And more towels strewn about on the floor, stiff with what I knew had to be dried blood. And in the middle of the table itself, mostly covered by yet ...nother towel, was my poor cat, unmoving."Oh," burst out of me inadequately. I stopped dead still for a moment and stared.What in God's name had I done?Last night's dream flooded back to me. It had all seemed so vivid. Somehow I must have started sleepwalking, and got up and grabbed the cat and put him on the table and——and cut him up and killed. I can already feel her nakedness and heat. She groans and bucks, clampingher legs together, but I manage to skin the short black skirt up above herhips, exposing her panties, sapphire blue. "God, look at you!" I whisper in her ear as we fight together. "You're skirt'sup around your waist, your panties are showing. Anyone who walks by the vanwill see what a hot slut you are; will see how much you love being treatedlike this. Is that what you want? You want me to call some people over to seethe. " I'm sorry I said anything. I could get this from mom." Ouch," I said. "Point taken. You don't have to be mean about it," Ijoked, which got a smile. "Anyway, sorry. So tell me about Sam." Samwas a tenth grader. He was into comics, graphic novels and anime andSarah, like girls from time immemorial, wanted to learn about what heliked. I remembered Lindsay Steinmetz, a girl in eighth grade, whostarted liking the Knicks because my friend Mike did. It didn't work.He thought she was fat. I. The favourite of His Magnificence, the Emir Mahmoud Abdullah, my Master, may he live for ever, is Gilda's aria Caro Nome from Rigoletto. I have heard it on a real stage, twice. The first time was in the Theâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels and the second was in the Sydney Opera House. If that is as the Master wishes?" When were you in Brussels and Australia?" asked Henry, curious that a harem concubine who looked to be well under thirty should be so well travelled."My Master, the Emir, may he live.