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White Rose of Rapture

white rose rapture
Featured Image Design by: G – Copyright © 2016 by JJ Ian Kevin Panday

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, would be purely coincidental.

Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, including international, federal, state, and local governing professional licensing, business practices, advertising, and all other aspects of doing business in the US, Canada, or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the purchaser or reader. 

Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on the behalf of the purchaser or reader of these materials.

Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional.

Copyright © 2016 by JJ Ian Kevin Panday

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.”


For Ce Ce who likes stories without happy endings.


White Rose of Rapture

Dr. Miriam Albright, a 30-year-old dentist steps out of her shower. She pats her body dry with a large purple towel. She wraps the towel around herself. Next, she towel dries her hair. At the mirror, she wipes away the steam. She studies the lines under her eyes. She checks her teeth, brushes and flosses them. She moves from the bathroom to her bedroom.

In her bedroom, she drops her towel. She looks into the full-length mirrors that adorn her closet’s sliding doors. She bounces on her toes. Smiling, she cups her small breast in her hands, “Still firm and perky.” Next, she rotates her butt to the mirror. She smacks herself and proclaims, “Hot ass, baby.” Dr. Miriam dresses.

In the kitchen, she grabs a cup of coffee with Half and Half. She looks at her watch, and sighs, “Thank god it’s Friday.” A quick brushing of her teeth and tongue at the kitchen sink. A quick look around for her car keys and she is out the door.

Dr. Miriam enters the rear door of her dental office. She is greeted by her dental assistant, Toni. “Doc, Mark’s called here three times for you.” Mark, her boyfriend of 18 months is five years older than her. He is a financial consultant for a large firm. They met at a financial planning seminar. He later became her patient and asked her out that day. Since then they have have been dating.

“Why didn’t he call my cellphone?”

“He said he did but it goes to voicemail.”

Dr. Miriam checks her cellphone.“Shit, I forgot to charge it.” Placing the phone on her office charger she turns to Toni, “Did he say what he wanted?”

“Yes, he said that he has to skip dinner tonight, but should be able to make the disco.”

“Shit, tonight’s our 18 month anniversary. Just like him. Fuck!”

Beth, Dr. Miriam’s other assistant enters with  a large bouquet of red roses, “Doc, these just arrived for you.”

“Let me guess . . . uh, Mark?”

“Right.”

Dr. Miriam closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, “Put them out for the patients.”

“Okie, Dokie,” chimes Beth as she leaves.

“Uh, Doc, anything I can do?”

“Thanks, Toni, but no. What’s our first patient got.”

Dr. Miriam finishes her day and goes home. Once there she showers. She dries herself and then drags herself to the bed and stretches out. She sets her alarm. “Forty-five minutes, only, girl . . .  got that?” She nods to herself in the mirror. Forty-five minutes later her alarm goes off. Her hand hits the snooze bar. “Oh no you don’t!” she says to herself. Propping herself up on her elbows she studies herself in the mirrors. “When the fuck you getting married?” Her cellphone rings. “Hi Mark . . . I know you are . . . okay, okay, okay, sounds good I’ll be there on time . . .” Dr. Miriam giggles, “Mark, don’t you know that NSA listens to all calls? . . . Mark!” Dr. Miriam laughs hangs up her phone.

She goes through her closet and holds several dresses up against her. She picks a revealing pink dress with thin straps. She puts the dress on without bra or panties. A quick upsweep of her hair, and her feet into gold sandals. She twirls herself around, laughs into the mirror, “I forgive you Mr. Mark Teller . . .  again. And tonight, if you’re lucky I’ll let you fuck my brains out.” Dr. Miriam kisses the mirror.

NEO JOY disco valet opens the door of Dr. Miriam’s red Lexus convertible, “Smokin’ tonight, Doc.”

Dr. Miraim smiles, “Thanks, Steve.” She looks around, “Has . . .”

“Yeah, Mark is inside with his guests.”

“Guests?”

“Here’s your stub.” Dr. Miriam takes the valet parking stub from Steve.

Dr. Miriam puts the stub in her clutch bag. She waves to several girls. They come over and it’s air kisses and selfies all around.

Inside she looks for Mark. She finds him with three other men and a woman. Mark sees her. He excuses himself and goes to Dr. Miriam. “Mir come . . . “

Dr. Miriam turns around, “Who are they? Clients?”

“Yes, I hope you don’t mind. I couldn’t just . . .”

“This was our night to celebrate. Us! Just the two of us!”

“Baby, I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Like you did the last four times? Let’s see, two dozen roses each time and another promise to not let it happen again.”

“Baby, you know once I get the promotion I get a desk job. There won’t be any more client entertaining. I promise.”

“Mark, you have no idea what the word promise means.”

Mark takes Dr. Miriam’s elbow. He leans in to kiss her. Dr. Miriam pulls back. Mark persists and she gives in. “Mark, I swear this is the last time I will forgive you.”

“Thank you, Baby.” Mark leads Dr. Miriam to his guests. Everyone is introduced with smiles and small time jokes. Dancing and drinking and laughing go on until 2:00 a.m.

“Mark, can we go now? I’m exhausted.”

“Sure, Baby, just a few more minutes.”

“Hey, Mark!” One of the guest shouts out. “Bill says he can drink you under the table.”

“Yeah, right he can. But another time I’ve got to take my lady home.”

“Sounds like you’re chicken, Mark.”

Mark laughs, “Calling me chicken won’t work with me. Goodnight guys. See you for golf on Sunday.”

Dr. Miriam kisses Mark, “Thank you.”

“I’m working on keeping my promises, Baby.”

“Mark,” another man calls out. “Beat me in drinking and I’ll sign with your company, not for one year but five.”

Mark closes his eyes. He opens them to Dr. Miriam. She looks at him. “Fuck you, Mark. We’re done!”

“Baby, five years and I’ll get  . . .”

Dr. Miriam doesn’t hesitate. She walks away from Mark and goes to the women’s toilet. Inside she cries. Mark enters. “Baby, please understand.” Dr. Miriam swirls around, “I understand very well. You have no idea of what love is. I’m sorry I wasted 18 months with you.” Mark takes her arm, “Please, forgive me and we can go. I’ll forget the contract.”

“Let go of me and stand aside, before I have you arrested for assault.”

Mark releases her, “Baby, please.”

Dr. Miriam leaves the room.

Outside she waits for her car. A tall blond man stands next to her. “Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” Dr. Miriam says without looking at the man.

“Runny mascara from apparent tears. The clenching and unclenching of your fist. The tapping of your foot. I’d say either from a fight, or possible breakup. But then again you could have a motor neuron disease.”

Dr. Miriam laughs, “Right the first time.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“Nah, it’s okay. Long time coming.”

“No matter when it happens it’s never pleasant.”

“Yep.”

Valet attendant arrives with Dr. Miriam’s Lexus, “Doc, here you go have a good evening – what’s left of it.”

She hands him a twenty dollar bill, “Thanks, Steve.”

The man comes up to her, “Did he call you ‘doc’?”

Dr. Miriam turns, “Uh, yes I’m a dentist.”

“So happens I’m in need of a dentist. I was going to the emergency room to see if they had one.”

“Oh. What’s the problem?

“I think I have a cracked tooth. I get sharp pains with hot and cold, and it hurts to bite down.”

“Sounds like it. I can call you in a prescription.”

“Okay. I hope it works better than all this codeine I’ve been taking.”

“Codeine? How much have you had?”

“Not sure. I came here to get a drink and dance hoping to take my mind off the pain.”

“How much have you had to drink?”

“Just four vodka martinis.”

“With codeine and you’re still standing.”

“Yeah, and the pain is getting worse.”

“Look, my office isn’t far from here. Follow me over and we’ll get an x-ray to be sure.”

“Okay.”

Dr. Miriam stops, “No wait, you’ve had too much to drink. I’ll drive you.”

“Okay, Doc, whatever you say.”

Dr. Miriam switches on the office lights. “I’ll be right back I need to turn on the pumps.”

“Okay.”

She hands him a clipboard and pen, “Here while we wait please fill out this medical history.”

He takes it. He holds his jaw, smiles and sits down. Dr. Miriam leaves to start the pumps.

She returns to see the man naked with his arms behind his back. His clothes neatly piled on a chair. “What the hell? Put your clothes on and get out.”

He brings his hands from behind his back. Points a gun at her. “Sorry, can’t do that right now.”

“What do you want? Drugs? Money? Both?”

“Actually, just you.”

“Me?”

“Right. You.”

“Why me?”

“A reason.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Nothing to get.”

“Please, leave. I’ll give you whatever you want.”

“Oh, I know you will.”

“What do you want?”

“You’re a good person, right?”

“Uh, yes, I try to be.”

“Help out with charities?”

“Yes, but what does that have to do . . .”

“Give your time freely to the elderly, underprivileged kids?”

“Yes. Please, leave you’re scaring me. Is this what you want, to scare me?”

“No.”

“Rape me?”

“Oh, God no. I’m not a rapist. Don’t even like sex.”

“What do you want then?”

“You. Do you do drugs? Smoke? Drink too much?”

“No to all those. I don’t get this.”

“Are you religious?”

“Do I believe in God and Jesus? Yes.”

“Good. I do too.”

“If you believe in God why are you doing this to me?”

“Because I need to.”

“But you’ll go to hell if you kill me.”

“No, Jesus will forgive me. He always does.”

“You’ve done this before?”

“Yes, three other times.”

“Oh, my, God. Three?”

“Yes, you’ll be number four and I hope the last one.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“I need to find three people with good hearts. Then, I can see Jesus.”

“But, you said you’ve done this three other times. Why do you want me?”

“One of them lied and wasn’t pure of heart.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Oh, look the sun is coming up. I hope this will be the day. You seem so nice.”

Dr. Miriam turns to run. She doesn’t get far. The man fires his gun. Dr. Miriam hits the wall. She slides down. A long streak of blood down the wall.

Three hours later Toni enters to find Dr. Miriam in a dental chair. The chair is up high and back. “Doc, you spend the night?” Toni moves to Dr. Miriam. Toni screams.

One hour later the police forensic team has a preliminary finding.

The detective in charge calls from outside the dental operatory. “How’s it look, Doc?”

“Same as the last three. Bullet wound didn’t kill her. The heart was removed through a surgical incision below the sternum – like the others. I’d say it was taken while she was still alive.”

“Jesus Fuckin’ Christ who’s the sicko doing this?”

“And like the others, the heart cavity had a small white rose in it.”

A uniformed police officer enters. “Detective, Lexington police have picked up a naked man on the bridge.”

“More nuts. What do they want us to do about it?”

“They say he has three human hearts tied around his neck. Screaming that Jesus is coming for him.”

The End

 

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2 Comments

  1. G G

    Mucho gracias. I enjoyed writing it as well. It was a self challenge to write a story in one setting. My inspiration was my sister-in-law and her wanting stories without happy endings. Now where did I leave my axe (diabolical laughter).

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