The creaking stairs, the approaching steps woke up Shireen with a start. For the next few moments, but what felt like eternity, she could hear her own blood coursing through her veins, her heart beating in her mouth. Sweating profusely, less from the dampness around her, but more due to her vulnerable state of mind, she was again aware of her nakedness inside the mud pit.
The mud pit! The playground of her tormentor. He was back again, taking his own time. She knew he was there in the dark basement, perhaps contemplating on his next move. The red diffused lighting, coming from above, enveloped the mud pit, but did not escape beyond. It added to the eeriness; she finally saw his overpowering presence near the pit, otherwise fully naked but dressed in short shorts…and holding that small case in his right hand. The sinewy, muscular thighs and arms, overtly accentuated by the red light, made her go weak in her knees for a moment but the click of the case brought the terrifying memories back, from a few hours ago and she let out a scream…
Goosebumps!
She always had them whenever she approached describing the gore in her book. And more so when she caressed Dr. North with her words. This scintillating and titillating combination of sexual tension, horrifying gore and edge of the seat suspense had made her one of the most successful authors of her time.
A closet connoisseur of S&M movies, Samuel was an introvert who had amalgamated her passion for writing and S&M into a profitable proposition for herself, with lots of help from her long serving Manager and friend, Hilda, who was literally born with the silver spoon and it was she who recognised Samuel’s talent.
Being an introvert, Samuel had never ever dated a man in her life, though a boy had once forcibly kissed her during her college years. She had resisted and fought him off, but the goosebumps she felt during the act had made her long for such a forced encounter, which never occurred again. Whether it was due to her plain Jane, bespectacled looks or the freckles on her face, or her introvert nature, the opposite sex did not take much interest in her.
To overcome this very frustration, she took to writing, which advanced to exceedingly kinky and gory details and she kept her notes hidden from everyone, including her closest friend, Hilda.
It was one such particularly wierd story which fell into the hands of Hilda she remembered, and the rest was history.
“Sam! We are going to be late for the movie, Sam. Where are you?”, Samuel heard her friend scream from outside.
“Wait, Hilly. I am having a quick shower, will be out in a moment.”
“What? Still having a shower? We are going to be late now.” Then giggling, she added naughtily, “Are you masturbating inside? Shower, eh?”.
“Oh, shut-up. Don’t be crude. I am coming out in a minute.”, protested Samuel with a smile on her face.
On opening the bathroom door, she was aghast to see Hilda reading from her notes… those notes. “Hilda! No! You are not supposed to read that.” She rushed across the room, grabbed the notes from her friend’s hand, who let go reluctantly, looking at her with wide eyes.
“You… you wrote this? It’s a gold mine, Sam. You really wrote this, right?”, Hilda was watching her friend with new eyes. “I mean, how is this even possible?”
—-
Within an year of this discovery, Hilda had moved the publishing world, with lots of help from her enterprising father, and the first book, “A Doctor’s Love?” was born. The book was quickly lapped up by hungry readers and the evil protagonist, Dr. Gabriel North became a rage, especially among the American housewives, charmed as they were by the tall and sinewy Doctor, who killed his victims, by first wooing them with his charming manner and then killing them in a gruesome way.
—-
She was having it again. A searing headache, which originated between the eyes and spread towards her temples, forcing her to abandon the pen and close the windows. The nausea was terrible.
It had become too regular now and she finally decided to do something about it.
“Hilda, I had it again yesterday evening and it’s becoming worse. I think I must see a doctor.”, she complained to her friend, the next day.
“Oh, don’t worry my friend. I think it’s just a migraine attack which needs a proper therapy. I recommend that you meet this Reiki Specialist. But for that we will have to take a short vacation to Europe, Norway to be precise.”
“Norway! Are you serious, Hilda? Why, there are innumerable doctors in USA and you are advising that Arctic country, for a cure.”, Samuel exclaimed exasperatedly.
“Come on, Sam. You have been writing like a robot for so many years, and you need this diversion. A break would do you good. And those publishers will wait.”
And for the umpteenth time, Samuel allowed herself to be led by her Manager.
—-
Fredrikstad!
Samuel and Hilda reached the town in Norway in the month of August. They walked from their hotel, along the narrow lane lined by trees and reached their destination.
Dr. G. Norse
Reiki Konsulent
the board outside a quaint bungalow, greeted them.
As they entered, a dark long corridor, flanked on both sides by flickering, fragrant candles, greeted them. They entered through the door to be greeted by a Persian cat, relaxing on the desk, licking at her paws as all cats with OCD do. Samuel and Hilda smiled at each other, as Samuel proceeded to stroke it’s chin.
Crack!
A whiplash exploded on top of the cat, who jumped up in the air and vanished inside.
“God morgen, vakker dame. Dr. Norse her“, a tall man entered, grinning from ear to ear. Not good looking in the classical sense, his athletic build was accentuated by the jersey he was wearing. It was he, who had cracked the whip, which was now safely tucked away at the hip. The fedora hat, preferred by Indian Jones, gave him an informal air.
Samuel and Hilda gave each other a quick glance, as he invited them to sit.
“We speak English. We are Americans.”, Hilda volunteered.
“Oh, Americans. Velkommen, I mean welcome to Norway. Okay, tell me.”
It was Hilda who spoke up first. “She is Sam…Samuel Clooney, the…”
“Samuel Clooney, the famous writer!”, exclaimed Dr. Norse, as he got up extending his hand towards Sam. “Well, Ms. Clooney, I am your biggest fan. Just love your novels. Can’t believe you are sitting in front of me.”
“Oh, sorry. Me and my big mouth. So tell me, what brings you here?”, he asked giving them the most charming smile.
“It’s for Samuel here. You know, she works so hard…”, began Hilda, but was cut short by the Doctor.
“Can’t she speak for herself? Do you always have to speak on her behalf!”, the Doctor thundered. Staring at Hilda in anger, he turned slowly towards Samuel and asked gently “Yes, Samuel. What is your problem? Please share with me. The more you share, the more I can help.”
Samuel looked at Hilda who just shrugged and leaned back into her chair. “From the past few months, I am having these searing headaches. Hilda says these are migraines…”
“Again Hilda!”, she was interrupted rudely by the Doctor. “Is this your life or Hilda’s? Do you do everything after asking Hilda? Do one thing, next time leave Hilda at the hotel and meet me alone. You can go now.”
He got up, crossed the two surprised ladies and proceeded to open the door and held it open for them. They exchanged glances and reluctantly moved towards the door.
“Such a rude fellow. Are you sure he is a Doctor?”, asked Samuel as soon as they were out of earshot. “I am not going to come back. Let’s go. I have a story to finish.”
“Oh, no, no, Sam. I have heard he is very good. My father has recommended him and he cannot be wrong. You don’t have to worry about anything, Sam. As for me, I will vanish for a few days.”
“Who knows, this Norwegian cowboy will charm you off your feet and you will have found your knight in shining armour. Doesn’t he look like a dream in his Fedora?”, she nudged Sam in her ribs and laughed mischievously.
——
“Yesterday you said that you are having these episodes since last few months. How are these triggered?”, the Doctor seemed to be gentle today.
When Samuel remained silent for a long time, “Yes, I am waiting. I don’t have forever. Shoot.”
While he walked around her, the whip on his hips bounced, she noticed. Pulling her eyes away she began, “I like to write, sitting near my window. It’s a beautiful location, I can see the birds, the clear blue sky, the…”
“Oh, cut out the descriptions. That’s your problem. The light is your problem. It is triggering the headaches…the migraines. Yes, your friend is right. But I, Dr. Gabriel Norse, have the cure.”
“Dr. Gab…”, began Samuel, but was interrupted again. “Yes, coincidence, isn’t it? Dr. Gabriel; but don’t you worry,” but added with a evil grin, “but, should you worry?”
The silence hung in there for sometime, when Samuel suddenly giggled, “I certainly hope that whip is not meant for me.”
“Not, if you behave.” He gave a long stare, which she returned as she pressed her thighs together.
“Now we start the process of Reiki…”, and he proceeded to explain what Reiki involves. “Mind you, it will involve many sittings over the next few days, so prepare yourself accordingly.
“We have to move inside, where you will lie down and we will start the journey. But during the process, I want you to surrender yourself to me, you will not move.”
“Okay”, Samuel answered and started following the Doctor inside. “But”, the Doctor warned, “If you do move…”, and he just caressed the whip. Samuel just smiled in reply. This Doctor is eccentric, she thought.
Samuel laid down on the red mattress in the darkened room. “Close your eyes and relax. Now we won’t talk; I will give instructions whenever required.”
She closed her eyes and mentally she had surrendered. Soon her breath stabilised and she felt calm.
As the Doctor brought his palms together, few inches apart, and held them just above her head. They hovered over her head for a few seconds and then moved lower towards her chest, stomach…and surprisingly she sensed the movement in her body; it tingled.
As he moved from her head towards her legs, the whip kept touching her lightly on her shoulders, her arms, her elbow, her wrists…she felt her hair follicles standing on end. Why was she feeling this?
To her relief, he then moved back near her head and placed his palms near her temples and for a moment they were still.
Gradually they moved lower, below her ears, between her shoulder blades, below her breasts, always pausing for a few seconds.
As they moved to her stomach, she couldn’t control herself any longer, and suddenly sat upright, and opened her eyes. The room was drowned in a red hue!
The whip cracked and she was taken aback. Wickedly smiling, the Doctor was naked, waist up, his well toned chest heaving and sweating. She stifled a cry…
“You broke the agreement. You will pay for it”, and the next moment a pair of handcuffs were clamped on her wrists. A chain passed through them and suddenly she found herself hanging.
The whip cracked, it enveloped around her waist repeatedly, as he whipped her. But why was she not feeling the pain, the stabs, the…had she finally found her soulmate…
——
Footnote: North is a common surname in UK and thought to come from northern Norse people, from Norway.
==>This is an entry for Artales-17, #DrNorth, an ArtoonsInn writing event.
Check the event guidelines here: https://writers.artoonsinn.com/artales17/
Don’t forget to leave a comment and rate this story out of 10(either on the shared post on Facebook or by using the rating bar down below).
*********
Struggled and Soared “stories of courageous women of India”. A non-fiction that talks about the women that reflect the spirit of India – an invincible spirit to be free! 
It is the story of four Indian women who have one thing in common –courage to follow their heart and do what they felt right. Reading this book would be like taking a much needed break from the false propaganda and information that you are surrounded with on digital media. This is just the right book that will give your mind freedom to be yourself and an invaluable inspiration as well as meaning to life. The author has done full justice while accounting the life of all inspirational women from India’s past and present. We recommend this book for those who love to read well-researched works.
Written by Vipin Chopal
*********
Rulfy Tracker: https://1drv.ms/x/s!ApiLwn00sMcLgky1-v8whh2NOgh9 for the writer/author to share his/her reviews and ratings for the participants’ stories of this writing event who share their comments/reviews on this story.
Photo By a_roesler.
