Content for the moment, Larry Stern settled back into his easy chair, a can of beer in one hand, a Sport Illustrated on his lap and the TV’s remote on the table beside him, easily within reach. On screen he’d been lucky enough to find one of those erotic ‘B’ movies that were chock full of nudity and simulated sex, however weak on plot and the art of acting.
As Larry concentrated on the gyrations of the wannabe actress on the screen, who no longer had to suffer through the screenwriter’s stilted and ridiculous dialogue, but instead get naked and moan and act excited by the presence of the has-been actor underneath her, Larry could hear his wife, Laura, yammering away on the telephone; her nightly call to her mother. Those two could talk forever.
Larry took a swig of his beer and considered his good luck. If the hate that coursed through his mother-in-laws veins hadn’t kept her healthy all these years, Laura might just expect him to fill the void she now filled, namely talking to her. He was much more interested in ogling the sub-par, but wonderfully naked actress on TV, then having another conversation with his wife like the one they’d had earlier. It seemed Laura was concerned that their 17-year-old daughter, Paula had been asked out on her first official date with 17-year-old Jeff North. Larry knew she should be concerned; although Larry knew Jeff, and for the most part liked the kid, he also knew that no matter how Jeff presented himself, no matter how polite he was, he was only interested in one thing – his daughter’s virginity. Larry knew that like every other male teenager out there, Jeff was really looking to get lucky.
“And what’s wrong with that?”
Larry didn’t know where that last thought had come from; where his mind was taking him. It and his next thought both surprised and troubled him, as both thoughts seemed equally right and equally wrong.
“Paula’s got a hot little body,” he thought, as he took another swig of his beer. “As a matter of fact, she’s turned out to be quite a looker.”
Again, he was conflicted by his thoughts.
“What the hell am I thinking?”
“She’s got well rounded hips, a great ass and quite a pair of tits,” he found himself thinking. “Much like her mother had all those years ago. Back when she’d been good in bed. Lately however…but, Paula, hmm?”
All feelings of shame and repulsion were quickly fading, as an erection began rising in his pants; an erection not prompted by the action on his TV screen, but his newfound – and weirdly appealing thoughts – regarding his daughter.
The Spirit smiled as the man instinctively and unconsciously touched himself as he sat watching TV. It knew his thoughts.
It and Larry Stern had worked together before, one of the reasons why It decided to pay him a visit first. It knew the unpleasant skeletons in his mental closet, as It had helped put them there and nailed the coffin lid shut on his teenage dreams and hopes so long ago. Larry was unfinished business that needed to be taken care of.
Larry had completely forgotten the movie and found himself now listening to his wife, still on the phone with his mother-in-law, yammering away, and his daughter, who was upstairs in her room, the sounds of Green Day muffled, but obviously blasting from her CD player. He’d given up a long time ago shouting for her to turn “that damned music down.” Conceding defeat – the only option left with a teenager who just wouldn’t listen – he merely put up with the racket. Tonight the dull thud of music that vibrated through the floorboards seemed to be taunting him.
“She’s probably up there right now dancing around in her underwear. Shaking her ass,” he thought, visualizing the scene in his mind. Without realizing it, his one hand had forgotten the remote control, and found the bulge that had grown solid within his pants.
Larry was angry; he knew the score. His daughter was just like her mother. She’d spend hours in front of the mirror, dolling herself up, striving to look her best – her sexiest. She wanted the boys to notice; she wanted them interested so she could get them excited, and then turn them down. She was just like her damned mother. If left to her own devises, she’d ruin Jeff’s life; much like her mother had ruined his. She was her Mother’s daughter, and as far as he was concerned, that was not a good thing. It all horribly came flooding back to him.
Larry had been your typical, sex-obsessed 17-year-old senior high school student. Laura had been his steady girl for almost a year. Life seemed perfect. He was the pass receiver on the school’s football team, was doing well in school, and looking forward to finally finishing and getting the hell out of Barkerton. He desperately wanted to escape. It never happened.
Why?
“Because of Laura,” he thought. “Because that bitch had sabotaged my life. That’s why. Because of that damned evening. That FUCKING evening.”
“No, I don’t want to,” Laura protested.
“C’mon, Laura, give me a break, will ya?” said Larry, removing his hand from under her dress. He’d only managed to get halfway to his intended destination before, as usual, she stopped him. He couldn’t believe her. They’d been dating for a year now and aside from necking she hadn’t let him get anywhere with her. Hell, she hadn’t even let him feel her tits.
“It’s not right,” she explained, while straightening her dress. “I’m not that kind of girl.”
Larry just stared out the window of his father’s car.
“Everyone’s doing it,” he argued.
“I’m not everyone.”
“What’s wrong with going all the way?” he asked. “It’s natural. That’s what men and women do.” He was desperate. “At least men and women who really do love one another. You did say you loved me, didn’t you?”
“Love has nothing to do with sex.”
“Oh, yes it does.”
“Sometimes you’re such a jerk, Larry.”
He didn’t answer. He just started the car.
“If you won’t do it with me, maybe I’ll find someone who will,” he finally said.
Laura ignored him. They’d been through this before and if that’s the way he felt so be it. She sure as hell wasn’t going to give up her virginity just because everyone else did it; or just to please him. She’d give it up when she was damned good and ready; when it was “making love” and not “fucking.” She wasn’t sure what was going on between the two of them. She had no idea if she really loved Larry, even though both of them had professed love for one another. She liked him a lot, and could see the possibility of love with him, but still wasn’t sure. At times he was so immature; they were seniors yet he showed no signs of growing up. As far as she could tell, to Larry life was just one great big party. Could she risk falling deeply in love and giving herself over to someone like that?
The two continued on to the party in silence, Laura sure it was going to be one of those horrible evenings where Larry pouted all night. Nonetheless, she was determined to try and enjoy herself. Why should she care how he felt when he obviously didn’t care how she felt?
Larry wasn’t in a pouting mood. He’d anticipated Laura’s response to his advances and had a back-up plan. He was getting laid tonight come hell or high water. If everything went according to plan, by the end of tonight’s party she’d be dead drunk, and he’d be knee-deep in the teenaged Promised Land.
Everything went as planned. With the cooperation of his friends, who were equally thrilled at the prospect of their friend finally getting some, all of Laura’s drinks were spiked. Before she could do anything to stop it, she’d fallen into an unsuspecting drunk.
Instead of taking her home immediately after the party, he suggested they take a little walk. As planned, in her present state, she was agreeable to just about anything.
“So, what do you say honey, you know, I love you,” he said as he lay beside her in the darkness of the park.
Actually, he really didn’t love her, but what the hell? If it got him into her pants it was worth lying.
“No,” she said weakly, slowly falling towards unconsciousness.
He really didn’t care how she felt. Her alcoholic high from earlier in the evening was turning to a low. He was hoping she’d be at least energetic and enthusiastic. He had hoped in her drunkenness she’d turn into an agreeable animal and ravish him. Instead, she was merely an unconscious lump, lying still on the grass beside him.
“Then again,” he thought, “she’s also at my mercy.”
She could sleep through it. He didn’t care. All that really mattered to him was enjoying getting what he wanted from her.
Keeping a close eye on her face, waiting for any reaction, he began working her sweater up to her neck, moving slowly so as not to disturb her. The last thing he wanted was for her to regain consciousness and start protesting. Although he had to arch her back a bit in order to get the sweater raised, she never opened her eyes.
Larry was in his glory, staring in wonderment at her breasts, still neatly tucked into her bra. There was now only one piece of fabric between him and the glory land. Arching her back up again, he undid her bra and pushed it up against her sweater, which was now bunched around her neck. He was all ready hard.
Forgetting his desire not to wake her, and caught up in his excitement, he grabbed both her breasts and squeezed them firmly in his hands. They were soft, firm and wonderful.
After a few seconds of touching and stroking, he turned his attention to her skirt. Underneath that skirt laid his true destination.
Larry carefully lifted her ass in order to raise her skirt up to her waist. Once again, all that remained between him and heaven was a single piece of cloth. A piece of cloth so thin he could all ready see the dark patch of her pubic hair through it. With more enthusiasm than he had had in removing her bra, Larry pulled off her underwear.
Lying before him, completely exposed, was it.
IT!
Larry began hurriedly removing his pants and underwear; he was prepped and ready to go. He reached down and touched the soft mound of hair that covered her. He had to touch it to make sure it was real and not some wet dream in the making.
IT WAS REAL.
Unable to contain himself any longer, he pried her legs apart and moved into position on top of her. After a couple of seconds of clumsy fumbling, he found the appropriate opening and entered. It wasn’t easy, as she wasn’t conscious and receptive, but he forced himself into her anyway; and even without the contribution of lubrication she would have naturally offered in consensual sex, the sensation of being in her overwhelmed his senses.
Laura moaned and he froze, suddenly terrified she was waking up. He’d be damned if he’d allow her to stop him now. He was in and he planned to stay there until he was satisfied.
She remained unconscious.
In many ways he felt this was for the best. He’d never been inside a girl before and the excitement of it was overwhelming; enough so he wasn’t sure how long he’d last. If Laura was conscious it could be embarrassing for him.
Barkerton was a small town, where just about everybody knew everyone and gossip travelled at the speed of light. Because of this he hadn’t bought any protection, even though he knew he needed it. Cameron Hanna, the local druggist, or any of the store’s clerks would no doubt have warned Laura’s parents about his purchase. It was too risky. As such, his plan was simple, he’d pull out of Laura before he climaxed. It wasn’t the best way to do it, but it’d serve its purpose tonight.
Confident with his plan, he began thrusting in and out of her.
The Spirit watched in amusement as Larry began thrusting in and out of Laura.
Tonight was good. Not only was It going to bring misery to Larry, but an innocent, respectable, God-loving person with a bright future. Tonight, Laura Turner’s promising life would be snuffed out.
Larry was of the individual it would always get, sooner or later. Laura, however, was one of those good individuals who seemed protected, generally out of It’s reach, unless a rare opportunity presented itself. Ruining her life was an unexpected bonus. Tonight It’d found a way and every sensation Larry felt, It felt ten-fold. It was delicious.
Larry continued thrusting, faster and faster until he was almost ready to explode. He really didn’t want to but it was time to pull out, and he started…
His knee slipped.
The Spirit pushed Larry back down on top of Laura.
Larry slammed down on top of her, his penis sinking deep. At the same time he exploded inside her. It seemed like an eternity before he finally stopped coming. Larry quickly rolled off of her and stared up at the stars. He felt both content and frightened.
HE’D COME INSIDE HER.
She could get pregnant.
“No she won’t,” he thought, reassuring himself. “Having sex once doesn’t necessarily mean a woman will get pregnant.”
The Spirit left the park. “It’s true,” It thought, “Women don’t always get pregnant the first time, but Larry old friend, that’s not why I wasted my time here tonight. Have a nice life pal.”
Larry’s head was throbbing with pain, his beer and the TV long forgotten. For some reason he could vividly remember everything that had happened the night he accidentally got Laura pregnant.
“She did it to me,” his mind screamed. “She fucked me good, the bitch.”
Anger filled him; an intense rage like nothing he’d felt before.
“If she hadn’t passed out that night. If she hadn’t let me screw her. If! If! If! IF!”
Laura was pregnant. Larry’s little nocturnal activity had hit home on the first try. Sunday morning she woke up in the park, her head pounding from the alcohol. That wasn’t all though. While she fought the urge to throw up, she detected pain elsewhere. She slowly rose to a sitting position, fighting off new waves of nausea. What she saw startled her. Lying beside her was her underwear. Her skirt had fallen down to cover her privates, but there was no doubt in her mind that until it had, she’d been laying there exposed. It also occurred to her that her breasts were exposed.
“Wha…,” she started to wonder. “Larry! He…he…he…”
She couldn’t bring herself to think it She knew what had happened. Tears burst from her eyes as anger and fear seized her.
“That bastard raped me.” The tears began flowing heavily. “He raped me!”
Suddenly her world crumpled apart.
“My parents,” she suddenly thought.
It was obviously early morning. Her parents hadn’t expected her to stay out all night; she wasn’t allowed to stay out all night.
“They’re probably looking for me. They’re probably mad.”
New tears formed in her eyes.
“How could he have done this to me?”
It was unthinkable.
“How could he have just left me here? Naked?”
Laura wanted to kill him. She wanted to hurt him as badly as he’d hurt her. She wanted a bath. She wanted to get home and wash. She wanted to get in the shower and scrub and scrub and scrub. She needed to in order to feel clean again. At the same time she realized the worst dirt he’d got on her was the dirt he’d left inside her—his seed.
Suddenly, she wondered how long she’d been unconscious, his sperm making a home inside of her. Her heart leapt into her throat. She hoped – no, she prayed to God it wasn’t finding a home inside of her. Surely he’d been smart enough to use a condom. Traces of dried substance on her inner thighs, suggested otherwise.
“Oh, please God,” she mumbled as she stood up and began hastily adjusting her clothes. “Please don’t let anything happen. Oh, God, please.”
Laura started making her way home. She’d never felt quite as helpless as she did now. She had no control over her life suddenly. With each second that passed, things could be happening within her she couldn’t control or stop.
Laura said nothing to her parents when she got home, although even if she wanted to they didn’t give her a chance. Her father was both relieved and angry. The fact she was hung-over didn’t help matters. She was grounded for a couple of months and told to stay away from Larry, which she gladly did. She had nothing to say to him. He obviously had nothing to say to her, as he avoided her. They mutually ignored one another for three months until Laura was sure she was pregnant. At that point the silence was broken. She went to her parents first.
Laura didn’t tell her parents what really happened; she was too ashamed. She was especially ashamed she’d let her guard down and trusted Larry. Her parent’s immediately contacted his, and a marriage was quickly arranged. And through it all, Laura, too ashamed by what had happened, allowed herself to become the villain. Everyone assumed she had done this to poor Larry; that she was a ‘slut.’
She didn’t want to marry him, but she didn’t know what else to do. She was on her own, her parents determined to make her live up to the adult mistake she’d made. As they put it, she had to accept responsibility for her actions. They were embarrassed and ashamed of her. Larry became the only one available to her, whether she liked it or not.
Nobody understood and nobody tried to. With that in mind, Laura accepted Larry as her husband and set about trying to rebuild their relationship. If she had to live with him ‘til death do they part’, she’d need to find a way to love him.
She eventually did.
Larry made his way to the kitchen for another beer. Laura was still on the phone with her mother.
The pain in his head was getting worse, but he was beginning to like it. The pain was awakening him to the reality of his situation – awakening him to the fact that Laura had ruined his life. If she hadn’t gotten pregnant he’d have gotten out of Barkerton. Instead of leaving, he had to take a job to support her and the child.
“I could have had a real life,” he thought. “I could have found success. Women. Happiness.”
As he pulled another beer out of the fridge, he recalled his father’s words when he was forced to take the job as a grocery store clerk at the local supermarket, “You want to act like an adult, well now you’re going to get the chance to live an adult life. I sure hope she was worth it, son?”
“She did it to you, pal,” his mind screamed. He looked at Laura, “She did it to you and you should do it to her. She fucked up your life. Fuck up hers.”
Larry leaned against the counter in the kitchen, considering this last thought. He had no idea where it’d come from.
He made his way back into the living room. At the same time he heard his wife saying ‘good-bye’ to her mother.
“It’s about fucking time,” he thought. “She never quits talking. Just like at dinner tonight. Couldn’t shut up about Paula and Jeff.”
Laura had been concerned about Paula going out with Jeff. Too concerned. A fake concern. She no doubt wanted Paula to do to Jeff what she’d done to him. They were out to ruin Jeff’s life. Larry held no love for the boy, but the thought of seeing another of his kind being tricked by these women made his blood boil. The rage that was growing within him was also bringing clarity to his thoughts.
“I told mother we’d stop by on Sunday,” said Laura, as she entered the living room.
“Whatever,” he answered. Larry got out of his seat and headed back into the kitchen. He headed straight for the knife tray and pulled out the largest knife. He examined it closely for a couple of seconds and then proceeded to the kitchen door.
The Spirit watched in amusement as Larry made his way to the kitchen’s door, the knife held carefully before him.
It always amazed Itself how easily some people were to use; how little will power they actually had.
The Spirit had mixed emotions about what was going to happen. While it also appreciated a little bloodshed, the end result of that would be releasing Laura from the loveless marriage It had forced her into all those years ago. Free her from her long-term pain.
“Too bad,” It thought.
Larry moved silently across the living room, the knife concealed behind his back. Upstairs the sounds of Green Day continued.
Laura was sitting on the couch, flipping through the latest People magazine. He moved quickly and precisely. Larry grabbed her from behind, his one hand closing over her mouth and pulling her head backward as the other slashed away at her throat with the knife. Laura let out a muffled scream that died quickly as she began to choke on her own blood.
Larry walked around to the front of the couch, watching with pleasure as his wife struggled to live, her blood covering her, the couch and People magazine. He was enjoying the show.
“Take that,” he muttered.
A quick death really hadn’t been good enough for her. He wished he could take it back and make it slower. On the other hand there was no use in leaving behind a pretty corpse. With renewed vigor he began attacking her body with the knife.
Paula was surprised that her parents hadn’t been yelling at her for the past hour. She knew she had the music on too loud, but as long as she could get away with it, why not?
Caught up in the latest song, she didn’t notice her bedroom door swing open, nor did she notice her bloodied father silently enter the room.
“Paula?”
She turned with a start, embarrassed at having been caught dancing. She was ready to lay into her father for not respecting her privacy when it suddenly registered that he was covered in blood.
“Dad…?” she started to say.
He didn’t let her finish. He immediately struck out at her, the bloodied knife blade catching and tearing open her cheek. Paula fell backwards, her one hand rising to the wound on her face and the other reaching backwards to help check her fall. She landed with a thud nonetheless.
She had no time to get her bearings. Like a man possessed, he was on her in an instance, pulling her to her feet and plunging the knife into her stomach. With great ease it parted her flesh.
Paula had no time to register the attack. All she could register were the repeated blows of the knife, sinking time and time again into her stomach. Blood welled up in her mouth, choking her as she desperately gasped for breath. There was none coming as the pain disappeared and blackness engulfed her.
Larry continued stabbing his daughter long after her body went limp. It was only when his arm became tired that he gave up, pushing his daughter onto the bed as he backed slowly towards the door.
“You’ve done it,” he thought. “You’ve freed yourself.”
A smile crossed his lips as he stared at his daughter’s lifeless form. She was sprawled out on the bed, her stomach a mass of blood and torn flesh—her face frozen in a look of surprise and horror, her mouth wide in a silent scream, blood trickling down the side of her cheek. Her eyes stared at the ceiling, lifeless. He noticed her underwear, which was exposed through the tattered remains of her nightgown.
“She certainly did have a great figure,” he thought as he dropped the knife and began unbuckling his pants. Without a thought to his actions, he made his way over to the bloodied bed.