20070416

The Last Days of the Cross

Part 5 of 6 by Joseph Ridgwell

The girl managed a half-smile and then nearly tripped over. "Juanita," she said, after re-balancing, "Juanita, Juanita!" To my drunken ears it sounded like a wonderful name and she was a wonderful girl, the beautiful girl I'd been searching for my whole life. Okay she was a prostie, but who cares, she had to be mine somehow. We walked back into the Cross like two fucked up lovers, oblivious to any disapproving looks or stares. The Cross was buzzing, crowds of people thronged the pavements, car horns tooted, music could be heard, escaping from opening and closing doors, and suddenly the night was alive with unspoken passion.

6S

Joseph Ridgwell's The Last Days of the Cross is excerpted from his latest novel. Look for Part 6 on Friday, April 20th.