RavMe Ch. 01

"How grotesquely prurient." Kelly slowly smoothed the wrinkles in her brown cotton skirt and straightened the collar on her yellow blouse. "What sort of people would even want to engage in such wickedness?" Perplexity twisted the freckles on her face.

"Believe it or not, ordinary work-a-day people: bored housewives, stressed-out salesmen, lonely computer geeks, frustrated underpaid civil servants -- people like me, who sit at a desk for hours and stare at gray corporate walls. By day, I'm a really dull dispassionate business executive bogged down in meetings, but by night, I can be whatever a woman fantasizes about – a stealthy cat burglar come to steal her jewels, a callow Casanova, or a superhero whose powers will sweep her off her feet. Above all, it's totally consensual," he emphasized.

"What ever happened to meeting people at barn dances and church socials?" Kelly posited.

"Not in today's fast-paced, money-grubbing world. Now, it's flash dating and Bluetooth trysts in public toilets."

Kelly crinkled her nose.

"What planet are you from that you don't know about this? Oh, I forgot. Davenport, Kentucky. So, that explains your naiveté as well as your accent."

"I have an accent?"

"You know, you might try developing an open mind and ask about sitting in on a session while you're taking care of this misunderstanding, which I'm sure is all it is. Maybe it's not a malicious prank at all. You might have a secret admirer out there who merely wants to get to know you better but is afraid to ask."

"You're joking, right?"

"In this intimidating and impersonal town, don't be surprised by how people network. I could tell the coordinator, Dr. Karillian, that you're coming. I'm sure he would meet with you in a private session to explain what it is we do and why it is no threat to you."

"Now, you really are going too far."

"Please don't take offense by it. I meant none." He zipped up his gym bag and noticed her sobs resurfacing. "Look, are you going to be all right alone here tonight? I mean, you've had quite a shakeup. Is there anyone you can call to come over and, you know, sit with you?"

"Not a blame soul. Hell, I don't even have a phone. I couldn't have called the police even if I had the chance," she lamented. "I've only been in the city for a little over a week. I came here for a job, and so far they've been working me way past normal business hours, the only time available to take care of convenience matters. And since living here is so darned expensive, I need the overtime." She looked around the small apartment nervously. She jumped at the touch of his hand on her shoulder.

"I know you'll make it, Kelly Roy. You have a sweet face and a mean right hook -- perfect attributes for surviving in this city." He picked up his bag and stood up. "My advice, get a phone as soon as possible. Get that account cancelled and call your credit card company first thing in the morning. Lock your door when I leave, and don't open it to any stranger. And finally, don't drink the tap water."

Kelly glanced at the glass she had emptied and smirked.

The towering superhero looked down in apologetic posture. "I'm really sorry for what happened tonight. No hard feelings?" He put out a hand.

Kelly gingerly took it. Her fingers slid from the silky grip as he walked toward the door. She stood up. "You're not going out like that?"

He paused in the half-opened door. "Like I said, this is New York. Nobody pays attention to anything."

(To be continued...)