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eBook Category: Dark Fantasy
eBook Description: Mindy is a sensitive young woman whose sense of right and wrong will not leave her alone. When she has a tryst with Jeff, a married man, the consequences begin to assert themselves in a terrifying and heavy-handed manner in this nightmare with no awakening.

eBook Publisher: Clocktower Books and Far Sector SFFH (magazine), Published: Far Sector SFFH, 2003
Fictionwise Release Date: June 2003

9 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: eReader (PDB) [26 KB] , ePub (EPUB) [85 KB] , Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [13 KB] , Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [125 KB] , Palm Doc (PDB) [13 KB] , Microsoft Reader (LIT) [94 KB] , Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [85 KB] , hiebook (KML) [78 KB] , Sony Reader (LRF) [64 KB] , iSilo (PDB) [11 KB] , Mobipocket (PRC) [14 KB] , Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [52 KB] , OEBFF Format (IMP) [22 KB]
Words: 3950
Reading time: 11-15 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Portable Document Format (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud DISABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED

I awoke in the morning to splintered sunlight shining through the blinds and the lingering coolness of one of the last autumn nights and smiled. I smiled in remembrance of passion spent in the night just past and stretched my arm over to where my lover had been.

Jeff had gone home hours ago, back into the arms of his wife after carefully making sure there was no incriminating evidence on his clothing. He showered to remove the musky smell of sex. Apologizing all the while, telling me, "I wish it didn't have to be this way. I love you and want to be with you but I am scared to leave her" as warm water flowed from his cinnamon hair to his strong jaw line.

We'd made love again in the shower. He watched me; sadness coloring his eyes a darker gray than usual and touched me with tender but quick hands hurrying my pleasure. We both knew he must leave soon.

On his way out of the door, I told him not to be so sad about the way things had to be. I gave him all the reasons that I kept inside: I work full-time and go to school full-time so it wouldn't be in my best interest to have a steady boyfriend. And, I don't live well with other people, cherishing my solitude and privacy over sharing space. He smiled appreciatively and kissed the back of my hand, "I love you," he said before rushing out the door, my "I love you" remaining on the tip of my tongue.

Sighing, putting last night away in the depths of memory where it wouldn't be a distraction, I walked into the kitchen to start the automatic coffee pot. My hand froze halfway to the switch when somewhere in the pit of my stomach, where a semblance of intuition lives and is the definite dwelling of all danger warnings; I felt the eyes of a stranger on me, watching.

Goose flesh rose, as did the hairs on my neck tingling fright down my spin. I scanned the room and quickly assessed my safety by the drawn blinds and locked windows and doors. I crouched slightly and crept through my one bedroom apartment, hoping that surprise would be on my side if any one else were here.

By the end of my search, all the closet and pantry doors had been opened, as well as cupboards large enough to hide someone. No one here but me.

I laughed softly as tension eased from tight muscles, and returned to the kitchen, my bare feet softly padding on the cold linoleum. I turned on the pot, inhaling the rich smell of brewing coffee.

In the shower, I was a mix of delight and fear, unable to shake the feeling that I was not alone. It had lessened but even thoughts of last night didn't seem to push it away completely. I'm just being paranoid, I thought to myself. Just finding way to distract myself and put off mind numbing hours of incomprehensible chemistry ahead.

Standing in front of the mirror, I appraised myself: straight dark hair cut neatly in a chin length bob, green eyes, and healthy golden, tanned skin. I was cute. It had taken me a long time to accept that, in yearning for a seductive, stunning look like Sophia Loren or Nicole Kidman; sharp beauty that pulls the breath from people and draws them closer. No, my attraction was slow and subtle and mostly in my captivating eyes.

I looked in the mirror one final time to make sure there weren't any loose threads hanging from my dress but what caught my attention was the woman standing behind me. Platinum blond hair, the natural color that looks as though it is soft as goose down, hung down several inches below her shoulders, accentuating a healthy bosom, the only soft part about her. Her features were severe and angular, blue eyes cold like the Alaskan sea in winter.