Into the Earth By Robert S. Costic
Robert Costic has written a collection of fairy tales, "Flamethrower Fairy Tales," a novella, "Kepler's Revenge," and a collection of aphorisms, "Lightning Words," and has translated fairy tales by Theodor Storm and Friedrich Hebbel from German. All are available as ebooks everywhere.
"I'm surprised that you're making preparations now," Ross, the director of Shoenherr Funeral Home, told his client Brad as they sat over coffee at Ross' office. "You're in your 30s. Is something the matter?"
"No, no," Brad said. "It's just that I recognize that my requests are a bit on the unconventional side, and I want to make sure I'm buried according to my wishes, strange as they may seem to others. You see, I want to ensure that I have an environmentally sound burial. So I don't want any of that makeup or chemicals that are usually applied to the deceased once they die so that they give their relatives the false impression that they're merely sleeping. I'm not interested in that. When I'm dead I'm dead and I don't want to contribute any more harm to the Earth than I already have while I have been alive."
"Well we have a number of options for someone like yourself--" Ross said.
But Brad interjected, "So what I would really like is that the day after I die that you dig a hole, throw my body into it, and plant a tree on top of it -- specifically, an oak tree."
"We have biodegradable bamboo caskets--"
"No I really just want you to dump my body into a hole."
Silent for a moment, Ross asked, "Like, without anything?"
"Yeah, that would be the least wasteful. Just dump the body in the hole."
Ross looked at the floor, challenging his mind to think of a response to this unusual proposal. "You know, generally, relatives find it unsettling to see a bare body just tossed into a hole. You might consider using at least something to cover yourself so that whoever views your burial isn't upset by the experience."
"So what do you suggest?" Brad asked.
Ross thought for a moment. "I've read that some people with your inclination use a specially made body bag that encourages fungi to grow on and decompose the corpse. I've never purchased one before but I could definitely look it up and order one for you."
"I'd like that," Brad said, and he held Ross' hand and looked right into his eyes. "You know I'm putting my body in your hands."
Ross did not pull his hand away but stuttered, "Why... it's... just... part of the job."
"Wanna fuck?" Brad asked.
"Wha--"
"Might as well preview the body before you toss it in the ditch," Brad said, rubbing Ross' hand.
"Well--"
Brad threw himself on Ross. Ross' chair fell back, throwing both of them on the floor, but leaving Brad undeterred as he tore Ross' tie off and unbuttoned his shirt. Brad pulled up Ross' undershirt and sucked his nipples, throwing Ross into a state of ecstasy. Up until now Ross had been living a de facto life of celibacy, surrounding himself with the dead and dying by circumstance of his career, and only now did he find himself confronted by a passionate, virile man determined to sexually conquer him.
As Ross surrendered to the groping and kisses he couldn't help but imagine tossing Brad's lifeless corpse into a hole in the dirt and tossing a young oak tree on top of it. It lent a sense of urgency to this moment of passion, as if Ross had only this brief moment to ravish this man before he had to bury him. He hurried to take Brad's clothes off and to touch, taste, and smell every part of his body possible.
"Are you going to make love to my body when I die?" Brad asked, as if he knew what Ross was thinking.
"No, I couldn't. That... would..."
"You should do what you want with it. It'll be yours. I want you to do whatever you want to it," Brad said between kisses.
But Ross didn't want to make love to a corpse. He had handled plenty of corpses before and never felt any sexual arousal from them. He wanted to experience this healthy man's warm vitality. In this moment of bliss Brad's strange words lent Ross only a sense of urgency, as a reminder that such beauty was fleeting and would slip from his fingers into the soil. Rationally he knew that that moment might not happen for many decades, but such rationality was lost to that flood of sensations that enveloped him.
When they finished, oozing sweat, spit, and cum, they gathered themselves from the floor and left the office trying to exhibit as little of the commotion that occurred inside as possible. Before Brad left the funeral home he asked Ross, "Could I see you again?"
"Of course," Ross said.
What Ross thought would be a unique event quickly became a routine, with Brad visiting several times a week so that they could fuck in his office. Brad scheduled it and became so distracted that sometimes when he was supposed to be doing other work he would just be sitting or standing in place, fantasizing in anticipation of the next rendezvous. When Brad finally stepped in sometimes they wouldn't even say anything to each other; Ross would simply step right up to Brad and begin ravishing him.
Then one day Brad told Ross, "I'm going to be gone for a month."
"Why?" Ross asked.
"I have to travel," Brad said.
And just like that he was gone. Ross panicked. He had fallen in love with Brad and didn't know what to do without him around. If he was distracted when Brad visited, he was debilitated by his absence. He spent mornings struggling to climb out of bed, for he had nothing to look forward to that day -- certainly not work.
But then just like that Brad returned again. Ross was in his office, sitting in his chair and staring at his desk, when Brad came through the office door.
"Where were you?" Ross asked.
"I was living with grizzly bears in Alaska."
"Grizzly bears! But you could've been killed!"
"And if I had, it would only mean that you wouldn't have to dig a hole for me."
"No, it would have meant that I would have lost you! I don't want to lose you." Ross spoke with earnest desperation.
Brad clasped Ross' shoulders and looked into his eyes. "How are you going to live when you toss that oak tree on top of me?"
"I don't want to think about it," Ross said. "I just want to make love."
"Then let's make love," Brad said.
Outside tall blades of grass by the lake swayed in the blowing wind.
They smothered each other in kisses, undressed, and fucked all day.