See Part 1 if you want the background to this story. Otherwise, this mostly works as a standalone story.
*****
We had our story. Oh, did we have our story. As the crowd filed out, Jovie climbed down from the stage and walked over to me on wobbly legs. I wasn't sure exactly what to say to her and was embarrassed that I'd made her volunteer, so I just got down to business.
"What happened up there?"
Jovie's eyes were in the past. "I don't know."
"Did she hypnotize you? It seemed real. You weren't faking anything, right?"
Jovie visibly winced, then shook her head emphatically and crossed her arms over her small chest. She couldn't answer, but her expression told me everything.
"So you really ... um...she really...?"
We had a long moment of silence, and then the words came tumbling out. "I don't know what she was doing, but it was real. I can't even describe it. She just touches you, and something happens. It flows through you, and it just grabs you."
"Like an electric shock?"
"No." Jovie looked at me, her young dark eyes worried that I was going to judge her. She practically whispered the words. "Her hands, they were like the best vibrator EVER. Even if they're just on your arm. It was unbelievable."
"You could see behind the screen. Did they really do lesbian stuff with Vivian?"
A little bit of life came back to Jovie's eyes. She loved to gossip. "That could have been me!" she said. "I could see everything, and she was ... she was ... you know, right between their legs. She didn't have a choice with what they were doing to her!"
The tent was empty now save for one low-level carnie picking up trash. I eyed the door at the back of the stage, the one where Orgasma and her strongwoman friend had disappeared.
"Come with me," I said. "We're going to interview Orgasma."
Jovie cringed. "Are you sure?" she asked. "There's something about her that's kind of scary."
"Don't worry. You're with me." I gave her no choice as I boldly climbed up on stage. The cleaning guy frowned up at me, and I used my journalism trick of acting confident. "We're here to interview the Great Orgasma," I said. He shrugged and went back to sweeping as I headed toward the door, Jovie reluctantly following along behind me.
I knocked.
No answer. I knocked again. After giving it another thirty seconds, I used my journalist prerogative and creaked open the door. "Hello?" I called. "Anybody home?"
The door opened into a large room, much larger than I expected. It was more or less a living room with a couch and chairs, but had other equipment in it, equipment that I assumed was used occasionally in shows. There was a pillory sitting next to the door, and a medieval rack that was doubling as a sofa stand. Sitting on the sofa, staring balefully at me, were Orgasma and Stella, still clad in their bikinis, beers in hand.
"Hey! This is private!" Orgasma yelled. "Get out!"
I continued unperturbed. "I'm sorry to bother you." I grabbed Jovie and pulled her into the door with me. "This is my coworker Jovie. We really enjoyed your show tonight."
A hint of a smile crossed Orgasma's lips as her eyes traveled up and down Jovie's body, then mine. "Glad we could entertain you. It went both ways."
I ignored a girlie growl from my intern. "My name is Elizabeth, and I'm a writer at CityPunk magazine. We're a cutting-edge alternative magazine in the local area. I'd love to write an article about you."
Orgasma retained her stern expression, but her eyebrows arched ever so slightly. That was always a good sign. "What kind of article?"
"We write about interesting people and topics. And my intern here tells me that you're a very interesting person."
Orgasma and Stella laughed heartily. They made eye contact and Stella shrugged, eyeing me up and down before murmuring something to the smaller woman. They spoke in low voices to each other for a few moments, and then Orgasma grinned in a way that made me somewhat uncomfortable.
"Come in and sit down," Orgasma commanded. "And for god's sake, shut that door. You're letting bugs in."
A moment later, Jovie and I were sitting on the chairs facing Orgasma and her friend. I explained in more detail what our magazine did and who I was, and ignored the fact that Orgasma's bikini bottom had slipped over to the side off of her lips. The narrow ribbon was bunched into the intersection of her hip and thigh, leaving her vulva completely exposed. I hoped that Jovie's staring at it wouldn't get us kicked out.
"So tell me about this skill you have," I said, swallowing hard. "Is this something you were born with, or did you learn it somehow?"
Orgasma seemed genuinely surprised by my question. "So you're not going to accuse me of doing some sort of sham?" she asked.
I cocked my head toward Jovie. "I have a strong witness who says you're legit. She said your hands are like the world's best vibrator."
Jovie was horrified, but Orgasma giggled. It was a true giggle, like that of a little girl. "That was fun, wasn't it?" Sheld up her hands, palms toward us, and waggled her fingers. "I told you, I have magical hands."
"How are they magical?" I pressed
"I don't know. They just are."
I had my notebook out now, taking notes. Beside me, Jovie followed my lead and did the same. "When did you discover this magic?"
Orgasma took a long draw on her beer, then noticed her askew bikini bottom and absentmindedly pulled it back to its proper spot. She was silent for a moment. "You really want to know?"