Fistful of Feet by Jordan Krall

walked back to her room. As she sat on her bed, she wondered if she’d ever get married and have children. An image of her future popped into her head. She saw herself making dinner for a group of baby starfish who were seated around a table.
       As she fantasized, her nausea subsided. June could feel her strength coming back. Her skin didn’t feel so hot and clammy. It was time to get back to earning some money.
       June freshened up, feeling more and more normal as she did so. In the back of her mind, she still thought about raising a family of baby starfish but now it was only a slight fantasy. When she was done getting ready, she walked downstairs and perused the room. There were a few strangers in the place and a few of them looked interesting. One in particular caught her eye. It was another handsome stranger, but not the one that Betty had been talking to.
       This stranger was tall and swarthy. He looked like he was one of those Italians. The man looked strong, too, as if he could ravage her for hours without breaking a sweat. June thought how nice it would be to stick her four feet in his face, make him lick her dirty toes.
       June wiggled her ass and made sure to keep the man in view. She hopped up onto the bar and sat there waiting for him look over at her. When he did, June would use all her feminine charms to lure him over.
    * * *
       When Bluford came back from the General Store, he decided to finally visit the brothel. He was sitting at the bar when he saw the guy in the donkey mask. The man had come in with two other men. One was old and bearded while the other was tall and olive-skinned. It was a strange but intriguing trio. Bluford knew something was going to happen. There was just something about those men. So when the swarthy man walked over to the bar, Bluford said, “Excuse me, sir. Buy you a drink?”
       The man looked over but said nothing.
       That did not deter Bluford. “I’m sorry for bothering you. Just passing through?”
       “None of your goddamn business.”
       “The reason why I’m asking is because I can see you’re a traveler like me and…”
       “Shut up, will you?” The man was visibly agitated.
       Bluford said, “Got it.” He asked the bartender for a bottle of whiskey and then poured the man a drink. “Want that drink? Consider it payment for bothering you.”
       Some of the agitation left the man’s face. He took the drink.
       “My name is Bluford, by the way.”
       The man grunted. He took another drink and when he realized that Bluford was waiting for his name, he said, “Sergio.”
       “Pleasure to meet you, Sergio.”
       That was the extent of the conversation because then Sergio walked away and joined his friends.
       Bluford was disappointed. He wanted to know more about the man because he and his partners looked like they had a purpose for being in town. Men who were planning on taking money from people always had the same look. There was an intensity there that many people weren’t able to see but a professional confidence man could spot it pretty easily. Bluford wanted to know exactly what they were planning.
       And whether he could benefit from it.
    * * *
       Leonard was just about to take his first sip of whiskey when Clayton slapped him on the back.
       “Hey old man, get a look at these girls! Really something, right? Makes my mouth water.”
       “Yeah, they’re pretty.”
       “Just pretty? They’re goddamn angels!” Clayton turned to Sergio. “What do you think? You like them?”
       Sergio was holding a glass of whiskey up to his lips without taking a drink. He was taking in the sights slowly, taking time to look at each and every whore. If he was going to spend money to be with a girl, he didn’t want his decision to be a rash one.
       “Yeah, Clayton. They’re angels,” Sergio said. “They just won’t stay that way after you get to them,