Zeke

by Wodke Hawkinson

  “Okay, Will,” Roxie replied. “You want me to call her folks and update them?”

  “Yeah, that’d be great. But don’t mention the bite marks and stuff.”

  “I know that, Will. I wasn’t born yesterday.”

  “Sorry. I’m just so damn worried.” He paused, thinking about a contact he had at the local police department. “Why don’t you get Jordan on the line and see if they’ve had any reports come through on this vehicle. Someone might have seen it. In the meantime, I’ll just struggle along, get back on the road.”

  Roxie agreed and Will disconnected the call. He rubbed his eyes. He had a bad feeling, really bad.

  Tied to a Chair

  Sue had fallen asleep in the back of the van somewhere after Zeke apologized. When she awoke, she had no idea where they were or what city they were in. Night was encroaching, the sky darkening. Zeke had parked outside an apartment building slated for destruction and crawling with shadowy homeless people, derelicts, and junkies. She had seen a few of them as she and Zeke picked their way over the debris to the dark doorway, and they frightened her even more than Zeke did.

  “Oh, yea. This is gonna be fun, Susie.” Zeke led her to an abandoned apartment on the second floor and told her to strip.

  “But Zeke! Anyone could walk in here,” she said.

  He turned a fierce gaze on her. “I know. That’s part of the fun.”

  Sue thought differently. Her hands shook as she dropped her skirt and blouse to the floor, followed by her boots and socks. Gooseflesh decorated her arms as the air painted them with a frigid brush. Despite her discomfort, she didn’t want to anger Zeke. He had been acting peculiar since they left the gas station, agitated and snappish though she tried to placate him at every turn. She hoped by going along with his newest fantasy, she could assuage his escalating discontent. Standing naked before him, she trembled, awaiting further instructions.

  “Tie your legs together.” Zeke tossed her a rope. There were a couple more lengths hanging from his back pocket.

  When she looked aghast, he simply said, “Do it.”

  His tone told her he would tolerate no argument. She fumbled with the rope and tried to wrap it around her ankles loosely so it wouldn’t chafe, but her fingers were trembling when she made the knot. When she stood, the rope fell away.

  “I told you to tie your legs!” he growled.

  “I tried,” she sobbed. “It didn’t stay.”

  “Don’t you even know how to tie a knot, you idiot?” He glowered at her. “You should have learned that in kindergarten. If you weren’t so busy humping your dad like a little slut, maybe you could have learned how to tie a simple knot!”

  Sue stood in shock, unable to speak as his words stabbed into her.

  “Just forget it!” He yanked the rope out of her hands and pushed her toward an old straight-backed chair.

  “Now bend over that chair and grab the legs.”

  Sue picked her way carefully over the dirt and debris, silent sobs racking her body. Crusty particles adhered to the soles of her feet. Probably rat droppings. The disgusting thought pushed through her despair. She bent over the grimy metal chair, its surface ice cold against her bare flesh. The filth from the floor gouged into her knees. Zeke knelt and tied each of her wrists to separate chair legs. She shivered uncontrollably now.

  “It’s your fault I have to do this,” he told her. “Things would have been different if you hadn’t made that phone call and spoiled everything. Now that I think about it, it’s not the first time you’ve stabbed me in the back, is it? If you hadn’t messed things up with Dilly, I’d already have this out of my system.” He went around behind her, spread her legs, and tied each above the knee to separate chair legs, leaving her exposed and vulnerable. “I wonder what other stunts you’ve pulled, things I haven’t found out about yet.”

  She wanted to resist, but knew if she balked she would pay a price. It wasn’t like she’d really had any choice in the matter. If she screamed here, she’d draw out all the weirdoes and sickoes, and god only knew what would happen then.

  He walked away where she couldn’t see him. She heard him rummaging around on the other side of the room. His voice lowered to a harsh whisper.

  “I’m going to punish you now, Susie, for being a lying little sneak,” he said. “I’m going to show you what happens when trust is gone. I’m going to teach you not to ruin my plans ever again. You need this. You have to learn the right way to do things. You have to learn not to hold me back.”

  “Zeke, honey, I’m so sorry.” Her pleading carried a note of panic. “I never meant to hurt you; you’ve got to believe me.”

  “Hurt me? Is that what you think this is about? Don’t flatter yourself, you sanctimonious little twat. You don’t have the power to hurt me.”

  “Okay, okay. Maybe I chose the wrong word. But you know what I’m saying. I’m sorry I disappointed you. Please give me another chance. Let me prove how much I love you.” She tried to sound sincere.

  “I’m not stupid, Sue. You don’t love me.” She heard his zipper slide down, but still he didn’t approach her. When the first slap hit her buttocks, she was shocked. He had crept up on her. Using the flat of his palm, he smacked her again several times. Her skin burned. She looked at the floor and watched her tears fall into the dust. She braced herself for the next blow, but his footsteps receded. She shook with fear, humiliation, and cold.

  Zeke had placed a few flashlights around the room; but they did nothing to dispel the gloom. When she raised her head, she could see the gray sky growing darker through the broken windows, a weak drizzle made light tapping sounds against the remaining panes.

  Next, she felt the feathery touch of Zeke’s hand on her skin. He had snuck up on her again. Something cold and metallic slid down her back and made lazy circles over the skin of her buttocks. She couldn’t tell what it was, but it didn’t hurt. She could hear him breathing, but neither of them spoke. He withdrew the cold thing and walked around to the other side of the chair. She saw his legs, his boots. Then he squatted in front of her.

  “Want to see what I have?” he asked, a smile in his voice.

  She shook her head and closed her eyes. He grabbed her hair and forced her head up. “Open your eyes.”

  It was Big Ben. Icy fear coiled in her belly like a serpent. She hoped this really was just a game. She had never felt so vulnerable in her life.

  “I was using the handle on you,” Zeke said, conversationally. “But next time, I might turn it around. You know, I had planned to introduce Dilly to Big Ben, but it didn’t work out. You’re lucky I’m in love with you. Know what I mean?”

  Sue sucked in her breath, afraid to answer. He made her nod her head like a puppet, still holding onto her hair. “Here’s what I think. I think you tipped off Dilly somehow, spooked her. You ruined my fun, Sue. You’re never going do that again, are you?”

  He shook her head no and then released her hair and walked to the doorway. She heard his footsteps in the hall, the clump of his boots on the stairs. Then there was silence.

  She exhaled and tried to take stock of her circumstances, grappled with questions. What was in Zeke’s head? He had left her, naked and tied to a chair in a crumbling tenement teeming with derelicts and crack heads. Maybe he had tricked her. Maybe he hadn’t really abandoned her. Maybe he’d come back.

  Time passed and her senses became acute. Trembling violently from cold and dread, she clinched her bare buttocks. The shadows in the room hung heavy with menace. If she could only get free of the ropes, she’d grab her clothes and sneak into a different room to dress. Then she’d run from this place, flag down a cop, or beg some shop owner to call the police. Just imagining her escape flooded her with relief.

  Twisting her arms this way and that, she struggled to loosen her bonds, but the ropes dug into her skin. Pain forced her to stop. Defeated, she slumped against the chair and gave herself over to quiet weeping.

  Shadows formed outside the thin beams of
the flashlights. The thick silence surrounding her came alive with furtive noises: creaking, whispering, skittering. Slowly, other sounds made their way to her ears. She could hear the inhabitants calling out to each other every so often from other floors, their voices echoing faintly along the stairwell and bouncing off the walls. She could hear their shuffling movements down the long hallways either downstairs or up, or maybe in other dark apartments. She could smell their waste, taste their desperation.

  She wondered if rats would come and bite her, maybe chew off her fingers and toes. She now had serious doubts whether Zeke would come back, and debated calling for help. But what if the people who answered her cries were worse than Zeke? Then an idea slithered into her mind. Maybe he was waiting in the hall, filled with silent mirth over her predicament, the sadistic bastard. Maybe he was testing her loyalty in some bizarre way. A steady trickle of fear dripped inside her. Toxic. Chilling.

  Deep regret rolled through her. What a fool she had been to up and run off with someone she hardly knew. She suddenly missed her mother, her father, and her home. Helpless tears flowed. She saw their faces in her mind, but it brought her shame and she pushed the images away. She wasn’t their little girl anymore, a daughter they could be proud of and cherish. She was soiled, ruined.

  A thumping on the stairs drew her attention. Footsteps. Coming closer. But, it sounded like more than one person. Zeke burst into the room. “Honey, I’m home!”

  Finally! He’ll untie me. Laugh at the joke, even though it wasn’t funny. She pushed out a weak chuckle as she turned her head, trying to see, but he circled around and approached her from behind.

  “Okay fellas, she’s all yours.” He patted her bottom. “She’s got a fine ass, doesn’t she?”

  She turned her head toward the doorway and made out a couple of figures in the dim light. They shuffled toward her.

  “You want to go first, man?” A whisper issued from the dark.

  “No, you go ahead.”

  Sue felt strange hands on her hips, stroking her, sliding down the sides of her legs, and over the rope binding her. The man backed off quickly. “Dude, this woman’s tied up,” he called over his shoulder. “What the hell’s wrong with you? I thought you said she wanted this.”

  “She does,” Zeke said. “She likes to be tied up. It’s a game. You don’t hear her complaining, do you?”

  “I don’t know.” He was dubious now.

  “If you’re not gonna do anything, move outa the way.” The second guy dropped his pants to his knees.

  “My man!” Zeke said merrily.

  The willing stranger knelt behind Sue and searched her backside with probing fingers. He found what he sought and mounted her. “It’s okay, girly,” he said. “You’re gonna like this. The ladies tell me I’m pretty good.”

  “Zeke!” Sue cried hoarsely, as the man grabbed her hips for leverage.

  “Looking good, Susie.” The flash from Zeke’s camera momentarily blinded her.

  Sue groaned. She was still very sore from Zeke’s abuse of her genitals, and this act only made it worse. Her brain raced to find a way out of this predicament. She grasped for an idea. In an effort to hurry the act, she encouraged the man on top of her with little sounds and movements that mimicked pleasure. Tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

  “Resist a little bit, Sue,” Zeke drawled. “You’re not supposed to like this so much. Hey, this guy is old enough to be your dad. Hell, maybe he is your dad. Are you her dad, man? I told these guys you like to be raped. Pretend rape, of course. You need to fight some or they’ll never believe me again. It could damage our budding relationship.”

  Even without Sue struggling, the guy was nearing release and could utter nothing but grunts and moans.

  “Aw, dude, that’s sick,” the other guy said to Zeke.

  “It isn’t sick,” Zeke said. “She likes it. Turns her on. You saw her grinding into him. She likes women, too. She did her best friend all through high school. This girl will do anybody, and I do mean anybody. Store clerks, freaks in the park. Even her old man. That’s what I love about her. It’s all good.”

  Zeke’s words were like slaps to Sue, piling humiliation on top of the pain and terror. How could she ever have thought she loved this monster?

  The man behind her finished and collapsed onto her back for a few seconds. He withdrew and got to his feet, slapping her bottom playfully before pulling his pants up. “Do I pay you now?” he asked Zeke.

  “Nah, that was a freebie. Consider it a gift, a token of friendship.” Zeke’s voice echoed off the bare walls.

  “Hey, thanks.”

  “If you want a turn, you better get on there now,” Zeke told the other man. “We aren’t staying here all night, you know.”

  Sue could hear the man pacing. She felt his indecision, invisible but potent, like a strong odor.

  “Alright,” he finally said. “But you two step out in the hall. I don’t want an audience.”

  “No way,” Zeke said. “Take it or leave it, but I’m staying. She’s my girl. It’s my job to protect her.”

  The man bent over Sue and ran his hand down her back. His touch was soft. She heard the quiet rustle of his clothes as he lowered his pants. He positioned himself behind her, being careful not to step on her legs, and she could feel the bristle of his pubic hair against her buttocks, but nothing else, no arousal. He pressed against her as if he were having sex with her. Leaning over, he whispered in her ear, “I’ll help you if you need me to. See, I don’t think you really like this. If you want out of here, just nod your head.”

  Sue nodded against his face. She hoped it wasn’t a trick. He grunted as if he were in the throes of passion, and reached long arms down to her wrists. While pantomiming sex, he quickly untied the ropes. Her hands were numb, but she wrapped them around the chair legs as if they were still tied.

  “He has a knife,” Sue whispered. “And he’s crazy.”

  “Okay, I gotcha.”

  “What’s all the jabbering about? What are you saying?” Zeke’s voice was deceptively friendly.

  “Just love talk,” the man groaned, simulating pleasure. Abruptly, he pulled back from her and panted for a few minutes. Blocking Zeke’s view, he worked to untie Sue’s legs. The feeling gradually returned to her hands with sharp pinpricks of sensation.

  “Done already?” Zeke’s voice was suspicious.

  “I gotta rest, man. I ain’t used to this much action,” the stranger said to Zeke. “I’ll get back on, here in a second.”

  Zeke and the other man laughed. Zeke lit a cigarette. Sue heard the rasp of the lighter, and caught the smell of smoke in the air. He and the first man joked around, telling dirty stories.

  Her would-be savior climbed back onto Sue and put his mouth near her ear once more.

  “I don’t have a weapon. I don’t know what to do. At least you’re not tied up anymore. Do you want me to call the police when I leave?”

  “Yes. Yes. Thank you,” Sue whispered, filled with gratitude and relief.

  “I got some warrants out on me, so I can’t hang around,” he said. He made a loud sound then, as if he had finished, and rose. Sue stayed draped over the chair.

  “That was hot. Thanks, dude.” He huffed and shook his head as if worn out as he pulled up his pants.

  “Glad you enjoyed her,” Zeke said amiably. Then, as if he had just finished entertaining guests at a dinner party, he added, “I’ll just walk you fellas out.”

  She heard their retreating steps.

  Sue stood and started for her pile of clothes. Her legs had fallen asleep, and she collapsed on the first step. Frantic, she scrambled painfully to her feet once more, and fought a wave of dizziness. It passed and she forced herself forward. Just as she reached for her skirt, she heard Zeke’s familiar footsteps. Quickly, she retraced her steps and leaned over the chair again.

  “Well, that was fun, wasn’t it?” Zeke said upon his return. “I gave you a little pleasure break, but now it’s just
you and me again, babe.” He approached her and knelt down, Big Ben in his hands. The knife was covered with smears of blood, and horror spread through Sue’s chest.

  “I heard what that dude said to you.” Zeke waved the knife hypnotically in front of her face. “But, you don’t need to worry; there aren’t any cops coming. Nobody’s going to interrupt us.” He moved around behind her and she held still as she could, heart pounding against her chest. Instead of hitting her though, he started kissing her inflamed bottom.

  “Mmmm.” He ran his tongue over her skin. “You put on one hell of a show, bunny.”

  He undid his pants and entered her. He was gentle with her this time. “We’ll have to do this more often. Next time we’ll pick better guys, though. Those two were kind of trashy. I thought you had better taste, but what the hell.”

  Sue was too frightened to speak. Her entire body hurt and her mind shut down. When Zeke had finished, he told her to get up.

  “Oh, I almost forgot, you’re tied up.” He chuckled tolerantly. When he reached down to untie her, he found the ropes loose. “What’s this?”

  “They fell off,” Sue said dully, expecting another outburst.

  He surprised her by helping her stand. Her back made cracking noises as she straightened. She stumbled and he reached out to steady her.

  “Guess I don’t tie knots so well either, bunny,” he said, his voice tender. “Come here, baby. Look, I’m sorry I lost my temper with you earlier. You had it coming, but I’m still sorry as hell. I know I should cut you some slack, because you don’t mean any harm. You just don’t think. I promise to be more patient with you from now on. Now give me a kiss.”

  Zeke pulled her into his arms and held her shaking, cold body against his warm one. He raised her face and kissed her. She stood like a lump in his embrace, looking out the windows at the city lights twinkling in the darkness below. There were no words for her pain.