FirstLineFiction beta

from Contest #9

It was the thing he'd always loved about her. Her vivacious eyes snapped and crackled with life and energy. They were large, celery colored and fringed with long, thick black lashes that rendered make up useless and unnecessary.

She had walked into the shop searching for Pop Rock coated gum balls for her younger brother’s birthday. He knew right then, while watching her glossy coral lips move in speech, he had to add her to the collection. She would be the crowning jewel, an impeccable perfect diamond. Every feature was flawless as though carved and designed by a god tired of the humdrum of the everyday.        

            As she turned to walk away he found himself flexing his fingers and walking slowly after her hour glass shape. Not yet, he told himself, not yet she still had to come back for the candy.

            Estrella walked as quickly as she could without running from the candy shop at the end of Main Street. The further she moved away from the shop the more she wondered if the irrational fear that had taken hold of her was simply an odd passing emotion. While she pondered this, her mind fled back the image of the store owner staring into her face with an intensity that frightened every feminine sixth sense she possessed.

            The owner had been reasonably attractive, tall with deep blue eyes, nutmeg hair and a muscular physic. He had been kind and attentive as she described the bizarre candy her five year old brother had demanded for his birthday. However, the kindness had seemed too much, his attentiveness almost on the border of zealous interest.  Estrella knew she had been alarmed but in the clean open air, with the sun beaming down her fear melted quickly away and she hurried to meet her friends for lunch.

            He had watched her almost jealously as she walked away from the store. His look more of that of a predator protecting its carcass. As she moved out of his sight into one of the many umbrella covered café patios, he lingered for a moment at the doorway rubbing his hands together methodically, one finger at a time. Moving back into his candy shop he closed the door sharply behind him and flipped the open sign to read closed. Marching quickly across the stores brightly and eccentrically painted floor he came to his work counter and quickly pushed a small red button.

            A trap door slowly shifted back to revel a long stair that lead into thick pulsing darkness. Descending the stairs with a spiders grace he came quickly to the bottom.  Once there his eyes adjusted to the blackness and he felt along the wall for a small switch. Finding what he was searching for he flipped the switch and waited calmly for the lights to warm up.

            A sickly yellow light shuttered on illuminating a circular room, the light cast eerie shadows about the room. Ten large rectangular cases, akin to a magician’s glass cage, were positioned around the room, lit from below by a large yellow light. Inside each glass tank was a woman’s body in a sea of formaldehyde, using wires he had positioned each into various poses. He gazed in satisfaction at his collection, and began to walk slowly through gazing with renewed wonder at each of his prizes.  

            To his immediate right was Sasha a hideous prostitute he met one day when she propositioned him for twenty dollars to purchase cheap crank. He had graciously brought her inside offering her the best drugs she ever had.  Once inside it was easy for him to overpower her and drag her downstairs. For despite her disgusting, drug rotted appearance she still possessed the most beautiful ears that he had ever seen. They were perfectly rounded without a bump or scar; she had even had the good sense to never have them pierced.

            As he had dragged her limp body to his museum he pondered what would be the best way to display her perfect ears.  Inspiration struck as his slide his silver knife into her occipital lobe and laid her head over a drain. After the flow of blood fell to a mere drip he got to work shaving her hair around her ears and then gently slicing them from her head.  Once the ears had been removed he tied her hands together and used wires to point them palm out with her fingers spread open. He then positioned her elbows close to her body and placed her hands over her face, using wires and clips her body would hold this position as rigor mortis set in.

            He then caressed her ears, licking them lightly, rubbing, rolling and kissing them over and over thanking this whore for the gift she had brought him. When he had finished he began the exquisite process of sewing them into her open palms.  She had been so easy to work with. He hoped that his new muse would prove as pliable. He moved past Sasha his lips could still taste the beauty of her ears as he looked up at another of his displays. This woman had come in with her two children, carelessly showing her flawless legs. It took him weeks to get her alone with him so he could collect her masterful limbs. Her legs were naked showing them to their best advantage meant he had to remove the top portion of her body.

            Past this were the arms of a Chinese woman, wonderfully muscled yet lithe, then the feet of a tiny red-haired woman. Perfectly molded hands of a black woman followed, he had placed one covering her face and the other across her breast. It went on including a torso with a round and soft breast, eyes the color of amethyst, lips of deep red, and a Grecian nose.

            His tenth container lay empty waiting for the supreme example of female symmetry and refinement. He had chosen his specimen and would wait for as long as it took to make her his. She would be his only conquest; years of saving himself for the perfect woman would finally be over. Exiting his private collection he walked quickly up the stairs to create the perfect candy for his muse’s request.

            After lunch with her friends Estrella had gone back to her work as a paralegal for the offices of Wee, Screwum and Howe. As soon as she sat at her desk her boss Kenneth came over to talk with her, giving her a large stack of files to be taken to the district court by five as well as two files that had to be copied and taken to the cold case files detectives at the police station.

            She grimaced as Kenneth ran his fingers through her hair and across her back as he needlessly pointed out the information she was supposed to relay. Kenneth had been smitten with her since she started but had after many refusals on her part had recently begun touching her and trying to catch her alone in various rooms of the office. She put up with it only because she knew that she was leaving soon to get her own law degree from Stanford in just a few short weeks, although she had taken to carrying mace with her wherever she went.

            Shrugging his hand off of her shoulders she collected the files and went to the copier room. Once this was complete she headed over to the police station/courthouse to drop off the other files.

            Work finished for the day and she hurried home to see her family. Nicky, her brother, bounded out the front door as he saw her car pulling into the driveway and he begged and begged for her to come and jump on the trampoline with him. After such a bizarre and tiring day she eagerly kicked off her heels and joined him, shrieking with delight as they bounced until dinnertime.

            For him the night flew on blackened wings as he tortuously constructed a new variety of sweets for his star eyed girl. Morning light was beginning to gray the sky above his shop when he finally placed his newly finished product in crisp blue bag and set it on the counter. He then walked to the back stairs and ascended for a few hours of sleep.

            Estrella dressed carefully in the new morning light, a loose fitting blouse, trousers instead of her usual skirt and low soled shoes. She brushed her silky hair into a ponytail and added a touch of gloss to her lips. Slipping her purse over her shoulder she searched through ensuring all of its contents were in place and she had what she needed for the day, satisfied she slipped quietly out of her front door and was off to the office.

            Orange rays sifted through his blinds resting warmly on his eyelids as he shifted into a mental awareness. He rose slowly stretching his muscles his bare skin enjoying the warmth that lay in strips across his chest. Opting for a comfortable t-shirt and soft jeans he dressed and went downstairs to open his shop, too excited to eat.

            Lunch seemed an eternity away as Estrella tapped her pen against the desk. She was anxious to collect Nicky’s candy and then head home for his party. As she pulled into a parking space in front of the candy shop, a shadow crossed the big, garish front window and melted out of sight as she got out of her car and headed to the front doors.

            He waited, hands sweating in anticipation as he watched her walk to the door. Greeting her he secretly had hoped she would have worn her hair loose and unrestrained, he longed to run his fingers through her luxurious black hair. She greeted him awkwardly and kept her distance. Perhaps she had a unfortunate morning he thought as he led her to the counter attempting to chat normally.

            The intense feelings of fear and discomfort returned like a nightmare as she stepped through the threshold of the sweet shop. The proprietor had been positioned directly near the door and she would see his tight muscles, like springs ready to relieve their burden. She greeted him cautiously and kept her distance. As she followed him the creation counter she watched his fingers twitch eagerly and then slide smoothly over the counter top as he reached downward to grab her treats.

            He came up swiftly and placed the bag upon the counter top. Blue packaging crackled and popped as his fingers left the cellophane and beckoned her closer. Just check to make sure he had done a good job he had asked her. She had replied that it would be fine exactly how it was, she was sure. Shaking his head he had a hard time removing his eyes from her face, hands, and body. She turned partially toward the counter and he seized his opportunity, jumping catlike from behind the counter he landed next to her and tried to wrap his hand around her mouth and nose.

            She was wily however and spun out of reach thrusting her hand into her bag she twisted back towards him and unleashed a throat choking jet of pepper spray. He had thrown his arm over his eyes in an attempt to block out the incapacitating juice. With his other hand he blindly swung toward her last position catching her in the back of her right her.

            Crying out she stumbled forward and smashed into a large display of assorted jelly beans and chocolates. Spluttering with his eyes only slits, he slide and groped his way through the treacherous aisle. He glimpsed her leg as she was trying to crawl to the door. Lunging, his eyes screwed shut in pain; he grasped her ankle and dragged her back toward him.

            She had almost got out of his reach when his hand clasped her ankle and dragged her painfully across the chocolate speckled floor. He maintained a vice-like grip around her ankle and steadily dragged her to him. Letting out a scream of sheer frustration and terror Estrella lashed out once more.

            Her foot found its mark as she caught him in the jaw, his hold temporarily slackened and she yanked her foot away. Using her arms and legs she crab crawled away from him disturbed by the look of genuine malice on his face, the ardor of before completely wiped away.

            He rubbed his jaw, anger rising rapidly as adrenaline coursed through him. Raising himself to his full height he took a running step and leaped toward her. Landing with his body covering most of hers he felt her body collapse under his weight and she adjusted to prevent a broken bone. Now that he was laying on her he could smell her fear mingled with pear, his anger softened and he ran his hand through her hair. She stiffened and glared sullenly into his eyes. Not to be deterred he used his hand to pull her toward him and gently lay his lips to hers.

            Pain erupted in his mouth temporarily blinding him worse than the pepper spray had been able to accomplish. She had opened her mouth as though to kiss him back and instead, like a viper, sunk her teeth into his bottom lip. The corrosive rusty taste of his own blood brought him back to his senses in time for him to see her bringing a super jaw breaker towards his face.

            Brutally she smashed it into his face aiming for his nose, despite his delayed effort to block the vicious blow she was rewarded with a satisfying crack. She pulled back to hit him again when his hand slammed hers into the cold tile floor, and he shifted his weight until he had her arms pinned above her head and was straddled across her waist.

            His nose bled freely, a steady drip falling on her loose white blouse and exposed stomach. Despite her ferocious attack he still felt tempted to kiss her again. Instead he used one of his hands to hold her wrists together and he moved to stand up. Once he had regained his feet he used both hands to drag her to a standing position.

            Due to her unexpected attempt to fight back he proceeded with caution in pulling her to him. He tried to tell her everything would be all right and that soon she would be the centerpiece of his collection, a testament to womanly perfection. Instead of being reassured she tried to kick him in the groin. In reply he forcefully twisted he arm behind her back and turned her back to him.

            Her shirt was slick with blood and her hair was sweaty and tangled in its ponytail. Yet perhaps she could try something to win his trust and gain her freedom. Softly she apologized for attacking him so fiercely. Had she known she was to be the prime example of true feminine beauty she would have willingly submitted to his strong hands.

            She felt the intensity of the grip slacken as he slowly spun her back to face him. She gazed into his face, his nose already swelling and eyes blackening, and smiled. He responded warily at first and then slowly let her arm return to her side. He folded his powerful arms around her waist and lifted her up so she was face to face with him. Then he kissed her deeply while she returned the kiss fighting back revulsion, she peered around the room searching for a weapon of any kind. All she saw was a pair of discarded candy shears lying for out of reach behind his creation counter. Littering the ground around them was a veritable mine field of sweets and hard candy.

            The kiss ended, she fought the huge to spit in his face. He then took her hand and started leading her back toward the counter with the shears. Hope coursed through her and she took a moment to decide what she had to do.

            As he had held her painfully in his grasp he had felt her attitude change toward him. The kiss had been supernatural, awakening within him sensations and desires he had long kept bound. He knew he had made the right choice with her. He let go of her reluctantly and led her back toward his secret room.

            When they reached the counter he felt her touch his arm lightly and asking him to kiss her again. He willingly turned toward her and pulled her in. To his surprise and delight she pushed him down onto the counter and slithered on top of him straddling him gently. His delight most have shown because she then bent forward, allowing her stray hair to play gently around his face as she brushed her lips against his eyelids, forehead and lips. He moaned involuntarily and she smiled.

            As she smiled down at him she brought the shears she had grabbed when she bent forward, straight into the side of his neck. Surprise widened his eyes and he stared open mouthed at her. He tried to grab hold of her as she slid off of him and dashed toward the door. Stumbling to his feet he wrenched the offending weapon from his throat and with his last steps crashed into a giant display of assorted treats.

            It was there that his life ebbed away upon the bed of candy.

back to Contest #9