Fistful of Feet by Jordan Krall

trouble.”
       “No. I’m fine.”
       Stacklee patted her shoulder. “You need anything?”
       “Maybe just a drink. You mind bringing a bottle up here when you get a chance?”
       “Sure thing, Mary. You hang in there,” Stacklee said.
       As she watched him walk away, Mary thought Stacklee would make a good lover though she knew that would be completely inappropriate. Mary would just have to make due with thinking about it.
       She walked back into her room and saw that Timothy was sitting up in bed. He was holding a tentacle over his mouth. “Look, I just grew a mustache!”
       Mary chuckled nervously and walked back to bed. It was going to be a long day.
       

 
    CHAPTER SIXTEEN
       
       In the hotel, Nix pulled Kersey into a backroom and pushed him up against the wall. “The stranger that came into town, he have a room here?”
       “Which one? There were a few strangers,” Kersey said.
       “The one with the busted up ear.”
       Kersey said, “Yeah.” He wasn’t afraid of Nix. The guy was an overgrown bully who loved throwing his muscle around. The only thing remotely scary about him was the fact that he worked for William Lyons.
       “We’re going to wait here and when he comes in, you’re going tell us, know what I’m saying?”
       “Yes.”
       Nix let go of him and walked out of the room. Ryan giggled and Chaps wore a giant smile.
       Chaps said, “I thought you said William told you to wait for him.”
       “We’re just going to fool with him a bit,” Nix said. He saw Chaps taking out a cigarette. “Put that shit away. You know I can’t stand the smell.”
       Chaps smiled wider, kept the cigarette in his mouth for a few seconds, and then took it out. “Sorry.”
       They walked outside and leaned up against the building. A herd of cattle silently grazed nearby. Ryan said, “You think those are Black Boned Keith’s animals?”
       “Must be. Herds don’t usually come through Screwhorse,” Nix said.
       “Something’s wrong with them cows, you ever notice that?”
       Chaps smiled wildly. “They look fine to me. Fine enough to eat, I’d say. I haven’t had meat in a while.”
       Nix shrugged. “So we’ll get a steak later.”
       Chaps walked away towards the herd. “I don’t want steak.”
       “What the hell you doing?” Ryan said, watching Chaps as he walked up to the nearest cow, got down on his knees and slid underneath.
       Nix squinted. “Shit. What in God’s name?”
       There he was, a skinny little man lying underneath a huge cow, chomping on the beast’s belly. He took mouthful after mouthful of raw beef, tentacles, and milk-filled udders while he giggled. The animal he chewed on did nothing but make low groaning sounds. It didn’t seem too bothered.
       While chowing down, Chaps was back to thinking about his French horn. As he took a particularly thin tentacle into his mouth, he imagined it was the mouthpiece of his horn. He blew into it but there was no sound. Goddamnit, he thought, why did I have to lose that horn?
       Chaps sucked on another tentacle. He hoped Nix was watching and that he was impressed with his sucking skills. Ever since he started working with the guy, he had been attracted to his bravado as well as his muscles. Though Chaps would never consider himself one of those strange men who liked to poke other men in the ass, he could not resist that primal attraction to Nix and he found himself wanting to do just about anything to earn the man’s affection and approval.
       Ryan said, “Chaps, get your skinny ass over here!” He was getting nauseous watching. There was white, green, and black goop all over Chaps’ face.
       Nix put his hands on his hips. “Jesus Christ, this is just disgusting.”
       Chaps stopped. He stood up, let out a thunderous burp, and walked back to Nix and Ryan.
       Nix punched him in chest. “What in the