Johanna Morgenthau and the Search for the Cinnamon Ice Cream
An erotic novel.
The plot takes place in Germany in 1994, in an unnamed city.
All characters in the story are at least 18 years old.
==== Chapter One: The Clique ====
== In the Discotheque ==
Finally, Johanna arrives at the club. She's wearing a black pleated skirt and a white blouse. Her long red hair is pinned up, in a traditional manner with hairpins. She is slender, six feet tall, with a long neck. She has sparkling green eyes in a sensual face full of freckles. Her skin is light like alabaster.
All around Johanna are young people of various styles. Many are alternative, goths, or wavers. The club Nachtsplitter is built in an old industrial hall. There is a second and third floor, forming a gallery around the large dance floor. Up there, is a VIP area. In an adjacent building, there are arcade games, and in a nearby hall, there's a roller-skating rink. The local roller derby team trains there.
This is where Johanna met Björn. Is he already here? She doesn't see him anywhere, but the place is huge. Impatiently, she looks everywhere for the young man. She had been thinking about him all week. She can't wait to feel his lips again. To feel his hands glide over her body. Nowhere. Oh well--time to dance. 'Theatre of Tragedy' is playing.
When Johanna finally needs a break and goes to the bar, she sees Björn in a seating area. He's tightly embracing some underfed, pale girl with lots of piercings. They're kissing so intensely as if they're devouring each other. Johanna feels a painful sting in her heart. She clutches her hands to her chest and gasps. So that's how it is. A wave of anger rises within her. She grabs two beers from the bar, walks over to the seating area, and pours them over their heads.
"Traitor! Bitch!"
The girl swings at her, only managing to spill her own drink, which runs down his pants. All the better.
Then Johanna runs away, tears in her eyes. No destination, no thoughts, just running away. She sits by the railing and looks forlornly at the dancing crowd from the gallery, letting her feet dangle over the edge. It's only after a long while that she even notices she's in the VIP area. How did she get here? The bouncers usually check very carefully. She must have slipped past them somehow without them noticing. Without her noticing.
Two women come up the stairs to the VIP area. They both have brown curls, very slim, and shorter than Johanna. Could they be sisters? One is wearing a black ruffled dress with gloves. The other is in a black, glittering evening gown with an elaborate hat. Johanna herself wears things she finds in her stepmother Elke's second-hand shop. But these two outfits look like they're from an expensive boutique. They're so elegant and pretty, Johanna thinks as she watches them.
The two women go up a second staircase. Up there are rooms with huge glass fronts from which you can overlook almost the entire club. The 'Prince'--the club's owner--apparently holds court there. Or at least that's what Johanna was told. The two women argue with an employee at the door, one woman goes in, and the other waits outside. Then Johanna sees a man in a beige suit. That must be the 'Prince'! He talks a little with the woman at the door and gives her a small box. Then he goes into the glass room.
The woman at the door wanders around indecisively and finally sits down next to Johanna. She is unusually slim, with a sensual face, pretty amber-colored eyes, and long brown curls.
"Hi. I'm Anna."
"Johanna."
Anna lights a cigarette.
Johanna asks, "Is that your sister up there?"
"My mother."
"Oh. Going to a club with my mother would be a nightmare."
Johanna takes a drag from Anna's cigarette, coughs, and quickly hands it back.
Anna says, "Clubbing isn't really my thing either. I just came along because my mom was driving anyway. She has some business stuff to discuss."
She gestures toward the office behind the glass. There, they see Anna's mother arguing with the 'Prince'. She gestures excitedly while he calmly watches the club's guests.
"But if we hadn't come, I wouldn't have met you." Anna smiles at Johanna. "I saw you dancing earlier, I really liked it. Do you come here often?"
Johanna replies, "We just moved here recently. I don't know anyone here yet. Except at school, of course."
She sighs. The move hadn't been easy for her. The reasons were good, but it wasn't easy. She looks up at the glass front again. The man is looking directly in her direction, their eyes meet. It's like a bolt of lightning hits Johanna, touching something deep inside her. She almost loses her composure, her eyes well up. She can't move until he looks away.
Anna says, "If you don't know anyone here yet, you should do something about that. You've got a great figure, wouldn't a dance class be something for you?"
Johanna smiles, "I've been dancing for years. But I had to change schools, and I haven't had a chance to find a new dance school here yet."
"I see. You like it, don't you?"
"Tremendously. And you?" Johanna asks.
"Five years. Ballet before that," She grins. "Rich parents, but unlike many others, I really wanted to. Which dance school?"
They exchange the names of their dance schools.
Johanna wants to know, "Isn't that in the north side? Which school do you attend?"
"The Lobfelsen Private School."
"What's it like? Going to a private school?"
"What's it like? Going to a public school?"
Both of them giggle.
Anna and Johanna continue talking. Finally, Anna glances toward the glass room and says, "I think we'll have to go soon. But you should come visit us. I have a feeling you might fit in with us."
"Us? Who's ‚us'?"
"We often hang out with a few friends at my garden house."
"Sure," Johanna replies.
Anna adds, "But I have to warn you. We get up to all kinds of daring mischief to keep ourselves entertained. Only come if you're okay with that, alright?"
