(This is a story about rape; dark, hopeless and unforgiving. It is my opinion that there is no excuse for rape. No one 'deserves it'.)
Monica Traveler was the chief bitch of her company and she never let anyone forget it. She got off on the fear she generated by walking into the central work area. When that wasn't enough, she would single out someone for personal humiliation and suffering. Monica wouldn't stop at words, no; often some sort of real physical torment was necessary for Monica to get on with her day. Sexual relationships did nothing for her because no man or woman would stay with her through the torments that got her off. Paid sex was empty because whomever she paid knew their suffering would be over at the end of the night and wasn't likely to be repeated. No, Monica had to revel in the helplessness of her victims.
Sally Klausen was hunched over her desk at her cubicle. She was humming a song that she had heard on the radio when she came back from lunch, pushing her glasses up her nose and brushing a loose black hair out of her face. She wasn't thinking about it, she was on automatic. It was her deep-seeded mouse-like instinct that made her look over her shoulder. She was a moment too late. Monica was glaring down at her.
"I ..."
"You know our policy on music in the workplace," Monica stated.
"It was an accident. It won't happen again," Sally pleaded.
"Oh, I'll make sure of that," Monica said with a wicked gleam in her eye.
"Glasses," Monica instructed. She drunk in the power of Sally's trembling hands as they slowly worked up to her glasses and pulled them off. On the periphery Monica could see all the other employees ducking down into their own tiny holes hoping to go unnoticed and secretly happy this was happening to someone else.
Sally finally got her glasses off. Tears were making their way down each cheek.
"I would let you off ..." Monica told Sally, letting that slight flicker of hope arise.
"... Except I can't have people breaking the rules." She slapped Sally across the face. It wasn't a hand slap; only enough to leave a faint red mark. Monica was a past master of applying force to flesh.
"Hey!" exclaimed a masculine voice from behind her. Monica spun and looked to see who would dare disturb her when she was having her fun. He reached out and grabbed Sally's arm before the woman could crawl under her desk. It was that new guy who had replaced that man who fallen into a bottle and wrapped his car around a tree.
"Back in your hole or you're fired," Monica commanded. The man took a step back. Monica was going to deal with him as soon as she slaked her thirst with Sally. Monica returned her attention to her current victim.
"Where was I?" Monica said rhetorically. She knew exactly what was coming next and by the look on Sally's face, so did the little mouse.
'Smack' went the backhand. As she drew her hand for the harder return slap someone grabbed her wrist in a viselike grasp. Monica snarled and spun on her assailant. It was that new idiot. She slapped him hard across the face, leaving a red mark.
"That's it Mister, you are fired and you can expect to get a scathing report to your employment agency."
"Don't hit me again, leave the lady here alone, and go back to your office," he instructed her. Monica saw red. Where was the fear? She couldn't tolerate this. The fact that he didn't even know Sally's name wasn't lost on Monica and made his actions all the more irritating. Monica growled hauled off and slapped him again as hard as she could.
His head pivoted violently to the side, but his grip on her other wrist tightened. Monica bit her lip to stifle her scream. The man didn't look hurt; he looked furious.
"I told you not to hit me," he told her with a deadly calm. Monica hauled off to hit him again. He didn't wait for the blow to connect. He chopped down and hit Monica's wrist causing her to yelp in pain.
"You (slap) stupid (slap) silly (slap) bitch," he declared as he slapped and backhanded Monica. If he hadn't been holding her other wrist she would have fallen to the ground. Around her Monica could sense all the other works burying themselves into their miserable hovels. She'd make them all pay for this humiliation. When Monica managed to get her knees working again, she attempted to kick her attacker. He took the kick to his thigh without flinching.
"Someone needs to teach you a lesson," the man declared with a voice full of menace. He violently released her wrist and spun her around so that her back was to him. Before she could get her bearings he shoved her down the corridor.
"You'll regret this," Monica snapped as she stumbled forward.
"I'm already regretting his," he responded coldly. "You are a cold heartless bitch. I've only known you a day and I can't stand you. I hate to think what people who've been here a year feel about you." As Monica stumbled past the last few cubicles she began shouting.
"You," she barked, "call security." The cubicle drone stared at her frozen in fear. He didn't reach for his phone though.
"Help me," she yelled at an older woman near the end of the line. The woman spun her chair around and glued her eyes to her computer monitor. "Useless bitch," Monica howled. "You are all fired!" she screamed at the room.
"That may be the dumbest think you've ever done," the man commented dryly. "Who has any reason to help you now?"
He slammed her down to the door at the end of the hallway were it T'ed. Monica attempted to turn around but he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her hard against the door. She helplessly struggled against his grasp. When he opened the door Monica stumbled in. The conference room was long on its side; maybe twenty-five feet and twelve feet wide. There was a large table running down the middle of the room and the wall facing Cubicle Hell was made of glass. Monica and the Man were at the head of the table.
"You will never get away with this," she seethed. "I'll make sure you suffer."
"I see no reason to be gentle then," he responded. He stepped toward her and for the first time Monica felt fear. She staggered back but not fast enough. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close. He struggled as he grabbed her other wrist and twisted her so that her back was to the table.
He tried to kiss her but she moved her head away from him. The Man nuzzled her neck instead, kissing her.
"Stop, damn it," Monica snarled.
"I haven't even begun," he promised. Monica tried to beat on him so she was a bit surprised when he shoved a knee between her thighs. She clamped down but couldn't drive him out.
The Man leaned on Monica bending her further back. He was working his other knee in.
"NO!" she screamed. "Help!" The Man stopped and looked out of the glass windows at the cubicle. No head was rising up no one was coming their way.