Raman
Jalota's Stories
| |
2. Dutch - Your name? |
The Assistant
Ralph Matisse got
off
tram line 13 in front of the Grand Central station and crossed the rail
tracks to the other side of the Prins-Hendrikkade street. He
crossed the bridge and waited for the traffic light to turn
green. On green, he croosed the street and turned right on Damrak
and headed towards the Dam area. There were three small boats and
one large boat in the canal and he watched it as it went under the
bridge and out of his sight. He turned left on Oude-Brugster. He walked
past the Golden Tulip hotel and turned into a narrow street. He
sighed with relief. He hated the tram and car traffic that made
getting to where he was going harder. By Raman Jalota The red-light district was crisscrossed with canals and narrow streets. Most of them were pedestrian and bicycle only streets enforced easily with the cement posts put in the middle of the roads. Ralph walked past the Oude Kerk (The Old Church) and crossed over to the other side of the street by the side of OudeZijds Voorburgwal (canal.) He stopped momentarily on the bridge and scanned the shops and windows on both sides of the street. He didn't like anything he saw. The large signs prohibiting photography stared back at him. He walked past the five red windows to Casa Rosso and peeped inside. The sex show was in progress and he couldn't see anyone or anything. He deliberated for a few seconds but decided against paying the 60 Euros for the live show and walked on to the next narrow street. He turned right and smiled as he saw the red lights in the French windows on both sides of the street. He walked past the scantily clad girls and noticed an Asian girl with a shapely long sensuous nose and full lips. He marked her in his mind as the one that he would probably come back to. Just ahead of the Asian girl, he noticed a dark girl who looked barely fourteen, talking on her cell phone as she stood on the doorsill with the door completely open. Three old men stood around her, waiting for her to get off the phone. He walked to the end of the short street and turned back. This time he walked slowly looking at the girls on the other side of the street. As he neared the Asian girl's door, he turned. "Damn, where did she go?" Her light was on, but the curtain had been drawn. She had either decided to take a break or had taken a customer. "Damn, why do I do this? I should go for the one I like immediately. This way I always lose the one I want." He muttered to himself and looked around. A shapely girl walked past him and stopped a few feet from him. She took a key out of her purse and opened one of the doors. He noticed her as she went in. She was wearing a low-cut top and her breasts were half exposed. Ralph felt the beginning of an erection and consciously started breathing deep to relax. The light in her window spilled onto the street as she drew the curtain and stood there. She had on bright red lipstick and her brown hair framed her face well. She had thin lips and big breasts and Ralph's eyes stayed focused on her breasts. He hesitated for a minute but she saw him and smiled at him. He walked towards her and she opened the door a little. "Hello?" "How much?" "For half and half, fifty Euros." Ralph nodded his head and she opened the door letting him in and closed it behind him. She drew the curtains and pointed to the room on the left. She held her hand out and he gave her a brownish-orange note. She pointed to the bed for him to sit and said, "Spreek het Nederlands?1" "Ja, but like to practice English." "Ah, where from?" "Rotterdam." "I am Caterina from Leiden. Uw naam?2 " "Matisse." He was naked by now and cupped her left breast in his right hand as she took off her skirt. She pushed him on to the bed and bent over him. He didn't even notice her popping a condom in her mouth as she started sucking him. His eyes were enlarged with pleasure, specially because he thought he was getting oral sex without a condom. After a few minutes, she stopped and lay down next to him and motioned for him to get on top of her. He looked down and realized he already had a condom on. He was disappointed by the trickery but impressed by her expertise. As he penetrated her and started his thrusts, she turned her head to one side. He took it to mean she was disgusted and lost his erection. She got up and looked at his flaccid penis and yelled, "What's wrong with your dick man?" His eyes turned blood red as he slapped her with his right hand and punched her with his left. She fell on the bed and he put a pillow on top of her face to cut her screams and pushed down hard with both hands. She lay still after a few minutes. He pocketed her money that he found in a drawer, looked out through the window and quickly moved out, shutting the door behind him.
..
Matisse got off the
tram and hurried to the Red-light district. He went around the
Oude Kerk and Casa Rosso and turned right down the narrow
street. He walked straight to the window where he had seen the
sexy Asian girl the last time. There was no light in that
window. He looked at the girls on both sides of the street
muttering. "Damn. She is not here. Did she leave the city?"He walked back towards the canal and crossed the bridge over the canal and on to the next street. The red lights beckoned to him and he walked slowly past four windows with half-dressed women waiting seductively for their customers. The platinum blonde caught his eyes and he stared at her from a distance. She smiled at him and continued smoking. She was definitely older than the rest, a little over thirty-five he guessed. She had the beginnings of age-lines on her face. She had good-sized breasts; half spilling out of the silver top she was wearing. He walked up to her. "Hello." She opened the window, smiled and bent her head to suggest he come on over. Matisee walked in and she closed the door behind him. "Hello, I am Jennifer." "How much?" "Fifty Euros. Half and half?" "Yes." She held out her hand for the money and gestured for him to lie down on the bed. He took off his clothes and lay down. She took off her clothes but kept the bra on. She bent over him and massaged him gently to get him hard. She put a condom on him and started sucking him. He had his hands on her bra and was trying to get her breasts out of the bra. She protested, "No." "I want them out." "No, no squeezing hard. Just hold them softly as they are with the bra." "What the hell?" He stood up and held out his hand. "Give me my money back." "No, no." Jennifer didn't seem concerned with the hardness in his voice. He put on his clothes and repeated, "Give me my money or else " "Get out." She pointed to the door. He slapped her hard. "Fucking-no-good-bitch." She screamed and pulled a knife out of a drawer. "You bastard. I will call the polizia." He stepped towards her. She brought the knife down; he stepped aside and grabbed her wrist. He took the knife easily from her and stabbed her in the middle of her chest. She stood bewildered as the blood ran down her body. "Maybe now you will take them out." He smiled and cut off the bra in the middle. She recovered momentarily and started to scream and opened the door. He jumped on her and stabbed her in the back repeatedly. Jennifer lay in the street bleeding. He got up and looked around. The street was deserted. He ran to the corner, turned left, ran across the canal, turned left, ran across the short street, turned right and walked away from the area to the Damrak street and into the Dam area.
..
Jennifer's blood
trickled into the
drain and headed towards the canal. The sky that had been
overcast fulfilled its threat and it started to rain. A little
heavy at first and then a constant drizzle. The water in the street ran
down the drain, washing Jennifer's blood and carrying it into the canal.The canal started swelling with the rainwater and the blood was slowly immersed into the canal. As the blood particles started dispersing, the water in the canal stirred and a vortex formed at the point where the drain water was hitting the canal. A fog settled on the canal and a figure arose out of the canal and onto the water. A woman with shoulder length hair slowly walked to the street and followed the path to the dead woman's window. The figure stood there for several moments and then walked through the door and into the room.
..
Rohan got off his
bike and knocked on
the door. He knocked again using his stick. An Asian girl opened
the door."Good. You are here. My name is Polly." "I am Rohan. You called the office about something you saw last week." "Well, I am worried with the two murders of the girls in my street and I wondered if I could help you." "Yes, we need all the help you can give. Anything you saw that seemed suspicious." "Well this was twelve days ago. The day Caterina was killed. I was working here and she was just two doors down on the other side of the street. I think it was just after six-thirty and I was standing at the door waiting for a customer and this man walked by he was ordinary but strange." "How do you mean?" "He was about five-six or seven, average built, average hair; not too long, not too short; clean shaven average clothes but he looked at me with this strange look that sent chills down my spine." "Let me get it straight he was completely average but he looked at you strangely?" "I am sorry, but I see men all the time and they always have that hungry look in their eyes. You know when all they want is quick sex and all they are thinking about is sex even when they can't afford it. He had that need, he was looking in the doors as he walked down the street, but when he saw me ... he stopped for a moment and stared at me. I knew he was checking me out. He looked at my face and my body and then he locked onto my face. His eyes had a fierce quality dark dark brown eyes that were not just looking at me but were going through me. I felt really strange." "Did he come over?" "No, my phone rang and I left the door to talk on the phone. And as I finished the call, I started shaking with fear. It was the look that did it to me. The same look that I had seen about two years ago when Simone disappeared." "Who Simone?" "Yes the Swede. Don't you know?" "I will have to check it out. Who was she? What happened?" "She used to work around the corner, near Casa Rosa. She had long blonde hair, she was very pretty but was a little older. She disappeared one night and there was blood in front of her door and into the street. We thought she had been dumped in the canal but her body was never found." "Yes?" "I was working that night too and now I think it was the same guy that had also stopped by my door that night. He had the same look in his eyes. I smiled at him and he started to walk towards my door, but before he could get to me, a young kid who had been standing across the street and waving to me came right across and knocked at my door. I let him in. But I remember feeling spooky because of the look in that man's eyes. Yes, it was the same guy."
..
Polly looked at
both sides of the
street before unlocking the door to her room. She got in and
touched up her makeup before turning the red light on and stepping to
the door. She stood there and watched people as they went past
her door. Several of them would stop by, look at her, check out
her body, smile and move on. She knew the routine and would smile
if they looked at her and appear unperturbed by their appraisal of her
body and their unmasked lust.She had three customers before she decided to break for dinner. At dinner, her phone rang. "Polly, this is Rohan." "Oh the polizia. How are you?" "I am OK. Have you seen the man return?" "No, I have kept looking for him but have not seen him. Has anything else happened?" "Yes, two night ago, near the Oude Kerk . A girl was beaten up but the man who attacked her was strangled to death." "I don't understand." "A man attacked this girl ... a black girl Lisa, do you know her?" "No." "Well, the man attacked her but as she fought back, someone or something attacked him and strangled him." "Something?" "Yes, Lisa says it was an angel or a ghost. The man was big, five-feet-ten, one hundred kilos, she couldn't have handled him and there were no fingerprints on his neck." "What does this mean?" "We don't know. But let me know if you ever see the man you think was the killer." "I will."
..
She looked up and
saw a man knocking
on her door. She smiled at him and opened the door."Hello?" "How much for a suck?" "Thirty Euros, fifty for a half and half you want a half and half maybe?" "No, just a suck." She opened the door and let him in. "I am Ludmila from Ukraine." "I am John." He laughed pleased at his own joke. She smiled but didnt let him see that she was bothered by his joke. She knew what John meant. She sat on the bed and patted it for him to sit down next to her. She undid her top and gently pushed him down to a lying position on the bed with his feet dangling on the edge. She unzipped his pants and took out a condom. She rolled it on him and started. He fidgeted a little and put his hand on top of her head. She didn't mind the gentle pressure but soon he was forcing her head down further than she wanted to go. "Please, gentle." She moved his hand away from her head and started again. He smiled and let her pleasure him till he exploded. She removed the soiled condom and pointed towards the toilet. He got up, used the toilet and got dressed. She stood near the door with her hand out. He took out a twenty Euro bill and gave it to her. She shook her head, "Ten more." "It wasn't worth thirty." "That's my rate. You pay me ten more." He slapped her and tried to open the latch on the door. She fell backward and started to scream. He had the latch half undone when something hit him across the face. He looked up to see a faint outline of a woman. She looked at him and smiled. Her eyes were blood red and she hit him on the nose with a closed fist. He coughed some blood and swung at her. His fist went through her as if through mist. He felt nothing till his fist hit the wall, breaking his knuckles. "What the fuck?" The apparition jumped on him and wrapped her hands across his neck. He started to choke. He reached up to undo her hands from his neck but could only feel his own flesh. His nails dug into his own neck as his eyes bulged out and he collapsed on the floor. Ludmila was relieved and frightened at the same time. She ran out the door and kept screaming.
..
Polly scanned the
street again and
tapped her foot against the door. Her body stiffened as she saw
someone walking down the street at a distance. He was a little
heavy, average height and had the built of the man she had seen on the
days of the murders. As he got closer she stared at him trying to
recognize him. Matisse had dark glasses on and a long ponytail.
Polly could not recognize him, without looking at his eyes. He
walked up to her, smiling to see his fantasy back in the window where
he had marked her. She was sexually exciting to him with her
Asian looks, big dark eyes and a long sensual nose. He stood next
to her door looking her up and down, drinking in her sexuality, before
knocking on the door."Hello?" "I want a half-and-half." "Fifty Euros. OK?" He nodded and she opened the door. He quickly stepped in and she shut the door behind him. She pointed to the room with the bed and he walked in ahead of her. "I am Polly. Are you Dutch?" "Yes, I am Matisse." He turned to face her and stood with his wallet in his hands. She stiffened with fear. There was something about him that made her shudder. He took off his dark glasses and handed her a fifty Euro bill. She recognized him and her face lost all color. She wanted to scream but she just stuttered incoherently. "What are you trying to say?" Matisse took off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt. He took hold of his hairpiece and removed it. The pony tail was now gone and Polly could see her nightmare in front of her. Something finally released in her and she screamed and ran towards the door. Matisse recognized that look in her eyes and grabbed her by the hand. He pulled her to him and held her tight with both his hands. He pushed her on the bed and held her with one hand while he took off his belt and undid his pants. "Do as I say and you will be OK. I am not going to hurt you. I just want you naked and in bed with me. I want to " "Get the hell out of here." She screamed as loud as she could. She got up from the bed and grabbed her cell phone and moved towards the door. Matisse grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to him. He held her next to him as he walked out of his pants. He put his hands around her and grabbed her breasts. She bent over and bit his hand. He released her and slapped her on the face. Drops of blood went flying on the floor. Polly barely able to breath, muttered, "Let me go. Please let me go." His tongue moved over his lips as he stared into her eyes. She looked around helplessly and froze as she saw a mist rising in the room, behind him. It was an unrecognizable woman. And then she heard her voice. "Dont worry. I am here to help you." Matisse released Polly from his grip and turned around to see a pretty but older blonde standing in the room dressed in a tight black top and short red skirt. Her extreme white face and black lips seemed ghastly but not too threatening. Matisse looked at Polly and then at the apparition. "Who are you?" "Ah! Don't you recognize me, Mr. Matisse?" He stared at her unblinking and whispered, "Who the hell are you? How do you know my name?" "Simone. You forgot me already? I came back to assist my friends here. There will be no more bullshit from you and your friends. I have the answer." Matisse seemed a little surer of himself as he swung his fist at her, "Fuck off, you bitch." His fist didn't connect with her at all. It went through her face as if through air. He fell forward with his own momentum. "What the hell?" Simone smiled as she grabbed him by his shoulders and picked him up like a helpless doll. She threw him on the bed. He lay shivering on the bed, completely out of his wits. "Hold him while I make love to his pretty face." Simone climbed on top of Matisse and placed her hands around his face. Her long dark nails seemed to grow as she caressed his cheeks and placed her hands over his eyes. In one flash, her two forefingers with the long nails dug into his eyes and went through his eyes, deeper and deeper. When she withdrew her hands, the nails had grown to almost six inches long. There was a trickle of blood or brain matter by the side of Matisse's eyes. Simone melted into the mist that she had come out of and the mist slowly slipped out of the room and into the bright red street. The
End 3636 words
|
||||
| |
|
|
|
|
||
| |
Copyright © 2004 Raman Jalota. All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the author. |
|||||
