The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Los Angeles:2056

Suddenly the front door opened and yet another stunningly beautiful young woman entered. This one had short red hair and not surprisingly she was dressed just right to show off her own delicious assets.

Lauren and Staci turned to her, Lauren smiling, Staci’s face tight and drawn.

“Nastia! You’re just in time!” shouted Lauren with delight clapping her hands together.

“Ohhh, what’s going on here?” the redhead asked with delight to match Laurens.

“Ray and I are entertaining guests. And we are having just the best time ever.”

The redhead sidled up to Lauren and gave her a long kiss on the lips. “Damn, just in time then. I wouldn’t want to miss out on the fun.”

Lauren’s eyes sparked when she answered. “Oh no. The fun is just starting.”

Nastia looked down at Sammi. “Hi cutie pie. So nice to meet you. My name is Nastia.”

“Hi Nastia. Nice to meet you too. I’m Sammi.”

Nastia leaned down close. “Oh such a pretty name for such a pretty girl.”

Sammi giggled.

“Are you having fun Sammi?”

“Oh my god yes! Lauren is such a good friend and she’s been helping me pick out the candy. She knows all the best ones,” Sammi opened her bag with the puppy dogs decals on it and showed off her bounty.

“Those are the good ones. You’re gonna have a full tummy tonight, won’t you?”

Sammi nodded in total agreement. “I can’t wait to eat them…..after mom goes to bed,” she added with a smile.

“You’re a sneaky one aren’t you?” replied Nastia mussing Sammi’s hair. She gave the little girl a wink while shooting a sneaky grin at Lauren. “You would fit right in with Lauren and me.”

Sammi giggled again, the thought of being including with these nice, fun grown up women made her feel good. “Maybe I can come visit you sometime. We don’t live far from here.”

“Anytime you want. We would love to have you.”

“The handsome young man with Ray is Brad. He’s Sammi’s brother,” said Lauren.

“Hi Brad, nice to meet you too.”

Brad didn’t even respond to her. He had no interest at all anymore in meeting anyone in this house. He shifted in his seat. His boner was long gone replaced by a chill running up and down his spine. He realized, belatedly this man was not in his right mind. He had to get Sammi out of this house immediately.

He glanced at Staci. She looked at him, her face a mixture of desperate pleading and hope. She was counting on him to help her. How the hell had he gotten into this? What could he do for her? It didn’t feel real. Every instinct in his gut told him to move fast. But he also realized that out of all these people she was the one ally he had. He wasn’t alone and that made him feel better. If things went bad, real bad, she was there to help him just as he would help her.

He had come up with a quick plan and he thought it would work. He would ask Staci to show him and Sammi out. They had been doing most of the talking with each other. Just someone saying a final goodbye to newly made friend. Happened all the time. Once the door was open he would grab Staci and Sammi by the hand and have them all run like hell was at their heels.

Go, go, go! Do it now! Brad shot up from the couch, shivering in fear and anticipation. This had to work. It would work. It would only take a few moments and the three would be free of all this.

Somehow he kept his face calm. He looked at Ray and managed to put on an even smile. “Hey, I appreciate your hospitality but it’s time we left. You’ve been really nice. I had a good time. Thanks for the candy and showing me the TV and all.”

He turned to Staci. “I really had a great time. Maybe I can come back again and visit with you and Billy.” He had extemporized that in at the spur of the moment, to placate Ray and make him believe he would return. He gave her a look, hoping she would understand what he was doing, that he was not abandoning her.

The look she gave back told him she did understand. So smart! She is so smart. He breathed a sigh of relief. She was sharp as a razor. They could work this together. Get the fuck out of this weird hell hole. This girl had really gotten to him and he wanted so much to help her get out of this strange place and whatever bad thing was happening to her.

“Me too Brad. You really know how to spice up a conversation. Please come back anytime you like. Ray and I would love that.”

He reached out and they shook hands. But she pulled him close and they hugged. Brad immediately realized she had done this so they could speak in private. He marveled at how smart and calm she was. How quick her mind was. This girl was unbelievable.

“Get ready. Come to the door with me and Sammi. We’re getting the hell out of here. I promise I won’t leave you behind,” he whispered in her ear.

“Thank you. I’m ready,” she whispered back, hugging him even tighter, like her life depended on it. Brad thought that maybe it did.

“Staci, if things go….bad…we may have to fight. Can you do that?”

“Yes. I’ll do anything to get away from him. Be careful about Lauren and Nastia too. They will try to help him if he commands it.”

Brad never thought he would ever hit a woman but he knew now he would knock both of them flat out if they did anything to prevent this from happening.

“Thanks. I will.”

When they separated Brad gave her a look. It was now or never. Let’s do this.

“Could you escort me and Sammi to the door?”

She smiled as though it was the most natural of requests. “I’d love to. I want to say goodbye to that little scamp. We didn’t have a chance to talk.”

“Next time we come over,” Brad said.

“Next time,” she agreed.

But before either of them could take a step Ray spoke up. “It’s early yet.” Then he gave Brad a knowing look. “I’m sure Staci would love for you to stay a bit longer. You don’t want to disappoint her, do you?”

Brad glanced at her. She looked ashen. Brad shook his head. “No. Sorry. It’s getting late. I have to get Sammi home.” His voice brooked no argument.

Ray grinned at him. There was no warmth in it at all. “You don’t understand old sport. There is no choice in the matter. I insist.” He tapped the couch indolently with his hand, the meaning clear: Sit back down.

This man had crossed a line. He wasn’t asking any longer, he was issuing orders.

And just like that Brad’s great plan had gone down the crapper. But he was committed now and he had no intention of letting this man order him around. There was more than one way to get out of this mess. And Staci was with him. They could do still do this even if things got rough. He was more than ready now for that very distinct possibility.

“Look,” said Brad, abandoning all pretenses of courtesy now that Ray had. “My parents know where we are. If we don’t come home soon they will call the cops. I don’t want that to happen and neither do you. I just want to leave. You had your bit of fun with me. I don’t take offense. It’s Holloween, right? I get it. No harm, no foul. OK? Nothing illegal has happened yet.”

Ray pondered this turn of events for a moment.

Brad took this as a chance to apply more heat. “My father has a temper and he can handle himself. If we aren’t home soon he will come looking. You don’t want to fuck with him.” My dead father who didn’t have a mean, violent bone in his body.

“Sounds intimidating,” agreed Billy Ray. “Not a man I would wish to cross. So tell me, old sport, you mean this monster of a man and your mother know you are right here, in this exact house in this neighborhood, at this exact moment? How prescient they must be. I have certain abilities of my own but I would love to learn that trick.”

As frightened as Brad was he put on his most serious, determined look. His ‘I mean business look’. His football ‘I’m going to kick your ass look.’ “Don’t try to stop me. I just want to get out of here.” There was an unmistakable threat in his voice now. Brad wasn’t a violent kid but he was already driving his adrenaline up preparing to fight. He would hurt this man bad if he had to protect himself and Sammi. He glanced at Staci and she nodded. She was ready.

“I don’t want to hurt you. But I will. We’re leaving right now. Don’t even think of getting up. If you do its game on, no more talk.”

Billy raised an eyebrow, an acknowledgement of the threat and rising stakes in the pot. He loved it when his opponent decided to push more chips onto the table and forced the issue. He appreciated the boy’s application of impending violence. The boy seemed to have no lack of guts. But Ray appreciated and prized intelligence above all things and he knew it would be Brad’s smarts that dictated what his and Sammi’s fate would be on this night. Ray had arranged it just so. Their fate was entirely in Brad’s hands, if he was bright and clever enough to discern the true rules of this game.

He decided to call Brad’s hand. “Before you do something rash let me put my cards on the table. In these types of situations honesty is always best. We need to understand each other completely so something…….tragic doesn’t happen. I hope you believe what I am about to tell you.”

Brad just stood staring. This man never gave up.

“You may find this hard to digest but I am not like you. I have lived for ages. I have experienced and done things you could not possibly imagine.” Ray’s eyes took on that odd, faraway look again. “In my life I have killed hundreds…..destroyed so many happy lives…,” He just sat there for a moment his mind somewhere else. Then his eyes focused again. “If I wished it, I could wipe you and Sammi out this fast.” He snapped his fingers. “So when I sit here conversing with you do not take it as an insult but take it as gift of respect to you and her. There are many I never extended that largesse to.”

Brad shook his head. No more of this crazy shit! “Dude, you’re fucking nuts. I don’t care what you say you are or what you think you can do, we’re leaving right now. I’m not interested in your stories. I’m going to kick your sick fucking ass all over this house if you try to stop me.”

Ray nodded. This was personal challenge now and he took to it as he always did, with relish. This arrogant child had hit at his pride and there would be a cost to it, a hard lesson to be learned. So be it. It was time to bring more aspects of the game into play and see how Brad reacted. He always enjoyed observing how different people reacted under extreme stress and strange situations. And he was a master at creating those very variables.

Billy Ray grinned in amusement. “I see. I am sorry I cannot convince you. But there is another consideration at play here that you would be wise to consider.”

“What would that be?”

“You see lovely Lauren has a knife in her back pocket. It is very sharp, I assure you. I put it to the whetstone this very morning in anticipation of this very possibility we entertain now. All I have to do is say the word and she will carve,” he slid his finger across his throat, “Kat a new mouth where her Adams apple currently resides. And that would be such a shame, wouldn’t it old sport? And Nastia would be only too willing to help.”

Brad stood staring at him. This couldn’t be happening. He was trembling with a mixture of fear and rage.

Ray nodded towards Lauren. “I never lie about such matters. Take a look for yourself.”

Brad slowly turned his head and looked in the next room, terrified by what he would see. At first it looked innocent enough: Lauren and Sammi and Nastia were huddled together, talking and laughing. But then his eyes traveled to Lauren’s ass. There was a handle protruding out of her rear pocket. Was it a knife as Ray claimed or just a hair brush or some other item? Was she really in league with him or was he just using an innocent brush in her pocket to scare him? Lauren glanced over at him, for just the quickest of moments and gave him a knowing smile then returned her attention to Sammi. That quick smile turned his blood to ice. Brad’s head was spinning. Was that beautiful smile just an innocent hello or a telling affirmation that she was ready to cut Sammi’s slim, tender throat wide from ear to ear? Would that young, friendly girl really commit such a horror to a defenseless ten year old who trusted her?

Suddenly Staci clasped Brad’s arm with a firm grip. She spoke with frantic urgency. “It’s true Brad. Don’t fuck with him. Lauren will do anything he says. You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen her do for him. He fucked with her head. She’s his now.”

His now? What the hell did that mean? Was Ray running some kind of cult? Did he have some kind of hideous control over Lauren and Nastia? Is that what Staci meant with the message on her hand that Ray was messing with her head too?

He stood there thinking, trying to puzzle out what to do. Should he grab Sammi and Staci and try to leave or see where Billy Ray wanted to take this? Suddenly neither choice seemed like the right one. He had never had an issue with making quick decisions before but this was a whole different ball game than anything he had encountered. Brad had never felt so confused in his life. He felt like he was trapped in quicksand, stuck and helpless, wallowing, not able to extricate himself even an inch.

Finally he decided to play it safe. He saw no other option for now. He couldn’t chance that it was knife in Lauren’s pocket. He couldn’t put Sammi in any more jeopardy than already was. He could always change the play if he had to. Protecting Sammi was paramount.

“What do you want from us?” he asked tightly, his eyes and mouth mere slits.

“In the spirit of Halloween, let’s have a little game. Trick or treat…for adults.”

“What kind of game?”

“Simple. Some type of contest. You decide, old sport. I have a chess set. Checkers perhaps?” He raised an imploring eyebrow. “I also happened to own a very old antique deck of cards in pristine condition. Very expensive.” Ray watched Brad with measured eyes. Then he added, “If cerebral games are not your fancy, perhaps you would like to try your luck at something more physical. Arm wrestling has been practiced for ages. Believe me, I know.”

“What?”

“Yes, best two out of three in whatever game you decide. If you win you escort lovely Sammi out….with all the chocolate you can carry. You will return home and wonder if all this was just an elaborate trick of a somewhat over the top man, a Halloween gag gone to extremes. Over the fullness of time you will look back on it and realize I gave you the most chilling, exciting night you will ever have in your life. Not a bad gift on Halloween, no?”

“Fuck your gift. What if I lose?”

Billy Ray shifted his glance to Sammi ever so subtlety. “Then we move on to part two of the game.”

“What’s part two?” demanded Brad.

Billy Ray held up his hands. “Ahhhh all in good time old sport. It may not come down to that. Let’s see what develops. The journey is the real fun of it.”

Staci dug her long nails hard into Brad’s arm, so hard that it hurt. There was hope flashing in her green eyes as she whispered to him. “Please, do this! Not just for you and Sammi. I don’t want to end up like Lauren and Nastia.” Staci was no longer the smart, self assured seductress. She was begging him. “Help me. Please. I had a life before. I want to go back to it. He’s taking everything from me.” The sound of her voice, the despair and hopelessness in her lovely eyes was heartbreaking to him. “You can beat him. I know you can. I believe in you. I have since the moment I saw you.”

Her belief in him bucked up his courage. Fuck this. I have to help her. I can’t leave her here. We leave and I call the cops. I can help Lauren and Nastia too once we get out of here. Just play along and see what happens.

“OK. We’ll play a game. But there is a new condition.”

“Do tell,” said Ray, intrigued. The boy was making rules! He found this a delightful turn.

“If I win Staci leaves with us.” Brad reached out and took Staci’s hand in his to seal his promise. “That’s the deal,” he said forcefully.

Ray looked at him for a moment then broke out in genuine laughter. “Oh my, isn’t this rich! Cherry Pie got to you very fast, didn’t she?” Ray winked at her. “Old sport is falling in love, just like Gatsby. Found your Daisy, huh? Willing to risk it all for her? Staci is very good at that. Among her many talents.”

“Fuck you Ray!” she spat. “You fucking piece of shit. I’m done playing slave for you. I don’t want you fucking with my head until I become your zombie.”

For the first time this evening Ray looked surprised. “Staci! Why didn’t you tell me how you felt? You should have mentioned this to me earlier. We could have come to an accommodation well before now. If I win you and I can deal with your complaint in a very thorough manner.”

Ray shrugged in acquiescence. “Very well old sport. I’ll throw our little spitfire into the pot if she wishes to part company with me so desperately. Though I’m not sure young Lisa would appreciate your gallantry on her behalf. One thing about Staci, she’s a woman who gets what she wants….all of it….if you know what I mean….and threes’ a crowd as they say.”

Brad was shocked at Ray’s taunting remark. Lisa? He didn’t remember mentioning Lisa to him. How did he know about Lisa?

Staci pulled at Brad, bringing him closer. “You don’t want to play cards or chess with him. You don’t,” she continued in a rush. Then she started running her hands over his strong bicep. He could feel her long nails running over his skin, putting little red contrails on it. “Arm wrestling. That’s the way. You can beat him. I know you can. You’re so….young and strong…and virile” she purred, the other woman returning in an instant, her hot, young breath warming his ear and cheek. “He just sits there on his ass all day doing nothing,” she spat with derision. “He’s a loser. He can’t beat you. Take the bet.” She put her lips to his year, touching. They felt so soft and warm. “Get us out of here and I have ways to thank you.”

Ray laughed. “Oh she does Brad. She has all sorts of ways.”

Brad wondered about Staci’s sudden shifts in personality from scared girl, to ally to seductress. Was this the product of what Ray was doing to her? Was he making her unstable? How much more of Ray could she take before she was lost? He felt a massive sense of urgency to get her out. He felt so sorry for Staci and what this freak was doing to her.

Brad felt she was correct. She was giving him the right advice. He had arm wrestled many of his friends on the team and he usually won. But he had to be sure about this. So much was at stake. He had to pick correctly. He looked at Billy Ray. He had the advantage of being a fully formed man, looking to be in his late twenties. But he didn’t show any signs of powerful musculature under his suit. Indeed, Brad suspected this man to be decadent in the extreme, avoiding any kind of physical activity or labor. How strong could he be? And Brad had played chess and cards before. He wasn’t special at either. He had a strong feeling that Ray may be very adept at both.

Dicaprio as Gatsby, still frozen in time, gazed at Brad from the wall. His smiling face seemed to say, go on old sport, take the bet. You can’t lose. Neither of us can. The world is our oyster. But of course it wasn’t. Gatsby was rushing head long to his inevitable death.

“How do I know you will keep your word if I win?”

Billy Ray’s face was deadly serious when he answered. “I never renege on a bet. It is a matter of honor. If you don’t have your word then what do you have? You would be less than an animal.”

Despite the weird shenanigans this man had played all night the look on his face and tone of voice convinced Brad he was telling the truth. There was a powerful honesty of pride there.

Brad decided. “Arm wrestling.” Staci gave Brad a warm kiss on the cheek. “Kick his fucking ass.”

Billy Ray rubbed his hands together in the excitement of the game now on. He nodded with appreciation. “Now there’s a Batman!” he said in a mocking tone.

The three of them moved to an oak table.

Brad and Billy Ray sat opposite each other at the table and clasped hands ready to begin. Lauren had brought Sammi closer, both watching with interest. Nastia was right there with them.

“Oh they’re going to arm wrestle!” Sammi said her voice pitched with childish excitement.

Lauren, standing behind her wrapped her arms around Sammi’s neck. “I know, isn’t this fun?” Sammi looked up smiling, nodded. Nasti watched it all intently.

Brad’s bicep bulged as tightened his grip. It looked an unfair match on the face of it.

“Come on Brad! I’m rooting for you!” yelled Sammi. She was sure her brother would win. No one was stronger than her brother. For her, he was Batman personified.

Brad nodded to her then turned back to Billy Ray. Brad’s face was a storm cloud of fierce concentration. I have to beat this fucker. I have to protect Sammi. He will have to kill me to win. He can’t beat me.

Staci echoed Sammi in her own way. “Come on Scat, fuck that bastard up!”

Billy Ray conversely had the same lazy, laissez faire look he had worn all night.

He smiled at Brad. “Ready old sport? Remember, young Sammi is watching. What a hero you are to her. You really are the Batman to her sweet heart. What love she has for you. Don’t disappoint now.”

Brad ignored the jibe, tuning the man’s taunts out of his mind. He knew Billy Ray well enough now to understand he was always trying to get into his head, to shake him, undermine his ability to think rationally. This man attacked in myriad ways at all times. He was ruthless and implacable in his constant mental assaults.

“Oh and let’s not forget Staci. You wouldn’t want to lose to an old man like me in front of her, would you? That would be quiet unmanly. Women like Staci only want the best. She wants a stud. Can you be her stud? She will lose interest if you are found wanting.” Ray jabbed at his psyche again.

“You can’t bother me,” Brad spat back, aware of what Ray was doing.

Billy Ray looked at Staci. “You have the honors my dear. Let’s get the show on the road, for god and country.”

Staci ran her warm hand over Brad’s cheek. “You ready, baby? Come on, I know you have it in you.”

“Just do it,” he growled. The stakes here were getting to him. The room was clotted with tension and danger touching them all, joining them in this weird ritual they were now irrevocably locked into.

Staci took a deep breath then said, “Ready, set, go!”

Brad threw all his young well muscled body into the match with grim determination. He was a force of nature driven by love for his sister. The only thought in his mind was Sammi, how he had to win for her, get her out of this nightmare he had gotten her into. He was to blame for all this and he was going to get her out.

Billy Ray held his ground at first. Brad was surprised how strong he was. His arm felt like a steel bar. Decadent life style or no, this man was powerful.

But ultimately not powerful enough. Not for the love that fueled Brad’s fury.

Slowly, so slowly, Billy Ray gave ground. His arm bent back, first six inches from the table, then four, then three. His face showed the terrible strain to keep himself from losing.

Brad inhaled one great breath and threw everything he had in a final push.

BAM! Billy Ray’s hand and arm smacked into the table top hard from the force Brad had applied.

“Yeah you fucker!” shouted Brad. “I got you! One more to go!” Brad didn’t care if Sammi had heard him cuss. He would apologize later, when they were gone from this place. Right now he was swimming in elation from sticking it to his asshole.

“That’s it Brad! Yaah!” yelled Sammi delighted in her hero’s victory. Staci thrust her curvaceous arms skyward in triumph as her green eyes flashed.

Billy Ray rubbed his arm and shook his head. “Well done, old sport. You are as strong as you appear. A tip of the hat to you.”

Brad put his arm back on the table. “Save it. Let’s finish this.” He grinned at Billy Ray, sensing the older man’s weakness in his attempt to stall. “Unless you need a rest….old sport.”

Billy Ray gave Brad a weird grin, like he knew something. “Ah youth, so impetuous, always in a hurry to go nowhere.” He put his arm up and grasped Brad’s hand. “As you wish it then. Let’s get to where we are going.” Billy Ray looked supremely confident.

Brad tried to ignore this. He’s just trying to pysch me out again. He knows he can’t beat me fair and square. But he can’t hide behind words. He glanced at Sammi. She smiled at him, nodding. Brad nodded back. He can’t beat me. He can’t beat me. Sammi, Sammi, Sammi, the mantra of his sister’s name rang in Brad’s head. He was as ready for this battle as anything in his young life.

Billy Ray looked at Staci.

“Ready, set, go!” she repeated.

Once again Brad slowly forced Billy Ray’s arm down, inch by painful inch. The toll on both was apparent in their faces and shaking arms. Finally with supreme effort Brad had Billy Ray’s arm an inch from the table, just one more inch till all this was finished. Brad strained, making his final push to sweet victory.

And in the blink of an eye, less than a second their arms were straight up again, pointed to the ceiling. Brad blinked in stark disbelief. What had happened was not physically possible.

He looked at Billy Ray who gazed back at him with the placid calm of a country pond.

“Ahhhh, almost old sport. Just a scant inch from the win! You must have felt you and Sammi were already out the door flush with victory. Could you imagine inhaling the sweet cool air in gulps of relief as you skipped on down the lane to home and hearth? But not so easy this time. Having problems believing? Here let me show you again.”

Once again, just that fast, Brad had Billy Ray’s arm an inch from the table. Billy Ray chuckled devilishly. “Now watch closely so you don’t miss it.”

A second later it was Brad’s arm an inch from the table. “Did you catch it this time? Now the coup de grace.”

Billy Ray took a breath and blew at their hands as though putting out the candles of a birthday cake. Gently, as though with sweet care, Billy Ray dropped Brad’s hand to the table. Nastia and Lauren let out audible twin moans of desire with Billy Ray’s win. Sammi and Staci gasped in frustration.

Ray licked his finger with great ostentation and held it up. “That makes the tally one one old sport,” gloated Billy Ray with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

“It’s Ok, Scat, you’ll get him the next one,” yelled out Sammi. “He got lucky. I believe in you!” But her enthusiastic voice no longer gave him strength as before. Now it was starting to break his heart into pieces. She had not experienced what he just had.

Staci seemed crestfallen, her arms wrapped tightly around herself in a forlorn hug.

Brad was stunned, his brain felt short circuited. Being an athlete he completely understood physicality and its processes and limits. There was no way on earth anyone could have done what Billy Ray had. It wasn’t possible. Slowly, horrifically, he focused on that strange, insane story Billy Ray had told him about himself. And how did he know about Lisa? Could it be true? Could he be something not human at all? It seemed like madness then but how could one explain what he had just experienced?

As though reading his thoughts Billy Ray spoke, his voice portentous in its deadly seriousness but also quietly intimate for their ears only. “You didn’t believe me when I gave you that brief synopsis of my life. But you are learning now, old sport. I promise you will believe it all by the time this night is over for you.”

And at that moment Brad realized everything Ray had said about himself was true. He was not some babbling, deluded madman or some ultimate trickster playing Brad for his fool. He was something else, a monster, a real one, apart from humanity entirely. And with this terrible dawning his stomach curdled. How could he defeat something this mysterious, this inhuman, something so powerful?

Ray could see the scales dropping from his eyes. Many humans would not so quickly believe in what he was, even given evidence. Their minds were too staid, too moribund, too locked into what they were taught to believe. He respected that Brad was adapting so quickly to the new reality.

“You cheated,” Brad spat in spiraling despair.

“I did not,” retorted Ray with immense indignation. “I told you what I was before we made the bet, did I not? You made the mistake of thinking me a mad fool. I offered to arm wrestle. You could have chosen another game. I offered you the choice. Think back. I have been above board in all ways.” He grinned slyly, “One mistake after another, just as you made the mistake of bringing Sammi here. Hasn’t been your night, has it old sport?”

And Brad knew Ray was right. He had not lied once. He had told him everything. And he had known perfectly well that Brad would not believe him. This monster had been ten steps ahead of him the whole time, so deviously cunning, running rings around him, toying with him in the parameters of this nightmare game he had engendered. Brad’s pride had been hurt earlier thinking Ray was dismissing him as a child but now, too late, so horrifically late he realized that’s all he was to this thing that sat across from him. A mere child so far out of his depth, drowning like a boy who had taken that one fatal step too many from the shallow end of the pool into the deep end. And now he was flailing, gasping suddenly not finding the comfort of the pool floor beneath his feet and knowing in his last terrible, elongated moments that he was about to lose everything.

“It just wasn’t fair. I can’t beat you. Not at this,” Brad mumbled despondently, more to himself than Ray.

Billy Ray shook his head and there was a sadness to him. “Haven’t you learned yet that life is patently unfair? How ill equipped you are to survive this world.” He eyed Brad speculatively for a moment then continued. “You better grow up fast.”

Brad sat there, his face buried in his hands. He did not want to arm wrestle the tie breaker. He knew there was no chance to win. No chance at all. It was all so hopeless. He felt like he was dying. He could not bear to look at little Sammi, so naïve, so unaware of what was playing out.

Billy Ray sat and watched Brad for a long time. His tendrils were in Brad’s mind. He could feel his total desolation, the incremental murder of the boy’s heart happening at this moment.

He reached out gently, his hand grasping Brad’s shoulder with commiseration.

“Brad. Brad,” he said, calling the boy by name for the first time. “The game must go on. We made an irrevocable deal. But buck up and be of good cheer. I am always a fair man and will make you another offer.”

Brad lowered his hands and looked the monster in the face. He was too distraught to reply.

“I give you my solemn word not to use my power in the rubber match. I will only use the strength this body has as a human. You will have a fair chance to take Sammi out and return to your home and loving mother. One match to decide all of it. As it should be.”

Brad blinked. He felt the comforting hand on his shoulder. Was it true? Would he be given that chance, the fair chance he knew he would not lose? Was this monster taking pity and giving him and Sammi a way out? A chance to erase the litany of mistakes he made this night, to give him a chance at redemption?

“Are….are….you….b….being….honest…with me?” He could barely get the words out of his choked raw throat.

“My word is my bond Brad. It will be fair in all regards. You and I only, as humans, let the best man win.”

Brad shook his head, hardly believing what he heard. But he knew it was true. He could tell by the look in Ray’s eyes, the tone of pride in his voice. He was telling the truth yet again. He was giving him his chance.

“Th….thank….you,” replied Brad, faking shaken gratitude. Now you made your first mistake you son of a bitch! screamed a triumphant voice in Brad’s head. But on the outside his face changed not a bit. Now he was playing the game too. A game he would win.

“My pleasure. Let the rubber match decide.” Ray took his hand off Brad’s shoulder and placed his arm on the table, ready to go. He locked eyes with Brad, determined. The last match with everything on the line.

Brad clasped Ray’s hand in a death grip, his arm felt alive, like an iron rod thrumming with energy. This was his moment and he was not going to lose. He was going to drive this son of a bitch’s hand right through that table to the fucking floor.

“Come on Scat. You can beat him!” squeaked Sammi’s thrilling voice, baby blue eyes shining with love and confidence. He glanced at her. She smiled at him. He smiled back with big brother pride. This one is for you, Kat. I’ll never let you down again.

Staci’s eyes were wide, hope anew springing forth.

“Have you ever wondered about the origins of the term rubber match old sport?” asked Ray, his voice reverting to his previously held arrogance. “Do you think it relates to cricket?”

Ray pondered for a moment then went on. “I think not. Perhaps it goes back to the English game of bowls. I played several very interesting games with high ranking aristocrats back in the 1700’s. Believe it or not, they would cheat. Yes, even among themselves. They had not an ounce of honor between them. Perhaps that was one reason they were so good at empire building. What chance did other nations have against a race bred to cheat. What do you suppose?”

Brad knew Ray was up to his old tricks, using mind games, get him off his game; he was illustrating that he was a creature of infinite experience and capabilities, that this was all a foregone conclusion; a mere child against a god. He wanted Brad to feel defeated from the get go. Ray was relentless in his assaults. But it was not going to work. Brad was never as determined in his life as he was at this moment. He shut every word coming from Ray’s mouth out of his mind. For him the room was silence.

This time it was Brad who looked at Staci, taking the initiative. “Do it,” he said with calm certainty. He could see the look of mild surprise grace Ray’s face at his eagerness to begin. Good. You aren’t the only one who can play mind games.

“Good luck,” Staci mouthed silently to him.

I’m not going to need luck.

“Ready, set, go!”

And so the rubber match began.