Inclusion three

Tiny specks of red on the walls and the glass
Pale and diluted
Random droplets of water spatter across each surface
The liquid combines
Gathers mass
Then begins to fall to the floor
Leaving a small, clear trail for a moment before it is filled with more droplets
The man stills
Stands beneath the water
Raises one arm, palm against the tiled wall
It takes up some of his weight
Head tilted slightly down
Eyes closed
Breathing slow
Pause
He reaches forward with the other arm
Hand on the tap
Twist
The other tap
The spattering sound is replaced by rapid dripping
Inhale
Exhale
He doesn’t move
The woman blinks
Her eyes move to a metal bar fitted to the wall
A towel hangs from it
She stands
Moves to the cupboard
Open
Countless objects
Her eyes examine each one
Close
Turn to the door
Open and exit
Pause
Then he opens his eyes
In his peripheral vision the man sees the stains on the floor
On the tiles and on the carpet outside of the bathroom
The woman’s footfalls are very quiet
He can hear doors being opened
Drawers sighing as they roll and scrape
Listens to the sounds made by her movements
Silence
Sounds
Footfalls
Silence
He turns
Through the glass he sees the clothing he removed
Crimson liquid slowly emerging on the pale tiles beneath
Creeping rivulets that slide over the smooth surface
The woman enters and stops
Looks at the clothes
Then at the man
She holds a towel in her hands
Square and folded
Steps back slightly and leans against the basin
Lowers her arms and holds the towel by her thighs
She examines his body
The curvature of his shoulders
Forearms
Sparse covering of hair over the thighs
Slender calves
He looks at her face
At her eyes as they track about
She returns to his face
They look directly at each other

Pause
Breathing
Bodies still

He pulls at the muscles in his arm
It raises
Hand touches the shower door
Application of force
Open
He steps out onto the tile
Stands
She raises one hand, clasping the towel
He takes it
Looks down
Slowly unfolds and takes the broad material in his hands
Begins to dry himself
She watches him brush the coarse fabric over his skin
Across each part of his body
He lifts one foot
Drags the towel beneath it
Pale red wipes onto the fibres
She looks down at the blood left on the tiles from before
He looks
Examines the towel
Dries the foot again
Sets it down on an unmarked section of the floor
Lifts the other and repeats, using an unstained part of the towel
Moves his body to the clean floor
Then lowers himself
Wipes at the tiles between the shower and the door
The blood leaves pale streaks where it is not absorbed
He applies force and some of them grow more faint
Kneeling, he places the towel on top of the stained clothing
— There are clean-ones.
Her voice
He looks up at her
She gives a single motion with her head towards the apartment
Straightens the knees
Stands
Exits to look at the clothing on the floor
In the dim light from the bathroom he examines each article
Then turns to his side
— You?
She blinks
— Um,
Pause
— There wasn’t really anything. I think.
Looks down at her body
Reaches up to her face with her hands
Draws her fingers through her hair
He turns back to the clothing
Kneels
Selects articles and begins to dress

She watches his movement until he is dressed
Watches him reach up to his collarbone
Close his eyes
Open
He pans his head
Looking at the space
Comes to the kitchen
Shifts his weight and walks forward
The woman looks up at the light
Tenses the muscles about her eyes
Inhales through the nose
Pushes off from the basin
Steps into the living-space
The man is opening cupboards
Examining
Closing
Opens again
Reaches forward and withdraws two glasses
Moves to the sink and fills them with water
Turns
Walks to where the woman stands
Extends his arm
She looks at his face as she takes the glass from him
Raises it to her lips and takes a small mouthful
A brief chill descends into her chest
She hears the sounds of the man as he swallows
Lowers his head
The glass
Looks at her
His eyes move to her chest
She inhales
— I don’t know. Maybe I can just wash them.
Blink
— By hand.
Stare
Then he offers his free hand
She looks at it
At his face
Raises her eyebrows slightly
He points at the glass
She extends it towards him
He takes it, turns to the kitchen and moves
Sets the two glasses down on the counter
Turns
Returns to the woman
Stops
Pause
Silence
Then he moves again
Through the apartment space
She pivots on her feet
Watching him as he examines everything
Touching only what he has to move or open
Eventually he comes to the other rooms
Moves into them
She follows him and stands at the door
After looking about in the gloom he returns to the door and stops
She backs away slightly
He exits
Then they come to a small tiled room
Boxes on the floor
Shelving littered with moderately sized, complex shapes
Varied surfaces, textures and objects
She cannot see what he looks at
He leaves the light off
A moment of stillness
Then he reaches forward with one arm
Grasps a small rectangular shape
Turns to the door
She backs away slightly
He pauses though the way is clear
Gestures slightly with the box
She turns and moves to the living-area lit with the wash of the bathroom light
Hears his footsteps behind her
Turns
In his hand is a box of washing powder
She looks up to his face
He looks at her
Then turns again to the bathroom
Moves
She hears water striking ceramic
Walks to the door
The water is running from the faucet over the basin
He stares at it, box in hand
Forearm extended parallel to the floor
She watches the water in the basin
After a moment he extends his other arm
Lets his fingers interrupt the stream of water
Still
He moves the hand away
Pause
Then back beneath the water
Pause
Turns his head to look at her
She approaches the basin
Reaches forward
Places her palm beneath the water
Heat
She withdraws
Looks at the space surrounding the basin
Sees the plug
Her lips part
He looks at her face
Then the plug
Moves the hand from the water to take it
Sets it in place in the basin
The water begins to gather and fill
She moves her hands to the edges of her t-shirt
Clasps the edges and lifts
He watches her as she slowly undresses
Unclasps her bra as her small breasts settle
Unbuttoning her jeans slowly
Reaching down, bending, stepping out of the crumpled fabric
Straightens
Draws the articles of clothing out and lays them on the bench by the basin
He looks at the basin
Watches the water
Then moves the hand to the taps
Twist one, then the other
Drip
Drip
Silence
Stillness
The wavering surface of the water
He turns to look at the woman
Naked
Leaning on her shoulder against the wall
The arm hanging between the wall and her side
Her other hand at rest bellow the midriff at the top of her thigh
He traces the line of her wrist and palm
Fingertips
Pubic hair darkening over her skin
The shadow of her vagina beneath
Legs offset and adjusted to her lean
One foot in contact with the floor via toes and the ball of the foot, heel raised
Inhale
He looks beside the basin at the clothes
Reaches
Takes the t-shirt and places it in the water