Safe Word

He was telling her about his toys. He listed things made out of metal and animal hide, things that used electricity and sparked occasionally, things that clicked and linked together. She said she was frightened and he said he would go slow, so slow that she would forget to stop him once it hurt. She said it was already hurting and she wanted him to stop. He said he stopped yesterday, that she forgot she was on a boat talking to him on the phone, and that he was still in New Jersey. She said that if he was in New Jersey, why was she still wearing a blindfold. He told her she couldn’t see because it was night, and that it was okay to go to sleep now, just close her eyes and let go.