The Inducer

by Ruthy Garcia

  And at last, he gently removes the bandage.

  - A small lounge, an antique record player. He puts on the music and breathes in air. There's a door and he opens it.

  - Take off your shoes. You're about to step into the Holy Land.

  She rushes to obey.

  Yeri looks back and sees the stairs she had come down. They were underground.

  - Did she really believe about taking off his slippers? This is going to be fun.

  -Well, let's go in.

  They entered an underground chapel. Upstairs you could see the sky through a glass. They were surrounded by some strange things, including a Nazi flag, tasteful, antique furniture, and a piano that looked splendid.

  It was the most beautiful piano I had ever seen. In one corner is a desk, in front of this a recliner chair.

  Curiously enough, Yeri tries to pull up a red curtain that covers a large space, as if she were covering something up. She makes attempts to raise the curtain.

  - I wouldn't do that. She obeys and stands up.

  She delights and enjoys the music that is heard lightly from the anteroom from where they entered.

  - Do you like it?

  - Yes, it's a nice place. I don't know why he calls it hell.

  - Everything that is here has a personal hell, a story, a reason, a satisfaction. He sits on the desk chair. Yeri sits in a recliner chair.

  - Tell me about the satisfactions.

  - No, not now. What do you say if we dance?

  -Yes, that's fine. I almost forgot, my presence here is the result of a convention.

  - You call it a settlement? He lifts her from her seat by holding her hand.

  She accepts. Nathalie, the beautiful song by Charles Aznavour, plays. The guru smiles and looks at Yeri's frightened face.

  - Yes, an agreement, but I'm not complaining.

  The guru sang: "My guide had a beautiful name: Nathalie...".

  They danced to the rhythm of the music, which begins slowly and then continues quickly. At that moment it was starting to look like fun. They walk around the room holding hands. They look like two kids. The song then slows down at the end again and ends up.

  - I'm exhausted.

  - Me too. I'm hungry.

  The guru prepares something light for you: he looks for some canned food and makes an exquisite snack.

  Then take a bottle of wine from a small personal refrigerator. When he opens it you can tell that it hasn't been opened for a long time, the wine was very cold. Next to this little fridge, there's a bigger freezer.

  They laugh and share. Then the music stops playing and they lie on the floor looking up. The stars look radiant.

  - What's up there?

  - I don't think there's anything.

  - Really? I prefer to believe that there is something else, powerful, strong, out of this world. Sometimes I am so sure of it that it frightens me.

  - Do you believe in God then?

  - Yes, and you?

  - No, I have no beliefs. I prefer to think that we don't come from anywhere that we are here, that nobody will come to solve my problems that miracles don't exist.

  - I respect your point. I hope you respect mine.

  - So it will be, as long as your beliefs don't interfere with your goals with your target, the charming Frank.

  The silence came, but after a few seconds she responded:

  - No, it won't interfere. I will put aside my beliefs and it will be as it should be.

  - Changing the subject, could I ask you a favour?

  - Yes, tell me. Their heads are stuck together, both bodies are on the floor face up. Yeri's hair is under the guru's head.

  - Can I smell his hair?

  - Really?

  - Yes, really.

  - Do it, I don't care.

  She feels like he's taking part of her long curly hair from the ground. Listen to him inhale it like it's a drug.

  -Ah, just as I thought.

  - What did you think?

  - Black women's hair smells different from blondes.

  Now I'm really scared, and I have to mention another movie. Do you know what I mean?

  —Ah, The Perfume.

  - Exactly. Breathing in my hair reminded me of moments from that movie.

  - And me from the book.

  - I have no reading habits. I'd like to cultivate that in my new life.

  - You'd be surprised at the difference between books and movies. Curiously enough, books are always more complete and better. I can mention the example of Flowers in the Attic, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, 50 sha...

  She won't let him finish: he sits down and finishes the title with a smiling face:

  —¿50 shadows of Grey? I saw the movie. I really liked it.

  - Rubbish, you should have read the book. I think it's my turn to give him a gift worthy of a real lady, a Kindle.

  - That would be wonderful.

  The guru suddenly gets up and goes to the big refrigerator. This one's got some kind of lock on the outside. He opens it up and takes out big pieces of frozen meat. He takes a big machete and starts hitting it on a plateau. The blood starts to thaw and fall to the floor. Yeri gets up and looks at him in surprise.

  - What are you doing?

  - Please remove the red curtain. It's time to feed one of the demons.

  Scared, she walks towards the curtain. What was in there? He called him a demon. What was he getting himself into? It was too late to back out. She rushes in and removes the curtain. Surprisingly, a golden cage appears containing a beautiful adult flare tiger. Yeri gets scared when the animal growls at her. The beating of her heart succumbs with the beautiful presence of that exotic animal.

  - Oh, my God, what a scare!

  The guru starts throwing meat into the cage.

  - He's very hungry. He hasn't eaten in days.

  - It's beautiful. I love these animals.

  Sweet is revenge, especially for women.

  Lord Byron

  CHAPTER VI

  Damn Flowers

  A few weeks later.

  Yeri, or rather Yesi, had been working at Petals Flower Shop for seven days. Three-quarters of all home deliveries of flowers were made from there. It was impossible that anyone from that locality would not have had any contact with this business. It was right in the centre, near the park, the butcher shop, the bakery, the pharmacy and other businesses in the area.

  Those who didn't go to the Malls used to shop there.

  That afternoon She gets a call from the guru.

  - Petals flower shop, at your service.

  - The most beautiful flower must be priceless. That's you.

  - Guru, how are you? I haven't heard from you in days.

  - And so it will be for a while. I've already arranged everything. He'll be coming through that door soon. It's your turn to use your charms to get his attention, I'm sure it won't be difficult.

  - Where will you go? Will you leave me alone?

  - Yes, but don't get excited. Will you be able to face this until I get back? Remember everything we've talked about over the past few months: he's a fallacy. He's beautiful, important in a way, but it's rubbish. He took Ismat's life, don't forget that. Remember the exercises we do, the mind games about hate.

  Yeri talks with her mouth shut so she won't be heard by her co-worker.

  - I won't forget it. I don't know if I'll have the courage on my own, guru. I'm panicking when you tell me you're leaving. What am I going to do?

  - Think, calculate, and act. Remember very well not to execute to the letter all the steps of this revenge. We will proceed to a simple step in the protocol of the Portal of Karma: the exchange. It's a decisive step, sometimes it suits the avenger, sometimes it doesn't. I must go, he's coming in, goodbye.

  I didn't understand about the exchange, but I didn't care.

  - See you later, guru. I trust you'll come back.

  He hung up. Right then the door opens. Frank floods the place with that enveloping perfu
me. Her partner smiles and bumps her elbow on her side. He did it for Yesi to see the good-looking and charming Frank.

  She wouldn't listen. She had to be something mysterious to get the motherfucker's attention. But what a bad born temptation! You had to admit that Frank looked the way he wanted and the way he was.

  -Good morning, sir. What can I do for you? says Eva, Yesi's companion.

  Yesi turns his back on them and puts some things in a display case. Frank keeps looking at the beautiful black woman.

  He takes off those sunglasses to get a better look at you. Eva realizes and decides to give way to her partner.

  - I think you should answer it, Yesi. I've got to get some things I need from the warehouse.

  Frank winks at the girl for helping her to do what he wanted to do with her eyes. She leaves them alone in the flower shop, separated only by the counter.

  When Yesi turns his back, he encounters the smile of the man he hated. Now I was standing in front of him. She thought, "The scissors are close by, I could cut his throat and leave quickly. It would be so easy, I wouldn't suffer at all".

  - Hello, I received a call: a man spoke to me saying that there were some flowers for me to pick up. Funny, I didn't order any flowers.

  - What is your name? They look into each other's eyes. She gives off a fake smile. He must hide the helplessness of not being able to finish him off at that moment.

  — I'm Frank, Frank Fournier - he keeps looking at her. She flirts with certain discretion.

  -I'm sorry, sir. She must pretend she'd never seen him before.

  - Frank Fournier.

  - I told you, Mr. Frank Fournier, there's nothing for you in this flower shop.

  - I think you're wrong. There's a very beautiful flower in this place and it's right in front of me.

  - Yes, but I don't think it's for you. Let down that smile of "I am interested in you, but it will not be easy for you to conquer me".

  - It seems that the person who called me to come and pick up these nonexistent flowers is an angel. I will be eternally grateful for that mistake, even if I never see him again in my entire life, which I doubt. It was a pleasant moment this wrong meeting.

  She shudders. How could a being like him say such lovely things?

  She's staring at him with her eyes closed. This time her mind went far away, to those days when she met Yaro. Those days were more than beautiful.

  - Miss, are you all right?

  - Yes, yes, yes, sorry. I was in another galaxy for a few moments.

  - And he left me? I would have liked to have gone with him.

  They both laugh. She must be something more affordable, she doesn't want to scare off her target.

  I promise you, if I go back, you'll be the first to come with me. She bites her lips to provoke Frank, and she does it.

  - Does that mean we'll see each other again?

  —It depends.

  - Of what?

  - When another encounter occurs. It's not up to me or you, it'll only happen if it has to.

  Then I trust I can leave and see you again. It's just coming in looking for flowers.

  -Don't trust yourself, Frank. I could quit this job today and get away with it, you'd never know about me.

  - Are you suggesting that I ask for your phone number? I hadn't been forgotten.

  The laughter didn't take long.

  - I'm sorry to say that I don't have a mobile phone. I'm kind of backwards about this.

  - Then I have no choice. I'll be obliged to pick you up on my way out to find out your address. What does it say?

  -Well... -She hesitates a little, but then she agrees. -All right. I leave at 7, but I'm leaving later today. I have to deliver some orders that leave after 7:00.

  At that moment Eva returns from the back of the store.

  - No, nothing like that, Yesi. You can leave on time, I'll cover you.

  - Would you really do that for us? That's very flattering.

  - Sure, sure. Pick her up at seven, I'll give her to you myself.

  - That being the case, I'm leaving. I'll see you later.

  The man retires. The women watch through the glass as Frank gets out and into his car, a beautiful red convertible model.

  -You're lucky. He's an Adonis, he's as he wishes.

  - Yes, I'm very lucky, more than you can imagine.

  The night is falling and it's clearly summer, there's still some sunshine. Frank arrives at the flower shop. She goes out and they go out. Before she tells him her address.

  - I'm honoured that you accepted my company. I heard his name is Yesi, you didn't tell me your name.

  - I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I am Yesi Polman.

  -Oh, that's great. And where do you come from?

  - From Louisiana. I have little that I have established here, only a few months.

  - Did you leave your husband or children alone? It's not right, you shouldn't have.

  - I'm single, ha ha ha ha! Good way to get my marital status back on track.

  - No children?

  It takes her a while to answer. It must be counted not to mention the love of his life, his beloved son, frustrated at the wrong time by a damn drug overdose. His inducer was driving the car at the time.

  - Yes, no children. I have no children. What about you? Is someone waiting for you at home?

  - Yes, but not exactly a woman, but my son accompanied by a babysitter. I have a little one. He's charming, his name's Mac.

  - Tell me a little about him.

  - I can only tell you that Mac is a special boy.

  -I understand.

  - Yeah, he's a different and very special boy. He's blind.

  -I'm sorry. That came from his soul.

  -Don't worry. Can I call you by your first name?

  - Sure, no problem. They talked in the cool breeze of the speed of the convertible cars.

  - I told you there's nothing to worry about. Although he cannot see, he has developed very sensitive senses: his sense of smell, his hearing and his touch will surprise you. It's a marvel.

  - I'm happy for him. What about his eye condition? Is there any chance I could get my eyesight back?

  - Yes, when he turns ten, they promise that he will be able to see, through a surgical procedure they say is simple. But because of their age they can't operate. The mediums say that he was born without the problem, that he developed this evil over the months at birth.

  -Ok, so, did Mac see when he was a baby?

  - Yeah, it's comforting. Sometimes I think maybe somehow our faces got etched in Mac's memory. It's a remote hope in case he doesn't regain his sight. I'm comfortable with that sometimes.

  -Our?

  - Yeah, sorry, I meant Mac's mother. We're separated now, but we were married less than a year ago.

  - Well, here we are, here we are. Stop it, please.

  He stops slowly.

  - It's closer than I thought, it's a relief," he says, looking at the building of a few pious people.

  - I'm on the fourth floor, apartment 4b. I have to go now, I'm tired. It was wonderful talking about Mac and meeting you. Thank you.

  He gets out of the car and extends his hand. He took her and pulled her in again.

  He takes her face with both hands and kisses her. She stays calm, doesn't make any gestures. She watches him as she closes her eyes and thinks, "The son of a bitch seems to be enjoying it. As I would like...".

  It's when he opens his eyes and grieves. He withdraws from her.

  - Sorry, Yesi, sorry, I'm sorry. What will you think of me? She thinks, "We all know you're a rat, Frank. There's no reason to pretend you just wanted to sleep with me, you unhappy bastard."

  -You shouldn't have, Frank, we just met.

  Yesi leaves the vehicle again.

  -I'm sorry. He goes out and chases him to the entrance of the building.

  - Oh, yeah?

  - Of course, I want to make amends for my mistake, Yesi. I'm a fool who's used to easy things. Give me a c
hance, a date, a one-time date. If I fail, you'll never see me. I'll have to pay the price for my stupidity all my life. Please. Please.

  She thinks about it for a moment, looks at him and smiles. If he were able to understand that this is the last chance to escape, that he would not be able to reverse this impending revenge....

  - All right, I accept, but if you fail....

  - I won't fail, I promise. He takes her hands between his and kisses them.

  That night she arrives at the apartment. When she closes the door, she sits on the floor behind it, crying heartbrokenly. She's heartbroken. How could I go on with it?

  After a few minutes, she gets up and notices that there is a box on the dining room table. There's a note on the outside that says:

  A real lady cooks rich, dances excellently and is a hardcore reader.

  With love,

  The guru

  She opens the box and is surprised by the beautiful Kindle. He waits no longer: he forgets the uncomfortable moment before and turns it on. Start an adventure in your life, the best is yet to come.

  “I don't think I can quench my thirst with justice. Do you believe in a justified revenge?”

  RG

  CHAPTER VII

  Date Induced

  I'm meeting Frank to see us that afternoon. Sunday, it was a perfect day for sharing. He picked her up after noon. At high speed they were leaving the city.

  - Where are we going?

  - It's a surprise. Do you like surprises?

  -Something. I've had a lot of surprises in the last few months. -Speak up. The breeze is insistent because of the speed of the vehicle.

  - Oh, yeah.

  - You can't imagine how exciting it's been.

  - I would have liked to have been present.

  -You are now. That's all that matters, isn't it?

  - That's right, that's what matters.