EXTRACT FOR
Blackmail!
(Aaron Majewski)

     'Let me tell you about the time, I almost died.'

      

      "Bitch! " A hard slap, a woman's cry of pain.

      The glade was softly lit by the warm pale moonlight, giving the short grass a golden tinge, and by the pair of hand held floodlights which had been set upon the soil. Half of the glade is firm ground, easy to walk upon; game trails led off into the enveloping darkness of the Everglades, calling for the unwary to follow them. The other half of the glade was a large mire of deep, slurping quicksand, calling for the unwary to fall into it.



      A sigh. 'How did I get here? honestly, I'm asking. Because I'm not quite sure. I mean, my life was all in order, I was cruising, cool and easy. I had a good job with great pay, coworkers I liked and management who realized my worth, respected me and rewarded me with regular promotions and raises. A job where I could make a difference. '

      

Near the morass a stunning beauty lay upon her side, her femininely manicured hands bound behind her back and her slim ankles tied together. Truly beautiful, in her thirties with thick auburn hair perfectly coiffured and ruby red lips which naturally curved into a pouty smile as if asking for a kiss. Her expert makeup was mussed by a beating, her face wore a patina of fresh bruises traced by blood from her torn skin and cut lips. In an ankle length silky blue-black evening gown, her gold earrings and necklace winked invitingly in the light. She looked up at the man above her defiantly. 

Fiftyish, a silver haired fox reeking of refinement, currently unable to masque the native brutality he seethed with. He was well dressed beneath his dark overcoat, which was open. A bright red ascot graced his pocket. Angrily he railed at the girl.



      'I had friends, the respect of my peers. Even several casual lovers. A couple of whom I actually enjoyed doing things with, outside of the bedroom. The only bad spot in my life was my co-dependent older sister. I mean I love her, and I like her, really I do. But I've been basically running her life for the last half decade.'

      

In reply to his angry ranting the beauty opened her mouth and spoke contumaciously, clear rebellion to his will. Incensed, he screamed as he kicked her hard in the pit of her belly. The stunning example of the female form curled into a ball, retching. Savagely refined, the fox yelled at her some more, now that he had her enforced attention; then he gestured imperiously.

       Responding to the call, the largest most muscular man ever to be seen approached. A big hairy brute, the fact not hidden by his own tailored clothing which rippled over his musculature. He reached down and grabbed the lovely woman, forcing her up to her knees as she drooled a little vomit down her décolletage, her eyes glazed with pain; face filled with misery, despair, and triumph.

 The leader of this brute of a man gestured again. The brute's partner stepped forward. Tall, mid-thirties, with erudite features and tastefully tailored clothing which heightened the impression of gentility and breeding; he looked like he should be the one in charge. His thousand dollar sports coat was carefully cut to hang so it hid the gun he kept in a shoulder-rig. With the face of an angel, he stepped up behind the helpless lady, grabbed a fistful of her thick hair, and yanked. Forcing her to look up at the silver-haired devil.

      

      'Still, I had her handled. Everything was fine and dandy-Jim. So how, exactly, did I reach this point? Look! Here I am at the gates of hell, and sinking slowly. From guardian angel of the community, to a whore hunted through the Everglades.'

      

The fox and the beauty exchanged words, arguing with each other as the men held her, forcing her to look up at the terrible aspect of her doom. But she refused to give in to despair, and he reached into his pocket. Slowly he pulled out a small bright silver-plated gun and put it to her temple, it flashed in the light, gleaming with the sleek promise of death despite its small caliber. She nodded, waiting.

Snarling he smashed the butt down on her face. She sagged, a bright welt on her face as he turned away. The brute and the well bred gentleman caught her, bringing her to her feet. She hung in their grip as they dragged her to the quagmire and threw her in. She landed with a splash and immediately began to sink. The silver-haired predator turned back, talking to her as she continued to settle. 

The beauty began to cry, clearly begging. He pointed the gun at her as he took a cigar out of his pocket and put it in his mouth. Then he looked at her questioningly. She nods, clearly asks 'please'.



      'It's my fault I guess. I'm just not sure how. I know when it started through. About six months ago. I should have just sucked him off, ignored the phone.'