Girl Cooties

By Graham Winegarden

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The stars in the sky were incredible but all Raul could see was the girl standing beside him.  The night had been perfect, from the meal at the restaurant to the walk on the beach.  Now he felt the time was right. 

“Linda, I think we have something special.”

She turned to look at him as if to say ‘and so’.  He continued.

“Well, I think we should move on in our relationship.”  Her look turned almost angry.  She said,

“I am not going to sleep with you or anyone else, until I am married.  Now stop begging.”

He was hurt that she should think all he wanted was sex.  After all, she was the axis that his world revolved around, but the thought of their naked bodies intertwined right there on the beach was very arousing.  He pushed the image to the back of his mind and said,

“No, that’s not it. I think we should get engaged.  Then, in a couple of years we could get married.  After you have finished school of course.  Maybe we could even live together and I could support you while you go.”  He then pulled a ring out of his pocket, and on bended knee he looks up at her,

“Will you marry me?”

Linda looks down at him and almost breaks out laughing.  She cannot believe the audacity of this young play thing.  He was a boy toy and nothing more.  At that point she did laugh.  Then after a couple of minutes she said,

“Raul, you are just a boy toy.  Something to occupy my time until the big game comes along. You will never have the power or the money I need..” 

Raul was devastated to the point of not being able to move or talk.  His world had just come to a crashing halt.  Linda looked at him standing there and said,

“What a dweeb, you can’t even handle rejection.” Then she just walked away.

Raul did not notice anything, his whole world was now a movie in his mind.  At that moment Linda and him were getting married.  The ceremony was beautiful and so was she.  Then the moment came.  The “I do’s” were done and the rings exchanged.  He lifted the veil that hid her face and almost dropped it again.  An evil creature, even the most hideous fictional thing that he had ever seen, or read did not compare to what was there in her eyes.  She was the personification of evil.  The devil’s own child, beautiful and deadly.  Raul realized he had to do something.  He picked her up and ran out of the church.  He ran and ran but it did not seem to get him anywhere.  Then the whole picture seemed to fade to black.  Raul found himself in black, ice water whirlpool, and he was being sucked deeper and deeper into hell.  He looked up the whirlpool to see Linda’s huge face looking down at him and laughing.  That was the last thing he saw.

He slowly opened his eyes, but quickly stopped because of the brightness.  He tried to move his hand to shade his eyes, but they seemed held in place.  He called out,

“Hello! Is anyone there?” A soft and sympathetic female voice answered,

“Good, you are awake.  The Doctor will want to talk to you right away.” He could barely hear her stand and move away.  He quickly blurted out,

“Before you go, could you get this light out of my face?” She moved to him and heard her move the light away. He opened his eyes to see the smiling face of a young woman in a nurses’ uniform.  She then left the room and he looked around.  The first thing he noticed were the restraints on each wrist and ankle.  This concerned Raul.  As for the rest of the room, it looked like any other hospital room he had ever seen.

Just as he finished taking in his surroundings, the nurse walked in with a Doctor in tow.  The Doctor walked over to Raul and said,

“How are you? I will have you know you had us worried.”

“I feel fine, but I am a little confused.  Where am I and how did I get here?”

“Both good questions, and they show your mind is working well.  Do you mind if I give you an exam while I answer what questions I can?”

Raul nodded and the Doctor started to take his blood pressure.  While doing that he explained that Raul had been fished out of the lake and rushed to the hospital.  Raul thought but did not remember going into the water.  He then said,

“Why am I strapped down?” The Doctor looked a little concerned at this question, but kept his voice very steady.

“We did not know how you ended up in the water, so it is for your own protection.”

“How do I get them off?”

“We will talk about that.  Do you remember how you got into the water?” Raul shook his head and the Doctor gave him a reassuring smile. 

“Don’t worry.  Most people do not remember the time just before a near death experience.” Raul looked at him with shock on his face.

“I was near death?  How long have I been here?” The Doctor hesitated then answered,

“You have been here for 10 days.  We were beginning to get concerned.” Raul lay there and could not believe what he was hearing.  He needed some time to get his mind around it, and expressed this to the Doctor.

“If you just give the nurse some information, then we will leave you alone for a while.” Raul did and they left him alone in his room. Thinking back, Raul tried to remember going into the water but all that came to him was a weird dream and the image of a woman named Linda.  For the next day he talked on and off to the nurse and the Doctor.  Then, the following morning a new Doctor came into his room.  He said,

“Hello, I am Doctor Divine.” Raul almost smiled at the name since this man was anything but divine.  He was balding with wild fringe hair, a wrinkled and weathered face.  He wore a white lab coat but it was very messy. He said,

“Yes, yes, the man you see standing before you no longer fits the name thrust upon him, but at one time the ladies would have told you I was divine.” Raul did laugh this time.  The Doctor pulled a chair up beside the bed and said,

“Can I ask you some questions?”

“If it is all right with my Doctor, it’s alright with me.” Dr. Divine then asked the standard questions; name, age, sex, physical description, etc.  Raul was getting tired of all this but he was patient, as he knew the Doctor would get to the point soon, he did.

“I am a psychiatrist and I am here to help you remember what happened.  You do want to remember, don’t you?” Raul looked over at him, with a look of uncertainty.

“I am not sure.”

“Well, fair enough.  Are you willing to give it a try?” Raul tried to look as eggar as he could and said,

“OK, let’s do it.”

The process was not a short one.  It took days of treatment, but eventually they found out exactly what had happened.  The whole thing had been hidden deep in his subconscious, but eventually Raul’s conscious brain drew it out.  He could not believe what had happened.  As it came back, he cried at the embarrassment of his shame and laughed at the stupidity of his actions.  Raul could not believe what he had done over a woman.  He had been with a lot of women and some of them he had even loved.  But to end his life over a woman, no, it was unthinkable. 

Over the course of their sessions Raul had told him all about Linda and their relationship.  He had even gone into great detail about every date including the last one and what she had said to him.  Dr. Divine had come to know Raul as a bright, intelligent and intuitive young man, so why would such a person not know what this woman was like?  In his mind there seemed to be something more going on here.  He had the hospital run some tests to see if there was anything abnormal.  The test took a couple of days but eventually he had all the results.  Things were not quite right but at the same time nothing was really wrong.  He compared this with tests that had been done when Raul had first come to the hospital . Those tests were not as extensive but they did show that something had been affecting Raul’s body, and maybe his mind. 

Dr Divine could also not get over the similarity of this case with two of his past cases, but those  he had just chalked it up to the stupidity of youth.  The first had happened about five years ago while the next had been a couple of years later. Now with a third, he wondered about this girl, this Linda who had seemed so normal. There must be something more to this. Could she be controlling these boys in some way? He needed more information about mind control.  When he had been at medical school his room mate had been into the brain and the chemicals that effect it, so he gave him a call and explained his dilemma.  His buddy did not have anything to add except that a  bio-chemist was giving a lecture at a university near him.  She has quite often talked about chemicals in the body and how they affect the brain, both that brain and possibly other brains in close proximity.  Her name was Dr. Cora-Anne Gaye. Dr. Divine thanked him and they set up a date to “do” lunch.

The lecture was only two days away so he quickly made arrangements to go.  The time flew by and he found himself in the second row of a large auditorium that was mostly empty.  He sat and listened.  She was not a particularly good speaker, because of a monotone voice.  But the subject mater was very intriguing.  Dr. Divine made many notes both of content and references.  The lecture was two and a half hours long and it just zoomed by.  Dr. Divine wanted more, so on his way home he went to the library and picked up some of the references he had written down earlier.  The information was so intriguing that he did not even look up until it was six in the morning.  He got some sleep, and then in the morning made his way to the hospital.

Once there he looked over the test results again.  Now he saw what was wrong.  Raul’s brain chemistry was all out of whack.  Dr. Divine could not figure out how it had got to where it was.  He realized he needed help so he phoned up Dr. Cora-Anne Gaye.  He explained why he was calling and that he had attended her lecture, and now he needed her advice.  Sending her Raul’s medical records and all his test results he asked her to check then out and get back to him ASAP.  Dr. Divine finished his day and headed home to see if Dr. Gaye had called.  She had. Less than an hour after receiving Raul’s files. Her message sounded urgent, he was to call her immediately, as she had important news.  Dr. Divine called her at once and even though it was quite late, she picked up on the first ring.  Dr. Divine started to exchange pleasantries, but Dr. Gaye cut him off.

“I think I may have an idea of what you are up against.  It is a very rare genetic mutation, but it seems  there have been women in the past who could beguile men.  We think this might be due to a mutated feremone.  It does strange things to a male mind, after long term exposure. We think the male will become completely enamored and susceptible to suggestion.”  She paused briefly to let this sink in and then continued,

“I would like to come down and meet this extraordinary young woman.  If she really does possess this feremone it could be a break through.”

Dr. Divine said,

“Of course.  Why don’t you meet me at the hospital tomorrow and we can look over the other two cases I have documented.” She agreed and Dr. Divine hung up the phone. 

He poured himself a large brandy and sat in his big easy chair.  This was where he did his best thinking.  As he mulled over the whole thing he did not like any of the conclusions he was coming up with.  He could see a few minor good uses for such knowledge but most of what he saw was disastrous.  Imagine if this feremone could be synthesized?  Men everywhere would lose their free will and be a slave race to the women of the world.  Is Dr. Gaye oblivious to this by the fact that she would become rich and famous, or is she using Divine to get the power the girl holds.   Dr. Divine thought, and worried so much he gave himself a headache. Getting up to go to bed, he first took a couple of aspirins

Rising late the next morning due to one to many brandies and a restless night’s sleep, he made it to the hospital just as Dr. Gaye was looking for him.  They met up in his office.

“Have you set up an interview with the girl yet?”

Divine laughed.

“When did you expect me to do that? Four in the morning?”

She gave him a mildly embarrassing look and replied,

“Sorry.  I am just so excited to finally meet a Delila or Jezebel or Cleopatra.  In some circles it is thought these women may have had such abilities.”

“All very powerful women of their time.  Do you think this girl could be the same?”

“Who knows.  Until we meet her and run some tests.”

“Let’s just start with an interview, OK?”

Dr. Divine had talked to Linda before so it was decided he would do the interview.  He called her and set it up for Saturday.  It was under the guise of a psychological test the doctor wanted to run on emotional stress.  She would be paid fifty dollars for completing the test in under five hours.  That left them one day to prepare.  They needed a room where they could monitor air born chemicals and that took almost all of their time.  They got it ready just in time to get a couple hours sleep and be back for the test.

Dr. Divine woke the next morning with a feeling of uncertainty.  He thought if this girl had some sort of feremone that weakened mens’ will and made them susceptible to her suggestions how could he protect himself?  Did he really trust Dr. Gaye enough to put his professional life in her hands?  No.  The thought was ridiculous, what would she have to gain form anything happening to him?  He then made his way to the university and to his office.

Arriving there he found Dr. Gaye with to coffees.  She was a stocky woman with an interesting face, but when she smiled there was something odd he just couldn’t quite put his finger on.  The smile was pleasant, but it showed how cold the eyes were.  He shrugged off the thought and said,

“Are you ready?”

“Yes, I have been waiting for this for years.”

They left the office and she went into the observation room while he went to the interview room to get re-acquainted with Linda.  She was waiting for him.  A lovely young woman of about 20.  She had lovely auburn hair and a Marilyn Monroe figure.  Her smile was friendly and bright, but she had the same eyes as Dr. Gaye, except there was a spark of mischief in them.  He began,

“Hello Linda.  It’s very nice to see you again.” 

She thanked him and they began.

The interview was a series of about two thousand questions.  Dr. Divine had given it before and it had taken about five to seven hours.  He explained to her that she should take her time and answer the questions completely.  He then started in and the questions went at a quick pace.  He monitored his vital signs to see if there was any change over the next couple of hours.  The first couple of hours were uneventful, then he began to think more highly of the young girl sitting across from him.  It was almost as if every time she said something, he could see her point of view and how much sense it made.  This confused him because in the back of his mind he knew that their opinions should differ and some of her answers were out right wrong.  In the deep part of his mind, where he could separate himself, from himself; he could see he was losing it.  Whatever the chemical was it had him.  He though, “where was Dr. Gaye?  Did she not realize what was happening?”  He tried to speak and say he wanted a break, but no words would come out.  It was almost like his conscious mind would not do anything that would separate him from her presence.  He mustered up all his will power and concentrated to the point that a bead of sweat rolled down his nose. He tasted the salt and for a spilt second he was under control. He stumbled the words out,

“Need .... a..... break......” The strain was evident and Linda replied,

“Are you alright?  You look a little stressed.” She then rose from her chair and came around behind him.  Her hands slipped onto his shoulders and she began to massage his neck.  Dr. Divine’s mind just snapped.  He still had his little sub-conscious world where he could watch from but he had no control at all now.  If she had told him that he had to go out and kill someone, he was sure he would. She was now his whole world.

From his little mental safe house he heard the door behind him open.  He tried to turn and look but to take his eyes from her would have killed him. He watched her lips move and the words come out and they would have made a Nightingale weep with joy at the sound. He quickly got back into his safe zone while she say,

“Mother, how nice to see you!” Dr. Divine could hear mother coming into the room.  How weird,  just then he was reminded of an old school teacher.  The one that he was sure did not like any boys.  It was the same black shoes.

Dr. Gaye moved over to Linda and gave her a big hug.  Then she looked over to Dr. Divine and saw that he was totally under Linda’s control.  Dr. Gaye then turned to Linda and said,

“The feremone do not show up on any scanner that would be used for security.  We are free and clear.” Linda then looked at Dr. Divine.

“Well, then, I guess we don’t have to keep him around.”  She came towards him and started to tell him what a ‘bad’ boy he was and how he did not ‘deserve’ to live after telling all those people that you would help them when you did not.  She went on and on while Dr. Divine watched from deep in his sub-conscious.  He could see that he was weakening, but how far could she push him?  That thought was quickly answered.

“Dr. Divine, you do not really deserve to live.”  He heard that sentence and could not believe his ears.  Was she actually going to try and get him to kill himself?  Divine tried to break out of his sub-conscious little world and get control again, but it wasn’t working.  He just sat there waiting to see what was going to happen next.   The only hope Dr. Divine had left was his self preservation.  Could his will to live over come the chemical induced attitude she was putting into his head?  He felt as if he was sitting there in his head waiting to see what was going to happen.

After what seemed like an eternity, his body got up and started to move out of the interview room. He could feel his conscious mind was full of implanted remorse and guilt.  His body was moving to the stairs.  All the while he was in the back of his mind screaming to stop.  He tried everything he could think of, but nothing seemed to work.  His body moved up the stairs and eventually got to the roof.  Now Divine was frantic.  He could see she planned to make him jump off.  He tried to gain control of anything - a leg, an arm, even a finger - but nothing.  He watched as each step took him closer to the edge.  His head was looking down and all he could see was the roof.  The gravel in the tar looked like billions of stars scattered through space. He thought of his spirt flying through space for eternity.  Then there was nothing but space below him and he was falling.  The ground rushed up at him, and all he could do is scream.  A long, and very terrible scream, that only he heard.

 

The End