Fear Factors

by Peter Sacco

  Howard continued to read as he stroked Webster’s brow. He gave Webster a kiss on the cheek and began to cry. Friday came and Sue acted very strangely when she arrived home from work. Howard stopped working early and told her he had prepared a lovely dinner for them. Sue stated that Morro, the fellow Jeff had met on occasion, was going to pop by after dinner to go over some papers for a Saturday morning deadline. Sue said she was sorry and she would draw a nice warm bath for Jeffrey for being such a loving and considerate husband. Sue noticed Webster was not around and asked where he was.

  “I’ve given him to a colleague.”

  “You what?” she asked more in shock than disappointment.

  “I felt it was time for just you and I to be alone and devote all of our time to one another.”

  A small smile spread her cheeks. “I agree, honey, I think he is better off somewhere else. Don’t get me wrong, I will miss him.”

  “Yeah, right you bitch,” he mumbled under his breath.

  “What did you say?” she asked.

  “Nothing, Hun, just agreeing with you.”

  The two ate their dinner almost ignoring one another. The silence started to bother Sue. “I forgot to ask you about your project. How did it go with the specialists?”

  “Complete write off. We’ll never get it up and running.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” she sighed, less than compassionately. “Besides, do you really think animals would have anything meaningful to say anyway?”

  Howard collected up his empty dish and walked over to the sink. “Perhaps a lot more than we give them credit for,” he scoffed.

  “Well, I guess we’ll never know and maybe that’s best,” she quipped.

  Howard started to fill the sink with water. “I’ll wash the dishes.”

  She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek. “You really are a good husband. I’ll draw your bath water for you before Frank gets here. I’m going to slip into something a little more comfortable.”

  “When is he coming over?”

  She glanced at the clock on the wall over the sink. “Should be here in about an hour.”

  Sue disappeared upstairs as Howard let out a large breath. He collected some of the leftover table scraps and brought them to his work shed out back where Webster waited. He returned to the house and went into his bedroom. He heard the bath water running and saw Sue standing in the open closet wearing nothing. He sneaked up on her and placed his hands around her waist. This startled her. She tried to pull away, but gave in trying not to make him suspicious. As he kissed her, he cupped his right hand over her breast. For a moment, she actually became aroused. Just as quick, she remembered the task at hand and pulled away from him.

  “I had better check the water for you before it runs over.”

  She went into the bathroom and he followed close. He grabbed the television on the way and quickly plugged it into the wall as she bent over to turn off the faucets. Not realizing he was behind her, she yelled back for him.

  “Why don’t you get your television and I’ll get everything set up the way you like it?”

  Just as she was about to straighten up she felt her arms bound at her sides. She was about to scream, but stopped. She thought her husband was making yet another one of his feeble attempts to seduce her. She tried to pull away, he whispered into her ear. “Please, bathe with me.”

  “I can’t. Frank will be here soon.”

  “Whose more important, Frank or me?” Still with her back to him, she whispered, “That’s a silly question.”

  Howard let his left arm come free and grabbed for the television behind him. Luckily for him it was small and light enough for the maneuver. Sue mistook his intentions and stood with her back to him.

  “I think the waters too hot, sweetheart,” he whispered.

  “No, it’s just right.”

  “Are you trying to boil me or what?”

  She had to refrain from chuckling. “Oh you big baby. Let me show you it isn’t too hot.”

  She put the toes from her right foot into the tub and slowly slid them in. Her whole foot became submerged in the water. “See, it’s not that hot. Don’t you trust me?”

  “Yeah, try putting both feet in.”

  “Are you planning something kinky?”

  She put her left foot in so she was standing in the tub. She splashed the water around with her left foot a little. “See? There’s nothing wrong with the water.”

  Howard released her and she let out a sigh. She still had her back to him. A lot of this had to do with the very sight of him. Who wanted to look into the face of the man you were just about to murder? She was suddenly startled as she heard the volume of the television blare. For a moment she had a flashback to the time Morro had played that prank. After the shock from the flashback wore off, she quickly turned to see Jeffrey standing there with the television set in his hand. Confused for a moment, she stared at him in shock. She suddenly realized his intentions as he started to speak.

  “My father told me when I was a little boy the only things you could count on in life were death, taxes and man’s best friend.”

  Sue tried to lift her right foot from the water in horror. Coincidentally, a commercial for One Hundred And One Dalmatians was playing on the television. Before, Sue could plant her right foot out of the tub and drag her left foot out of the water, Howard hurled the television into the water. Instantly, the waters began to sizzle and there were snap, crackle and pop sounds. Sue’s quivering body fell backward into the tub and her head made a loud thud as it hit the base of the tub. Her body flipped and flopped in the water like a rainbow trout which had just been scooped up in a net. Sparks flew from the water and Howard felt little bolts of electricity hit his skin. He could smell the burning flesh. It reminded him of the aroma set off by clams in a caldron as they are being steamed. He watched as her body slouched and folded its way into the water. Finally he turned his head away from the morbid scene as her eyes bulged from their sockets. At that moment, all of the power in the house was lost and there was complete silence and darkness. He went back into the bedroom and sat at the side of the bed. He felt shock and deep remorse for what he had done. What if he was wrong? What if Webster had made the entire story up to spite her? Why would she ask him to bathe with his television in the bathroom after telling him repeatedly that it was dangerous?

  His father had always told him to cover his ass and be safe instead of sorry. Webster had saved his life. He was grateful for that. However, he had just killed the love of his life. What had Webster told him? She didn’t love him anyway, she never had. Webster had given him over four hours of anecdotal information regarding both his wife and Morro. And after he had a little detective work on time, dates and location based on what Webster had told him, everything matched up. He saved himself and he should be relieved. However he wasn’t. He would have to accept a contented state for a while.

  Howard called 911 and the paramedics and police were there within five minutes. As the body was wheeled from the house, Morro arrived. Talk about a shock. First thing Morro asked the attending officer was if Howard was okay. The officer told him that he was quite shaken.

  “Just shaken? I’d say a little more than shaken to be carried out in a body bag,” sighed Morro.

  “That’s not Doctor Howard,” responded the detective. “He’s in the living room with the coroner.

  At that moment, Morro nearly shit himself. He ran after the body as the detective followed after him.

  “Hey, mister, why did you think that was the doctor?” asked the detective.

  Morro stopped in his tracks and reluctantly turned to face the detective. “What did you say?” asked Morro.

  The detective cleared his throat and offered Morro an inquisitive stare. “Why did you think that was Mr. Howard? Did someone cal
l you?”

  Morro knew he was about to get his ass in a sling and quickly offered the detective some pathetic story about being in shock and feeling numb. Morro knew the detective did not buy the story, but it at least shut him up. Howard was now leaving with one of the other detectives to go to the hospital.

  ***

  Howard was led back into the corridor with a couple of doctors and Detective Ramsey. Webster danced in front of Howard and came to a complete standstill as he stared at Morro. Webster started to growl at him. Morro glanced up and sneered at Howard.

  “Well, are you going to arrest him?” asked Morro.

  Ramsey offered Morro a funny look. “Mr. Morro, it seems to me you know a heck of a lot about what happened without even being there. How is that?”

  “She was my friend. Sue was a good person. He killed her.”

  Ramsey shook his head and looked over at Howard who grimaced very solemnly.

  “What do you mean, Mr. Morro? Her husband is not in the greatest shape. He just lost his wife, whom he loved very much, to an accident. What is your problem here?” asked Ramsey.

  Ramsey turned to Howard and consolingly patted him on the shoulder.

  “My men will take you home. Sorry you had to come down here,” he said as he offered a sarcastic glance toward Morro.

  Howard whispered to Webster and they disappeared around the corner with two detectives. Just as Ramsey was about to address Morro, he turned to one of the doctors and scratched his head. “Thank you doctor for your co-operation. I have never imagined in my wildest dreams that animals were capable of talking. And to believe the dog saw the whole accident and had the gumption to run and get Doctor Howard to call 911.”

  “Doctor Howard is a man well ahead of his time. He’s a genius,” replied the doctor.

  Morro glared at them with shock and exasperation.

  “And to think an animal can actually conceptualize heaven,” Ramsey added.

  “What do you mean?” asked the doctor.

  “Well, the dog stated that Mrs. Howard got the big prize,” Ramsey said.

  At that moment, Ramsey turned to a very pale Morro and nodded. “Okay,

  Mr. Morro, I’m ready for you. Perhaps you can add to both Doctor Howard’s story as well as his dog’s?”

  Morro just sat there in disbelief and began fidgeting.

  Chapter Four

  Battle With The Bulge

  A blonde-haired young man in his late twenties stands in his glass office and watches the stream of customers move in and out of the bank teller’s line. At twenty-eight, Ryan Collins is in money heaven. The fair skinned, freckled kid from Niagara Falls, Canada has made it in the banking big league of Toronto. Though an economics student at the University of Toronto, being a bank manager was never one of his dreams. Even after completing his master’s degree in business administration, banking was the last career choice on his totem pole. Ryan wanted to be a corporate owner. He dreamed of purchasing and selling large commercial properties. It had only been on the weight of a dare from his university buddies that he submitted his résumé for the managerial position at the bank.

  Collins almost peed himself when he was called in for an interview. He almost choked on his own tongue when he was told he had the job. Fifty-five thousand to start, with a lot of added perks. Not bad for being only one year out of school. His career aspirations had definitely changed. Within five years, Collins had the chance to reach the seventy-five thousand mark. He could definitely live within that salary constraint. He found it funny how he had set his sights on the universe, but when Pluto was offered, he was more than content.

  He loved his first ten months on the job. He was still living in the small two bedroom apartment with his bud John Downing, but was driving a new BMW. Ryan settled for the bottom of the line model, as he wanted to use his earnings for other toys and future real-estate investments. While he was making the big bucks, Downing packed his MBA and headed for Australia. He was visiting his university sweetheart who had returned home to Australia.

  When given the invitation, Downing hit his father up for a loan and headed to New South Wales for a couple of months. Before leaving for Australia, Downing gave Ryan one final piece of advice, “Have a blast and do something you’ve always dreamed of,” Downing told a modest Collins, “But don’t do anything

  I wouldn’t do.”

  Ryan Collins was about to do something Downing didn’t dare dream of. For that matter, he did not even have to ponder the prospect. He was sure, however, at least a quarter of the male population had thought about it, well at least what it would be like. Ryan Collins was going to buy a new toy. Ryan was about to embrace the zone beyond machismo. He was about to go where few men had gone before. His boy was going to have renovation. Ryan Collins was going to have his penis enlarged.

  When mother nature handed out male body parts, she was a little cheap with Ryan. He had very small hands, small feet and a small penis. As a matter of fact, even on cold nights his scrotum muzzled the little guy. Ryan had been very conscientious of his petite penis since grade eleven. He had been dating the same girl for a few months and she decided they could take the relationship to the next level. Unlike many teenagers at sixteen, Ryan was still a virgin. He couldn’t say the same for his girlfriend, who had been with a couple of guys before she met him. Ryan, however, was truly her first real love and not purely infatuation. That was the reason they had waited so long. She wanted to be sure she loved him before she slept with him. Ryan felt like he was getting the consolation prize in the beginning, hearing that other guys had been with her for shorter periods of time and she did not even love them. Given the fact she said she really did love him, made the wait worth it. He always wondered what it would be like to do it. He always wanted to do it. He was quite handsome and girls would probably do it with him. However, he knew he had a small penis and the guys in gym class used to bust him about it.

  At first, he thought the guys were only teasing him. It was only after he ogled the other guys in the shower, that he realized there was some truth to what they were saying. Furthermore, even though far from any inclination about having homosexual appetites, Ryan could not resist comparing his pecker to those of other guys when standing at the urinals.

  He had been caught snooping several times and Lord it was embarrassing. One large young man at the movie theater even accused him of being gay. Ryan claimed he was only looking at the guy’s new shoes, not at the man’s penis. It was a good thing the guy’s brains were in his ass or for certain Ryan would have been busted in the chops. The night he did it for the first time basically set the tone for his future sexual engagements. The night was an absolute fiasco. Everything had been going as he had always dreamed of until the big moment came. Ryan throbbed with exhilarating anticipation. His loins ached like white-hot coals in a barbecue pit. She was also very excited. Ryan had never seen a female in heat up close. He had seen them in the movies, but this was real.

  She had her pants off already and was ready and willing. He removed his jeans and then slowly removed his underwear with reservation. They were in a car for crying out loud. It was dark. She would never see how small he was. Was it the act itself and not the size which mattered? Ryan knew he had the endurance. He sure as hell had enough practice with all of the magazines he had romanced. He had heard women on talk shows discuss how they would be more than happy with a man who had a larger IQ than penis size. This was Ryan. His IQ was very high. Actually, Ryan had always been the brightest kid in school and even through university. He was bright. On this night it didn’t matter. In the back seat of his father’s car, his girl was not thinking about quizzing Ryan to a game of Jeopardy. She was only thinking about Ryan and his doing the deed.

  Once the underwear came off, disaster struck. Firstly, out of nowhere, she pulls out a condom. Where the hell did she have that thing hidden? Next t
hing, she asks if she can put the damn rubber on him. Under other circumstances, like fantasizing in his room alone, Ryan would had have enjoyed the experience. But not here, not now. The fear and embarrassment was causing him to feel the loss of whatever size he could maximize. He feared he would be wilting like the rose he had given her two weeks ago which she kept on her night stand. She kept it to think about Ryan at night so she could have sweet dreams about her honey. This moment was anything but a sweet dream for Ryan. She pulled the rubber out. He pulled his thing out. She stretched the lubricated condom, which did not really need to be lubricated, over Ryan’s pecker. It was not a good fit. It did feel pretty good, thought Ryan, the manipulation and all. However, there was a major problem. The son of a bitch was too big! They were both getting frustrated.

  Ryan told her to let him leave it on and give it a try. He claimed that once they got going, he would get bigger. And of course he claimed the condom had been for extra-large-sized males; a topic of conversation surely brought up during instances of broken dreams. She agreed to it and their passions flared. This time they were both hornier than they had been before. The moment was here and Ryan was happier than he could imagine. It took almost no effort to enter his girlfriend. The only sensation he was getting was his pecker swishing around in the condom. All of a sudden, she just stopped swaying her pelvis and lay there. He told her he would try something different and hopefully this would put her back in the mood.

  He tried using his fingers to pull the condom upward as he thrust himself downward. It seemed to be working because she was actually getting into it. She had actually whimpered a few soft moans. He could now feel the tickling, sweet itching. He could feel the penal sneeze about to be let out. The pleasures filled his sensations like an ignited dynamite fuse. He didn’t realize it was the rubbing against his fingers which was truly getting both of them off. He was going to come the mother of all loads. It was coming and he was thrusting harder. His virginity was going to disappear in an explosion. His finger manipulation was going to send them into orbit. He thrust harder. He could now feel the tension of the condom getting lighter. He thought his fingers were getting numb, but they weren’t. The condom was slipping out of his fingers. She moaned and squirmed about uncontrollably. He was really losing it, the condom that is. It had completely slipped from his fingers and he could no longer feel it on his penis. Quickly, he pulled out, which wasn’t much trouble. She stopped and stared at his face and then his penis. She noticed that the condom was gone.