while he watched.

Oscar's rough reaction to his first penetration was gone. Now he handled his wife with a gentle touch. He plucked at Trish's curls and stroked her face while his thick shaft slid between her lips and her tongue caressed him.

It didn't take long before Trish had her way with Oscar. His breath came faster and harsher, and then he groaned aloud and unloaded into her mouth, onto her cheek, and down her neck. Oscar staggered back when he was empty and collapsed onto a bar stool.

Trish wiped her face on her skirt then stood and turned to where Tommy watched. She unbuttoned her waist band and let the skirt fall around her ankles. Trish stepped her feet apart and posed in front of Tommy in just her garter belt, stockings and shoes.

The room must have felt suddenly hot to Tommy. He dropped Trish's panties and licked his lips. He pulled his shirt over his head, and his dog tags swung on his bare chest.

"Come get it, Tommy," Trish said. She crooked her finger at Tommy as she backed up to the bar stool beside her husband. She sat facing him with her hands on her knees then she let her fingers run up the inside of her thighs while she parted her legs. "I know how hungry you are," she said.

Tommy followed Trish. He knelt in front of her then buried his face in her muff. Trish tossed her head back and squealed in delight. She picked her feet up and rested her heels on Tommy's back, and she knotted her fingers in his hair to hold him between her legs.

Nick felt Emily's hand touch his thigh again, and he pulled her closer. Emily looked up at Nick and this time she didn't move her hand away. She bit her lip and turned back to watch Tommy lapping at Trish's pussy.

At first Oscar just watched as Tommy ate his wife, but then he put his big hand on Tommy's head and whispered something in Trish's ear. Whatever he said made her laugh. He bent over her to squeeze her tits, suck her nipples, and kiss her mouth. The two men worked together to build Trish's excitement and it didn't take them long. She thrashed in their grip then groaned, and she arched her back as she came.

Nick and Emily could see the spasms that coursed through Trish's body. Nick sat forward to watch; he had one hand around Emily's hip while his other hand stroked her nylons above the hem of her skirt.

Emily's shoulder pressed against his chest and her fingers kneaded at the inside of Nick's thigh. The scent that rose to him from within Emily's blouse was warm and excited—and exciting for Nick.

Oscar didn't wait for Trish to recover. His hard-on was straining out of his pants when he picked her off the bar stool and laid her across a table in front of the bar. Oscar lifted Trish's leg to get to her cunt, and she gasped and squealed while he filled her with his thick shaft.

Tommy stepped around the table with his dick in hand and stood by Trish's head. He gripped her hair and used it to turn her face to him. Trish opened her mouth wide for Tommy then closed her lips around his cock. She gripped his forearm and his butt cheek and let him fuck her mouth.

The sounds and scents of sex filled the room. The excitement in the air seemed electric. Nick tipped Emily's head back and kissed her mouth. Her tongue met his and her breath burned hot on his cheek. He tugged her blouse open and slipped his hand under her bra to touch her firm breast and her hardened nipple.

Emily caught her breath and pushed herself into Nick's hand. She searched up from his thigh until she found his hardened cock, and then she pushed him back with her hand on his chest. She panted, "I've never done this before."

Nick's eyebrows shot up in surprise and Emily was quick to explain. "I don't mean I'm a virgin, I mean I've always been careful about sex—I won't even kiss a guy on the first date. That much has already changed, and I want the rest of it as much as you do."

An excited groan caught their attention, and they both looked up. Tommy's cream gushed into Trish's mouth and out onto her cheek. She gripped Tommy's arm and held on while Oscar pressed his thumb against her trigger and drove his cock into her. Trish writhed on the table then bucked and screamed through clenched teeth while her husband made her come.

Emily turned back to Nick, and he bent over her to brush her face and her throat with his lips. He struggled to control his breath then whispered in her ear, "I'll make sure that you don't regret it."

Nick pushed his hand under Emily's skirt and up her smooth thigh. He stroked her through the layers of her pantyhose and her panties then said, "Your pantyhose are in my way," and watched for her reaction.

"Tear them," Emily answered. Nick pushed his finger under a seam then she caught her breath while he tore through the nylon.

Emily tipped her head back with her eyes nearly closed. Nick watched her expression while he caressed the smooth, bare skin inside her thigh then slipped his fingers into her panties. He wet his fingers in her slit and swirled them over her hood. Nick forced a moan between Emily's lips before an urgent realization cut through the haze of his excitement.

"We should do this someplace else," he whispered. "Trish never said what time this place was going to blow up. It could be sooner than later."

He slipped his hand out from between Emily's legs and watched the trio across the room while he sampled her unfamiliar taste on his fingers. Oscar dropped onto a stool and Trish climbed onto his lap. She kissed his face, and then he held her up and sucked her tits while she worked his cock back into her. Tommy stood behind her with his cock in hand, stroking himself to get hard again.

"Let's go," Nick said and nudged Emily out of the booth. Nick helped her into her cape then pulled on his jacket. He glanced to the bar one last time and found Trish sandwiched between her lovers. She laid her head back against Tommy's chest and called his name while his thrusts lifted her on Oscar's cock.

Nick tugged Emily out the door and down the alley toward the entrance of the parking garage where his car waited. The rain had stopped, but they had to weave their way between black puddles that reflected distant street lights.

"Nick, wait," Emily said, and tugged on his hand. She stopped by the old pickup that rusted in the alley and when he turned back to her she said, "You have to slow down. I can't run or even walk very fast in these shoes."

Nick stepped close to Emily. She looked up into his eyes, and his cock throbbed for her. He glanced around then dropped the pickup's tailgate. "We'll do it right now," Nick said. He opened her cape, tugged her skirt up to her waist, and hoisted her onto the back of the truck.

Emily lifted her knees around Nick's hips while she unbuckled his belt and opened his pants. His cock sprung into her hands, and his pants fell around his ankles. She pulled her panties aside then tossed her head back and gasped while he took her.

The alley was cold and wet but neither of them cared; their heat warmed the night. Nick lifted Emily's knee with one hand and pulled her mouth to his with the other. He rammed into her and his thrusts lifted her. She clutched at his shoulder and his hips, and her teeth found his throat.

Emily's climax built quickly, and her excitement urged Nick on. He pushed deep into her and the truck moved. He stepped forward to grind against her and the truck moved again. Again he stepped forward, and Emily's body tightened around his cock. He stepped forward again and Emily's orgasm blinded her. She tossed her head back and her cries echoed in the alley while she came.

The truck started to roll away faster than Nick—with his pants swaddling his ankles—could follow. He picked Emily up and held her against a power pole with his hands under her thighs, and the truck rolled in an arc across the alley.

Emily wrapped Nick's neck with her arms and his hips with her legs. She panted in his ear while his excited thrusts pounded her against the pole. The truck crunched to a sudden stop against the back of the hotel at the same time that Nick gushed deep inside Emily. He pushed his nose to her ear and grunted with each repeated spasm until he had emptied himself into her.

Nick's thrusts slowed. Their warm juices started to seep back out of Emily and trickle around his balls. She kissed his lips and his face, and he whispered, "Oh God, Emily. I've never felt anything like that before." There was at that instant nothing in Nick's world but Emily: her touch, her taste, her scent, the sound of her breath, and the look in her eyes.

Nick's euphoria gradually waned, and he lowered Emily to the ground. He tugged his pants up and tucked his cock away, and then went to see what damage the truck had done.

Emily leaned against the power pole and closed her blouse, and then arranged her panties and the tatters of her pantyhose. She followed Nick and found him crouched in front of the pickup where its bumper rested against the hotel's gas meter. The meter was jolted out of place and quietly ticking. Gas was flowing somewhere inside the hotel.

"Trish had to know all along that we were going to cause the leak," Emily hissed, "She said we had business here. This has to be what she meant."

"We can stop this," Nick said. He stood and pulled his phone out of his pocket, "I'll call the gas company and have them shut the gas off."

Emily touched Nick's hand to stop him and said, "Trish said that it couldn't be stopped, that 'it is what it is.' Nick, let them be." Her eyes searched his face, and she went on, "If you bring more people here then that might just mean that more people get hurt when the building explodes. We need to get out of here too. I don't know about you, but I need to eat."

Nick searched Emily's face for a sign, then he asked, "Ramen to go, then my place?"

"No, my place." Emily answered. "I need to feed my cat." She remembered something else that Trish said then stepped close to Nick and whispered with her lips close to his ear, "After that, if you'll be my peanut butter then I'll be your jelly."

* * * *

Emily stirred slowly when her alarm went off in the morning. Nick didn't move at all. She clicked off the alarm and her radio came on, and then she picked up the bed sheet. She surveyed Nick's body until he rolled over and pulled the sheet away.

Nick sat up and blinked at the morning just as the radio went to headline news. It blared, "The north side of downtown was rocked in the early hours of the morning by a blast and fire that nearly leveled a building at Canal and 8th. Tune in to our sister station WQIP to see spectacular aerial footage of the fire."

"Shit!" Emily said. She rolled out of bed and turned on the television. In the back of her mind she still hoped that some of what she remembered from the night before had been a dream.

Nick rose on one elbow and watched Emily standing naked in front of the TV until scenes on the News tore his eyes away. The footage was shot from a circling helicopter and showed a large pile of rubble blazing in the dark while fire trucks pumped water onto it from two sides.

The voice-over reported, "Fire officials believe the explosion and fire may have been caused by a natural gas leak, but the official cause will probably not be known for weeks. The building is obviously a complete loss. Some vehicles and nearby structures were also damaged."

* * * *

"God it's nice to wake up with her," Nick thought. He sniffed at Emily's neck then pulled the bed clothes off her sleek body. Nick wondered if he would ever tire of looking at her. He caressed her shoulder and ran his hand down her arm to touch the new diamond ring on her finger.

Her cat saw him move and jumped onto the bed. It didn't take the cat very long to figure out that Nick could feed her as easily as Emily, so now she was there to encourage him out of bed.

Nick left Emily sleeping. He fed the cat then checked the news. They both checked every day, looking for the story that they were sure would eventually come. There it was. "Human remains discovered under ruined downtown hotel."

Emily followed from the bedroom and read over Nick's shoulder, and then she left him to find the folder she had put safely away. She researched for weeks to find it—a short newspaper article dated 1951. "Local business owners missing." The story told how Oscar and Patricia McKay, owners of a disreputable downtown bar, had been missing for more than a year.

Nick stared out the window where snow was starting to fall. Emily laid the article in front of him and asked, "Do you want to go to the Coroner's office today or should we wait?"

"Today." Nick answered. "We should do our duty to them today."

* * * *

Nick and Emily made the arrangements for a summer morning. They were nearly alone in the cemetery when the time came. The priest prayed while Emily held Nick's hand and turned the plain gold band that she'd slipped onto his ring finger. When the priest was done, workers lowered all that was left of Oscar, Trish and Tommy into the ground in boxes stacked one on the other.