Erotomaniac Read online

  ***

  The sun fell beyond the horizon. The sky was orange and blue, like every Hollywood movie poster. Cars of all shapes and sizes cruised down the street, heading in every direction. A few angry drivers honked and argued with each other, yelling about politics and society, while others recorded the confrontations. Emergency sirens on fire trucks and police cruisers occasionally blared through the area, but no one seemed to notice the stalker in the parking lot.

  Ethan sat in the driver's seat of his car. He took a sip of his coffee, which he purchased from a neighboring donut shop. He kept his eyes on his love the entire time, too – she still served customers with a smile. He glanced at the clock: 6:09 PM.

  He leaned forward and whispered, “Here we go...”

  Emiko jogged down a walkway, then she skidded to a stop beside the crowded bus stop. She leaned forward and stared over the cars parked on the side of the street. She sighed in relief – her bus was barely arriving. She could be seen talking to an older woman as she shuffled through her bag, laughing and smiling. She was perpetually friendly.

  A good girl like that couldn't possibly hate anyone – including Ethan.

  “Come on over,” the feminine voice whispered at the back of Ethan's mind. “Don't be scared, darling. I don't bite.”

  Doe-eyed, Ethan stared at Emiko and nodded. He pulled on the parking brake and said, “I'm coming, sweetie. I'm–”

  He paused as the bus pulled into the stop, blocking his view of Emiko. He blinked erratically and shook his head. He was disappointed in his failure to act. He wasn't given much time, but he still felt as if he had missed his chance.

  As the people boarded the bus, Ethan reversed out of his parking and murmured, “I missed you too many times already. I have to see you...”

  He drove to the farthest exit behind the bus, then he pulled into the street. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he followed the bus. Just like the bus, he stopped at each bus stop and watched as the passengers exited the vehicle. He was led away from the busy commercial district, taken deeper into a residential area.

  Apartment buildings, some five stories tall, surrounded him. The apartments weren't luxurious, but they were adequate for most common needs.

  As the bus pulled into another stop, Ethan stopped his car behind a column of parked vehicles – hidden in plain sight. He leaned over the passenger seat and stared at the bus with narrowed eyes, carefully watching every movement in the large vehicle. An elderly woman, a man in a janitor's uniform, a few teenagers and... Emiko – Emiko hopped off of the bus.

  Ethan smiled and whispered, “Hey, sweetie... I thought I lost you.”

  Eager, he climbed out of his car, then he jogged onto the sidewalk. He trailed behind the young woman. He glanced around the area. The street sign read: Madison Street. The buildings in the area resembled each other. He could memorize each crack on the bricks, though. He only needed to know where Emiko lived and it would stay on his mind until the end of time.

  Unaware of her stalker, Emiko strolled into a five-story apartment complex to her right. Ethan jogged to catch up, glancing every which way. He walked through the front door and found himself in a hallway. Emiko was nowhere in sight, though. She couldn't have gone inside so fast, he thought, it's impossible. He glanced over at his right.

  He whispered, “Stairs...”

  He ran up the stairs and slid into the hallway on the second floor. He quickly slid back behind the wall upon spotting Emiko. He peeked around the corner. The young woman stood in front of the third door to the right, wrestling with her bag and keys – still oblivious.

  As the door closed, Ethan shambled down the hall and approached the apartment. He stared at the number above the door: 26. 26 – two digits, easy to remember. He smiled and leaned closer to the door. He could hear her moving about inside of the apartment. He smiled from ear-to-ear – the type of smile a father would have as he met his newborn baby for the first time.

  With a grin on his face and tears in his eyes, he whispered, “What are you doing in there, baby? Huh? Do you need a hand? Do you want me to come in? Just say the word and I'll come in. Come on, talk to me again. Say–”

  “Can I help you, sir?” a man asked from over Ethan's shoulder.

  Ethan casually glanced around the hall, acting as if he were lost – playing stupid. He glanced back at his uninvited guest.

  A short, portly man stood behind him. The man wore a filthy gray polo shirt, black trousers, and scuffed dress shoes. He had a bald spot at the center of his head, too. He sniffled and coughed, blatantly sick. The careless man didn't even cover his mouth.

  The man chuckled and snorted, then he asked, “Can you hear me? Hello?”

  Ethan stuttered, “Wh–Who are you?”

  “Who am I? My name is Charles. I'm the manager of this apartment complex. Now, who are you? I don't think I've ever seen you around here before.”

  “You're the manager?” Ethan asked. He laughed and shook his head, relieved. He said, “I'm sorry. I might be in the wrong building. I was looking for a friend's apartment.”

  “I'm sorry, too, pal. I can't help you with that. I don't just hand out the tenants' information to 'friends' like that. You're going to have to get out of here and give your friend a call. Go on, kid. I can't have you hanging around here like some sort of stalker.”

  “I get it. I'll go. Thank you for your time.”

  As Ethan took a step towards the stairs, the manager sneezed. Mucus dripped over his lips and saliva splattered on the wall.

  Ethan smiled and said, “Here, take this.” He pulled the handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to the manager. He said, “I used it a little, but... Well, you're already sick anyway. Might as well clean yourself up.”

  Charles nodded and said, “Yeah, yeah. Thanks, pal.”

  Ethan smiled as the man rubbed the cum-soaked handkerchief on his lips and nose. The manager even used the handkerchief to blow his nose. Fortunately, thanks to his clogged nostrils, he really couldn't smell the semen on the hanky. His lack of taste didn't allow him to taste the cum, either. It was a win-win situation.

  Satisfied, Ethan waved at Charles and said, “I'll just have to contact my friend later. Have a nice day, sir.”

  “You too.”

  Ethan walked out of the building. He was amused by his devious actions, but he was dismayed by his failure. He was stopped before he could cross the finish line. He wanted to enter Emiko's apartment, but he couldn't cause a scene. He hopped into his car, then he peeled out of his parking spot.

  Chapter Seven

  Insomnia

  “I'm beginning to think this is all just some... some fucked up game,” Ethan said as he paced back-and-forth in his kitchen.

  He grabbed a fistful of his hair and tugged on his head, delirious. He was tormented by his cynical thoughts and irked by his uncontrollable shifts in mood. One moment, he was happy and hopeful about his future; the next, he felt as if the entire world was going against him.

  He was an unhinged young man who was shunned by his family and friends. He didn't get the help he needed, so he continued to descend into his own secluded world of depravity. He stopped in front of the mirror.

  As he stared at his reflection, Ethan said, “Twice. That's two times that she's rejected me. I... I keep hearing her voice in my head, she's telling me that she loves me, but she keeps pushing me away in person. It's insane, isn't it? What the hell is going on here?”

  His reflection responded, “It's you, Ethan. It's not her. You're just not confident enough for a girl like that. You're asking instead of demanding. 'Do you want a ride? Are you sure?' That's no way to talk to a girl like that. She wants you to be more assertive. She doesn't want some passive chump.”

  “I–I don't understand. This... This is me. Acting like me, like myself, has always worked for me. Wha–What's happening? What's changed?”

  “The world is changing. People want different things. You can't stay the same forever and
expect to please everyone. The gentleman-type is out. Women are attracted to bad guys... again.”

  Ethan stared at his reflection, teary-eyed. He licked his lips, then he clenched his jaw. He carefully examined himself, reading the expression on his face as if he were looking at another man. Of course, in his mind, he was looking at a different person – his doppelganger. He didn't know if he could believe himself or not.

  As a tear streamed down his cheek, Ethan said, “I've had sex plenty of times. We both know that. Even if times change, even if Emiko is a different breed, I can adapt. I can still have her.”

  His reflection responded, “You better start working on it, Ethan. I don't think a fairy like you can get a girl like that...”

  “I can.”

  “I don't know...”

  “I can!”

  The apartment was dominated by silence. A news channel was playing on the TV in the living room, but the noise was muted. His unadulterated anger caused the racket to stop.

  “You... have... to... listen,” the feminine voice whispered at the back of his head.

  With the message, the volume increased on the television and the racket outside returned. Ethan glanced around the home, searching for the source of the voice. He was alone, though. He heard Emiko's voice in his head before, but it was different in his house. The woman was nowhere in sight.

  As he stared at the ceiling, the disturbed author whispered, “It's you, isn't it? Emiko, you're trying to talk to me, aren't you? Telepathy... It really is telepathy.” He opened a window in the living room, then he sat on the windowsill. As he stared at the houses across the street, peering towards Emiko's neighborhood, Ethan said, “Talk to me. I'm listening.”

  The sound of coughing engines, obnoxious kids, and domestic disputes dwindled. The world came to a grinding halt – silence reigned supreme.

  Dancing into his ears, the feminine voice said, “Watch your TV. Watch me.”

  Ethan furrowed his brow upon hearing the message. As if he were in a trance, he shambled into the living room, then he fell onto the sofa. He increased the volume on his television. A reporter stood in front of a suburban house and spoke about a missing thirty-year-old woman – Karen. The news was insignificant, though. It didn't bother him.

  He asked, “What am I supposed to be looking for? What–”

  He stopped as Emiko walked onto the set. She approached the reporter, then she yanked the microphone out of her hands. With her glowing eyes, dark but beautiful, she stared at the camera and smiled – such a friendly smile.

  She said, “Hi, Ethan. I'm sorry I have to talk to you like this. As you know, I'm stuck in my apartment and Charles didn't let you in. I'm sorry about treating you like trash out there, too.”

  Ethan leaned forward as he stared at the television in utter awe. He responded, “I... I forgive you.”

  Emiko sighed in relief, then she said, “I'm glad. I thought you hated me...”

  “No. No, I could never hate you, princess. I just... I didn't understand why you were acting the way you acted. That's all.”

  “I owe you an explanation, don't I? I love you, Ethan. That's the truth. I'm just too embarrassed to admit it. I can't do it in front of everyone.”

  “Wh–Why? What's wrong?”

  Emiko blushed as she stared down at herself, bashful. She kicked the rocks under her boots and twirled her hair. Ethan's bottom lip quivered as he watched her. Her shy demeanor aroused him.

  Emiko glanced up at the camera and said, “I'm pure, Ethan. I've never had a boyfriend before. I've never... Jeez, this is so embarrassing, but... I've never had sex before. I'm a virgin.” Trembling with excitement, Ethan held his hand to his mouth and chuckled inwardly. Emiko continued, “If I become your girlfriend, I have to hide it from everyone because I can't let my family back home find out. They wouldn't accept it and they'd force me to go back... without you. I don't want that.”

  “I don't want that, either. I can keep our love a secret, I swear. No one has to know about it. Not even you...”

  Ethan pushed the coffee table aside, then he fell to his knees. He crawled forward and approached the television. He planted his lips on the screen, passionately kissing Emiko's lips. Playing along, Emiko puckered her lips and pretended to kiss the camera. He couldn't physically feel her lips, but he felt her love.

  As Ethan leaned away from the TV, Emiko said, “I wish that was real...”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Come to my apartment, Ethan – tonight. Kiss me. Touch me. Make love to me while I sleep. Just... Just don't wake me up. I want to believe I'm still pure when I wake up. I want all of this to be a secret in the morning. Okay? Like you said: no one will ever know, not even me.”

  Ethan touched the screen, as if he were caressing Emiko's hair. He said, “I can do that, princess. I can give you everything you ever wanted.”

  “Really? Even a... a family? I've fantasized about having a family with you, you know...”

  “Me too!”

  Ethan and Emiko shared a laugh, tears of joy coursing down their cheeks. Ethan was elated by Emiko's confession. Emiko appeared pleased to share in Ethan's happiness. Of course, the waitress wasn't actually talking to him. The unhinged man believed it, though.

  Ethan said, “I'm going to pay you a visit, Emiko. I'm going to make your... No, I'm going to make our dreams come true. I'll be there in an hour, maybe two. I just need to get some supplies first. You get some sleep, okay?”

  Emiko nodded and enthusiastically said, “Okay!”

  She walked off the screen and the reporter returned. As if nothing had happened, the reporter continued discussing the details of Karen's mysterious disappearance. Shrugging off the peculiar event, Ethan staggered to his feet. He lurched into his bedroom and began organizing his supplies.

  Chapter Eight

  To Make Love

  Ethan arrived at Madison Street. He parked three buildings away from Emiko's apartment, his sedan hidden under a tree away from the street lamps. A few vehicles and pedestrians still wandered the streets, hopping between bars or finally heading home from work. Yet, the neighborhood was still relatively tranquil after midnight.

  Ethan stared at his reflection on the rear-view mirror and said, “This is it. There's no turning back. Make her proud.”

  He nodded, determined. He grabbed a black backpack from the passenger seat, then he hopped out of the car. He breathed heavily as he approached the building, trying to keep a semblance of control – just a student going home, nothing to see here. He walked through the front door and stared down the hall, the backpack slung over his shoulder.

  To his delight, the coast was clear. He briskly walked up the neighboring steps, skipping a stair with each lunge. The second floor hallway appeared to be empty, too. The manager was seemingly absent, likely knocked out by his nighttime cold medication. Although the corridor was empty, he still had to remain quiet in order to avoid any nosy neighbors.

  “26,” Ethan whispered as he approached the third door to his right.

  He gazed at the door with curious eyes, marveling at the barrier as if he had just discovered an ancient artifact. He planted his ear on the door and listened – silence. Silence was good. It meant she was not near the front door and he was free to enter.

  He leaned down and examined the locks. An old-fashioned pin tumbler lock appeared to be the apartment's best defense. Unfortunately for Emiko, the lock had been outdated for years – and Ethan knew exactly how to bypass it.

  “Easy-peasy, easy-peasy,” Ethan murmured as he reached into his bag.

  He pulled a lock-pick set out of the smallest pocket. He took one final glance down the hall as he knelt down in front of the door – the coast was still clear.

  Lock picking was a simple task. He pulled the tension wrench and the rake out of the set. He inserted the tension wrench into the bottom of the plug, then he placed slight pressure on the wrench. He continued by shoving a rake with three ridges into the hole above the wrenc
h. He placed a little more pressure on the wrench as he moved the rake back-and-forth – like a rake. With the gentle movements, he was able to slowly rotate the wrench. Click – and the door was unlocked.

  Simple.

  He performed the same process on the second lock. Upon unlocking it, he turned the knob and gently pushed on the door. To his utter relief, Emiko did not set the latch lock on the door. He quietly slinked into the home and closed the door behind him.

  Ethan found himself in the living room of the small apartment. A console table hugged the wall to his left. There was a small seating area and a flat-screen television to his right. Over the bar and the archway, he could see the kitchen directly ahead. He leaned to his right and stared at the wall to his left. Towards the center of the wall, a hallway opened up and led to the other rooms in the apartment. The home was quiet and simple.

  The author slipped out of his shoes, then he tiptoed forward. He examined a stack of letters on the console table. The letters were addressed to Emiko Takahashi – some were local, others were international, none were open. Although he was invading her home, he 'respected' her privacy and left the letters alone.

  He walked past the sofa and approached the entertainment center. Particularly, he examined the stack of movies sitting next to the small flat-screen television. All of the Blu-ray covers depicted couples about to kiss, but never actually kissing – cliché romance films. He preferred horror, but he didn't mind exploring other genres.

  Ethan whispered, “We can watch these later, babe. I'll make your life just like a movie...”

  He glanced down the hallway – silence. He entered the kitchen, then he opened the refrigerator. A person's appetite could shine light on a personality. Chicken, meat, cheese, fresh vegetables, and 100-percent fruit juice filled the fridge – no soda, no beer, no junk food. Her diet appeared to be healthy – healthier than most.

  The intruder exited the kitchen and tiptoed down the hall. He grimaced with each shrill creak from the floorboards. Still, it sounded as if he were the only person walking in the home. He stopped at the first door to the right, which led to a small bathroom. The sink, the toilet, and the bathtub-shower combo were clean – she took care of her home just as she took care of herself.