Player's Choice

Jenny was studying for her psychology exam when she heard the knock on the door. Two brief knocks pulled her out of her concentrative state. She dropped her pen onto her textbook and rose from her desk. She didn't know who might be at the door, she wasn't expecting anybody this evening. She stuck her head out of the window at the street below to see if there were any cars she recognised that might tell her who was at the door but there were none. It wasn't until she was already at the door when she remembered that she was only wearing her pajama bottoms and a small t-shirt and wasn't really dressed to receive. It was too late by that point and so she opened the door. Michael, her flatmate’s little brother, stood out in the hallway smiling pleasantly. He was seventeen years old and as usual, he was smartly dressed in a shirt and his hair was perfectly parted to one side.

"Good evening, Jennifer." He said, he always insisted on using people's full names. Most people, Jenny included, thought he was creepy, but nobody dared say so to his sister.

"Michael, Abbie isn't here, she's staying at her boyfriend's place this weekend. I thought she told you." Jenny said.

His smile didn't budge. "She did tell me. I was hoping I could speak with you? If it's not too much of an inconvenience." He said. If she had to say one good thing about him it was that he had the finest manners she'd ever seen displayed by a teenage boy.

She didn't want to talk to him, despite his politeness she found him rather awkward. It was well known that he had a crush on her despite the four-year age gap but she couldn't think of a good enough reason to say no so she opened the door and allowed him into the flat.

"May I sit down?" He asked once they were in the living room.

"Of course." Jenny nodded to one of the chairs already regretting not turning him away.

"I'd love a drink if it's not too much trouble." He said, still smiling at her. She wished he would stop, his smile made her skin crawl.

"Sure." She muttered and went over to the open kitchen to make him one. He told her that he wanted tea with two and a half sugars.

A few minutes later she sat down in the chair opposite his and placed his tea on the coffee table between them. He picked it up instantly and took a sip, not taking his eyes off of her the whole time. Before he swallowed he swished the tea around in his mouth and moved his jaw as if chewing the liquid. He breathed out loudly afterward to show his appreciation.

"Lovely tea." He said and she was aware of his gaze on her breasts. She wasn't wearing a bra and her nipples were pressing against the fabric. She hadn't been expecting company. She scratched the side of her neck, using her arm to block his view. She was used to him looking, he made a habit of it.

"What did you want to talk about?" She asked, wanting the ordeal over with as soon as possible, she still had an exam to study for.

He didn't reply right away. He looked into her eyes, his face full of excitement and then he said, "How would you like to be killed?" He said it as if he was asking her what she wanted for Christmas.

"What?" She replied, staring at him dumbfounded. She must have misheard him.

"Well there are so many methods." He picked up the holdall bag that she hadn't even seen him bring in, rested it on the table, and started to rifle through it. She also noticed that his hands were hidden inside a pair of black leather gloves. "There's hammering, stabbing, strangulation?" He looked up at that, a hopeful look on his face.

"Michael this isn't funny," Jenny said. She looked around for her phone and saw that it was on her desk across the room. She wouldn’t be able to get to it without him stopping her.

"It isn't a joke my dear Jennifer." He said politely, still smiling. "Now, as I was saying, the method is up to you, player's choice." He said it as if it was some kind of a game and judging by the bizarre look on his face to him it was.

"I don't want to play." Jenny stood up, shaking her head.

"Oh, I'm afraid we've started now. I'm so sorry Jennifer, we can't stop." He sounded genuinely sorry and looked it too.

"But... Why?" She said, edging her way towards her desk.

"Those are the rules sadly." He said, still with that apologetic look on his face. "I must insist that you return to your place." He gestured at her chair.

She ignored him and continued moving towards her desk. She was halfway there when he got up and took her by the arm. The feel of his gloved hand sent a shiver down her spine. He led her gently but firmly back to her chair and pushed her down into it.

"Please." She said, on the verge of tears. "Please don't hurt me."

"We are a bit behind schedule, the bus was running late you see, so I need you to make your choice now." He said ignoring her plea.

He reached into his bag and started to remove objects one at a time, laying them down on the coffee table. First a hammer, it was brand new, shiny with the price tag still on it. Next came a large carving knife, not in any packaging but still clearly unused. Then he pulled out a thick rope already tied into a noose. She could feel herself starting to shake more and more with each object he removed from his bag. When he reached back into his bag she screamed loudly and lunged across the table at him. She knocked his tools and bag flying. His look of surprise was almost comical as she landed on top of him. She started beating at his face savagely with her fists, hoping that she'd cause him so much pain that he'd pass out, and then she could escape. He cried out angrily and punched her hard in the side of the head. It felt like she'd been hit with a brick and she fell off him, landing with a thud on the floor. She rolled onto her back and saw him standing over her, his smile was gone and his face was a tableau of irritated disgust. It gave her a small amount of satisfaction to see that she'd managed to cut his cheek.

"That was uncalled for." He said sulkily, taking a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the blood from his cheek. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to withdraw your right to choose. Such behaviour cannot go unpunished."

She could feel tears welling up in her eyes but she wouldn't let them out. That's what he wanted; he wanted her to cry, he wanted to break her down, but she would not give him the satisfaction. How could Abbie, her friend, love such a monster, how could she not see what he really was? She found herself resenting her friend almost as much as she resented the creep standing before her.

"Would you please stand up?" Michael asked. He was attempting to tidy his hair which had got messed up in her attack.

She shook her head. She didn't speak because she was afraid that if she opened her mouth she would no longer be able to stop herself from crying. He grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her to her feet, he was not as gentle as he had been when he'd guided her back to her seat. She fought against him but he was too strong.

"I think you need to learn to obey the rules." He said. He spoke like a child whose game wasn't been played the way he wanted it to be. "Take off your top please." He said, staring at her flatly. There were no more smiles left for her.

"What?" She said. Even after all that had happened so far that still came as a shock.

"I said take off your top please." He repeated.

"No." She spoke in a whisper. She would not let him look at her like that. It was bad enough that his eyes wandered over her breasts with the t-shirt on, there was no way she was going to remove it.

"If you don't I shall have to remove it myself." He said and his eyes pointed at the knife on the floor.

She got the message. If he had to cut the top away he might accidentally cut something else. She took hold of the bottom of her t-shirt. Her arms were shaking beyond control and she slowly pulled it up. She paused as the t-shirt reached the base of her bosom. She couldn't do it. She couldn't bring herself to show that little monster what she saved only for those special boys. The real charming ones, who made her feel good. Not like Michael, king of the creeps.

"Go on." He prompted and she could hear the lechery in his voice.

Knowing there was no other choice she pulled the t-shirt up over her breasts. They bounced once as the t-shirt uncovered them and although she couldn't see him she could feel his eyes on them, taking them in. The t-shirt was over her face now and she didn't want to remove it. She liked not being able to see him. It gave a strange illusion of safety not being able to be seen but as soon as she heard him breathe a pleasurable moan she pulled the t-shirt off completely and dropped it to the floor. Michael was smiling again now but it was not the same smile as before. It was a dirty lascivious smile. His eyes were fixed on her chest. She thought that he might not kill her straight away; that he might rape her first. Then the barricade fell and she burst into tears.

"Hey, now." He said crossing the space between them. He went to put a hand on her shoulder but she jumped back, squealing at him.

"Don't you touch me!" She yelled.

He slapped her with the back of his hand so hard that she fell down into the chair. The side of her face stung horribly. "I will touch whatever I want to touch." He spat the words at her as if they were poison. Then he knelt down and next to her and removed his glove. He started to run his hand gently through her hair. The feel of his hand repulsed her but she dared not move. His hand slid down her neck and then down further until it was cupping her right breast.

"Mmm." He said and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then he squeezed again, a little harder. She started to sob again. She refused to open her eyes. She didn't want to see him, feeling him was bad enough. His fingers moved to her nipple. One finger circled it round and round until it betrayed her and stiffened to his touch. Then he took hold of the nipple in between two fingers and gave it a little squeeze. Then he twisted it hard making her cry out in pain. Then he let go.

"I've decided. I'm going to burn you." He said. His voice was once again chirpy and polite.

She opened her eyes and saw him remove a bottle of petrol from his bag.

"No, please." She said shaking her head.

"Don't beg, it won't do you any good." He said as he started to pour the petrol over the carpet around the chair. Then he lifted the bottle and upended it over her head. She felt the heavy fluid coat her hair and run down over her body. It soaked her pajama bottoms through.

"HELP ME!" She screamed at the top of her lungs and bolted for the door. Somebody in the block of flats would have to hear her. Somebody would come to save her. Somebody would. Michael punched her in the mouth with one quick jab. It knocked her back into the chair and her front teeth cracked from the force. Blood poured from her mouth and the pain tore through her but she didn't stop screaming.

He seemed to realise that he wouldn't be able to shut her up and he moved faster to try and achieve his goal. He reached back into his bag and pulled out a box of matches. He fumbled it open and dropped half its contents on the floor. She tried to get up but he threw her back into the chair with strength she never imagined he had. He managed to get hold of a single match and stuck it along the side of the box. She pleaded with God in her head for the match not to light but God ignored her and a healthy orange flame appeared at the end of the small stick in his hand.

"This has certainly been interesting Jennifer. I’ve learned a lot." He said and offered her one final smile before he dropped the match into the puddle of petrol on the carpet. As soon as the match hit the floor the flame disappeared. The petrol had extinguished the flame.

Jenny half laughed in relief but Michael didn't seem to notice, he was too busy staring at the doused match in puzzled disappointment.

"I really thought that would work. Oh well, don't trust the movies." He said with a laugh of his own. He walked over to the other chair and sat down. "This really puts me in a difficult position, Jennifer. I just don't know how I'm going to kill you now." He said in that way that made it seem so trivial.

She shook her head and petrol splattered out of her drenched hair. "Don't." She said, the word getting choked in her throat.

He either ignored her or hadn't heard her speak. "There's always the hammer, but I don't want to make so much mess. So I suppose that rules the knife out as well. I do still like the idea of strangling you." He flexed his fingers on both hands and Jenny shuddered.

She looked over at the door, seeing whether or not she would be able to get out before he caught her. She thought not. And why hadn't anybody come to help her? She'd screamed so loudly, had they heard but were too scared to get involved? She and her brother had been walking down the street once when they passed a man getting violent with his wife, she'd told her brother to help the woman but he said it was best not to get involved and they'd carried on walking. Had the same thing happened here? Were her neighbours too scared to help her? Could they not even call the police?

She came out of her thoughts and saw that Michael was staring at her bare chest, that lascivious look in his eyes once again. He was utterly transfixed. The way he looked at her made her think that he'd never actually seen a pair of boobs before. It was possible that he was still a virgin, she'd never seen him with a girl and Abbie had never mentioned a girlfriend. She might even be able to use it to her advantage, she could lure him in and then somehow attack him but the idea of having any sexual contact with the sick little freak made her want to tear off her own skin.

"Yes, I think I will strangle you." He said ruminatively, still staring at her chest. "But first why don't you take off your trousers."

She stared back at him, lost for words. She knew there was nothing she could say. She could see the cold, perverted determination in his eyes, nothing would sway him from his goal. He would rape her and then he was going to strangle the life out of her. But she didn't have to do things his way.

"No." She said with icy resolve,

His nostrils flared. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said no." The lack of her front teeth made the word “said” come out like “thaid”. "You're going to kill me anyway so you might as well get on with it. I'm not going to play your game." She folded her arms and looked away from him.

"You... You... You have to." He stuttered. He sounded like a petulant child.

"No I don't and I won't." She didn't look at him and it seemed to anger him more.

"You'll do as your told you little slut." He spat, she could hear his fury building.

"No." She said, looking him straight in the eye.

"No?" His anger was gone. He sounded mildly inquisitive. The sudden change worried Jenny. "You have a little sister don't you?" The question was innocent enough but it didn't take a genius to read between the lines.

Slowly Jenny pulled herself from the chair and slid her sodden pyjama bottoms over her waist and down her legs revealing her most intimate parts. As she stepped out of the trousers and her legs parted Michael breathed in sharply. She shuddered at the sound.

"Very good Jennifer. I am going to enjoy this and although you won’t admit it, I know you're going to enjoy this too." He said. He unbuttoned his shirt and laid it neatly over the chair. His body was a disgusting sight, he was pasty and thin and she could see his rib cage through his skin, there wasn't an ounce of muscle on him. She fought back the urge to call him Gollum. As he undid his belt she realised that she would have a window of time in which he would be vulnerable. It was a very brief window and she would have to act fast but it was a window nonetheless. "Chilly, in here isn't it?" He said. He undid his zipper and started to slide his trousers down his legs. When he bent over she moved.

She ran across the room lifting her leg as she went. He looked up, his mouth was open and his eyes wide. The phrase "a deer in headlights" came to mind. She smiled a bloody smile. He stood up too late and her barefoot connected with his bony chest. The air left him in an oof sound and he staggered backward. He fell through the open window his mouth opened in terror ready to scream. Then at the last second, he managed to spread his arms and grab hold of the window frame. Time seemed to stop. Jenny was stood staring at the bony creature that was half in and half out of her living room window. She should have pushed him again but she was in too much shock. He grunted loudly as he pulled himself back into the room and landed with a small thud on his feet. His trousers were still around his ankles, she still had a chance. She ran forward again but this time he was expecting her. He dodged to the side, grabbed hold of the back of her head and planted her face roughly into the wall. She felt her nose crack and saw the blood splatter on the wall. He smashed her face into the wall a second time and she screamed in agony before he pushed her to the floor.

"You filthy little bitch." He hissed as he sorted out his trousers. She looked over and saw to her horror that he wasn't pulling them back up but was taking them off completely, his pants as well; he still meant to rape her.

His penis was a grotesque undersized maggot that suited him perfectly. She wished she had a pair of scissors to cut it off. Trying to ignore the pain coursing through her face she dragged herself along the floor in an attempt to escape. As she did her hand fell on something hard. She looked over and saw it was the hammer.

"There's no point trying to get away you little skank." He said viciously as he grabbed her legs and roughly rolled her onto her back.

As she rolled she saw in his face that he had seen what was in her hand but it was too late. She smashed the claw of the hammer into the side of his face. Blood oozed from his cheek and jaw as it embedded into the soft flesh. He made an odd gurgled moaning sound and raised his hands to his face. She had to use all of her strength to wrench the hammer free and then she brought it back again. This time it hit his jaw dead and tore it away leaving it hanging from his face. He continued to scream but louder now and more high-pitched. Somebody would definitely hear but would they come? She raised the hammer up and brought it down full force on the top of his skull. There was a nasty cracking sound and Michael shut up instantly. He stared into her eyes, a confused and childlike expression on what remained of his face and then he fell forward. He landed with the mess of his face in her cleavage and she shuddered as she rolled him off. No amount of showers would ever make her feel clean. She looked down to make sure that he was definitely dead and then she collapsed on the floor beside him. She took hold of her knees and brought them up into the fetal position and there she stayed with her eyes shut tight, wishing it all away, wishing that it had all been a bad dream and wondering if anybody would ever come to answer the screams.

Thank you for reading my story. If you enjoyed this and would like to see more then a small tip would go a long way toward helping me write more content. Thanks again, and until next time...