This is a little vignette about a particular fantasy of mine.
*****
Elsa Yarkovsky rolled over in bed and smiled. It was Saturday morning, and all was right with her world.
In her capacity as a special investigator for the Federal Trade Commission, she'd spent the past week accumulating evidence against Bronson Douglas, scion of the Douglas Industries Douglases, and she knew without a doubt they'd nailed him. He'd delayed his trial for months, pushing for binding arbitration instead, and she couldn't wait to see him seated behind the defendant's table in a courtroom, listening as his network of schemes and deceptions was dismantled. A jury trial was the worst possible thing for someone like him: he was good looking in an Eighties-movie-villain sort of way, he'd inherited all the money he'd used in his scams, he'd been in the tabloids with a variety of women as his wife remained steadfastly by his side. Only a jury of millionaires would have any sympathy for him.
She stretched as the sunlight cut through the air. She lived alone, and had no real time for a social life that might put a man in bed with her. And that was okay. She planned a quick yoga workout, followed by a leisurely run around the park and a positively decadent lunch to celebrate her triumphs.
The phone on her nightstand buzzed. It showed an unknown number, and she started to ignore it, but then wondered who would call so early on the weekend. She picked it up and said, "Hello?"
"Ms. Yablonsky," a smooth male voice said. "Good morning."
Elsa went cold. "How did you get this number?"
"You really think it's that difficult?" Bronson Douglas said. "I have all the resources in the world."
"What do you want?"
"To give you one last chance. Tell me what evidence you have against me that makes your boss confident enough to risk a jury trial, and nothing will happen."
The implied threat only made her angry. "Goodbye, Mr. Douglas."
"Wait! It's really in your own best interest to hear me out. You only have less than ten minutes."
She felt the first frisson of fear. "Until what?"
"Until you find yourself unable to move or speak."
She frowned. It was too early in the morning for nonsense. "Unable to move or speak? Do you plan to tie me up or something?"
"Nope. It'll just happen. In six minutes now, wherever you happen to be."
"Oh, I suppose I'll just fall over?"
"No, you'll likely just stand there. Unless you're sitting."
"Uh-huh. And how will this happen?"
She heard the insufferably grin in his voice. "Ah, that's a trade secret. One you
haven't
uncovered."
"Look, this contact is entirely inappropriate," Elsa said. "I'm blocking this number, and I don't expect to hear from you again. Do you understand me?"
"Five minutes now," he said. "In five minutes, no matter what you're doing, you'll stop and be unable to move or speak."
Reflexively, she glanced at the clock on the cable box. 7:35 A.M. "Goodbye, Mr. Douglas," she said, and ended the call. Then, as she promised, she blocked the number.
She stared at the phone in her hand. What the fuck was all that about? And what was that weird-ass threat? She started to call her boss Tommy, but figured it would be cruel to wake him this early on a Saturday. This nonsense could wait.
She started the coffee maker and went to look out the front window. The city stretched away from her, bustling even at this hour, the morning mist hiding the tops of the buildings. The coffee maker beeped to announce it was complete, so she turned to walk back to the kitchen. She happened to glance at the clock again, and saw 7:39 change to 7:40.
She stopped in the middle of the living room.
It wasn't deliberate. She simply could not get her body to move. She was frozen, paralyzed. Only her eyes seemed unaffected.
What the everlasting fuck?
She struggled with all her might, but her limbs might as well have been made of concrete. Not a finger trembled or changed position. She began to breathe heavily, and felt her chest tighten with panic. She saw herself in the mirror across the room, looking for all the world like a still photo or portrait: the checkered drawstring pajama pants, the loose white undershirt, her bare feet and disheveled hair. Her face shone with perspiration even as her expression remained blank. She couldn't even muster the energy to
look
terrified.
What had happened to her?
How
had this happened to her? What did that son of a bitch Douglas
do
to her?
Her cell phone buzzed from the kitchen counter It was less than six feet away, but she could do nothing to reach it, or even turn to look at it.
Oh, my God,
she thought, her heart racing.
Somehow he did it. He really did it.
Before she could even speculate on why, or what else he might have in mind, the front door rattled as a key turned in the lock. She couldn't turn, but the mirror's reflection showed the entrance. She felt a jolt of genuine terror mixed with white-hot rage as Bronson Douglas entered. He closed and locked the door. "I warned you," he said, smug and delighted.
You fucking asshole
,