I

Logan was streaming “Girls Riot 4” on his 85-inch screen. As the movie started, a naked girl glided up to the camera, stuck her hand through the screen, smiled, looked straight at Logan, motioned with her finger, and said, “C’mon in, lonesome stranger.”

She did not have to say it twice. Logan climbed through the screen. He emerged on the front lawn of a large house, surrounded by a brick and mortar wall.

In the doorway stood the woman who had beckoned him through the screen. She extended her arms. "Welcome to Erotica,” she said, “and to your new life of pleasure. You may call me Velvet. And welcome, welcome to our opening festivities. Come in!" They walked together through the front door into a large auditorium where a crowd was gathering. "This assembly," Velvet continued, "is your naturalization ceremony. This crowd is gathering to hear the master of ceremonies.” Velvet gazed at the podium, eyes wide. She raised her hand. "Shhh. The Cool Pornographer is about to speak."

"Cool Pornographer?"

"Shhh!" she commanded.

The Cool Pornographer strode across the podium. He was tall, slender, and wore lime green pajamas. He extended his arms and demanded silence. The crowd fell silent.

"Citizens of Erotica! Today we have Logan, who I know personally because he has watched us so often for so long. After all this time, Logan is finally applying for Erotican citizenship.

I am? thought Logan. Okay.

Logan, here is the law of Erotica. There is one rule. There are no limits. Risk is gone. There is no disease. Leave truth and falsehood behind. There are no limits on what you want to do. Girls never become pregnant, and they never age. Everybody is at least eighteen years old. You are never going to grow old, you are never going to pay child support, and you’re never going to die."

"Do you, Logan, accept Erotican law?"

Logan thrust his fist into the air. "You bet I do,” he said.

“Fantastic! Everyone give a hearty welcome to Logan, new citizen of Erotica.” The crowd cheered.

II

"Now what?" Logan asked Velvet.

"It is time for your inaugural fuck," she said. "In the American naturalization ceremony, you renounce your allegiance to all potentates and powers. In the Erotican ceremony, you become both the potentate and the power! Come with me!"

Logan and Velvet entered the main orgy room. He knew at once that his new citizenship was the right decision. There were about forty people in the room, all naked, and most of them women. As he stood in the doorway, everyone turned to check him out. Man and woman, they all smiled.

"Who do you want?” someone said.

"I want one of Gil Elvgren’s girls,” said Logan.

"Go ahead and take me," said Velvet. "I don’t look like a 1940’s pin-up yet, but I will. Now let’s continue." She pretended to pout. "It’s unfair that I’m the only one standing here naked."

Velvet unbuttoned and removed Logan’s shirt. She knelt and loosened his belt. She paused to make some admiring remarks about the bulge in his crotch. She kissed the tip of the bulge.

"The rest is yours," she said. Logan took off his shoes, pants, and underwear. Velvet made further admiring remarks about the size of his cock.

Velvet stood and kissed Logan. With their two naked bodies entwined, she moaned softly.

Velvet’s lips cruised down to his neck, then his chest, and finally to his cock. Her mouth took him in as far as the base, and she massaged him with her tongue. At this point, he could hold it no more, and he came for what seemed to him like a full minute. Velvet’s cheeks filled. She swallowed.

"That must taste awful. Sorry." Logan said.

"Sweetie," she replied, "you are now a citizen of Erotica. You taste just fine."

Logan and Velvet knelt in front of each other. They embraced and fell sideways onto the pillows on the floor. She stroked him, he entered her, and they laughed as they came gloriously together.

After a while they both stood up. "That was fun," said Velvet. "You’re too good not to share. I’m passing you on to Fox and her crew. Foxy! C’mere and try this one out!"

A group of women gathered around Logan. Fox, the tallest, pushed him backward onto the pile of pillows. She looked down at him and said, "After a lot of experimenting, the women of Erotica have decided that it is a lot less wear and tear on us if we divide up the work of pleasuring the man. Anya, blindfold Logan."

"Just a moment," Logan said, "I have just cum twice in a row. I probably have nothing left."

Fox knelt on one knee next to him. Her palm caressed his cheek. "Newbie citizen," she said, "listen up. As a male of Erotica, you exist to service the women. The women exist to service you. Running low on semen after a cum or two is one of those risks that you are just never going to see again. After today you’ll be exhausted, physically. But from now on, your cock is our perpetual fountain. Anya?"

Anya deftly slid the blindfold over his eyes. Logan felt soft lips caress his cock and a second pair of lips kiss his own, with a tongue exploring the inside of his mouth. Then what seemed like a legion of women began to transform him into one big erogenous zone.

Logan counted how many women were servicing him. One hand stroked each of his inner thighs; one hand fondled his testicles; one pair of magnificent lips stroked his cock; one pair of lips and a tongue massaged each of his nipples; one pair of lips intensely kissed his own; and one breathy voice in his ear whispered, "Fuck me, my beautiful man." So there were eight women; nine, if the woman who had been at his cock was giving him to another when she said, "Now finish him up."

Logan listened for the orgasm from the woman sitting on his cock. He was surprised to hear happy orgasmic sounds from a lot of them. But he could not figure out how someone could have an orgasm from blowing in his ear or stroking his thigh. He finally decided that there was no point in asking.

After several hours, they finished. "Velvet!" Fox called to Velvet, still unclothed, who had been sitting in the same room and watched the whole afternoon. "Best cock ever! Nine simultaneous orgasms! Oh, yeah! Honey, we owe you one."

At the end of the afternoon, an exhausted Logan removed the mask. He could no longer tell where his personality ended and those of his partners began. He felt one with the masses, that he was a part of the Erotican people. The feeling of togetherness was strange and wonderful for an only child whose mother had died in childbirth.

III

In the early evening, Logan met Velvet over drinks in her bedroom.

"That was the fuck of the century! I loved it!" Logan said. "But tell me about this Cool Pornographer. Who is this? It seems strange to have a leader in a land of no limits.” Still tired from the day, all that he could do now was sit and listen.

“Under Erotican law it makes sense," Velvet replied. "In Erotica there is no truth and no falsehood. Every person gets to decide that whatever they want is the truth. You can always say somebody is wrong, like if they claim that two plus two equals five. But they can always say back, ‘What I believe is me. It is my very own truth. Don’t try to erase me.’ Now, a society would soon fall apart if everyone acted like that. Somebody has to say definitely Yes or definitely No. In Erotica, the ‘somebody’ is our C.P. The Cool Pornographer decides what is true for that moment. He prevents untruths from ever existing. We all agree with him. So we all agree with each other. Except for the Cool Pornographer himself, we are equals."

"And what if the Cool Pornographer does tell you that two plus two equals five?"

"What’s your point? Today, two plus two equals four. But if tomorrow the C.P. says that two plus two equals five, then five it is. Also, the C.P. has one other important duty, and it is the main reason that I am here. The Cool Pornographer handles the transformation of the women. Soon," she paused, inhaled deeply, and smiled, "I will be a pin-up girl. When I got here, the C.P. asked me what I wanted to look like, and that is what I picked. I will have measurements of 98-61-95 cm. My bra will have D cups. I will have perfect legs. I will have fresh makeup every day, pink lipstick, translucent pink nail polish, and white-blond hair with a just-got-fucked hairdo. The transformation takes about a week, and I have been here about that long.”

“Tell me that you did not come here to hear the Cool Pornographer say that two plus two equals five.” Logan said.

"Of course not," Velvet began. “When I log on to my phone, I see all these women on Date Tonite and KnickKnack. They are beautiful and rich. They travel the world and meet interesting men. I deserve that, too. The first time I logged on to Just My Viewers, the Cool Pornographer was already online. He explained about life in Erotica, including the transformations. He also said I could make a pretty penny on Just My Viewers. I found a huge television screen at Wally World’s Electronics Department, and climbed in. And here I am! Logan, I am going to be beautiful and famous!"

IV

After drinks, Logan walked through the front gate of the property to the Large Screen. He found his father, Mike, logging on to Director’s Chair 10.8, to edit video clips.

Logan’s face appeared on the screen. His father first thought nothing of it, believing the image to be one of the clips.

Then the image talked to him. "Dad! Hi! It’s Logan." At this, his father stepped backwards, knocked over a chair, and fell on the floor. "What? What is going on?" Mike said.

Logan described the day’s events. "Dad, over here I am a member of a huge family. I’m not an only child! And the women! All the women you want! It’s great over here."

"Son, it is porn. It is not great over there. It’s a steaming pile of horse hockey over there. Porn is entertainment. That’s all. With their hideous production values, porn films look like documentaries. But never kid yourself. Porn is not real."

"Real enough," Logan said.

"I’ll be right over there," Mike said, "Give me a few minutes." Mike and Logan each walked away from the Large Screen.

V

The Cool Pornographer spotted Velvet on the prowl in the main orgy room and motioned her over.

In his office, her first words were, "Is another man on the way?"

"Well, maybe. What would you say about an older man?"

"Love'm," she said. "Who’s the lucky guy?"

"Your father."

Velvet fell quiet for a long time. "Why him?" she finally said.

"Well, his daughter’s great," said the Cool Pornographer, smiling,"probably because of an atmosphere of sensuality around the house. I’m not accusing you of anything. But I have seen him sneaking a peek over here now and again, and I figure he is worth a try. What say?"

"What do you mean, ‘What say?’ You want me to seduce my own father?"

"Well, yeah."

"Well, no. I’ve never pulled a stunt like that, and I’m not going to start now ."

"In Erotica there are no limits. Your father is fair game."

"If my father comes here, he might never leave. My mother would be alone for the rest of her days."

"That, dear heart, is your mother’s hard luck."

"I won’t do it! Don’t you understand that? I already know what it is like to be alone."

The Cool Pornographer lost his cool. "Okay, fine!" he said angrily. "I’ll send Fox and her crew to do it, then. I haven’t seen a man yet who could resist them.

"Mr. Cool, you’re being a jerk." Velvet stormed out of the office. She was angry and stayed angry. Later she found the C.P. at the fountain near the front gate. "That’s it!" Velvet screamed. "I’m through! I didn’t sign up for this."

The Cool Pornographer stayed cool. "Friend, here are the facts of life in Erotica. You can certainly walk back through the Large Screen. I can’t stop you. But once you’re over there, find a mirror and look closely. You’ll see a round-faced nothing of a girl, maybe a 3 or 4. If you wait here in Erotica, you’ll rate a 9 or a 10. You’ll be Velvet the Knockout. But on the other side of the Large Screen, you will again be plain old dumpy Audrey. Maybe I’ll call Audrey back into Erotica, but maybe I won’t."

Velvet was silent. She looked at the floor, the ceiling, and at nothing in particular. She left the fountain and walked away, looking for Logan.

VI

Logan, meanwhile, was learning his own lessons about life in Erotica. He was leaving the main orgy room, when, standing in the doorway, was Fran. She wore black leather skin-tight pants. She wore a black leather brassiere which she was nearly falling out of. Her hair and eye shadow were jet black. She wore obsidian earrings. She wore black "fuck me" pumps with five-inch spiked heels. Only her lipstick was different— a deep red. All the black and red was accented by the silver set of handcuffs and keys that hung off her waist.

"I’ve been a bad girl, Logan," she purred, "a really bad girl. Can you train me? I have all day."

Logan found all this off-putting, to say the least. "No," was his one-word answer.

"What? Why not?"

"Ain’t my style. Ain’t my style at all."

Fran looked at him. "That’s right. You’re the new guy, aren’t you? Well, you’ve got some things to learn."

"Meaning what?"

"Go talk to the Cool Pornographer."

Logan turned and went straight to the C.P.’s office. He described the encounter with Fran.

"So? Respond to her next time," said the C.P.

"I don’t want to hurt anybody. I’m not into  BSDM."

The Cool Pornographer rolled his eyes. "Logan, it’s voluntary."

"Well, Fran should not want this," Logan said. "Anyway, I won’t do it."

A bomb seemed to explode inside the C.P. "You WHAT?"

"You heard me."

"Are you setting limits? Think carefully about your answer."

"Uh… I guess."

"Look, in Erotica we can’t have people creating their own limits. That’s the whole point of being here. You’re lucky that the girls like you. You want seventeen rolls in the hay, every day, for all of eternity? I can give you that. But any more talk of personal limits, pal, and I might deport you back to Reality,” the C.P. said angrily. "And I’ll give you until sundown tonight to do BSDM with Fran. And now I’m leaving because you’re getting me as screwed up as you." He stormed out of his office.

On Logan’s way out of the main orgy room, he met Fran. "What did he say?" she asked, smiling wickedly.

"He said that you were made for more than being beaten and abused by men."

Fran was incredulous. "Did he really say that?"

"No, but he should have."

VII

Logan left the house and wandered in the yard. He scarcely had time to absorb all what the C.P. had said when he was approached from behind the fountain by a woman who was wearing a green mask which covered her whole face.

“Stop it!" She said to Logan. "Stop what you’re doing. Life here is not real. Life here is stupid.”

“Ma’am," Logan said, "you and I have never met, but I can tell you that I was just threatened with deportation back to Reality for saying stuff like that.”

“Then walk yourself on back to Reality, son.” Logan turned and saw his father.

“Dad, I’ve said no! I’m not going back. Here I’ve got family.”

“Listen to your father,” said the woman in the mask.

“Lady, he’s my son, not yours." Mike said, "What do you care if he listens to me?"

“Because I’ve only got so much time with this kid, and any second they might deport my fanny right out of here. That’s why I care, hunbun."

"Hunbun? I’m hunbun?" Mike said. "Miriam? Miriam, is that you?” The woman hesitantly removed the mask. “Hello, Mike,” she said quietly.

“Miriam? All this time, have you been alive back here?”

“Sort of.”

“Miriam," Mike said, "hold that thought. Introductions are necessary. Logan, this is going to be strange. This woman is Miriam. She is your mother.”

VIII

"Hello, my son," Miriam said.
Logan was struck silent.

“Okay, we’ll let Logan process that. Now tell me about being sort of alive,” Mike said.

“I was still sitting on the birthing chair," Miriam began, "when an angel appeared and told me that I was not going to make it. My son was healthy, but I was not. I could feel my life draining from me, and I did not protest. But I begged the angel to let me  watch over my son. The angel said yes. In my thoughts, I screamed, ‘I love you! I love you!’

Mike interrupted. “Miriam, two doctors and three nurses said later that when you were still in the birthing chair, they heard a woman’s voice out of nowhere saying, ‘I love you.’ The nurse holding Logan heard it especially loud.”

Miriam smiled and continued. “Well, that began the whole thing about parenting remotely. It’s about looking after your kid after you’re dead. That’s the ‘sort of alive’ part. So I sat next to you at my memorial service. During Logan’s infancy, I knocked a lot of awful stuff out of his hands before he could put it in his mouth. In little league, I once moved a line drive before it beaned him but good and knocked him flat. He ended up with a sore shoulder, but that’s the best I could do. Then he hit puberty, ho boy. He was not a bad-lookin’ kid. It was all I could do to keep Brenda, that little hussy-in-training, away from him.”

Mike had to smile. "Yeah, Brenda was a live wire."

“So you and I get him to adulthood in one piece." Miriam said. "And then this porn thing shows up. I find a mask and wait for my opportunity. But maybe this time I’m too late ” She signed. "You’re always a mother. Even after you’re dead."

Logan was still struck by what was happening. "Uh, Ma, I remember the line drive. I’ve always wondered why the ball seemed to move by itself. I also wondered for a long time why Brenda would not kiss me until prom night."

Miriam folded her arms. "Stopping Brenda’s perpetual string of kisses took a little imagination," she huffed. "I caused water to dump on her head twice, and I would cause the wind to whisper ’go away’ in her ear. But Brenda was one determined girl. I finally had to give up for prom night and allow the kiss. But I caused a tree branch to hold onto her necklace."

"Well, Ma, thanks. After all these years, that’s all I can offer."

"That’s all I want, Logan."

"And maybe you’re not too late. Some girl wanted BSDM, and I said no."

Miriam smiled softly. "I think it’s supposed to be BDSM, but that’s good, son."

Logan continued, "But if I returned to Reality, I would miss my family back here."

Miriam frowned. "That’s not good, son."

Velvet caught up with Logan. The conversation paused while Logan introduced Velvet.  He thought of his mother’s comments about Brenda, and introduced Velvet as his "friend and fellow citizen."

"Speaking of Reality, Logan, please help." Velvet said. "The C.P. is coming for my father." Velvet fought back tears.

"What? How?"

"He is sending Fox, who has the most spectacular body over here. She is going to be at the Large Screen when my Dad signs on and she’ll call to him, just like I did to you."

"Well, so what? He’ll have a great time, like you and I did."

"Logan, if he crosses permanently, my mother will be alone." Then, quietly she said, "Like I was. Only in her case, forever."

IX

"Ho boy," said Logan. "First things first. Ma, let’s get you out of here. Maybe I’m going to leave and maybe I’m not, but I don’t know what all is involved with a deportation."

"Hmm," Mike said. "The C.P., whatever that is, is not coming for me. Let me get back to the computer for a moment." Mike and Miriam kissed. "See you soon, sweetheart," he said.

X

Logan, his mother, and Velvet began walking toward the front gate of the mansion property. Above the gate hung a sign, “To Reality. And Pain.” They don’t make leaving easy, that’s for sure, Logan thought.

As they approached the gate, the scenery suddenly faded from a grassy urban yard. The three were now standing on a railroad platform beside a set of tracks.

Velvet said, “But Erotica does not have a train.”

Logan thought for a moment. “It’s Dad. He’s outside the screen already. He switched to his video clips of the model train club. He probably did that to take Erotica off the screen. I’ve seen the clips. Pretty soon a train will be here.”

In short order the train arrived and pulled to a stop— Steam Locomotive Number 2035, a coal tender, and two passenger cars. "Next stop, Large Screen Station," said the conductor from inside one of the cars. "All aboard for Large Screen!" Logan, Miriam, and Velvet climbed on board. Velvet and Logan sat together in the back, with Miriam sitting alone in the next seat forward.

The conductor entered the car. Miriam saw him. "Hi, Mike," she said.

Mike leaned over. "Now, Ma’am, I’ve gotta say, you’re mighty pretty. Is this seat taken?"

"Always room for a handsome man," she replied. Smiling, she winked at him. Mike sat down and Miriam put her head on his shoulder. Logan saw what his parents must have been like before he was born. Logan smiled and almost cried. Logan and Velvet looked at each other, and their hands moved closer together.

"By the way," Miriam said to Mike, "We thought you were outside of the screen."

"I put the train clip on a continuous loop. So you’re safe," Mike replied.

Then the car filled. The ladies and the gentlemen boarded in pairs. Each lady’s hair was blond or brown, and short. Every hairdo was nicely done. All wore makeup and bright red lipstick. All wore dresses. The hem of each dress was below the knee. The dresses were long-sleeved, and the necklines plunged, if "plunged" is the word, a full ten cm below the neck.

All the gentlemen wore dark business suits, plaid vests, white shirts, and wide neckties. All were clean-shaven. Each wore a gray fedora and carried a newspaper. Each gentleman took a seat next to a lady, opened his newspaper and began to read. This model train was from another era.

Logan surveyed the new crowd. "Isn’t this awful?" He whispered. "Everyone back then was basically in jail. They are all wearing uniforms."

Logan’s parents turned at the same time and looked at him.

"What?" Logan said.

Velvet understood what was happening. "In that bunch, everybody is sexless," she said. "Who wants that?"

"Sweetheart, this one’s yours," Mike said to Miriam.

Miriam took over. "‘No limits’ and ‘limits everywhere’ are the same thing," she said. "Both ideas are arbitrary. Both lead to equally stupid decisions about how people should relate to each other. These men were just as manipulated as the women. It’s just that their status as males masked the manipulation. Women put up with it because they had to. None of it is real, now or seventy years ago."

"Okay, Miriam, I’ve got a question for you," Velvet said. "What about that crazy woman who writes porn and puts it on the internet? From Oregon or somewhere. Carlotta something."

"If we’re thinking of the same person," Miriam replied, "she writes mostly fantasies. She doesn’t claim that the worlds she creates are real.  When it comes to sex, she just wants every adult to enjoy being with their partner."

X

The train pulled into Large Screen Station. The gentlemen stood for the ladies, and couples left together. Mike, Miriam, Logan and Velvet deboarded.

Mike and Miriam had their arms around each other’s waist. "Good-bye, my love," Mike said. "I have missed you so badly. Some day we will be together again."

"Take your time, hunbun. You only live once, but you are dead forever. When your day comes, we’ll have plenty of time to catch up. In the meantime, there’s Logan. You’ve done a great job raising him, but you’ve still got a diamond in the rough." They kissed.

Then Miriam put one hand on Logan’s shoulder and used the other to wag her finger in his face. "You listen to your father," she said sternly.

Logan was silent. He and his mother hugged. He cried.

Miriam turned and walked toward the station exit. On the other side was Reality. She stepped through the doorway and vanished.

Mike placed his hand on Logan’s shoulder. "See you two back in Reality." Mike walked through the doorway and turned away from the Large Screen.

Logan heard someone calling to him. It was Fran, of all people. She was standing by the exit door of the station, dressed as a civilian in blue slacks and a white sweater. "Logan!" she called. "I was in the other car! You were right about the abuse thing!" Fran turned and walked through the door. Once outside, she jumped for joy and ran off.

After a few moments, suddenly the scene changed again. The station faded and the mansion reappeared. Logan and Velvet were standing on the front lawn, with the front gate to Reality a few feet away.

"Oh, great!" Logan said, rolling his eyes. "Dad logged off from Director’s Chair and the porn flick came back. He must’ve thought that you and I were right behind him."

XI

Logan heard a rustling sound. Velvet shouted, "Oh! Logan! My transformation!" He turned. Next to Logan stood Velvet the Knockout— a bombshell, a classy dame, a sweater girl—truly a dish delish. The Cool Pornographer had made good on his promises. Velvet had pink lipstick, translucent pink fingernail polish, white blond hair, and a hairdo that told the world what she had been doing all night.

Fox and her crew were watching from the front door of the house. So was the Cool Pornographer. "Okay, boys and girls," he said, "I’ve kept my end of the bargain. Now you be Erotican citizens in good standing, and keep yours. A beautiful girl and a horny guy. Fuck forever!"

The nine women were enthusiastic for round two with Logan. "Logan!" Fox shouted, "Let’s go!" The other women smiled and gestured, come to us.

"Girls," said Logan. "You’re all gorgeous. When we finish, which one of you will rest your head on my shoulder?"

There were no takers. Logan smiled and waved goodbye.

The Cool Pornographer stayed in character. "Buh-bye, sucker. Enjoy the pain." He waved back to Logan. "Okay, Fox and crew! Go fetch Velvet’s father. And set up his naturalization ceremony. Give him the fuck of the millennium!"

Fox and her crew still owed Velvet a favor. The nine-woman chorus to the Cool Pornographer was unified, loud, and immediate: "NO WAY!" The Cool Pornographer startled, and, for the first time in his immortal life, he looked scared.

XII

“Velvet, c’mon," Logan said. "Head for the gate!”

Velvet looked down and shook her head no.

“What? What happened?"”

“Logan, I don’t want to be nothing again. Here I am gorgeous. There I was not. Here I will be beautiful forever. There I will be plain until I die. Here men choose me constantly. There I sit around, waiting for the phone to ring. Does that sound like any kind of choice?”

"But Velvet, I love you."

"What?"

"In Erotica," Logan said, "you will always be fucked, but you will never be loved. It is as simple as that.”

Velvet was silent for a moment. Then she burst out at him.

"Oh, Logan, stay here with me. You will have me whenever you want. You and I will be young forever. Look at me." Velvet ripped open her blouse. "I now have great measurements, and I can ask for better. Where are you going to get action like me in the real world, on-demand, for free?"

"So I can ask for you now, in the middle of the lawn, in front of everybody."

"Now you’re talking— great sex, in public. And when we’re done, we’ll take our bow together before the cheering crowd.“

"And the Cool Pornographer will give me all the big stuff I need to make you a happy woman in bed."

"You’ve got the right idea. You serve me and I serve you. The C.P. has his rough spots, but he can be a great guy.” Velvet put her arms around Logan’s neck. "Kiss me, you fool." She puckered up and moved in for the beginning of a slow, warm, wonderful fuck.

"And during all this sex, or after, you will say to me, ‘Logan, I love you.’"

Velvet dropped her arms and took a step back. Her smile vanished. She looked at the floor. "Why ruin paradise?" she asked.

"Do you want to be loved?"

She was silent.

"Good-bye, Velvet."

Logan turned and walked alone toward the gate. He touched the handle.

Logan felt two arms grasp him from behind and two hands clasp around his waist. He felt two large breasts against his back. He did not have to turn around.

“Velvet, I just said good-bye. I said that for a reason.”

“Just walk! Walk forward! Walk through the gate! Walk!”

“What is going on?”

“Pull me! While I’m still sane! Pull me through!”

The pair fumbled awkwardly through the gate. They fell onto the floor of Logan’s television room.

The air through the open window smelled of grass clippings from the neighbor’s yard, the weather was a bit too warm, Logan skinned his knee, and Velvet ripped her dress. Ah, yes, home again, he thought.

XIII

Logan looked at Velvet. Her face had retransformed back to Reality. So had her hair and her body. She stood up and looked at her reflection in a mirror. She began to cry. He put his arms around her.

“This question might be bad timing, but for tonight, how about dinner and a movie?”

She dried her eyes. “Okay. That is bad timing, you moron, but, yeah, dinner and a movie sound good.” She looked at the floor. “Logan, do you still love me? Did you ever?”

“I did love you, and I still do.”

“So it wasn’t just because over there I looked like a pin-up girl?”

“No, I love you because you are one dynamite lady. You have the personal wherewithal to say no when it matters. And because you and I have been through the thick of it and we have emerged together. But there is always that extra special factor.”

“Wh-which is?”

“I think that the most absolute turn-ons are real girls.”

She extended her arms to her sides and shrugged her shoulders. She looked at him. “Well, here I am, you mortal, the real me."

"You’re beautiful, Velvet."

"The name’s really Audrey."

"Forever, you will be my beautiful Velvet."

"Logan, I love you.”