Re: MIND OVER MATTER by James A. Young

[~Anchal~]

She did not move, did not take her eyes off the timer as it clicked off the minutes. She dared not do anything that might disturb Duke.

"Another beer, babe." Duke ordered.

She dutifully complied; then returned to the microwave just as it dinged.

Meg delivered the tray complete with TV dinner, utensils, napkin and another cold beer.

"Sit down here now babe and let's see what they're sayin' about us on this here TV news."

Duke flipped to Channel 13. The 10:00 pm local news was just beginning. It didn't take long for the story to come up.

"Police are investigating the strange death of eight year old Kenny Brown who fell from a second story apartment window this afternoon. Details of the case are sketchy at this hour but investigators have not ruled out foul play. The boy's mother, Meg Brown, reportedly had left the premises only minutes before, leaving the child in the care of her boyfriend, Duke Simmons. A pedestrian witnessed the incident but could not say if it was an accident or not. Here's what, Ms. Nora Jones, had to say."

"I was walking along Platt Street when I heard a child scream. I looked up just in time to see a child falling from a second story apartment window. The child landed headfirst on the sidewalk right in front of me. It was horrible. I looked up and saw a man leaning out the second story window."

"The boys mother, Meg Brown returned home moments later to find her son dead and police at the scene. Her boyfriend, Duke Simmons told police the boy accidentally fell from the window. No charges have been filed as yet but police say they are still investigating."

Duke turned the TV off.

to be continued...

[~Anchal~]

"Now if you'd stayed home and kept your eye on that little **** none of this would've happened, now would it? It's your fault. Don't you even think about blaming me."

Meg didn't respond. Duke finished wolfing down his dinner as Meg just watched in silence.

"Well, it's been a long day. I reckon I'll have me another one of them beers."

Meg took the hint and brought Duke another cold one. As she popped the top for him, Duke pulled her down into his lap, slid his hand under her dress and took hold of her thigh.

"While I drink this beer, I want you to go get ready. ....

"Please no..."

Meg tried to break free but Duke just pulled her closer and squeezed her inner thigh with more than enough force to inflict pain. Meg braced herself for the bruising and grimaced in silence.

"Don't **** around playin' games now babe. You gonna make me mad. You know better. Now you just go in there, get in that bed. Don't give me no. I'll be there in a minute."

Though Meg trembled in fear and anger, she knew it would be pointless to resist. So, while her actions would suggest submission, her thoughts challenged the whole thing.



to be continued....

[~Anchal~]

How could this ******* want sex now? If I refuse, he'll beat me. If I do what I'm told, it will be over soon.

Meg was quick to make an excuse to quiet Duke's anger.

"I'm sorry, honey. I'm just a little upset over Kenny. I'll get ready and be in bed when you get there."

"That's more like it."

Duke released his iron grip and allowed Meg to get up. She went into the bedroom,braved herself and climbed in bed.

Duke finished his beer, entered the bedroom, stripped, turned out the light, and then climbed in bed, immediately mounting her.

Meg's second floor apartment was on the very corner of Platt Street and South Boulevard. The traffic light outside ensured no room within the apartment was ever totally dark. All night long the traffic light alternately cast faint colors through her apartment windows, red, green, amber.

Meg knew how to cope with Duke's unwanted passion. She concentrated on the color changes of her bedroom ceiling, counting the seconds between each change. Five light changes later, Duke voiced orgasmic groans. His thrusts subsided. A moment later, he rolled off, flat on his back.

"That was good. Sorry about the kid," Duke whispered. "Now get some sleep. Things will be better tomorrow."

Meg left Duke's side and slipped into the bathroom to douche. By the time she finished Duke was snoring.

She turned off all the lights in the apartment. But she was not ready for bed. Instead, she stayed in the living room. Finally, her moment had come. She was alone. She needed to think. What to do?



to be continued.....

[~Anchal~]

She knew the truth. Duke was quick to start throwing punches. He'd beaten her up and thrown her around the room plenty. Kenny got his share of abuse too. This time Duke just threw him right out the god-damn window. And Duke don't even give a ****. *******!
The detective was right. Duke would eventually kill her too. It was just a matter of time. But she couldn't hide in no shelter and she couldn't talk either. She knew Duke. He'd hunt her. He'd find her no matter how hard she hid and when he got his hands on her it would be all over. Everybody knew about "The Spring." Women could hide there a little while but they couldn't hide there forever. Eventually they had to come out and when they did... bam! Their tormentors would be waiting.
What to do?
Meg made her way into Kenny's bedroom. Kenny loved to lie in bed, watching the traffic light colors play against the ceiling. Sometimes Meg would join him. They would take turns waving a yardstick, Kenny's magic wand, to orchestrate the color change until finally, fast asleep, he would cease to claim his turn.
Like any kid's room, it was a mess. This night, it didn't matter. The toy trucks, the action figures, the coloring book and crayons scattered about the floor, the dirty clothes tossed in the corner, the poster of Batman on the wall, it was all Kenny.
Meg saw herself in Kenny's full length mirror. There, in the dim green light, stood a naked woman, nice figure.
Surely, this body could have attracted someone better than Duke? she thought.
The light bathed Kenny's dresser. Kenny's baseball glove lay in the top of an open drawer, a baseball still held in its grasp. She tried to put the glove on her hand; too small. Setting the glove aside, she noticed his New York Yankees baseball cap. She tried it on. A little adjustment and it fit just fine. Kenny's brand new aluminum bat leaned against the side of the dresser. She picked it up and slid her hand down the smooth metal, cold in her hands.
The light changed, bathing the room in amber.
A new image appeared in the mirror, Kenny all decked out in his little baseball uniform, ball in one hand, bat in the other, ready to play. She had given him all these things for his eighth birthday. He was so happy.
Seconds later, when the room bathed red, she turned away from the mirror.
She remembered. Kenny was dead.
What to do?


to be continued ......

[~Anchal~]

Meg heard a loud snort in the next room, her room. The ******* was sucking wind heavy now. She crept to the doorway, careful not to awaken the sleeping monster.

The light changed. The room bathed in green.

Before her lay the green skinned fiend; flat on his back, naked, vulnerable. Though asleep, he still frightened her. Trembling, she cautiously moved to his bedside.

The light changed, bathing the room in amber.

Across the bed she caught glimpse of the image reflected by the dresser mirror. It was the image of a rebellious, angry woman. Clad only in a New York Yankees baseball cap, she stood over Duke Simmons, with a baseball bat raised to an amber ceiling.

She blinked her eyes in disbelief. No, it couldn't be! To her relief, it wasn't her image in the mirror after all. It was her little Kenny with his orchestrating yardstick.

"Watch me change the color, mommy." he gleefully pleaded.

An instant later the light changed. With one fell-swoop of his magic wand, Kenny bathed the room in red.



THE END.