Black
Betsy
I am obsessed. Her hypnotic ebony eyes pull me under, taking me
to a dark place deep inside my soul. She is my greatest case study, she
stokes my male ego. Resistance to
her charms proves more futile each day.
“I’m sorry.
Not tonight, Betsy.”
Tomorrow is an early
morning at the lab. With a sigh of resignation, I switch off the bedside lamp and roll over.
But sleep eludes
me. Studies, trials, deadlines, unrelenting pressure from the
pharmaceutical company… Thoughts
tumble in my brain like an endless dryer cycle. Development of this breakthrough painkiller through
extracting toxins from poisonous spiders is an elephant on my back.
Success could mean fame and fortune for a lowly arachnologist like me.
My mind clears
as I drift off.
She appears before
me in full glory, arms extended. The bright moon glows behind her,
bedroom curtains fluttering in the night breeze. The chilling strains of
Saint Saens fill the room.
“Come to me, my
love. Embrace me, seal our destiny,” she whispers.
Beads of sweat break
on my forehead. I struggle to move away, but my limbs are dead
weight. Lips paralyzed, my voicebox emits a mere faint moan.
“No more
experiments! Now revenge is mine….”
The music swells in
a climax. She wraps her eight arms around me, fangs descending.
The venom spreads
through my bloodstream like wildfire. So painfully sweet. Muscles give way to beckoning
warmth. Choking, my lungs heave to take in gasps of breath.
One last kiss…
Colleen Keller
Breuning © 2015
October 8, 2015
Original
Word Count: 246
Revised
Word Count: 249
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