Clandestine

Blog Posts - THECHALKBOARD

StartFragmentShe needed a dress urgently for the upcoming ball that her company had organized. Being the director, she simply could not make do with any plain dress. Just as she was about to give up, her convenient savior came in in the form of a young handsome man named Leo, who showed her a stunning design of his. So far, she had only contacted him through email and text messages; this would be her first time meeting him in person She hastened her steps anxiously. The studio is small but neat. Mannequins are arranged in an orderly manner and the various design fabrics are arranged by colour and textile in an open wardrobe. Leo invites her in with a sweeping motion of his arm and shows her the dress promptly. “I didn’t make this dress with your measurements so it may not be that great of a fit, but I can alter it for you, my perfect model.” His eyes swept over her, scrutinizing her in detail. She takes the dress gingerly, as if it would fall apart if not handled properly and smiles at Leo gratuitously. Something in his earlier words strike her as odd but she pushes it to the back of her mind and proceeds to try the dress out. The dress, to her surprise, fitted like a glove and she exits the changing room excitedly to show Leo his work. Leo’s eyes glint dangerously as he suggests that she stays for a while more so that she can model more of his works. She wants to decline; after all it is pretty late and his studio was far from her apartment. But his pleading look made her stay. “For a while more,” she says as she takes a small glass from him. Her lips were parched and she gulps the drink down readily. She tries on a few more pieces for him before she starts to feel giddy. She slumps over and Leo rushes over to help her. “Are you not feeling well, my model?” She tries to speak but no words come out. She starts to feel suffocated, as if someone had fitted a rope around her chest, rendering it tighter by the minute. She splutters and gasps for air while trying to figure out what was happening to her. She clutches at her chest, trying to get rid of the invisible band around her lungs. She felt her body burning, as if needles had been stuck into every inch of her skin repeatedly. She then looks at Leo, hoping he could reduce her pain. Leo is unexpectedly calm. He has his hands on her back, rubbing it up and down as if she was suffering from nothing more than a slight cold. She makes inhuman noises of pain, and plants her nails into his skin, hoping that it would take the pain off her mind. Leo scoffs at her and shoves her away. She falls ungracefully to the ground and starts to jerk about. He stares at her with his dark eyes and says, “You’ve been such a nuisance. Why did you have to make it so hard for me? ” He then bends down beside her and lifts her chin up so she could see him better,” My dear model, why do you look so sad? Perhaps you are afraid. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you and you’ll be able to wear pretty clothes. So smile for me, won’t you?” She takes a look into his eyes and screams. Instead of the seemingly well-mannered young man she thought he was, the man bends over her had a crazy look in his eyes. She is filled with anguish from the intense pain, and the extreme fear that consumed her. Suddenly, a sharp blade appears over her heart, glinting. She closes her eyes and braces herself.EndFragment