“The Question" by Jessamyn Violet
Chapter 2 of her new novel: “Venice Peach"
2.
THE QUESTION
The supermoon hung low over the limitless stretch of the Pacific, its reflection like a shattered plate over the churning waves. The wind’s jagged grasp carved up the water, smashing it onto the shore in frothy spews. Seagulls hovered in the sky, shrieking, bobbing and fighting the invisible currents that crisscrossed the shoreline.
A strange and wonky energy tugged and pushed at all those wandering the Venice Beach boardwalk at dusk. Drifters and vagrants scattered in search of shelter. Robotic security scanned the souvenir shops as the owners shuttered their doors and windows, preparing for a tumultuous night of hot gusts blowing in from Santa Ana. Airborne grit and grime coated the heaping piles of abandoned technology and covered benches and turbo-tennis courts like dirty snow. Outside gyms and the silicone skate bowl grew littered with fallen palm fronds and feathers.
From an alley behind the boardwalk, a lone woman with her head wrapped in a silk scarf darted inside a juice and smoothie stand marked only with a spray-painted peach, just as the employee inside moved to lock the front door.
“I need to see Ellie,” the young woman said. “It’s an emergency.”
The employee simply nodded as the woman moved past her and disappeared behind the door marked “EMPLOYEES ONLY.” Inside the office, the woman punched a code into the keypad that prompted the entire shelf to swivel to reveal a set of narrow, dimly-lit steps leading down to what looked like a dungeon. She plunged down the stairs without any hesitation.
The underground Venice Peach Freak Circus was especially empty that night, with just a few Venice clowns who sat at the bar, sipping drinks dejectedly. Hunky, the one with the prison-striped ball nose and giant floppy ears covered with barbaric piercings, honked at the sight of her.
“Odessa! You’re a sight for sore ears.” He wiggled his huge, pierced-up ears.
“Hi, Hunky.”
“What about me?!” asked the green-haired clown with a patchwork bodysuit of a million tattoos, wearing only a black leather loincloth.
“Hey, Punky. Sorry guys, can’t chat right now.”
She hurried on down to the end of the bar where their fearless ringmaster Ellie Delight sat at a barstool, wearing its trademark bejeweled top hat and suit, running the books through its own untraceable program.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Odessa said breathlessly as Ellie looked up. “I saw something in my dreams, and I need to know if it’s going to happen.”
“It is not a good night to go peering into alternate worlds,” The psychic ringmaster said firmly. “The portals are especially thin on windy supermoons. Even a slight tear can set loose total chaos between every existing dimension. Besides,” it added. “I can sense something is off with both you and the universe right now.”
“But this is an emergency. I have to know.”
“Why do you need to know?”
“It could be life or death.”
Ellie smiled grimly as it removed a deck of tarot cards from the inside pocket of the jacket. “My dear, it is always a matter of life or death. But I am going to indulge you because you are one of us, though sadly still so very human in your flaws. What is your question?”
Odessa leaned over and whispered it into the ringmaster’s ear microphone. Ellie’s face did not change as the androgynous humanlike robot lay out the cards in a wave formation.
“Pick one,” Ellie said somberly.
Odessa reached over and selected a card with a shaky hand. Ellie turned it over.
It was The Fool.
At that exact moment, there was a crack of thunder so loud it sounded like the place had been bombed. The lanterns flickered over the bottles behind the bar. The one-handed jazz pianist fisted the low end of the baby grand piano onstage. The clowns honked and hawed from their barstools.
“I’m afraid you should have stayed home this evening,” Ellie said darkly.
“Why?”
“Your foolish question has summoned superdoom on the next supermoon.”
Odessa’s eyes widened. “For just me?”
“For us all. Now GO HOME, Odessa.”
“I’m so sorry, Ellie.” Odessa bowed her head, a tear running down her cheek. The ringmaster just waved Odessa off and closed its eyes.
As she hurried to leave, the prophetic typewriter poet handed her a slip of paper.
“Take this,” they said.
“What is it?” Odessa felt a shock of electricity run through her as she took it from their slender hand.
“A transmission from the supermoon,” they replied, peering up at her with wide eyes through wire-rimmed spectacles. “It just came in. I think it’s for you.”
She folded it into her pocket and braced herself for the windy walk home.
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BIO:
Jessamyn Violet is an author and musician out of Venice Beach, CA. Originally from Massachusetts, she graduated with a BFA in Writing, Literature and Publishing from Emerson College. She went on to earn an MFA in Creative Writing from California College of the Arts. Her debut novel Secret Rules to Being a Rockstar was published by Three Rooms Press in April 2023. Her sophomore adult novel Venice Peach is forthcoming from Maudlin House press June 10th, 2025. Her short fiction is featured in Ploughshares, Lit Angels, 805 Art + Lit, Adelaide. She is also the drummer for the psychedelic rock band Movie Club. More info can be found at jessamynviolet.com.