Christmas Read online

seems like an eternity.

  He looks at his wrist.

  The pin moves from left to right, then stops in the centre. It opens. A small ball floats from it. He takes it and puts it in his mouth. His jaw seems to relax.

  He waits.

  More sweat runs from his forehead. He wipes it off with his sleeve. He looks at his wrist again. The pin moves from right to left and a piece of gel like liquid drifts into the air.

  He grabs it quick and rubs it into his face.

  If he should perspire, she would know that something was wrong.

  He looks at his reflection in the desk.

  Eyes clear, tan skin damp. He strokes his fingers across his blonde-dark hair.

  He tries to relax his face. The wrinkles across his forehead would be a dead giveaway. The thick lines below his eyes too.

  He tenses more.

  He waits.

  The floor makes a light buzzing noise. He looks to his left. The floor opens. Yellow bright light fills the room, and then it goes dark again; only the blue beneath the desk.

  He listens.

  She is here.

  He straightens up and puts his arms to his back. Broad chest pushed out. Jaw tight. He looks straight ahead.

  He hears the soft step of her stiletto heels. She was behind him.

  He tries his best to remain calm.

  She touches his broad shoulder; squeezes the muscle lightly. He doesn’t move. His face goes red; a thick vein forms between his eyebrows. He does his best to remain calm. Removing all emotion from his face as she leans in and whispers in his hear.

  “Particulier.”

  Peculiar.

  She runs her finger across his temple, slowly down his cheek and stops at the bottom of his square chin; takes it in her hand.

  His face reddens more. Dark veins all across his tan skin. Tears fill his eyes; jaw muscles twitch uncontrollable.

  “Très particulier.”

  Very peculiar.

  Her voice low. Seductive.

  She lets go of his chin and walks to the opposite side of the desk; swaying her hips with every deliberate step she takes.

  She’s dressed in white pants and silky white top, her red hair in a French twist. The few loose strands bounce lightly against her face as she paces back and forth. She glances his way, but it’s mostly as if he was not there.

  Her tan skin glittering in the blue hue coming from beneath the desk.

  She stops pacing and stares at him with dagger eyes.

  “Je suis sûr que j'ai senti un rat.”

  I’m sure I smelled a rat.

  Her voice soft; gentle. The words dragged out. Her eyes narrow more as she resumes pacing.

  “Je vous demande, avons-nous des rats?”

  I ask you, do we have rats?

  She stops pacing and faces him expectantly; green eyes penetrating his; it turns slightly yellow around the pupils.

  He cringes; tries hard not to slump his shoulders. He wants to put his hands to his head, but manages to keep them to his back.

  He utters slowly.

  “Non, non…ma… reine…”

  No, no… my queen…

  He bites his lower lip; veins dark and thick in his neck. A trickle of sweat along his twitching temple.

  She looks away.

  He sighs. Breathes deeply.

  His face relaxes. The veins disappear.

  She starts her pacing again. This time she moves faster. Her movements graceful, it appears as if she’s floating.

  “Non… ma reine.”

  No… my queen.

  She turns, glances at him quickly, then looks away and continues her fast pacing.

  “Non ma reine… Non ma reine…”

  No my queen… no my queen.

  She sways her hips and turns again. Her red hair more in her face; eyes appear darker than before; small lines below her lower lids. The blue light gives them a silvery-white, purplish appearance.

  She moves closer to the desk and stops.

  Shouts.

  “Menteur!!!”

  Liar!!!

  The word echoes through the room.

  Veins appear in his neck and face again.

  “Menteur...”

  Liar…

  Almost a whisper.

  His tan skin turns blue.

  She turns and resumes pacing.

  He gasps for air. His skin its light brown again. The veins disappear. He swallows hard.

  She stops her pacing and walks to his side of the desk slowly. Her hair short on her head; white-blonde and silver streaks form at her temples. Tan skin more a lily white. White dress floats about her as if lifted by a gentle breeze. With every step she gives, he slowly sinks to the ground, till he is on his knees.

  She puts her hand in the air. Her pupils go slightly red. He twists on the ground till he faces her directly, his face upwards in an awkward position.

  “Du wagst es, mich zu belügen?”

  You dare to lie to me?

  Her voice cold. Invasive. Her green eyes brighter. The pupils normal, but the yellow around them returns.

  He tries to speak.

  “Speichern Sie Ihre Zunge bevor ich ihn an die Schweine.”

  Save your tongue before I feed it to the swine.

  She starts pacing again, her dress floating about her.

  Shakes her head as if she is having a conversation with herself.

  He looks to the ground. Seems to have trouble breathing. His breathes deep and long.

  She walks to the desk. The white dress becomes a black skirt and wraps tightly around her body and forms a slit at her hips. Her hair grows longer and drapes across her chest. Flowers start growing from the hem of the skirt; they seem to flower with every step she takes. A few intertwine with her thick, dark curls. Her eyes more brown; the green only here and there. The yellow around the pupils disappear and turns more black. Her skin like golden honey.

  She taps on the desk.

  A small round sphere starts floating above the surface; more towards the centre.

  He breathes heavier.

  She cups the sphere in her right hand and slowly walks towards him, stares at the sphere, then at him. The flowers all become dark, red lilies, they seem to kiss her face. Her eyes soft. The purplish lines beneath her lids disappear.

  A smile plays across her face. Teeth white.

  She starts.

  “Shuuu… shuuu…” she gently caresses his cheek with her left hand. A lily grows along her arm. It flowers in front of his face. Stigmata large. They seem to peer into his eyes.

  “Déjalo ir. Shuuu.”

  Let it go. Shuuu.

  “Mi… reina.”

  My… queen.

  The words come out slow. It is difficult to say them.

  “Shuuuuuu.” She puts her finger to her lips.

  She lets go of the sphere. It floats above his head. She stands back. The playful smile gone. Her face suddenly emotionless. The flowers close and all disappear; more like they wilted quick and turned to nothing. A tight, black corset forms around her bosom.

  Dagger eyes return.

  “La deslealtad no será tolerada. Tú, mi amor, debe saber mejor…”

  Disloyalty shall not be tolerated. You, my love, should know better…

  Her eyes suddenly soft.

  Her expression like she was concerned.

  Her hair more curls, loose honey streaks.

  “Usted tiene una cara tan guapo. Mi hermosa… Lástima…”

  You do have such a handsome face. My beautiful… Pity…

  Soft. The words brittle. Her voice cold.

  She walks to where she entered the room. Honey thighs and long legs disappear as the slit in her dress closes and her white pants returns. The black corset opens up like butterfly wings and wraps snow white fur around her torso. Her white hair, one thick braid, twists around her head like a crown; eyes a bright, red hazel; the yellow returns around the pupils. Her skin, milky white.

  The floor opens.
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  The bright light fills the room.

  She steps into the light and turns.

  Speaks in his head.

  Bring me the Mexican.

  Next time, I might do worse.

  Do not fail me… again.

  Не ... провал ... мне

  Do not… fail… me…

  The light disappears and the floor closes.

  Agonizing screams fill the room and bounces off the walls.

  Then silence.

  The blue sphere floats to the centre of the table and disappears.

  أعوذ

  “你好 “

  Hello

  “你好，你好。”

  Hello, hello.

  The petite, young Chinese woman comes playfully into the room. Her small red dress bounces up and down as she skips to the centre of the room.

  “我希望今天我们会玩儿得很开心.”

  I hope we are all going to have lots of fun today.

  She makes a small bowing gesture. Then looks up.

  “你们都喜欢玩儿游戏， 对吗？”

  You all like games, right?

  She smiles happily and starts skipping to the small desk standing by the wall to the front. Her long black hair was tied with white and red ribbons at the back. Small fringe moves as she skips along.

  “我喜欢玩儿游戏.”

  I love to play games.

  She stands in front of the desk and looks about the room. Her dark eyes stood out against the white make up on her face; red rosy cheeks.

  “今天我们就玩儿我最喜欢的一个游戏吧.”

  Today we are going to play my favourite game of all.

  She looks from one side of the room to the other; a broad smile on her face. Some of her red lipstick was smudged on her teeth.

  “有谁知道是什么游戏吗？”

  Does anyone know what game that is?

  Her smile even broader; eyes bright and curious.

  “拜托, 不要不好意思.”

  Please, don't be shy.

  She frowns.

  “谁知道?”

  Anyone?

  “没有人知道吗？”

  No one?

  “太遗憾了.”

  Very disappointing.

  “Tsk tsk tsk.”

  She rolls her eyes and makes a no-no-no gesture with her right index finger.

  “我必须说我感到非常非常惊讶.”

  I must say that... I... for one... was very, very surprised when I got the