When Maniacs Create Art
I did not know why they called me to meet them at the sauna (luckily not inside, but where they were busy dressing). Have I already betrayed the fact that I cringe at the presence of naked male bodies? If I sound too prim to be true, that is me. Also, it is good that we get some other facts put on paper at the start. I am not clever and I am not brave, so I’m not hero material – I am only the hero of this story because I happen to be the one writing it. I am not original in my thinking, I prefer to plod to whatever destination awaits me. I tell myself, sure, the others are running there and will get to heights I never will. The difference is, many will fall along the way, but I am not likely to hurt myself and whatever heights I arrive at, seeing as to how I started from so low, I’ll be happy.
I do however have one secret. It is not a secret I am good at describing, for I do not understand it. When I get afraid or feel uneasy, I can sometimes get a feeling about the other people around me. I pretend I am trying to get inside their minds, which I know is impossible, but still, I get a feeling of how or what they think of me or the subject being discussed. Not a strong feeling, but enough of a hint for me to allow it to guide me – as it is with the gift of intuition for many. Reading the odd scholarly report, I am told it is they who betray themselves with body language, but I think I am right, it is something I have developed to keep me safe during social occasions.
Harold is supposed to be my friend, so I concentrated on the more likely threat – our boss; Ulz the big boss. As I tried to extend myself towards him, he asked me if I know anything about a missing package. I did not know what he was talking about and I was having a problem defining how he felt about me, so I was a bit distracted as I told him so. He filled his hand with cream and rubbed it over his shoulders and his neck. He is rather meaty and going bald and I could see layers of cream were being left at the back of his neck.
I reached, “Let me, you are not spreading the cream properly.” He nodded as I went behind him and massaged it in. As I’d hoped, contact helped and I knew he did not consider me a threat, but he did have suspicions of my friend, Harold. This made me shift my attention to him and I felt his unease. Lightly I tapped the shoulder of Ulz to let him know I’m done and moved to stand before him again.
Ulz gave me a speculative look and then surprised us. “Harold tells me you are a good worker and loyal. I’ve checked and the truth is you are not very good at your job. However, it seems your history of being loyal goes back to your school days. Harold, I expect the work is piling up in your absence? While you are at it, ask HR to find someone to replace Arnold.” He waited, his eyes on Harold until the door closed behind him.
“What do you know about me?”
I was convinced he is about to fire me, so it made me reckless enough to reply. “I know the most important part – you are the big boss – chairman of the company. Not much else.”
“Did you know that I started the business on my own? Once I had built it, then I was offered lots of money for my shares and was promised I will remain in control. I very quickly learnt how to defend myself, for all corporate people are liars. To keep things simple, the most basic of my lessons was that to remain in control I needed to be the CEO and I need to own a majority of the Directors.”
He paused to stare at me. “Have you any objections to being owned?”
His words made me feel dizzy. “I haven’t given the possibility much thought…I had hoped I would find a women I would not mind being owned by…but I’m not lucky with women.”
He laughed, as if I had said something funny. “Arnie…you don’t mind me calling you Arnie do you? I am considering choosing you as my Director of Security. After the disappearance of the package from our safe, I think our Security Division needs a Director. I am employing an outsider specialist who will provide you with the advice you will need. However, your true role will be as Director who always votes on my side, whether you understand the issues or not, or whether you agree with me or not.”
I agreed, though I secretly thought he would have done better to make of me a friend. Those who are willingly owned, will often re-sell themselves to the worst of enemies.
I had to go to HR to fill in various forms and I was promised that by the next day I will have my own office, membership to two clubs and a credit card for entertainment expenses. I was offered a choice of business card layouts and as I held them I sensed when she approved of the one I am holding and chose it.
I went to give Harold the news. I think I was floating a little, cut off from everything by shock, as I told him of my change of fortune. He told me to go home and not to worry, he’ll have my things sent up to my new office. He then told me this evening we are going to the fancy pub we go to only on special occasions and the treat is on him.
Like an idiot I laughed. “No, it must be on me, they are paying me more than five times what my salary was.”
“No wonder you are in shock. Don’t talk to anyone, just go home and I’ll collect you for a night of heavy drinking – we have to celebrate, right?”
Harold and I had mostly been friends because of our working together and because he had not married. He always said he is waiting for the special one. I wondered for how long will he want to remain my friend. Though I thought he is nice to have as a friend while there are no other issues to trouble us, my luck will not sit well with him for long. He will soon begin to crack, showing his envy and now, dislike of me. I’ve seen him do the same to Brian when he was promoted over Harold.
In case this is the last time we truly enjoy our evening together, I put on my favourite clothes for going to karaoke. As I sat waiting for him, I had the thought that I should be sad that I have nobody to phone to share my news. Nobody that would feel happy for me.
I heard the front door open and realised I had snoozed long enough for the sky to darken into twilight. Harold walked in, carrying a bottle of bubbly and a long thin box – I nearly giggled, imagining him bringing me flowers.
There seemed to be an almost manic glee in his eyes as he came close, opened the package at the one end and so fast that I had no time to react, he struck with a long sharp pointed knife. The blade disappeared into my chest.
Maybe it was the pain, or maybe I just did not want to be there to experience my death, but I fainted.
When I became aware again, I saw he was, as quietly as he could, smashing my things. As he turned towards me I shut my eyes, hoping he will think I am dead. That did not last long.
He did think I was dead. He was such a stupid murderer, that he thought that all he has to do is stick a knife into my chest and I will instantly be dead. Well, I was not ready to accommodate him, so I chose to pretend he’d succeeded which meant that when suddenly the knife slashed across my face, I jumped and screamed with the pain.
He stared, astonished. “You’re still alive! Sorry you fucking traitor, but I must make it look like a crazy broke in and cut you up. But I promise, I will make certain you die soon, so that you don’t suffer for too long.”
He slashed the knife across my face again and then he ripped at my arms and body. I did not remain conscious for long. Too long, but not long.
When I started to hear and see strange lights, I saw the knife hilt sticking out of my chest. A gloved hand stopped me from pulling it out, telling me it is better we let a doctor do it.
I was not very aware for all of the next day, but luckily they numbed me to the worst of the pain. The next day I was more aware and Ulz brought a seat to my bedside and sat, his eyes gentle and sad.
“Are you well enough to listen…do you want to know what happened?”
“I was stabbed by Harold. Do you know why?”
He explained that Harold had been reported dead the previous day. He had committed suicide. The police officer who is investigating my case, because of our being linked as friends and workers at the same corporation, decided to make a thorough search for clues in the apartment of Harold.
He found the missing package, which had been stolen from the company.
“What was in the package is the design and data for a new product which is expected to make us a lot of money for the next ten years. If he’d known how to market it, he could have made a few million. I assume he thought you suspected him and when I asked him to leave and then he learnt you are a Director, he thought it was as a reward for you ratting on him.”
It took me a while to understand, the meds were not helping me think clearly; my thoughts tended to fade in and out, jumping in various directions. My face was also beginning to hurt more than I could bear. They gave me pills. Just before I closed my eyes, I asked the big boss, “My face is a mess?”
“I’m afraid so…”
“Not a Director anymore?”
I did not hear his reply, but I do remember thinking, or maybe I said it aloud, “He’s a nice guy.” I don’t know why I thought so at that moment. Maybe he said something I do not recall hearing, or it was the way his eyes wetly gleamed.
Six months have passed. I’ve been sent to a luxury hotel with a bungalow of my own, next to the beach. On full pay I am told. The wounds have closed and the bruising has lost the final tinting of yellow. Still, I am a sight to frighten children and old people with frail hearts, so I rarely leave the bungalow. It is also because I cannot seem to grow strong enough to walk for more than twenty yards. I am told not to worry, I will heal.
Ulz came. I tried to feel him and even asked if I could touch his hand. My gift is gone. It nearly brought tears to my eyes, but if they come, it will be later.
I asked him, “So, am I still owned?”
“I’ve made damn certain of it, for at least ten years. The contract is on your desk. Arnie, you must grow strong so that we can start the plastic surgery. Most of the damage I am told can be fixed.” He tried to smile. “Maybe enough of a change will be left, to make your face more interesting to that right woman you’ve been hoping for?”
How can it be? Why is it I suddenly feel as if I have found that place where I belong – I guess it proves I grow no wiser as I age. Though I sighed, he gave me a smile, as if he understood.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)Written: 11th Jan 2019
- posted on Steemit: 15th January, 2019