Page 58 of Tainted Love

“Hey, stranger,” Sascha purrs as I approach.

“Hey,” I reply, my voice slightly breathless with anticipation. “I’ve missed you today.”

With a playful smile, she teases me by running her fingers through her tousled hair. She takes a step toward me, her touch sending shivers down my spine as she begins to unbutton my shirt slowly.

I glance around, taking in our surroundings. “Right here?” I ask with a raised eyebrow. “I’m sure we could find a more secluded spot in the barn.” But she doesn’t seem deterred by the possibility of getting caught.

“I want you right here,” she says confidently, her eyes sparkling with desire.

“I love your kinky side,” I tell her. And with that, I allow the last of my clothing to fall to the ground and stand naked before her. She presses herself against me, her lips brushing against mine.

“Close your eyes,” she says, her voice a sultry whisper in my ear.

I eagerly comply, closing my eyes as she takes hold of my hands and trails soft, teasing kisses down my trembling body. “Stay here,” she murmurs, her breath hot against my skin. “I have a surprise for you. Keep your eyes closed.”

I stand there in nervous anticipation, outside of a barn, naked, my hands behind my back and with my rock-hard dick nearly touching my belly button.

I hear her footsteps approaching once more and then feel a rush of air against my skin as she stands before me. “Okay. Open your eyes,” she purrs, her voice dripping with seduction.

Slowly, I open my eyes, expecting a pleasurable surprise. But what I see before me is the most terrifying and horrifying thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.

Fear and shock flood through me, causing me to stumble back and recoil in horror. This was not the surprise I was expecting.

Glistening red orbs, filled with a fiery, burning rage, glare back at me as the distorted form of what may have once been a bird squawks in my face. Its feathers are matted and disheveled and missing in several spots, giving it the appearance of a half-cooked dick. And yet, despite its pitiful state, it still manages to exude an intense hostility.

“What the fuck?” I scream, my voice ringing out in the moonlit night.

Sascha doubles over in hysterical laughter. The devilish creature, frightened by Sascha’s laughter, begins flapping its wings, legs, head, and other available appendage in a panicked frenzy. Upon realizing that she’s holding an unstoppable demon, Sascha chooses to save herself and lets the break-dancing poultry loose on the ground. She then assumes the plane crash position on the ground out of the way of the chicken tantrum.

But the chicken decides I should be punished for taking it out of its roost or the special place it inhabits in Hell. Instead of advancing on Sascha, it viciously pecks at my bare foot. My instinct is to kick it in the devilish face, but I quickly realize this must be one of Kerri’s unstable pets. So I do the next best thing: I run.

As I take off in a full sprint toward destinations unknown, the rooster follows close behind. Its ragged feathers ruffle in the wind as it lets out an annoyingly persistent squawk.

I can hear Sascha’s laughter ringing in my ears as she tries to call after the bird. “Colonel Cocky,” she says. “Stop.” Just my luck that this infernal bird would have such a fitting name.

“Get the fuck away from me, Sergeant Dickhead!” I shout, picking up speed and streaking across an open field illuminated by moonlight.

But even as I run, I can hear Kerri’s Texas twang calling out for Colonel Cocky to leave me alone. The sound of her voice echoes in the darkness, adding another layer of chaos to this ridiculous chase under the night sky.

Landry’s voice rings out, laced with panic and urgency, as he calls after Kerri, who in turn is chasing after a bird that clearly has a death wish. But then, against all odds, the bird suddenly slows down as if a switch has been flipped within it. Perhaps the demon inhabiting its body moved on to possess something else.

As Kerri scoops the exhausted bird into her arms, cooing and soothing it like a mother with her child, I’ve never been so happy to be a hockey player with unending endurance. If I were anyone else, that thing would’ve caught me and pecked my dick. I’m sure of it.

With my head held high, I walk past everyone, as naked as the day I was born, grab a beer, take a seat, and drink it in one long swig.

Sascha pulled off the best prank yet. I have to hand it to her. But it’s not as if I don’t get something out of it. She makes it up to me later that night. A couple of times.

Chapter 25

“I’ll Be Over You”

Sascha - Age 18, 1988

It has been three weeks since our graduation, and I am still trying to come to terms with being free from the labors and toils of high school. It’s surreal—a mix of excitement for what’s to come and a tinge of sadness for leaving behind everything familiar.

I’m headed to college, a few hours away. For the first time in my life, I won’t be seeing my parents every day, and they won’t be there every day after school.

My friends are headed in different directions as well. Well, most of them. Ivy decided to stay here, and because of that, she and Corey broke up. It’s bizarre around here.