Steve followed Mike through the door, both continuing to laugh and to talk with high-pitched voices like two old ladies.
Taking the sidewalk leading away from campus, Martin pulled from his backpack the newspaper clipping and re-read it:
"FOR RENT: 1 BR DUPLEX APARTMENT IN A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD, FURNISHED. $200/MO. UTILITIES PAID AND MEALS INCLUDED. MALE STUDENT ATHLETE PREFERRED. 555-4665."
It was late in his junior year at Central Louisiana University, and being able to get away from the bustle and congestion of campus life held much appeal for him. He found the house next to a quiet side street overhung with thickly clad oak trees which shaded bright green lawns and flowery mounds of fiery pink azaleas. It was a narrow two-story wood-frame duplex, half of which appeared dark and empty with plain drapes hung in the windows. The stillness of it gave Martin an ominous feeling. The other half, however, had flowery hanging plants over the porch and windows bright and skillfully decorated.
The owner, Mrs. Sybil Sanchez, welcomed Martin into the latter half of the house. Its furnishings combined styles of both gothic and oriental, and carefully arranged on tables and shelves were a number of small crystal obelisks and pyramids reflecting the light of scented candles. A mahogany Buddha statue on the fireplace mantle stared down at Martin, as he seated himself beside Mrs. Sanchez on the edge of the sofa.
She was a small woman in her early 50's who wore her dark curly hair loose and long. Quartz crystals dangled from her ears and an embroidered shawl was draped over her shoulders. Her eyes sparkled in the candlelight, and Martin thought she looked quite young for her age.
"So, Martin," said Mrs. Sanchez, "you're an athlete at the university, right?"
"Yes, ma'am," said Martin. "I'm on the track team at Central. But may I ask, why did you state in your ad that you preferred a male athlete?"
"My late husband was a coach of the football team," she said. "I remember his players being some of the nicest young men. And I would much prefer renting to someone who is committed to good health and is well mannered. I just hope that you're not the partying type, though."
"Oh, no ma'am," said Martin. "I came to college to get a degree, not a hang-over."
Mrs. Sanchez giggled. Her smile accentuated her high cheek bones.
"Well then, there's just one more thing I need to ask you, Martin," she said. "And that is, do you by chance have a girlfriend?"
She leaned in close to Martin. A serious expression came over her face as her eyes locked with his. He felt her warm hand on his knee and started getting nervous, thinking that maybe Steve and Mike were right about this woman. His hand strayed toward the coffee table and landed on a large book of Japanese artwork.
"Um, uh," he stuttered, glancing at the book. "Yes, ma'am. There is a really nice girl that I'm dating right now, really nice. And smart, too."
"Good," she said, patting his knee and backing away with a smile. "I just wouldn't want someone bringing various young ladies around here at all hours. A steady girlfriend is acceptable, as long as she has her own place to sleep, mind you."
"Oh, yes ma'am," said Martin. "She's a perfect lady, and my parents raised me to be a perfect gentleman."
"Well then," she said. "I think you'll do just fine. The rent's payable at the beginning of each month, and you're welcome to have your meals with me each day. You can move in this evening, if you like. I'll have breakfast ready about 7 in the morning. Oh, and here's the key."
Martin left Mrs. Sanchez' house and went back to the dormitory to pack his things. He met Steve coming off the track field and asked him for the use of his car for the move. Steve hated losing such a good roommate, but he understood Martin's need to establish some independence for himself. He would have done the same, except for the local convenience of his parents' home.
Martin finished unpacking, then took a shower. Mrs. Sanchez had brought some food items earlier and put them in the refrigerator. So Martin, wearing nothing but his gym shorts, was in the kitchen fixing a sandwich, when she unlocked the front door and walked into the living room.
"Yoohoo, Martin," Mrs. Sanchez called. Martin was entering from the hallway and almost dropped the soda and sandwich, when he saw her.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, halfway turning her face. "I'm just so used to letting myself in. I didn't think to check whether you were decent or not."
"Quite alright, ma'am," said Martin, setting down the things and checking his shorts. "I'm still use to walking around in just shorts myself, especially after living in a dorm full of guys. My apologies, ma'am. I should have remembered that a lady was on the premises."
"No harm done then," said Mrs. Sanchez with a soft laugh. "I just wanted to be sure you knew something, before anyone else gave you the wrong idea about this place. You see, it's been said that a ghost lives here. Now, I don't know what you've heard about ghosts, but I pride myself in being a bit familiar with the paranormal. And I'm sure that this one is quite benevolent, so you shouldn't be worried about anything."
"Well," said Martin with a smile, "I'm not much for believing in ghosts, ma'am."
"All the same," said Mrs. Sanchez. "I just wanted to inform you not to be too concerned, if you happen to hear any strange sounds or see anything unusual."
Mrs. Sanchez' eyes were scanning Martin's broad hairy chest and gliding down his bulging arms and legs, before ending up at the small bulge in the crotch of his shorts. The sight of him reminded her of how much she missed watching her husband's players work out on the field, their T-shirts drenched with sweat and clinging to the ripples of their hulking physiques.
"Well then," she said, backing toward the door, "I'll just say good night and leave you to settle in."
"Good night, Mrs. Sanchez," Martin said. "And thank you for the information. I'll be sure to keep my eyes and ears open and not be too judgmental."
Later that night, Mrs. Sanchez was lying in her bed thinking of Martin. She remembered his broad hairy chest, the bulging muscles of his arms and legs, and the tightness of his shorts. She imagined him sitting by the window of her room in the moonlight. When he turned to look at her, her heart began to pound. He stood and peeled the shorts from his hips, letting his thick penis dangle between his legs. He drew the covers back and crawled on top of her. His dark chest was overshadowing her body, as her knees rose and her hand slowly slid down and over the slightly damp swelling in her panties. The month-long denied touch sent shivers through her body.
She imagined Martin gripping her shoulders and kissing her neck passionately. Then, wanting to enhance the fantasy further, she opened the nightstand drawer and pulled from it the cream-colored dildo which she had not used in over a month. Shifting the cotton material of her panties to one side and exposing her moist and swollen labia, she dipped the phallus tip within her vaginal folds. As it slid so smoothly into her, she moaned and raised her back slightly from the bed.
The old sensations were returning, causing her body to writhe and her moaning to intensify. Her brow furrowed and her jaw widened, as the dildo moved more quickly. Martin's hands spread wide the folds of her nightgown and his lips were on her breast. The dildo sank deeper. She yelped, not caring if anyone heard her, not even Martin. The grip on her breast tightened, as her hips quivered and her buttocks contracted in anticipation of the orgasm. . . .
Thump, thump, thump . . .
Mrs. Sanchez froze. The sound had definitely come from the bedroom door. She quickly pulled the covers over her.
"Who's there?" she softly called.
Only silence replied. She lay there listening, a chill rushing over her body. Her ears searched for another sound, but only the soft ticking of the downstairs clock was detected. She nervously pushed back the covers and drew the dildo from her sopping vagina. She slowly approached the door, and extended her shaking hand toward the knob. She swung the door wide and stepped back, half expecting someone to be standing on the other side. But only emptiness lay beyond. She timidly poked her head through the opening, turning one way then another. The dimly lit hallway lay still. There was only the clear ticking of the clock from downstairs, and then . . .
DIINNNG!