“That was the last time I got an erection, when Sierra was killed. That’s why I thought it would be fitting for my penis to be the center of the collection,” Hex said. “I’d cut it off years ago. The moment I got my first big check, I’m talking six figures, I jumped on an airplane, told Al I was going on vacation, headed over to a private hospital in Mexico, and had my penis surgically removed. It was the best thing I’d done.”
“Hello?” Alvarez’s voice came over the line.
My body relaxed a little. “Get a nurse, EMT, and police. The door should be open in the studio where we are trapped, but Hex took some sleeping pills. He’s trying to kill himself. I think they all are.”
“Who?” Alvarez sounded like he was running. I looked at the camera. He was no longer in the room and now raced down the stairs, wagging his hands at servants walking by.
“All of the artists a part of this installation. They are all going to kill themselves.”
“How is Hex?” Alvarez asked.
“He’s talking about what his dad did to those women and going on about how he always wanted to die.”
“No.” Alvarez’s voice sounded sad and worried. “Please don’t leave him. Please.”
“I won’t. I’m staying right here.” I kept the phone to my ear and walked over to Hex. The old phone’s cord extended and allowed me to make it to him without disconnecting the call. I grabbed Hex’s hand and held it. “Hex, everything will be okay.”
“Of course it will. I’ll bet there’s love on the other side.”
“There’s love on this side, too.”
“Not much.”
I wiped away my tears. “Don’t say that.”
“Stop crying. You should be happy for me. Don’t let my last image of this world be tears on your face. I love to see you smile.”
I forced myself to smile for him.
“Now that’s beautiful. Turn up and smile for the collection. There’s a camera right there.” Hex pointed to the ceiling with his free hand. “Show them there’s hope.”
“Show who?”
“The future viewers. The ones who will see this collection after I’m gone. Show the young mad genius that will be inspired by it all. Show him there’s hope.”
I turned toward the camera and managed to keep my weak smile on my face.
“I have a whole segment dedicated to you. My angel of death. The final floor will end with your video footage. I have images of you coming onto the property. The taxi cab driver who took pictures of you at the gate, that’s my video guy. He’s talented. He tried acting, but failed at it.”
“What? The one who took pictures of me on his phone?”
“Yes. That picture is what the viewers will see on the third level, the pretty angel in the sunshine dress with long, flowing hair. I have film of you walking onto the property as I sing in the trees, scenes of you talking about movies, all of your dancing at my party, the kiss you had with my brother, your lovemaking at the beach.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s dark of course. My guy had a mini camera. All you can see are two distant images in the moonlight, but looking at it you just know something magical is happening.”
“You taped it all?”
“Everything. Your whole time here will be on the third level.”
“Why?”
“Because you know how to live, Elle. Whatever Michael did to you made you strong and want to strive for more. When you came here you lived like your life depended on it. That’s what I want the viewers to see last, the hope and the desire to move on after despair. My friends and I didn’t know how to show it. We never learned how to move on, but you did. I’m glad you came. I had no idea what your place would be with us, but you completed the whole collection.”
And then Hex closed his eyes and died right there.
Epilogue
Alvarez
My yacht journeyed through dark waters with only the moon to guide its path. I had a small staff steering and managing the vessel. I lay on my back, listening to the sound of waves splashing against themselves, within the stillness that one can only get in the middle of the ocean.
Thousands of stars glittered in the sky. They twinkled at me. It hurt to witness their mysterious beauty when the cost to see them had been so high. Of course, I didn’t pay the price. Hex did. But still, I felt the loss deep inside of me.
Nothing hurts like the death of a loved one. I was angry, in pain, and numb to many things. The fact that the stars had dragged me out of my lower deck bedroom and kept my attention for these peaceful moments could only be due to the sweet medicine lying in my bed below.