The woman joined the train at Canterbury and sat opposite Alex even though the train was quite empty
She was quite tall and Alex thought that she resembled her although her hair was much darker
I see you have a book on Turner a wonderful artist
Yes I have just spent some time in Margate just sharing the light he must have known
My name is Alex
That is a coincidence as I am also called Alex
What were you doing in Canterbury Alex?
Just exploring the city I had never been there before
Do you know it?
Very well I have spent many happy days there
It was badly bombed during the war I am told
Yes but thankfully the cathedral did not take a direct hit
As the train gathered speed out of Canterbury the sun which had been hidden for much of the day suddenly broke from the clouds creating a halo behind Alex
You look like an angel
Pardon
A halo formed for an instant behind you and you were bathed in the most perfect light
I saw a movie like that many years ago but cannot remember the title
It was called A Canterbury Tale and the halo formed behind Dennis Price so simple but so effective
You are a mine of information
It is one of my favourite movies as it was shot here in Kent
The peace that the two women had enjoyed was soon broken as more passengers joined the train
A middle aged man sat on the seat behind them
He was smartly dressed but overweight and soon opened a can of beer
Do you realise that guy has been looking at you for the last five minutes?
Yes
Does it bother you?
Not really he is probably thinking about my breasts and whether I Have pubic hair or not
Do you not think it is a bit creepy?
No I take it as a compliment as we are both beautiful women and items of beauty should be adored
Then let us play a game
A game?
Alex kicked off her sandal and placed it gently on the crutch of Alex’s jeans
You have the same colour toe nails as me
Indigo is my favourite colour
And mine
What is he doing?
Trying not to look at us but I am sure he is turned on
You watch he will not be able to stand it and will leave his seat
No
He will
As the train passed under a bridge the man suddenly rose from seat and headed in the opposite direction
He will not be back and I speak he is probably wanking in the toilet
Men are sad
Some are
Do you think he has much in his life?
It is hard to tell
He is certainly not attractive
I have fucked a few unattractive men you feel a certain power over them
I undress quickly just to torment them
I then do the most boring things thinkable
Such as?
Making a cup of tea or removing my nail varnish
Just to fuck them off
Just to fuck them off
When I finally climb on them they come almost immediately and I am left to masturbate next to them
They watch but their body does not react as they have spilled their power in my cunt
You like games
I love games
The train was travelling at speed through the Kent countryside
The plush summer fields flashed by leaving short memories
What about you who are you Alex?
I work in the art world my main task is to visit galleries prior to planned exhibitions
Is that what you were doing in Margate?
Yes I was planning an exhibition of the works of Joseph Wright of Derby have you heard of him?
Yes he was an artist of the light and often pained by candlelight
Yes he was master in his field
Where are you travelling to?
Bath
Why Bath?
It is a travelling exhibition and Bath is the next stop
Where are you going?
I do not really know
What do you mean?
I just travel and just show up where the train boat or plane stops
Why do you do that?
The freedom of travel
Have you ever been to Bath?
No
It is a beautiful city
The City of the Caesar’s
I doubt if a Caesars ever visited Bath
It is a nice thought though
Where do you live?
I live in London with my brother
What does he do?
He is an artist a good artist but a spectacularly unsuccessful one
What about you?
I live out of hotel rooms
But you must have a base
I have a base in the centre of Spain that is where I hide
Are you married?
God no I just fuck when I feel like it but refrain from relationships
What about you
No I am not married
Boyfriend?
No
What do you do for sex fuck your brother?
Sometimes but not often we mostly masturbate together
Masturbate together?
Yes he masturbates over my scar
You have a scar?
Yes a very large one that runs down this side of my body
Alex lifted her blouse slightly to reveal her scar
You see I was a conjoined twin
With your brother
No I had a sister but she died
I am sorry
Do not be sorry as I never met her that is why I call myself Alex that was her name
What is your real name?
Alex my real name is Alex
Why does your brother get off on your scar?
Because he was conjoined also and he has a scar
Did his twin die?
No he lives in Canada and is a Professor of Geology
I have a scar
Where
I was conjoined like you but my twin died
Alex lifted her blouse slightly to reveal her scar
We have a lot of things in common
Yes but I do not fuck my brother
He has a girlfriend you know
I am glad to hear it
She has a scar also
Was she conjoined?
No she was involved in a tram accident which scarred her
It seems that you brother likes scars
Very much he often just touches my scar and comes into the recess
Does he do this to his girlfriend?
Maisie yes but she has a different body to me she thick black hair covering her scar and no matter how much she shaves the hair it returns
Perhaps she is just a hairy woman some women are you know
No that is the only body hair she has the shock of the accident inhibited its growth
She has no hair
Well it does grow after a fashion on her head but it never grows very long she reminds of me of the actress Falconetti in the movie Joan of Arc
Does it bother her?
The black hair does
What about the hair on her head
She wears wigs sometimes if she wants to change her personality
Are you attracted to her?
Yes
Have you fucked her?
Yes her scar turns me on
What does your brother think?
He joins in
Do you like women?
Yes
I have fucked women but not for a long long time
Do you want to come to Bath with me?
Are you coming on to me?
No not a bit I just find you very interesting
Has my scar turned you on?
No
Liar
Well I am a little damp
The rolling fields of Kent had vanished and had been replaced by the urban decay of London
The weather although now quite bright was not showing the capital to its advantage
We ignore the trees
We ignore the flowers
We ignore the sky
We ignore the sun
What did you say?
I was just quoting from a poet I cannot remember his name
Are you a poet?
I write poetry
Are you published?
No but I have written a book
Really what was it called?
The Spanish Crossing
Did it do well?
Yes it sold surprisingly well have you read it?
No
I will buy you a copy when we reach our destination
Have you written any other books?
I have one with my publishers at present
What is it called?
The Spanish Crossing
The train arrived at St Pancras and both the women waited as the train emptied
As they both walked along the smooth androgynous platform they saw the a circle within a circle handing freely by the station clock
History revolves in circles I think that is the meaning
I like it it is free and light
Are you leaving me here?
Let us share a coffee together
Yes and then I will decide whether I will spend a night of love with you
I never promised that a trip to Bath to see the beautiful city that was all
You thoughts were more designed on sharing a Bath with me
Ha ha
Will you promise not to fuck my scar?
Scars turn me on
Why?
If I knew I would tell you
I think that I know why
Explain
You are beautiful I am beautiful is your brother beautiful?
Yes he very nice looking
What about Maisie?
Yes in a Celtic way she is very beautiful
And we are all scarred
Yes
It is simple
Don’t tease
I am not teasing
You adore the beautiful but you cannot accept perfect beauty
Sorry
Explore my words
A large woman walked past them carrying a heavy suitcase
See that woman there if she undressed in front of you now and you found her to be scarred would it turn you on
Would you fuck her scar?
I am attracted to women but then again I am attracted to men
Which do you prefer?
It depends on my mood
So you would not fuck that fat carcass of a woman even if she was scarred maybe conjoined
You ask such difficult questions
The poet that I quoted from also wrote these words
I am only but a reflection if you do not like what you see then turn away
You are so full of contradictions Alex
No it is so simple you want me to travel to Bath so that you can enjoy me
Rubbish I find you fascinating
I shall leave you after we have fucked as I did my professor on my Spanish trip
Alex pulled a tangerine sachet from her bag
What is that?
I do not know
You must know
Bath salts maybe I was in the sea in Margate when a man came up to me and told me to turn around
What!
He asked me to turn around so that my scar was not visible
More likely he was looking at your arse
No I did not get that feeling there was something rather mysterious about him
He liked your bum
No no as soon as I turned around he gave me two sachets I used one and here is the other
So you had a nice bath after a long day
No it was much more than that
The water turned a thick jasper and I felt myself floating almost as I was in space
I was thinking about Alec
Alec?
My brother
I was thinking about Alec and was caressing my cunt and then nothing
Nothing
I felt that cold water had been flicked at me
By whom?
Joseph Wright of Derby
The artist?
Yes and then I slept and woke up in my bath this morning
And do you know what the strange thing was?
Do not keep me in suspense
The water was still as warm as it was when I stepped into it but it had lost its colour
Was the artist still there?
I only felt his presence I did not see him
You had a Coleridge moment
The poet?
Yes have you ever read his poem Kubla Khan?
Not that I can remember
He composed it whilst under the influence of drugs until he was disturbed by the Person from Porlock
The poet claimed that he had dreamt his poem in its entirety but was interrupted by his visitor
It was unfinished only fifty-four lines long
Do you know who the visitor was?
No I am not really into poetry
I believe it was either Dorothy or William Wordsworth
No-one else knew he was there
Coleridge suffered from stomach problems and I believe that they had made an unscheduled stop
So that is a Coleridge moment
Yes
Will I bathe with you tonight?
If you want me to
I will tip these powders into the bath
And by magic Joseph Wright of Derby will appear and paint us both
You are taking the piss
No I am taking you seriously
The women made their way to Paddington Station and caught a train to Bristol Temple Meads
Soon they had reached Bath
That evening they shared a bath together
Alex had tipped the salts into the water
For a moment nothing happened and then the water turned the most vivid orange
Both women felt sleepy and lay in each other’s arms without saying a word
They were aware that they were not alone in the room but their eyes were heavy and would not open
The painting depicts two sisters
One is holding the others nipple between her finger and thumb as if she is pinching or stimulating it
The artist has always been anonymous a member of the Fontainebleau School
The year is 1595
A likeness hung in their hotel room
And had witnessed their lovemaking
The painting is mysterious
In the darkness of the hotel bathroom
The artist was painting by candlelight
Joseph had been called back to Heaven
For an instant Alex awoke and saw a figure swathed in the darkness
And then a sudden breeze extinguished his single candle