SUSAN SCOTTO

After hearing the story I’m going to tell you, you might say that I’m crazy that the fantastic events described below couldn’t happen. But, I beg you, before you condemn me, think carefully about what you read. For he exists, and he is enchanted. I am absolutely sure, out of every ten people nine, ask them such a question, they will say that they hate cockroaches. However, I am the tenth one who loves these amazing insects, or rather, one particular cockroach, with whom, what happiness, life has brought me together. It was this meeting, about her = that I want to tell you, changed my attitude to the cockroaches.

A few years ago, I lived on the sixth floor of a rather poorly run house on the corner of Broadway and 112 = th Street, near Columbia University. And if the rental price was controlled by the municipality, but visits to cockroaches are not. I have just arrived in New York from the Midwest, where there are many isopods and cockroaches are rare. At that time, I was starting to squeal from one kind of cockroaches. And of course she was afraid to pin down their shoes. Therefore, after consulting with friends and acquaintances, I acquired a lizard = gecko, which Tim called.

We got along fine with him. Tim kept the livestock of cockroaches at an acceptable level, I made sure that there was always enough milk in his saucer, which stood under the sink. Tim's presence was reassuring, especially in the evenings. Sitting in a chair, with a book, a cigarette or working on a new story, I heard his claws rustling: he was chasing another victim. If he overtook her next to me, I heard the crunch of chitin: another cockroach found a deserved end in its mouth. This sound always gave me some sadistic pleasure. But, no matter how sad it is to admit it, even Tim could not completely destroy the six-legged parasites. Obviously, I understood this on a hot summer night.

The air conditioner broke, so I lay naked, pointing the fan at me. Lazily, already in a dream, having masturbated, fell into a sound sleep. But I woke up shortly after midnight, feeling that my right inner thigh was simultaneously scratching and tickling. Sleepy, I opened my eyes, but did not notice anything suspicious. However, the strange sensations did not disappear, moreover, they moved higher. The light of the street lamp fell on the wooden floor, grabbing the bed, that part of it, on which my feet were.

Still not understanding whether I was sleeping or awake, I could see on my hip that = something dark and oblong, about four inches long. Squinting, she looked more carefully, and then my eyes opened in horror: a giant cockroach crawled along my leg. I wanted to throw off the cockroach, jump off the bed, jerk, do at least something = that, but suddenly I realized that I could not even move. And I had nothing to do but silently, paralyzed with horror, to watch the progress of this nasty insect. And he moved further and further, tickling the skin with antennas. I would very much like all this to happen in a nightmare, but by this time I had finally woken up.

Reaching the crotch, the monster stopped and looked up. I even thought that winked at me. In disgust, I closed my eyes, gathered my will into a fist, seeking to regain the mobility of the muscles and vocal cords, but in vain. So I was lying, teasing myself with the hope that the monster would disappear when I opened my eyes again. And then again I was tickled, right between my legs, and disgust suddenly began to be replaced by more pleasant emotions.

Minutes flowed, these emotions all grew, and I, even if I was afraid of what I would see, opened one eye. Yes, the cockroach has not gone away. He rested his paws on both my legs, and his head was in continuous motion: up = down, back and forth. And the antennas swung furiously from side to side.I do not know how long I lay there, drowned in pleasure, but then, as if waking up, I tried to scream again and screamed, but not from horror, from pleasure: waves of orgasm, thanks to the cockroach, rolled over the body one after another. Never before have I experienced such sharpness of feelings. Eyelids fell, I lay exhausted, covered in sweat. And when she found her voice again, words of gratitude fell from my lips.

With all my strength, trying not to look aside, I asked: “Who are you? You are real?"

“Absolutely real,” a male voice answered with a slight European accent.

- Do you have a name?

“Casanova,” he whispered.

- You really ... Casanova.

“No, you didn't understand,” he objected. - I am Casanova.

- How can this be? - I already sat, and the cockroach moved on my knee. - Casanova lived in the eighteenth century. Moreover, he was a man.

“That's right,” the cockroach confirmed. - And, nevertheless, you see Jacques Casanova before you.

- Jacques = cockroach?

“Yes, dear,” the cockroach’s voice sounded harder. - Many husbands = cuckolds so called me in life, and fate played a cruel joke with me. I had to change the human form to cockroach.

- But not all cockroaches can do the same ... as you! - I exclaimed.

The cockroach literally swelled with pride.

“Of course not, Mademoiselle.” My abilities are unique. And in the two centuries that have passed since my death, I brought my technique to perfection.

In confirmation, I could only nod.

“All this time, in order to atone for the sins of my human life, all my treason, and I threw women countless times, I travel on the earth, giving joy to hundreds of thousands of women, just like you.

“But you can't be in one body, unless, of course, you were given immortality?”

- You're right, my cherry. I live like any other cockroach, at the same risk. I regularly crushed.

- But how are you coming back? - I was curious.

- Leaving one body, I immediately reborn in another. But I never know where I will be next time. It is not in my power. In this life I am a cockroach in New York =. And then again, and I already taraquan in Saint = Petersburg or cucaracha in Madrid. Hard, of course, but what can you do.

Suddenly I felt pity for this little black creature.

“And will you remain a cockroach forever?”

He shook his head.

- The spell will be removed from me when the number of women who have made me happy has reached one million.

- And how much more do you still lack?

- Ten.

“I am at your service,” I exclaimed sincerely and spread my legs wide. - I beg.

He smiled how cockroaches can smile.

“Ah, my dear, I would gladly serve you, but according to the conditions set for me, it must be a million different women.”

I leaned over, looked into his eyes. And behind the proud gaze of a loving cockroach, she saw a soul tormented by sufferings.

- Let me help you. Today I will invite girlfriends, we will have a party, and you can achieve the desired result without leaving my apartment.

Jacques = a cockroach climbed up my arm and “smacked” me on the cheek.

“I will look forward to this opportunity,” he bowed. - And now, my sweetie, lie down and I will show you my gratitude.

I obeyed, watching as he ran along the chest and stomach, settled between his legs.

Again he raised me to the transcendental peak of bliss, and I fell asleep. I woke up = still in the dark, from the feeling that someone = then scratching my thigh. At first, she thought that Jacques again wanted to show me her amazing abilities, but, opening her eyes, she saw an eerie sight. The skin was not scratched by my new friend, who was sleeping peacefully next to the “pussy”.

From horror, I could not even rise on my elbows, I was only enough to cry.

- Tim! Not!

But I was late. The gecko darted to Jacques with a lightning bolt and, with jaws sharp with a razor, snapped off the cockroach's head. I closed my eyes, not wanting to witness the death of my beloved. And then bitterly burst into tears.Through tears, I saw Tim proudly crush the decapitated cockroach with his paw, and one antenna sticks out of its mouth. He seemed to be waiting for praise for the perfect feat, but I angrily threw him out of bed and put the remains of Jacques on my palm.

- Dear Jacques, - I cried, - forgive me. I'm so selfish. If I thought not only about my own pleasure, I could save you.

But then I remembered the words of a cockroach. Well, of course! Today he died here, there could not be two opinions here, but he died so that he would immediately be reborn where = something else. And this meant ... I continued to stroke a tiny corpse with my finger ... that Jacques and I ... could meet again if I could find him.

And from that fateful night I wander around the world in search of the cockroach of my dream. A long time ago, I quit my job, I live on interest from the inheritance left by me so by the way, a deceased rich aunt. Money is small, I can rent a room or a room only in the cheapest hotels and guesthouses, but it suits me because there are cockroaches in abundance. Ah, where only I did not have to go over the years. I stared at cockroach for countless times, but they responded to my call with silence. Friends who sometimes see me say that I have changed. They are terrified of my pallor, of the piercing of my gaze.

While searches have not brought results, but I do not despair. Looking forward to every cockroach I have met. Because I do not know where and when I can find my dear Jacques. But I will find him, let it take my whole life.

Perhaps my words did not convince you and you think that I have lost my mind. But, I beg of you, think about it before crushing another cockroach, which creeps quietly through your bed sheet on a dark night. Perhaps this is the cockroach I told you about. And please, if you find him, notify me immediately with an urgent telegram, because he is a very good, amazing cockroach.

Translated from English by Victor Weber SUSAN SCOTTO THE MAGIC COCKRACH