Short stories
                                                                    
                                                                    Night Shadows

The darkness only magnified her sense of doom.In all her twenty plus years Susan had never felt such fright. All about her one
room cottage the overwhelming aura of evil consumed her. Would he come back again? Could she even get past his vile touch
upon her soft tender flesh? God, would the night shadows ever end?

Susan was born attractive and with her mother's genes for a model's figure. With it came the leers from men. One in particular
worked at her office by the name of Vincent Lamont. At six feet three, he over towered her by almost a whole foot.Add in
his hundred pound weight advantage and she proved no match for his unwanted advances.

The night may have been months ago, but still felt like it was yesterday. All week long his snide comments sickened her. The
day he had the gall to enter her office. It was one place she ought to feel safe. Hardly was she ready for what happened next.

"Vincent, I am busy! Make it quick!" He could care less about her agenda.

"Miss Susan Cobb, senior veep to the CEO, too busy to talk to us commoners, my my. Was it your sexy knees or buns getting
you the promotion, Susan?" The woman now was furious.

"Vincent, Get out!" She stood up to emphasize her statement. "If you focused more on your job and less on your libido, the
position may have been yours instead. Now Leave!" The man barely appeared phased with her words.

"You will pay for that, Miss hot pants, just wait." With this he was gone.

Leaving work that night she did not see his BMW. Glad to be rid of the pervert, Susan headed home. At those times it was a
ground floor apartment two blocks from the Truman Towers. She often walked to work on good days.

Entering the hallway  she tossed her purse and keys onto a chair. About to press the answering machine button one hand
grabbed her face as a second blocked her from reaching the phone. The next two hours were torn between hell and eternity.

At first Susan tried to fight off her attacker. With each piece of clothing ripped from her body the resistance proved futile. He
was just too big and strong for her. Then after what she thought hours he slammed her to the living room carpet. Going from
one orifice to another, Lamont used her like a cheap hooker.

Somewhere between the first and last penetration Susan blocked everything out. Her body became a vessel for his anger. Her
mind numbed her brain for letting any sensation to be experienced. She managed to stay conscious long enough to see
Vincent smiling as he plunge again and again.






















Unable to move for the longest time Susan finally made it to her phone. Minutes passed before help arrived after dialing 911.
That was four months, two weeks, and three days ago. Labor Day came and went. Vincent was arrested and posted bail. He
was ordered to stay clear of the victim. The morning after the attack Susan came here for safety reasons. His trial would begin
next week. Home now was this cottage on Loon Lake almost a hundred miles away from crime scene.

Seated here alone in complete silence Susan no longer bore the bruises and contusions. Internal scraping and scars were
healed up physically. All that remained now were emotional wounds which may never be recovered from.

She recalled the phone call from Lt. Maynard. Six days from today in a packed courtroom, she must relate the horrible ordeal
to a room full of strangers. She must come face to face with the very person who created her end. Her career was over. The
only life she knew any more was residing in cottage number three at the Lakeside Mental Health Center.

Still in New York state, she was attended to by a female aide in the morning and evening. At first she was confided to a
locked unit. The lake was much prettier to look at than those four walls. Security at the facility was tight. No way could he or
anyone else find her there. Darkness grew more intense and Susan succumbed to sleep.

A cool breeze awakened her. The locked portal was open. In the doorway stood a very naked Vincent Lamont. His obvious
state of excitement gave way to his purpose for the late night call. She looked around for a weapon, any weapon. Then again
he was violating her body. Once more he humiliated the former corporate officer. As he was about to impel the
ultimate shame a shot rang out. Vincent Lamont fell to the floor. A single bullet proved his demise. Security patrols found his
car on a dirt road not far from the hospital grounds. His clothes were located near the cottage. Police arrived within minutes.
They knew exactly who he planned on visiting.

A year from that evening Susan Cobb went home. This time it was back to New Hampshire. Susan never returned to Truman
Towers or any other high rise office. A nice settlement from her old boss afforded her time and opportunity to start her life
over. There she found the solace she so greatly deserved.

As to the infamous Vincent Lamont, his funeral was attended by his only friend, his mother.

Carl Hills
chills32@comcast.net
                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                             
Copyright 2007 (All rights Reserved)
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