The air was cold and still; covered in darkness. The only light came from the lamp that shone on her desk. Typing broke the silence as she began to write her story. It was late evening; well past office hours. Natasha was alone, except for George, the new janitor, whose day had just begun. As she sat at her desk, she glanced out the window to try and recall how she had gotten to that moment. It was all still a blur.
It began on a Friday night. At a time when most people spent their hours with their families, Natasha was getting ready to go to work. She was a journalist with one of the city’s largest selling newspapers. In her room now, Natasha was dressing to go to the opening of a new night club, ‘Blanc,’ known to be the latest projects of one of the most notorious architects in the city. As she put on her make-up, she couldn’t help but wonder how and why she was covering a beat she disliked so much.
She was after all, young, with a bright future ahead. She could be anything she wanted; she was intelligent and had the looks of a beauty queen. Natasha was tall, slender with gorgeous long legs. Her silky smooth complexion took on a blushing pink whenever she smiled. She wore her long and silky brown hair over her shoulders every time she went out. There was always a sparkle in her blue-green eyes that seemed to brighten everyday. There was just one problem though. She hated the person she had become.
She glanced at her reflection in the full-length mirror one last time before leaving. She looked stunning in her little black dress and she was proud of her appearance. Grabbing her keys, handbag and coat, Natasha was ready for the night. She was blowing off a date with Michael to cover this story, something he didn’t like at all. He never understood her wanting to become a journalist and didn’t approve one bit. He constantly nagged her about not having time to spend with him and how he thought her job was getting in the way of their relationship. She would have to worry about that later though. Right now she was late and Bryan, the photographer assigned to the story was already waiting below with a cab.
Bryan was tall, with an athletic build. He was tanned because he spent most of his free time mountain climbing. His golden brown hair fell on his gentle, yet manly features in a way that would make a woman stop dead in her tracks. His piercing blue eyes gave looks of such fierce intensity, enough to give him what he wanted and ward off danger. And yet, here he was, waiting for the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, “Wow! You’re beautiful!” She smiled back, “Thanks Bryan. Any idea where that stupid club is?” Bryan nodded in a way that showed that he was as clueless as she was, as he held the door open for her. When they were finally on their way, he said, “Don’t look so upset, I’m sure Michael will come around. And don’t worry, the driver knows exactly where to take us.” Natasha smiled weakly as she wondered how he knew what was bothering her. Just as she was about to ask him, they turned a corner to a place that could only be described as a ‘Red Carpet’ event.
“Are we in the right place?” Bryan asked, looking a little flushed. He was new to this job and wasn’t accustomed to so much paparazzi, despite being a photographer himself. The cab pulled up in front of Blanc, an impossibly extravagant building, with flashing lights, and abuzz with celebrities. Not to mention a line that stretched across half the block. Everyone wanted to enter and be part of the action. Bouncers blocked the entryway but that wouldn’t be a problem for her. She would have no trouble getting in. She was Natasha Richards. At 23, she had become a recognisable face and everybody knew her name.
Bryan disappeared into the crowds but Natasha's status meant that she had to make an entrance. The crowds watched as she moved into the smoky haze. Someone stood in the shadows, carefully watching her every move. She looked so beautiful in the black dress that Michael had given her. 'Natty, beautiful Natty.' He wanted to hold her so much but that would have to wait for later. He had a plan to make her his for all eternity.
“Hello Ms. Richards. How are you this evening?” Natasha smiled at the unfamiliar face she saw greet her. “Thank you... Bobby, I’m fine” she replied with a smile after reading his name tag. As she entered, a familiar scene of blaring music and drunken girls falling over their dates hit her. She had seen this one too many times to know what was going to happen next. They would either run to the bathrooms and throw up or end up all over their dates, their lips locked in sloppy kisses.
Showing up fashionably late everywhere she went was now a habit with her. She knew that all the excitement would begin late anyway. As she walked in, her phone began to ring. It was Jack, her Managing Editor, checking in to see if she had gone to review the club as ordered. After he was convinced, she decided to walk around but her phone rang again. “Natasha Richards,” she said answering the call. “Nat it’s me.” She recognised his voice immediately. “Hey baby, I was just thinking of you. What are you up to?” “I’m outside. I need to talk to you now!” he replied. “Alright, alright. Calm down. I’ll be right out. Jeez!” Natasha was afraid of what Michael would say to her for blowing him off and then, wearing the dress she'd promised to save for his sister’s wedding. Walking out, she saw him leaning against one of the pillars and the smile she had quickly vanished, seeing the pained look he had on his face. As she drew nearer, she noticed he had been crying. “What’s wrong?” Michael hesitated as he spoke. “I-i-it’s mum. She’s been rushed to the hospital. I, I don’t know what’s wrong. I have to go home for a while.” Natasha felt silly for worrying about her problems when she realised what had happened. “Michael, go. I love you and if you need anything just let me know ok?” Michael tried to smile but Natasha knew it must be difficult. She embraced him tightly and he began sobbing again. After he finished he took a deep breath and looked at her. “You look beautiful.” She smiled and kissed him gently on his lips.
Standing in the shadows he began to clench his fists with jealousy. That was his girl Michael was holding. He couldn’t let this happen anymore, he wouldn’t. He had to do something quick. Natasha noticed a little movement out the corner of her eye but couldn’t make out who was standing there. ‘She’s looking at me. I better slip deeper into the darkness.’
As Natasha saw Michael to a cab and walked back in, she noticed something emerging from the shadows and taking off. She was a little curious but shrugged it off and went back inside. She decided it was time she had a drink to forget the conversation. She walked up to the bar and ordered a Cosmopolitan. The barman handed her the drink adding with a wink, “Ms. Richards, I hope you like it strong.” She smiled, very aware that he was flirting with her. Maybe that’s exactly what she needed. A little playful conversation with a cute barman would probably cheer her up. As she finished her drink and ordered another one, she wondered where Bryan had disappeared to. ‘He’s probably busy taking all the pictures he can get.’ But the thought stayed with her through the rest of the evening.
On the other side of town, Michael’s cab pulled up in front of his apartment building. As he got out and paid the cab. He walked towards the entrance but stopped in his tracks, ‘Are those footsteps behind me?’ It wasn’t that late, just around a half past twelve but the street was eerily empty for a Friday night. He shunned the thought and walked up the stairs. He stopped where he was a couple of times, thinking he was being followed but when he was certain it was just his imagination, he continued to where he was headed. He was at his front door and began fishing for his keys. Just then, someone snuck up behind him, and held his mouth to stop him from screaming and forced him into his apartment. Michael tried to fight him off but he was too weak from sobbing and worrying about his mother. The man had on a ski mask that Michael managed to take off during his struggle. He knew his attacker. He had seen him so many times before. Michael tried to grab the telephone but the man kicked his hand, throwing the telephone to one corner. He pulled out a knife and slowly walked towards Michael, the blade shining in the little light that fell in from the street. Michael tried to scream for help but his attacker got to him before anybody else could hear him. He stabbed him over and over until all that could be seen was a pool of blood. The killer moved his body into the bedroom, cleaned the blood off the floor and locked the door behind him. Nobody would ever know. Michael Williams died at 1.24 a.m that night. As for the killer, he was free to roam about town undetected.
Natasha walked around the club, trying to take in the ambience and get a feel of the place, a technique she used when she gathered material for her stories. As she was walking past the VIP section, Mr. Burke, the owner, came up to her. “Hello Natasha. Well aren’t you stunning this evening?” Natasha’s cheeks began to turn pink. “Thank you Mr. Burke. You’re looking pretty sharp yourself. Nice party. Congratulations.” Frank Burke, the town’s most notorious architect seemed upbeat and excited. A man who got anything he wanted, at any cost, seemed smitten by Natasha. “Why don’t you join me and my associates? It’ll definitely be better than staring at old bald men for the rest of the night.” She thought for a second, “Maybe a little later, after I’ve gathered enough ammo for my story.” He smiled mischievously and waved goodbye. For someone who was feared all across town, he sure had a boyish charm to him.
As she watched everyone dance on a glass floor surrounded by blue neon lights, she started to feel a little dizzy. Someone grabbed hold of her and pulled her to one corner. It was Bryan. “Hey,” she said in a voice that gave signs that she had had a little too much to drink, “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” He smiled at her and asked, “How many of those have you had?” pointing to her glass. “I saw you go out to talk to Michael and then you disappeared. Is everything alright?” She looked up at him with sadness in her eyes. She was so beautiful. Even when she was upset, she could melt his heart. The perfume she wore alone was enough. “Michael’s mother is sick. He’s on his way back home. I just hope she’s ok....” Her voice trailed off and she was silent for a few minutes. “What time is it?” she asked so suddenly that it gave him a little start. Bryan looked at his watch, still not letting her go. “It’s 2.30. It’s late and we better be off. I’ll drop you and then carry on home.” They started for the exit, dodging the sea of people spilling into Blanc.
Bryan held her close as he guided her out of the growing crowd and onto the streets. The night air was chilly and he saw her begin to shiver. He pressed his body closer to her and slowly walked off to find a cab. She was too drunk to notice that she was almost being carried off by someone who she had known for only a week. She didn’t care. In the cab, she leaned in close to him and rested her tired head, almost drifting off. He smiled as her head touched his chest. ‘I’m holding Natasha Richards. She’s in my arms’ he thought. He desperately tried to hold back from kissing her. As her apartment building drew nearer, he felt a pinch close to his heart, knowing he wouldn’t be holding her any longer. He walked her up the stairs and laid her head on her pillow and as he turned, she grabbed hold of his hand and whispered, “Stay with me.” His heart beat faster and he was choking on his words. He managed a weak smile and sat down on her bed. If there was any chance with Natasha, this was it. After all, he deserved a chance with her as much as anybody else. Every woman he met wanted him but he would have none of them. The only person he cared about was Natasha and he wanted to wait for her. His wait was finally over.
Here he was, sitting in her bedroom as she lay gently asleep, intoxicated and waiting for him to hold her. He bent over and kissed her gently. Her soft, luscious lips beckoning him to continue. He leaned in for a longer one, this time feeling her respond. His heart thumped faster, and his kisses grew more intense and strong. It didn't take long for things to heat up. He was now lying on top of her, keenly aware of her pressing against his chest. His kisses had a hunger which made her forget where she was. All she wanted to do was to feel sensual pleasure. His hands made their way across the length of her figure, feeling every curve of her body. As his hands inched their way to her back, he felt her move even closer, pressing her body as close as she could, against his. He unzipped her dress and let it slip of her shoulders as he continued to caress. His lips moving across her sweaty body had her screaming with pleasure. They were locked in a passionate embrace, on silk sheets that only intensified the steamy love they were making. They held each other, naked under the covers, with her hair falling over the pillow, she whispered “I love you Michael,” as she drifted into a deep sleep. ‘Michael? How can she still be thinking of him after what we just shared? I’m going to have to prove to her that she needs to be with me. She deserves to be loved by someone who would truly appreciate her.’ But right now that was something he had to worry about later. He had just made love to Natasha Richards.
Natasha awoke to an empty bed, naked under the covers, wondering how she got there. The previous night was a blur. She remembered talking to Michael but had they come home together? She couldn’t remember a thing but that was the least of her worries. She had a splitting headache and she was two hours late for work.
Natasha reached her office building in a hurry, with a headache that was painful enough to kill. A bad hangover from too many Cosmopolitans. She had already taken two aspirins but nothing seemed to help the pain subside. She was running behind and would miss her deadline if she didn’t get a crack on things. On her way up, Bob, the janitor greeted her with a friendly smile but she didn’t notice him in her haste. Bryan strolled into her office with a big smile on his face, holding the prints from last nights party, “How’s your head this morning?” Natasha barely lifted her eyes from her computer screen and shrugged off the question. “Someone’s a ray of sunshine,” he added sarcastically. Natasha was in no mood to make small talk. She was late with her assignment and last night’s events were still hazy. “Hey Bryan,” she managed to say in an uninterested voice. “What’s wrong with you Natasha?” Bryan seemed pretty upset at her lack of interest. ‘Just last night she could not get enough of him and now she was completely indifferent. Maybe he needed to refresh her memory,’ he thought angrily. “I don’t know. I just can’t remember what happened last night. I don’t remember how I got home. I’m just a little freaked out, that’s all,” Natasha said with a confused stare.
Just then, Jack walked in and demanded to know how the story was progressing. “We need that story Nat.” Jack 'Magnet' Bing was the editor, a stocky man in his mid 40’s. He was fair, with light brown eyes, balding at the centre of his head. Everyone who knew him was instantly drawn to him. His intelligence and domineering personality made him a force to be reckoned with. Nonetheless there was just something about him that made him a good guy. This morning however, Jack was not in a passive mood. He was on a deadline and nobody was going to keep him from making it.
Jack was about to say something when he was rudely interrupted by Natasha’s phone. “Natasha Richards,” she said as she answered the call. “Natasha its Katherine. Do you have any idea where Michael is? He was supposed to be home hours ago but he hasn’t shown up yet. I’ve tried calling his phone a gazillion times but he’s not picking up!” Natasha look puzzled. “Katherine, hi. I don’t remember where he is. Honestly, last night is a blur. I remember talking to him but the conversation is hazy. He did mention something about your mum being in the hospital but...” her voice trailed off as she tried hard to remember what he had said. Bryan jumped up, making an excuse about having to develop the pictures for another story and he left in a huff. “What’s wrong with him?” Jack wondered. Natasha didn’t care why he left so abruptly. She was more worried about Michael. After the call ended, she stood up and told jack, almost breathlessly, “My story’s on your desk. Make the changes you need to. That was Michael’s sister and she sounded worried. I have to see if everything’s alright.” Never before had Jack seen Natasha so worried and he didn’t have the heart to stop her.
Natasha waved a cab and rushed to Michael’s apartment building. She ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. When she reached his apartment floor, she felt something wrong and rushed to his door. She rang the door bell a couple of times before she pounded on it as hard as she could. The door flew open with a force. His apartment was dark. As she slowly made her way across the hallway, she realised his curtains had been drawn as if he had just left for a short holiday. There was the stench of stale air all over, giving her a feeling that made her sick to her stomach. As she entered Michael’s bedroom, she noticed that the picture he kept on the nightstand from one of their many weekend getaways was missing. She turned around and suddenly saw something that she would never forget; Michael’s lifeless body, covered in blood, perched up in one corner of the room. She turned to run into the bathroom when she noticed someone standing in the doorway.
He held out the photo frame, his finger tracing the outline of her face. “It should have been you and me instead of him. But that’s not gonna matter now. He’s gone and he’s never coming back. I came here to finish the job. Did you know, he squealed like a little girl when I drove that knife through his stomach? I didn’t know where to get rid of the body so I had to leave him here till I found a place.” His face was still in shadows and she couldn’t see who it was. But there was something about his voice, something she recognised but couldn’t quite put her finger on. Then he emerged from the shadows. She couldn’t believe the face she saw in front of her. Maybe it was the aspirin that was making her hallucinate. She knew who he was and had seen that smile many times before. It was Bob, the janitor. She began to choke with fear. “Don’t you see why I did this? He was in the way of us being together. How could you ever love me if you were with him? And then there was that stupid Bryan who you slept with last night. I watched how he ravaged your body as you screamed in delight. I’ll have to take care of him too.”
What happened last night now suddenly came screaming back to her. She couldn’t believe what he was saying. “No you’re lying. You’re nothing but a fucking liar!” she screamed and began to run toward the door. He tried to grab a hold of her hand but she was too quick for him. She pushed him aside, and he fell to the ground as she tried to run out of the apartment. He grabbed a hold of her ankle, making her trip and fall on the wooden floor. As he roughly pulled her towards him, she managed to kick him hard in the ribs and started off again. She reached the door but it was locked. ‘The key must be in his pocket.’ She hid in the closet by the door. Searching for a weapon in the dark, she grabbed hold of Michael’s baseball bat. She was waiting for him to find her.
In the hallway she heard him move. His foot steps inched their way closer to her. “Come out, come out wherever you are.” He was in a playful mood. “I promise I won’t bite. Natty, beautiful Natty.” She stood still, hidden behind the coats. He was going to find her very soon but she wasn’t going to let him hurt her. When that door opened, she would swing the bat as hard as she could. The footsteps stopped just outside the closet door, waiting for some signs of movement but she held her breath and refused to give away her hiding place.
A few moments of silence passed. She wondered where he was. Just then, the closet door swung open and he pulled her out. He pushed her against the wall. “You shouldn’t have done that Natty. You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.” He had her throat in his hands and he squeezed her delicate neck. He suddenly began kissing her, forcing his tongue into her mouth. She was choking and she had to loosen his grip. With his body pressed up against hers, she couldn’t do much. She was still holding Michael’s bat but he had her pinned in way that she couldn’t move her arms. She decided that this was the only way she could escape. Gathering all the strength she could, she kneed him in his crotch. He fell to the ground, cupping his balls in his hands. With all the force she could muster, she swung the bat, hitting him hard on his head. He lay unconscious on the wooden floor and a small pool of blood began to collect around his head. She tried to catch her breath, but she needed to work fast. She grabbed the keys from his pocket and ran out the apartment, locking the door behind her. If he was going to be caught, this was the only way he wouldn’t escape. She ran to the nearest police station and frantically narrated the entire story, returning soon after to Michael’s apartment with a number of police officers but Bob was gone. He had broken the bedroom windows and climbed down the fire escape.
Six months had passed. There was no trace of him. The police were still out looking, but were slowly losing interest in the case. Michael’s death had caused quite a stir in her office. Since that day, Natasha lived in fear of her life. She still felt a stabbing fear whenever she found herself alone. She could still feel his finger wrapped around her neck. As she looked out the window at the traffic lights, tears rolled down her cheeks. She had lost the man she loved and he was never coming back. Her eyes had lost their sparkle. She would get her revenge. This was one story she was going to tell the world and no one was going to stop her.
It was 11.30 p.m and she was just about done. Shutting the lights in her corner office, she closed the door and started for the elevators. Her heels clicked against the cool, hard surface as she walked on the marble floor. “Am I hearing things?” She thought she heard her name being called. Then she heard it again. A voice she tried very hard to forget was suddenly ringing in her ears, “Natty, beautiful Natty.” She refused to believe it or turn around. ‘It can’t be him. It just can’t.’ But then she saw him. Bob was back.
It began on a Friday night. At a time when most people spent their hours with their families, Natasha was getting ready to go to work. She was a journalist with one of the city’s largest selling newspapers. In her room now, Natasha was dressing to go to the opening of a new night club, ‘Blanc,’ known to be the latest projects of one of the most notorious architects in the city. As she put on her make-up, she couldn’t help but wonder how and why she was covering a beat she disliked so much.
She was after all, young, with a bright future ahead. She could be anything she wanted; she was intelligent and had the looks of a beauty queen. Natasha was tall, slender with gorgeous long legs. Her silky smooth complexion took on a blushing pink whenever she smiled. She wore her long and silky brown hair over her shoulders every time she went out. There was always a sparkle in her blue-green eyes that seemed to brighten everyday. There was just one problem though. She hated the person she had become.
She glanced at her reflection in the full-length mirror one last time before leaving. She looked stunning in her little black dress and she was proud of her appearance. Grabbing her keys, handbag and coat, Natasha was ready for the night. She was blowing off a date with Michael to cover this story, something he didn’t like at all. He never understood her wanting to become a journalist and didn’t approve one bit. He constantly nagged her about not having time to spend with him and how he thought her job was getting in the way of their relationship. She would have to worry about that later though. Right now she was late and Bryan, the photographer assigned to the story was already waiting below with a cab.
Bryan was tall, with an athletic build. He was tanned because he spent most of his free time mountain climbing. His golden brown hair fell on his gentle, yet manly features in a way that would make a woman stop dead in her tracks. His piercing blue eyes gave looks of such fierce intensity, enough to give him what he wanted and ward off danger. And yet, here he was, waiting for the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, “Wow! You’re beautiful!” She smiled back, “Thanks Bryan. Any idea where that stupid club is?” Bryan nodded in a way that showed that he was as clueless as she was, as he held the door open for her. When they were finally on their way, he said, “Don’t look so upset, I’m sure Michael will come around. And don’t worry, the driver knows exactly where to take us.” Natasha smiled weakly as she wondered how he knew what was bothering her. Just as she was about to ask him, they turned a corner to a place that could only be described as a ‘Red Carpet’ event.
“Are we in the right place?” Bryan asked, looking a little flushed. He was new to this job and wasn’t accustomed to so much paparazzi, despite being a photographer himself. The cab pulled up in front of Blanc, an impossibly extravagant building, with flashing lights, and abuzz with celebrities. Not to mention a line that stretched across half the block. Everyone wanted to enter and be part of the action. Bouncers blocked the entryway but that wouldn’t be a problem for her. She would have no trouble getting in. She was Natasha Richards. At 23, she had become a recognisable face and everybody knew her name.
Bryan disappeared into the crowds but Natasha's status meant that she had to make an entrance. The crowds watched as she moved into the smoky haze. Someone stood in the shadows, carefully watching her every move. She looked so beautiful in the black dress that Michael had given her. 'Natty, beautiful Natty.' He wanted to hold her so much but that would have to wait for later. He had a plan to make her his for all eternity.
“Hello Ms. Richards. How are you this evening?” Natasha smiled at the unfamiliar face she saw greet her. “Thank you... Bobby, I’m fine” she replied with a smile after reading his name tag. As she entered, a familiar scene of blaring music and drunken girls falling over their dates hit her. She had seen this one too many times to know what was going to happen next. They would either run to the bathrooms and throw up or end up all over their dates, their lips locked in sloppy kisses.
Showing up fashionably late everywhere she went was now a habit with her. She knew that all the excitement would begin late anyway. As she walked in, her phone began to ring. It was Jack, her Managing Editor, checking in to see if she had gone to review the club as ordered. After he was convinced, she decided to walk around but her phone rang again. “Natasha Richards,” she said answering the call. “Nat it’s me.” She recognised his voice immediately. “Hey baby, I was just thinking of you. What are you up to?” “I’m outside. I need to talk to you now!” he replied. “Alright, alright. Calm down. I’ll be right out. Jeez!” Natasha was afraid of what Michael would say to her for blowing him off and then, wearing the dress she'd promised to save for his sister’s wedding. Walking out, she saw him leaning against one of the pillars and the smile she had quickly vanished, seeing the pained look he had on his face. As she drew nearer, she noticed he had been crying. “What’s wrong?” Michael hesitated as he spoke. “I-i-it’s mum. She’s been rushed to the hospital. I, I don’t know what’s wrong. I have to go home for a while.” Natasha felt silly for worrying about her problems when she realised what had happened. “Michael, go. I love you and if you need anything just let me know ok?” Michael tried to smile but Natasha knew it must be difficult. She embraced him tightly and he began sobbing again. After he finished he took a deep breath and looked at her. “You look beautiful.” She smiled and kissed him gently on his lips.
Standing in the shadows he began to clench his fists with jealousy. That was his girl Michael was holding. He couldn’t let this happen anymore, he wouldn’t. He had to do something quick. Natasha noticed a little movement out the corner of her eye but couldn’t make out who was standing there. ‘She’s looking at me. I better slip deeper into the darkness.’
As Natasha saw Michael to a cab and walked back in, she noticed something emerging from the shadows and taking off. She was a little curious but shrugged it off and went back inside. She decided it was time she had a drink to forget the conversation. She walked up to the bar and ordered a Cosmopolitan. The barman handed her the drink adding with a wink, “Ms. Richards, I hope you like it strong.” She smiled, very aware that he was flirting with her. Maybe that’s exactly what she needed. A little playful conversation with a cute barman would probably cheer her up. As she finished her drink and ordered another one, she wondered where Bryan had disappeared to. ‘He’s probably busy taking all the pictures he can get.’ But the thought stayed with her through the rest of the evening.
On the other side of town, Michael’s cab pulled up in front of his apartment building. As he got out and paid the cab. He walked towards the entrance but stopped in his tracks, ‘Are those footsteps behind me?’ It wasn’t that late, just around a half past twelve but the street was eerily empty for a Friday night. He shunned the thought and walked up the stairs. He stopped where he was a couple of times, thinking he was being followed but when he was certain it was just his imagination, he continued to where he was headed. He was at his front door and began fishing for his keys. Just then, someone snuck up behind him, and held his mouth to stop him from screaming and forced him into his apartment. Michael tried to fight him off but he was too weak from sobbing and worrying about his mother. The man had on a ski mask that Michael managed to take off during his struggle. He knew his attacker. He had seen him so many times before. Michael tried to grab the telephone but the man kicked his hand, throwing the telephone to one corner. He pulled out a knife and slowly walked towards Michael, the blade shining in the little light that fell in from the street. Michael tried to scream for help but his attacker got to him before anybody else could hear him. He stabbed him over and over until all that could be seen was a pool of blood. The killer moved his body into the bedroom, cleaned the blood off the floor and locked the door behind him. Nobody would ever know. Michael Williams died at 1.24 a.m that night. As for the killer, he was free to roam about town undetected.
Natasha walked around the club, trying to take in the ambience and get a feel of the place, a technique she used when she gathered material for her stories. As she was walking past the VIP section, Mr. Burke, the owner, came up to her. “Hello Natasha. Well aren’t you stunning this evening?” Natasha’s cheeks began to turn pink. “Thank you Mr. Burke. You’re looking pretty sharp yourself. Nice party. Congratulations.” Frank Burke, the town’s most notorious architect seemed upbeat and excited. A man who got anything he wanted, at any cost, seemed smitten by Natasha. “Why don’t you join me and my associates? It’ll definitely be better than staring at old bald men for the rest of the night.” She thought for a second, “Maybe a little later, after I’ve gathered enough ammo for my story.” He smiled mischievously and waved goodbye. For someone who was feared all across town, he sure had a boyish charm to him.
As she watched everyone dance on a glass floor surrounded by blue neon lights, she started to feel a little dizzy. Someone grabbed hold of her and pulled her to one corner. It was Bryan. “Hey,” she said in a voice that gave signs that she had had a little too much to drink, “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” He smiled at her and asked, “How many of those have you had?” pointing to her glass. “I saw you go out to talk to Michael and then you disappeared. Is everything alright?” She looked up at him with sadness in her eyes. She was so beautiful. Even when she was upset, she could melt his heart. The perfume she wore alone was enough. “Michael’s mother is sick. He’s on his way back home. I just hope she’s ok....” Her voice trailed off and she was silent for a few minutes. “What time is it?” she asked so suddenly that it gave him a little start. Bryan looked at his watch, still not letting her go. “It’s 2.30. It’s late and we better be off. I’ll drop you and then carry on home.” They started for the exit, dodging the sea of people spilling into Blanc.
Bryan held her close as he guided her out of the growing crowd and onto the streets. The night air was chilly and he saw her begin to shiver. He pressed his body closer to her and slowly walked off to find a cab. She was too drunk to notice that she was almost being carried off by someone who she had known for only a week. She didn’t care. In the cab, she leaned in close to him and rested her tired head, almost drifting off. He smiled as her head touched his chest. ‘I’m holding Natasha Richards. She’s in my arms’ he thought. He desperately tried to hold back from kissing her. As her apartment building drew nearer, he felt a pinch close to his heart, knowing he wouldn’t be holding her any longer. He walked her up the stairs and laid her head on her pillow and as he turned, she grabbed hold of his hand and whispered, “Stay with me.” His heart beat faster and he was choking on his words. He managed a weak smile and sat down on her bed. If there was any chance with Natasha, this was it. After all, he deserved a chance with her as much as anybody else. Every woman he met wanted him but he would have none of them. The only person he cared about was Natasha and he wanted to wait for her. His wait was finally over.
Here he was, sitting in her bedroom as she lay gently asleep, intoxicated and waiting for him to hold her. He bent over and kissed her gently. Her soft, luscious lips beckoning him to continue. He leaned in for a longer one, this time feeling her respond. His heart thumped faster, and his kisses grew more intense and strong. It didn't take long for things to heat up. He was now lying on top of her, keenly aware of her pressing against his chest. His kisses had a hunger which made her forget where she was. All she wanted to do was to feel sensual pleasure. His hands made their way across the length of her figure, feeling every curve of her body. As his hands inched their way to her back, he felt her move even closer, pressing her body as close as she could, against his. He unzipped her dress and let it slip of her shoulders as he continued to caress. His lips moving across her sweaty body had her screaming with pleasure. They were locked in a passionate embrace, on silk sheets that only intensified the steamy love they were making. They held each other, naked under the covers, with her hair falling over the pillow, she whispered “I love you Michael,” as she drifted into a deep sleep. ‘Michael? How can she still be thinking of him after what we just shared? I’m going to have to prove to her that she needs to be with me. She deserves to be loved by someone who would truly appreciate her.’ But right now that was something he had to worry about later. He had just made love to Natasha Richards.
Natasha awoke to an empty bed, naked under the covers, wondering how she got there. The previous night was a blur. She remembered talking to Michael but had they come home together? She couldn’t remember a thing but that was the least of her worries. She had a splitting headache and she was two hours late for work.
Natasha reached her office building in a hurry, with a headache that was painful enough to kill. A bad hangover from too many Cosmopolitans. She had already taken two aspirins but nothing seemed to help the pain subside. She was running behind and would miss her deadline if she didn’t get a crack on things. On her way up, Bob, the janitor greeted her with a friendly smile but she didn’t notice him in her haste. Bryan strolled into her office with a big smile on his face, holding the prints from last nights party, “How’s your head this morning?” Natasha barely lifted her eyes from her computer screen and shrugged off the question. “Someone’s a ray of sunshine,” he added sarcastically. Natasha was in no mood to make small talk. She was late with her assignment and last night’s events were still hazy. “Hey Bryan,” she managed to say in an uninterested voice. “What’s wrong with you Natasha?” Bryan seemed pretty upset at her lack of interest. ‘Just last night she could not get enough of him and now she was completely indifferent. Maybe he needed to refresh her memory,’ he thought angrily. “I don’t know. I just can’t remember what happened last night. I don’t remember how I got home. I’m just a little freaked out, that’s all,” Natasha said with a confused stare.
Just then, Jack walked in and demanded to know how the story was progressing. “We need that story Nat.” Jack 'Magnet' Bing was the editor, a stocky man in his mid 40’s. He was fair, with light brown eyes, balding at the centre of his head. Everyone who knew him was instantly drawn to him. His intelligence and domineering personality made him a force to be reckoned with. Nonetheless there was just something about him that made him a good guy. This morning however, Jack was not in a passive mood. He was on a deadline and nobody was going to keep him from making it.
Jack was about to say something when he was rudely interrupted by Natasha’s phone. “Natasha Richards,” she said as she answered the call. “Natasha its Katherine. Do you have any idea where Michael is? He was supposed to be home hours ago but he hasn’t shown up yet. I’ve tried calling his phone a gazillion times but he’s not picking up!” Natasha look puzzled. “Katherine, hi. I don’t remember where he is. Honestly, last night is a blur. I remember talking to him but the conversation is hazy. He did mention something about your mum being in the hospital but...” her voice trailed off as she tried hard to remember what he had said. Bryan jumped up, making an excuse about having to develop the pictures for another story and he left in a huff. “What’s wrong with him?” Jack wondered. Natasha didn’t care why he left so abruptly. She was more worried about Michael. After the call ended, she stood up and told jack, almost breathlessly, “My story’s on your desk. Make the changes you need to. That was Michael’s sister and she sounded worried. I have to see if everything’s alright.” Never before had Jack seen Natasha so worried and he didn’t have the heart to stop her.
Natasha waved a cab and rushed to Michael’s apartment building. She ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. When she reached his apartment floor, she felt something wrong and rushed to his door. She rang the door bell a couple of times before she pounded on it as hard as she could. The door flew open with a force. His apartment was dark. As she slowly made her way across the hallway, she realised his curtains had been drawn as if he had just left for a short holiday. There was the stench of stale air all over, giving her a feeling that made her sick to her stomach. As she entered Michael’s bedroom, she noticed that the picture he kept on the nightstand from one of their many weekend getaways was missing. She turned around and suddenly saw something that she would never forget; Michael’s lifeless body, covered in blood, perched up in one corner of the room. She turned to run into the bathroom when she noticed someone standing in the doorway.
He held out the photo frame, his finger tracing the outline of her face. “It should have been you and me instead of him. But that’s not gonna matter now. He’s gone and he’s never coming back. I came here to finish the job. Did you know, he squealed like a little girl when I drove that knife through his stomach? I didn’t know where to get rid of the body so I had to leave him here till I found a place.” His face was still in shadows and she couldn’t see who it was. But there was something about his voice, something she recognised but couldn’t quite put her finger on. Then he emerged from the shadows. She couldn’t believe the face she saw in front of her. Maybe it was the aspirin that was making her hallucinate. She knew who he was and had seen that smile many times before. It was Bob, the janitor. She began to choke with fear. “Don’t you see why I did this? He was in the way of us being together. How could you ever love me if you were with him? And then there was that stupid Bryan who you slept with last night. I watched how he ravaged your body as you screamed in delight. I’ll have to take care of him too.”
What happened last night now suddenly came screaming back to her. She couldn’t believe what he was saying. “No you’re lying. You’re nothing but a fucking liar!” she screamed and began to run toward the door. He tried to grab a hold of her hand but she was too quick for him. She pushed him aside, and he fell to the ground as she tried to run out of the apartment. He grabbed a hold of her ankle, making her trip and fall on the wooden floor. As he roughly pulled her towards him, she managed to kick him hard in the ribs and started off again. She reached the door but it was locked. ‘The key must be in his pocket.’ She hid in the closet by the door. Searching for a weapon in the dark, she grabbed hold of Michael’s baseball bat. She was waiting for him to find her.
In the hallway she heard him move. His foot steps inched their way closer to her. “Come out, come out wherever you are.” He was in a playful mood. “I promise I won’t bite. Natty, beautiful Natty.” She stood still, hidden behind the coats. He was going to find her very soon but she wasn’t going to let him hurt her. When that door opened, she would swing the bat as hard as she could. The footsteps stopped just outside the closet door, waiting for some signs of movement but she held her breath and refused to give away her hiding place.
A few moments of silence passed. She wondered where he was. Just then, the closet door swung open and he pulled her out. He pushed her against the wall. “You shouldn’t have done that Natty. You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.” He had her throat in his hands and he squeezed her delicate neck. He suddenly began kissing her, forcing his tongue into her mouth. She was choking and she had to loosen his grip. With his body pressed up against hers, she couldn’t do much. She was still holding Michael’s bat but he had her pinned in way that she couldn’t move her arms. She decided that this was the only way she could escape. Gathering all the strength she could, she kneed him in his crotch. He fell to the ground, cupping his balls in his hands. With all the force she could muster, she swung the bat, hitting him hard on his head. He lay unconscious on the wooden floor and a small pool of blood began to collect around his head. She tried to catch her breath, but she needed to work fast. She grabbed the keys from his pocket and ran out the apartment, locking the door behind her. If he was going to be caught, this was the only way he wouldn’t escape. She ran to the nearest police station and frantically narrated the entire story, returning soon after to Michael’s apartment with a number of police officers but Bob was gone. He had broken the bedroom windows and climbed down the fire escape.
Six months had passed. There was no trace of him. The police were still out looking, but were slowly losing interest in the case. Michael’s death had caused quite a stir in her office. Since that day, Natasha lived in fear of her life. She still felt a stabbing fear whenever she found herself alone. She could still feel his finger wrapped around her neck. As she looked out the window at the traffic lights, tears rolled down her cheeks. She had lost the man she loved and he was never coming back. Her eyes had lost their sparkle. She would get her revenge. This was one story she was going to tell the world and no one was going to stop her.
It was 11.30 p.m and she was just about done. Shutting the lights in her corner office, she closed the door and started for the elevators. Her heels clicked against the cool, hard surface as she walked on the marble floor. “Am I hearing things?” She thought she heard her name being called. Then she heard it again. A voice she tried very hard to forget was suddenly ringing in her ears, “Natty, beautiful Natty.” She refused to believe it or turn around. ‘It can’t be him. It just can’t.’ But then she saw him. Bob was back.
By Charlene Flanagan
