SREYA WASHED HER HANDS and couldn't contain the excitement surging through her. She loved being in the theatre saving lives. Bottom line, she loved her job. She, Richard and their team of nurses were going to be operating on Mrs. Braxton in less than an hour.
Mrs. Braxton had a serious case of aneurysm and so they had to operate on her sooner than expected. An aneurysm occurs when there is thinning of the walls of a blood vessel prompting it to bulge out or swell up. This bulging and swelling attribute puts the already delicate artery at the risk of rupturing and this can prove a problem to the health of the patient. Some aneurysms manage to escape early detection and removal because an individual may not experience symptoms until it ruptures and when this happens it could trigger adverse responses like severe brain damage or stroke if not treated.
When the aneurysm bursts open, series of sym
Dinner tomorrow. 9PM. Xaver KirkgardeTHE CARD READ.Chocolate brown stared at the bold dark cursive writing on the thick white paper and lips parted as hot liquid slipped in, scalding flesh. Sreya ignored the sting. Her eyes still on the card she'd found on her doorstep last night after she'd come back from work.'Tomorrow' was today and it was 8PM. Presently, Sreya certainly did not possess the stance of someone going anywhere anytime soon. Seated in the kitchen, her arms were propped up on the kitchen counter by her elbows, a steaming cup of coffee in hand. Her waist-length sleek raven hair was damp with water, giving her the dazed effect of a wet female deity.A black robe enclosed her slender frame, the faint outline of her curves visible beneath the dark fabric. The house was eerie quiet, the tick tock of her w
AT SEVEN-THIRTY, or the moment just past, Sre's need to not come off as a whore jumping at the opportunity to seduce a zillionaire had her settling for the nude coloured bandage gown hugging her features. The clothing stretched taut across her hips and breasts, outlining her curves perfectly.The frontal part of the dress graced with a criss cross bodice possessed a sizeable diamond-shaped cut that showed a great deal of her underboobs and part of her upper abdomen, the skirt portion of the garment laying over her flesh like a second skin.She'd kept her accessories to a minimum, opting for large hoop earrings on her ears and a gold bracelet on her wrist. Raven black hair was piled atop her head into a neat bun, exposing a slim neck to the atmosphere. She'd made sure to lay her edges so her baby hairs stayed plastered to her scalp in smooth swirls.The back of the gown was delicately plain, adorned with a slim zipper that
A THICK BLANKET of silence engulfed them both and Xaver knew something was wrong. He hadn't seen anything odd from his research but the melancholic tone with which she'd voiced the last few words sparked an unsatisfactory feeling in his gut. It was the kind of feeling you get when you're missing an interlocking piece of a jigsaw puzzle.Much sooner than later, the lady who had first shown them to their seats walked up to them. As Head waiter (waitress in this case), formally referred to as the Maitre de Hotel, she was to receive complaints from guests and answer them. Behind her, the chef de rang, demi chef de rang, commis de rangs (commonly known as waiters or busboys), the debarasseur and the Sommelier (wine butler/wine waiter) followed.Chef de rangs and demi chef de rangs don't actually cook. In point of fact, they're station waiters that ensure efficient and speedy service. Working as a team with the Station head waiter who can also b
FIVE O'CLOCK IN the morning and Sreya's car headlights pierced through the darkness as the sweat on her skin seeped through her gym clothes, drenching her car seat. Her heartbeat raced and her hands shook a little but she pretended not to notice. It was always easier to pretend to not notice.Mind racing, her foot pressed down harder on the accelerator as the air whipping in through the car window dried up the sweat on her body, leaving her feeling sticky. Moments later, she pulled up into a graveled driveway, slamming her door closed as she raced into the well spaced duplex.The house was quiet and a bit dim, making it look empty. But Sreya knew exactly where to find who she was looking for as she took the stairs two at a time to the master bedroom upstairs. Sweat was beginning to breakout on her forehead again and Sre rolled her eyes as she pushed the door open.Bed covered in tissue paper, pink robe latched tight on bod
Thorns sinking into marked flesh like venomous teeth, the man pushed his crown deeper as red fluid leaked through the fresh marks, trickling down the side of a hairless chin.He was naked again. Like he was. Like he'd always been. Like he'd always be. The small book of scriptures, lay in front of him, as always. The worn out edges of the old Bible touching his bare knees. The stained pages showing powerful spiritual words which were going faint from age. Fishers of men....Turning his head to the large table sitting in the center of the room, he watched his new victim. She was crying. Like the others had done. Like Sreya had done. She was paralyzed. Weak. Scared. Like others had been. Like Sreya had been. He had to cleanse her of her sins. Make her whole in God again.Straightening from his kneeling position, he walked towards her. Hilda,
XAVER WAS DISTRACTED as hell.Absentmindedly trudging through the five conference meetings that were scheduled from 7:00am till midday, Kirkgarde was now sitting in his office, staring at the paperwork in front of him so hard he was burning cyan holes into them.Presently, Lucy - his faithful ride or die secretary - looked like she wanted to smack the distracted look off his face."Earth to Xaver", she snapped as she waved a palm across his face. Irritated at his lack of focus.Letting out an apologetic sigh, Xaver leaned back on his chair, "I should get you fired for speaking to me like that".Rolling amber coloured eyes upward, she kept a straight face, "What? You had plans to fire me so you bought me Jimmy Choos on my birthday as peace offering? Dick move".A deep chuckle rumbling off his chest, Xaver tipped his head back as his cyan eyes locked on the chandelier hangin
SREYA WAS AFRAID to touch it.It was a fucking postcard but she was afraid to touch it. Her hands shook profusely and she felt like she'd been bashed on the side of her head with a club as intense pain stretched from the center of her brain to the back before seeping deeper through the corners.The shock she'd felt at receiving the card was lit anew and multiplied tenfold each day at the coming of dawn and twentyfold at dusk for she'd first seen the thick paper with scribbled shabby writing three days before. The frantic beat of her heart could be seen through the unsteady rushed pace of the pulse on her neck, just beside her collar bone. It was getting desperately difficult to breathe and the chill she felt had nothing to do with the weather.He'd found her.Sreya closed her eyes and fought the tears as fear wrapped round her entire physique, threatening to pull her under.It'd taken her
A FOUNTAIN OF flowers.A mountainous fountain of flowers. Pharaonic. Massive. Enormous. Sreya couldn't put the colossal stone-like figure in front of her into words. She just knew it was gigantesque. And beautiful.Someone had to remind her to never put anything past Xaver Kirkgarde. The man never kept things minimum. Max. was his default and it was going to take her a while to get used to it. "A while" could mean seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years or fucking forever. But right now, she was in awe and she couldn't even hide it.The fountain had four steps. Each step was round, large circles with internal cavities. Wide hollows. Connected longitudinally with a vertical stand one can refer to as a shaft, the sizes differed greatly with the first step being the largest and the last step at the top being the smallest. Each wide circle had beautiful small train-like flowers draped over their round edges, almost as if they were pouring int
"HOW MANY TIMES a day do pregnant women have mood swings?" Xaver inquired as he loosened the death grip his black tie had on his windpipes. Currently, he was seated in his car, outside his residence. The golden face that filled his screen frowned, "A gazillion times, why?" Xaver ignored her question, "Causes?" She lifted her thumb as she began to count, "Fatigue, anxiety, little to no sleep, hormones, et cetera" Xaver frowned. His wife wasn't anxious or sleep deprived so it must be the hormones? Or fatigue because she's always tired these days. "Any remedies for fast results?" Dinah wasted no time, "Exercise. Sweets. Stifling attention. Amazing foot rubs and body massages" Exercise. Check. Stifling attention. Check. Amazing foot rubs and body massages. Check. Sweets... Sounded like a bad idea. He's actually been m
{Freedom}XAVER'S CARE FOR speed limits flew out the window as he sped down tarred road, wheels racing towards John Bernards Hospital.He'd been working up a sweat in the gym when he'd gotten a call that Sreya was in the hospital, alive but unconcious. A humongous wave of icy relief had washed over him from head to toe, cooling his agitated mind and frantic nerves. He hadn't even bothered to take a shower, he'd only pulled a black shirt over his head and threw on jeans before running to his car. At least she was alive, she was all right... But was her mind okay? Would she be strong enough to pull through the trauma a second time? Will her heart be brave enough to heal like it'd done once?
IN THE IMMURING darkness, the private detective took an incredibly long drag of his cigar, upper eyelids drifting close as he felt the smoke heat his lungs and sheath his whole body in a buzzing satisfactory warmth.Sitting in his aweary Toyota, Gary ignored the harsh bite of the incredibly cold air on his nose and cheeks as he warmed his body from within. Gazing outside his window, he let his eyes roam the abandoned, crumbling building that had once been a mental asylum.The towering, desolate edifice illuminated by the faint, silver beams of the moon seemed ghostlier and more haunting than Gary remembered. As a long trail of dark smoke from his cigar ascended towards the pitch-black sky, he recalled the little he'd read about the deinstitutionalization of the yawning, tardily disintegrating building before him.Years ago, on a date that eluded him—Gary wasn't good with dates—th
Abused*:*Three weeks... It's been three weeks. Sreya's been counting. Every part of her exposed flesh was submerged in excruciating pain, so much so that it hurt to breathe. She felt weak and terribly drowsy.. As though, with each day that passed, she drew closer and closer to the stygian, dark gates of death. On some days, she came so close she could smell the rusty metal and taste it if she dared stick out her tongue.. But on days like this.. She realized that as much as she'd love to ecstaticly welcome her demise and surcease her suffering, she still had memories of Xaver, the girls and her family to keep her strong. She missed them so much and there was literally nothing she won't give to be with them at this moment. In the silence, the shrill
GARY HUTCHINSON LOOKED round his office with tired eyes and stifled a yawn. It was 8:37PM on a Thursday night and he was beyond exhausted. On some days, being a private investigator left you with some time on your hands.. On other days.. It didn't.Absentmindedly, he reached for the tumbler sitting beside his open laptop, swirling the yellowish liquid inside as he studied the picture of the young woman in front of him.Sreya Dronian. The Kirkgardes were willing to pay triple the price he'd normally charge if he could find her presto. The relationship between the doctor and the only heir to the Kirkgarde family fortune and business was roaringly overt and owing to this, their desperation failed to spark his surprise.Also, he wanted that money as much as he wanted to visit one of the best brothels in Verum City and soak himself inside a warm, willing body. Normally, Gary schedules his vis
PunishedΔ•ΔHe was... furious. Sreya could tell. From the sharp whooshing sounds of the whip slashing through the air, the explosive stinging, itchy sensation on her back and her broken flesh tinged with blood... She could tell.The candles were burning low again, casting scary silhouettes on the walls like they usually do. Through bloodshot eyes, she could make out series of ropes hanging on the wall..some, a little thinner than the others.. Sreya thought they bore an uncanny resemblance to BDSM tools.
LUCAS WAS LOST in thought, the paperwork on his desk already forgotten. He wasn't sure if it was the fact that Clara'd come in wearing a flimsy robe with nothing beneath or if it was her sexual, intoxicating scent that still lingered but he found himself on a trip down memory lane.They used to be so happy. So content. It'd been a hassle getting someone as terribly strong-minded as Clara to trust him fully but he'd succeeded and it'd been bliss.. A part of him still harbored hope that someday.. They'd be as happy as they'd once been but with every passing month that his wife barely glanced at him unless under public scrutinization.. Lucas watched the tiny ray of the light of hope at the end of the tunnel dim. Suddenly realizing he wasn't alone, blue eyes shifted to the door and he could swear his heartbeat picked up
CLARA KIRKGARDE LISTENED to the audible, oddly calming pitter-patter of raindrops on the windows as she proceeded to gently apply a layer of moisturizing lotion on her face.She was currently seated in front of her vanity, grey eyes trained on the mirror as slender hands made quick work of running a shiny paddle brush over her hair. When she was done, she dropped the hair detangler on the dressing table and embarked on the short journey to her bed. Relieving her naked flesh of the rose gold robe she'd been clad in, she shimmied under an immaculate white duvet and sighed in pleasure at the enveloping warmth and soothing softness. She yawned tiredly, eyelids slamming shut as she tried to sleep..But slumber evaded her and In less than a nanosecond, her mind
A WEEK AND a half.That's how long Sreya's been missing. That's how long he hasn't left his house. That's how long he hasn't shaved. That's how long he's not been answering calls or text messages. That's how long he's been.. Drinking.He looked like shit. And felt like shit.Dazed, he slowly swirled the golden liquid in his tumbler. Now, usually.. Xaver'd never turn to liquor whilst grieving. Matter of fact, it annoyed him when people did that but... You know when you're told never to judge other people until you've been in their position? Until you've walked in their shoes? You really shouldn't. Because.. He now understood why people turned to liquor. It kinda helps with the pain.. Numb it a little... Or it makes you think it's helping your pain.. And he needed that deception right now. Badly.His lips curling into a sad small smile, h