Chapter Four
Jessica''s New Job
Haiti was not what she expected. She had known it was a poor nation, but it was worse than she thought. She saved an arduous eight-hour drive by catching a small airplane from Port-au-Prince where she had arrived, to Cap-Haitien in the northern peninsula. Mr. Jergen lived on Ile de la Tortue, an island to the north, about sixty kilometers from Cap-Haitien, separated from the nearest port by a twelve-kilometer channel. The roads from Cap-Haitien to the channel were the worst she had ever seen. Most were unpaved, dirt byways, the taxis old and in bad mechanical shape. Except for the beautiful view, the trip would have been torture. It was hot, with the temperature about thirty degrees Centigrade. She was beginning to get used to Centigrade and kilometers, refusing to convert them into Fahrenheit and miles, wanting to fully immerse herself into the culture.
Cap-Haitien had been more Spanish-influenced architecture, but it quickly turned to one and two room shacks in the rural area, supporting families who farmed their small plots of land. The road meandered along the coastline on Rue 21, passing some excellent beaches amidst the poverty-stricken communities. Professor Johnson had told her that Mr. Jergen''s house, or more appropriately, mansion, was on the beach on Ile de la Tortue. If it was even half as nice as the coastline here, she knew she would have a fabulous summer, as she loved the sun and the beach. She had bought a new bathing suit, a tiny thing that barely covered her nipples and pussy, a thong leaving her ass cheeks exposed. She planned on getting a great tan over the summer.
A small ferry, or rather, a boat, brought her to a private dock on the whitest beach she had ever seen. She looked up to see Mr. Jergen''s mansion, a magnificent structure that was so grand it must have been built as a palace over a hundred years ago and then converted into a residence. It was Spanish architecture with lush landscaping and she could see a large number of workers tending to the massive gardens surrounding the house. She knew Mr. Jergen''s staff numbered over fifty, many working outside, with an inside staff consisting of more than twenty girls doing the cleaning and cooking.
She''d been told that given Haiti''s poor economy, Mr. Jergen had his pick of people for employees as he paid exceptional salaries by Haitian standards. From her reading, she knew the island people were black or mulatto, a mix of black and the French who colonized the country. The mulattos were light skinned with straight hair, spoke French and were the upper class of the society, having advantages in education, with jobs or connections in the government and military.
As Jessica exited the taxi, she was approached by a group of men, one obviously the leader, the others walking behind him.
""Bienvenue, vous êtes aussi beau qu"ils ont dit,"” he stated as his eyes seemed to devour her.
""Beyond ‘'welcome'', I don''t understand much French,"” Jessica admitted.
""I said, ‘'Welcome, you are as beautiful as they said.'’”” He grinned, his eyes continuing to travel up and down her body.
""Thank you."” She returned his gaze with a blush.
""My name is Henri. I am the head of the household. I take care of all the details of running the Master''s house. You do not work for me but the Master has requested that I take care of all your needs while you are with us.""
""Apportez-lui les sacs le long,"” he motioned to the others, the men grabbing Jessica''s luggage and moving toward the house.
Jessica was impressed with Henri. He was about forty-five, and obviously kept his body in good shape. He was mulatto, with many classic French features, and appeared to be well educated. He must be the one who was rumored to be a Voodoo priest, she thought. Jessica had promised herself that she was going to attend a Voodoo ceremony so she intended to get on Henri''s good side, as she knew outsiders were rarely invited to an authentic ceremony. They had ceremonies for the tourists, but that was not what she wanted.
""You use the term, the Master. Are you referring to Mr. Jergen?""
Henri smiled at her. “"In the presence of others, you must refer to him as the Master or Sir. It is very important that the staff respect his position. The same applies to me. You may continue to call me Henri, but you must not disrespect me in front of the staff.""
""I would never do that. This is your country and I have so much to learn while I am here and I am hoping that you will teach me,"” Jessica smiled at him.
""I would love to teach you, Jessica. I have many things that I think you would enjoy. Come, let me take you to your room. You may take a bath and freshen up. I will give you a tour of the house after you are fresh from your trip. The Master is out with Jerome until dinnertime.""
It would be strange to call Mr. Jergen, Sir or Master. It sounded so submissive, but Jessica did not want to show any disrespect to him. This was her adventure; she knew that she would have to submit to certain things that would be different from anything she was used to. Professor Johnson had explained that Haiti was a very male-dominated society, so she would have to remember that and be careful not to offend anyone.
The house was magnificent. She had never seen such expensive furnishings and perfection in the attention to detail. There were many people buzzing about, mostly females, but a few males were present. All of the girls, as they all looked around eighteen to twenty-one years old, were black. They were in maid costumes, straight from the old French postcards she''d once seen of the early 1900s. The black dresses clung to their skin. You could see every bump on their bodies, their outfits were so tight. Each clung to their breasts, their pointed nipples protruding, a testament to the fact that none wore bras underneath. Their skirts were short, very short. She noticed one girl bending over to dust a low shelf, the skirt riding up her legs in the back, her black panties showing. She made no attempt to pull it down or change or position, unconcerned about the view of her sex from behind, hidden only by the tightly drawn black panties.
Henri caught Jessica''s gaze. “"The girls are very lovely, oui?""
""Très beau,"” Jessica said, throwing out one of the few French phrases she knew.
""The Master and I both interview the new girls very extensively to make sure that they are suitable to this environment. We do not want any girls who would make trouble for the Master. It is very important that they respect the power the Master and I have in the household. The Master pays exceptionally well; the girls are almost bound to the position for economic reasons. They can be directed to do anything that the position calls for and they will readily obey."” Henri smiled as he talked to her. He knew that Jessica was in a similar position, willing to submit to whatever was necessary to get and keep this job.
""I''m sure they just want to do whatever they can to please the Master."” She was still uncomfortable with calling him Master, but trying to accommodate.
""It is different here in Haiti than it is in America. We tend to solve our own problems before going to the police who are terribly corrupt and will only do something when paid well. When we have employee problems, whether theft or something else, the Master and I decide and carry out the punishment. Sometimes we do it in front of the other employees to make sure that they all are aware of the consequences of their actions.""
""You punish them?"” she asked, surprised at what he said.
""Yes, we must in order to maintain control over the staff. We have over fifty employees working here at any one time. It is not like in America where they know the police will arrest them if they do something wrong. Here it is different. If they did not have some fear that illegal actions would bring about a consequence, we would have anarchy.""
""What do you do to them?"” Jessica asked, curious as to the power they both held. Would it include her, she wondered?
""It all depends on the severity of the crime. For rather a simple crime like theft, the punishment would probably consist of some type of whipping, spanking or caning. This might be done in private or, if serious enough, might be done in front of all the employees. In the latter case, the punished would be stripped in front of everyone, as the humiliation of being naked before one''s peers is almost as bad as the whipping itself.""
""Would that include me?"” Jessica asked. She imagined all of the employees gathered around, her wrists bound around a large whipping post. Hands stripping her of her clothes, her legs parted, everyone able to see her naked sex. Then there would be the pain.
""Everyone is included, even me. No one can be exempt. But you don''t have to worry; I''m sure that you will not do anything purposely that will deserve punishment. Though the thought of punishing you does excite me,"” he said, laughing at his own comment.
Jessica looked at him, a little fear in her eyes.
""Only teasing, Mademoiselle. Here is your room. I will send someone for you when the Master returns."” He opened the door for her.
She looked around as she entered—a large room with a huge bed as the centerpiece, four posters holding up a large canopy. It must have at least two feet of mattress and springs beneath it. A dressing table with three adjustable mirrors sat near the bed, a large upholstered bench sat at its foot spanning the width, heavy wooden legs supporting it. There was a vast closet, more like a second room for clothes, and the bathroom was all Italian marble, a large bathtub in the corner. In one section of the bedroom was a mini-living room, a sofa and two chairs, all with wooden arms and overstuffed cushions surrounding a large wooden coffee table. She caressed the bed, her hands sinking luxuriously into the mattress. She caught a movement, and looked up, surprised to see her own reflection. The interior of the canopy was mirrored. It seemed a little strange, but this was a French colony and, obviously, the French took their boudoir activities very seriously.
An entire wall of the room consisted of windows with a large French door and a spectacular view of the oceanfront. The door opened to a patio, some furniture for lounging outside, and a small path that seemed to lead to the beach. She could hear the gentle pounding of the waves in the distance, and a slight breeze blew into the room. There was no air conditioning, but there were gently circulating fans in all the rooms. While it was warm, it was quite comfortable.
Jessica just wanted out of her clothes and into the bath. It seemed that she had been wearing the same skirt and blouse for years now. She had all but forgotten her encounters on the way with the Senator and at the airport, the excitement of the new job making them now seem trivial in nature.
She unpacked her suitcases, barely able to even put a dent into the large closet. She went to pull the curtains and realized that there were none to pull. She looked outside. Her patio and room seemed to be fairly hidden on all sides by heavy foliage. While the view of the beach and ocean was clear, no one appeared to be in sight. It looked to be very private. She was a little puzzled and would ask Henri about it later, but for now, she concentrated on her bath.
She lay in the tub, the warm water sliding over her body, soothing her. She thought about her encounters of the day, her fingers sliding beneath the water and gently running up and down her pussy lips. She put one leg on the edge of the tub, her fingers beginning a gentle masturbation as she thought of Michael, the Master, punishing her for some minor infraction. He had her over his lap, her skirt pulled up high, his hands inching down her little panties, her naked ass cheeks waiting to receive their punishment. It hurt as his hand crashed down on her sensitive skin, but his other hand had crept underneath her and began a gentle massaging of her clit, offsetting the stinging pain he was inflicting on her butt. She could feel his hard cock rubbing against her, and wished he would force her to her knees, sticking his member into her mouth until he came. Her body shuddered, the water spilling over the edge as she climaxed on her fingers.
Partially sated, she lay on the bed, naked, forgetting about the open windows, staring up at her own naked body. Her nipples were still hard, her body fresh from the bath, her sexual appetite re-ignited. She still felt a stirring in her loins, something only a real cock could satisfy, something, for all she''d been through these past three weeks, she''d gone too long without. She would take out her toys tonight, hoping to make some of those urges go away.
Jessica awoke from a knock on her door. She grabbed a robe, barely able to cover herself when the door opened and a girl walked in. She was one of the maids, a young girl, barely eighteen, the black maid outfit molding to her body. She was lovely, jet black hair hanging down her back, a shapely figure like all of the maids, long legs perched upon a pair of absurdly high heels.
""Master would like you for dinner in one-half hour,"” she said in almost perfect English.
""Thank you. My name is Jessica. What''s yours?""
""Charisse, welcome to the manor.""
""You speak English very well. Does everyone here speak as well as you?""
""The Master makes everyone learn if they want to keep their job. He doesn''t like us to speak Creole or French. He thinks we are talking about him.""
""How long have you worked here, Charisse?""
""Been going on a year now since the Master hired me.""
""Do you like it?""
""Master pays well; makes up for the other things.""
""The other things?"” Jessica inquired.
""Just obey the Master and you won''t have any problem,"” Charisse said.
""Charisse,"” she caught her before she left the room, “"how come there aren''t any drapes on my windows?""
""Don''t need any. It''s pretty private around here. The Master would punish anyone caught peeping. Not many would dare to defy the Master. Don''t forget, one-half hour. The Master doesn''t put up with lateness."” She left the room, the door closing silently behind her.
The dining room quieted when Jessica entered. She had put on a black dress with spaghetti straps and no bra, her youthful breasts not requiring one. The hem came about six inches above her knees, showing a generous amount of leg. She wore black stockings with seams running up the back, a pair of high heels accentuating her toned legs. She felt so sexy with the garter belt and stockings. She smiled as Michael noticed her first.
He was every bit as handsome as his pictures. He was in his mid-forties, sandy blonde hair, five o''clock shadow highlighting a roughly handsome face. Great build, over six feet of solid flesh. God, no wonder I dream about him when I masturbate, thought Jessica, feeling the wetness between her legs already. You''re such a tramp Jessica; this is your boss, act your age.
""Good evening, Sir."” Jessica stammered, uncomfortable with the idea of calling a man “"Sir"". “"Master"” would definitely be difficult.
She was every bit as beautiful as Henri and the Professor had said. She was an excellent choice and Michael was looking forward to a very interesting summer. While he enjoyed the Haitian girls, especially the maids, he often longed for a white, American girl. With his wife away, Jessica might just fill the void in his marriage bed. The Professor''s test had shown that she might service his needs nicely.
""Glad you finally joined us. I hope your trip was acceptable. Getting here is always a chore, an often unpleasant chore that we must sometimes endure and I am sure that flying by yourself on a commercial flight made it even worse. I hope that we can make up for any unpleasantness you may have endured with our luxurious accommodations.""
""Your house, or should I say, manor, is beyond words, Sir,"” she replied, beginning to get the hang of the “"Sir"” thing. “"And my room is more than I am used to.""
""Very well, then. I would like you to meet your charge. Jerome, this is Jessica. Say hello to her.""
Jerome was the cutest little four-year old boy she had ever seen. He had long blonde hair, with features like his father, a rugged handsomeness in miniature. He was dressed similar to his father, more formal than he would have been in the United States, a neat pair of slacks and shirt highlighting his small frame. He sat in the chair as if he was an adult.
""Hello, Jerome, I''m glad to meet you,"” she said, extending her hand to him. He reached out, shaking her hand like a gentlemen.
""Hello, Jessica,"” he said shyly, a little uncomfortable with the new stranger.
Michael told Jerome, “"She is going to take care of you for the summer, Jerome. She will be playing with you and teaching you new things. Won''t that be fun?""
""Yes, Daddy,"” he said. “"I like to play, Jessica, but there is not anyone here to play with.""
""You and I are going to have lots of fun this summer. I know how to play very well,"” she smiled back at Jerome. “"He''s such a grown up boy, Sir.""
""He is like his father; he usually gets what he wants. That is why you are here, to please him. If you do that, you will also please me."” His eyes fixed on hers. “"You do want to please me, don''t you, Jessica?""
""Yes, Sir."” She wondered about his meaning, her discomfort probably more a part of her continuing fantasy than reality.
""Have a seat, dinner is about to be served."” He pulled out the chair across from Jerome and next to his own at the head of the table.
Michael''s eyes rested on her legs as she sat in the chair, her skirt rising up high on her thighs.
""I hope you don''t mind the formality down here, but it is so much more refreshing than the casual attitude in the States. I know the ‘'Sir'’ and ‘'Master'’ are difficult to swallow in these days of women''s liberation, but this is a different world down here and we must also live within this culture. And hell, what man wouldn''t want to be called ‘'Master'’ all the time?"” He laughed as he said it.
Jessica laughed with him, “"I don''t mind it, Sir. I''m not sure if I will ever get the ‘'Master'’ out, but you seem to have a very good life down here and I will do everything to fit in properly.""
""We do dress formally. I insist that females wear dresses all the time and that will include you, even when you are taking care of Jerome. It might be a little bit awkward, but I assure you after a while you will not even notice the difference and simply take it for granted.
""Our beach is very private. You will often find yourself the only one on it for miles, so bathing attire is optional. I notice that you have a very attractive figure and know that young girls tend to like a tan all over. While we don''t have tanning booths, we do have the old fashion way—the sun. I can assure you, no one will bother you. We have our own methods of controlling unruly behavior here and it is very effective. It is rare when we have to punish anyone for unacceptable behavior.""
""You punish them yourself, Sir?"” She wanted to hear more about the punishment that Henri had told her about.
""The government doesn''t have control of the civilian population. The country has been in revolution for over twenty years. We are on a small island with limited police so we have to do whatever is necessary to control our large staff otherwise the island would be overrun with lawlessness. Henri and I are judge, jury and executioner in this manor. You may decline the punishment but your employment will terminate at the same time and you will depart the manor. I do not expect any trouble from you, Jessica, otherwise I would not have given you the great responsibility of caring for my precious son in my wife''s absence. But if necessary, you will have to submit to the same punishments as the others. Do you understand that, Jessica?""
""Yes, Sir."” She nodded her head in agreement.
""Say yes, Master,"” he ordered her. His smile disappeared, seriousness claiming his face.
""Yes, Master,"” she managed.
""I love that,"” he shouted out, laughing. “"They''d kill me in the States if they knew my employees called me ‘'Master''.""
Jessica broke out laughing; he had been kidding her. “"You''d set the women''s rights'’ movement back a hundred years, Sir."” Still keeping with the Sir, not daring to stray too far.
Dinner was very pleasant, Jerome starting to break out of his shell, talking more to Jessica as the meal progressed. By desert, he was sitting on her lap eating his ice cream. Michael smiled at both of them, obviously pleased at her progress with him.
""Henri will explain your schedule. I spend a lot of time with Jerome while I am here. I''m able to accomplish most of my work in the morning so you will have lots of free time for yourself. Take the opportunity to explore the island and if you are lucky,"” he added with an intriguing smile, “"Henri might take you to one of his Voodoo ceremonies. I don''t cotton to the notion of it, but the Haitians are deathly afraid of the Voodoo Priests. Jerome goes to bed by 7:00, so the evening is yours. We have no television. It is available by satellite, but I prefer to be without it. It is much better for Jerome. I do have friends over, and during my Carnival I have a very lavish masquerade party that lasts for days. I expect you to attend all of my dinners and parties. With my wife''s absence, you will have to fill in as the hostess.""
""Your wife, Sir, where is she?""
""That is not a topic for discussion, especially in front of Jerome, is that understood?"” His voice turned stern again. This time she knew he was not kidding.
""Yes, Sir,"” she immediately responded, sorry that she had ever broached the subject, making a mental note to never bring it up to Michael again.
""Ah, here is Henri. Henri is head of the household and my most trusted employee as well as an excellent friend. We have been together for over ten years and anything Henri says, you can consider as coming from me. You are to obey him implicitly; you are to obey him first and disagree with him later. Any sign of disobedience to him could destabilize the fragile balance we have with my employees. You may discuss your disagreement with me later, but it is important that you obey him first.""
""That will not be a problem, Sir. I expect Henri to teach me many things while I am here. I am so eager to learn."” Jessica smiled at Henri, hoping to stay on his good side, knowing him to be the key to a great summer.
""Yes, Jessica. You are a very intelligent and beautiful girl. Henri and I can teach you many things that you will enjoy. Say goodnight to Jessica, Jerome. You''ll see her in the morning.""
Jerome looked up at Jessica, his blue eyes smiling at her. “"Goodnight, Jessica.""
Jessica bent down and planted a kiss on the top of his head. “"Goodnight, Jerome. We are going to have so much fun tomorrow.""
""I will take care of Jessica, Master,"” Henri said, ushering her from the room.
Henri and Jessica left the room, hearing Jerome squealing with joy as Michael picked him up and put him on his shoulder, galloping off to bed. Henri led her to the living room, a room larger than most houses Jessica had seen. The floors were Italian marble, and a piano in one of corner of the room. A bar, comparable to a bar in most restaurants, took up one expansive wall. An array of couches, chairs and tables were spread about the room that, with fifty people, would still look half empty.
""The Master is a very good father to Jerome. He is his pride and joy. You have a very important position, the care of his most prized possession. Don''t do anything to jeopardize Jerome.""
""I wouldn''t, Henri,"” she promised. This job might be more demanding than she thought, but she was up to the challenge. Jerome seemed very intelligent and would give her a chance to use the skills she was learning in college.
Henri began to explain the position and the hours she would be expected to be available to take care of Jerome. “"If you need any help during the day, speak to Charisse. She will take care of Jerome if you need to leave him for a few minutes. It is important that you do not leave Jerome unattended."” He explained where Jerome usually played, his toys, his likes and dislikes. Jessica began to understand that Henri knew Jerome almost as well as Michael did. “"If you need anything or have any problems, come see me first, do not bother the Master. And I do mean anything. I realize that I am not a girlfriend like the one you probably have at home, but besides being a good listener, I am the one who can solve just about any problem. That is what the Master pays me for.""
""He got upset when I asked about his wife, Henri.""
""His wife is not a subject we discuss, Jessica. While you are here, you will be filling in as the hostess of the manor. You do not seem to have a problem fitting in; you''re intelligent, beautiful and have a way with men. You are expected to do whatever is necessary to be a good hostess. This is an important part of your job. The Master is a very social person and does entertain often, mostly male guests. I have seen you, Jessica, and have no doubt you can wrap any man around your little finger."” He laughed as he said it. “"Jerome also misses his mother and you are to do whatever is necessary to fill her role. I''m sure that the job is more than you expected; it is not baby-sitting. Michael had your background checked thoroughly and you would not have been hired if he did not feel that you were up to the job.""
""Thank you, Henri. I know I will be able to do anything expected of me, especially with your help.""
""You may stroll the outside of the manor and the beach at nighttime. You do not have to worry about being bothered. We have guards patrolling the premises at all times but they are very discreet. You would be lucky to even see them. The manor is yours to explore. We have one wing of the manor that is closed, it is being remodeled, but the rest is open. You will find many interesting rooms and the Master has an extensive library that is available to you. He is a very ardent collector of old books and manuscripts and has some very interesting volumes.""
""I did have one problem, Henri. I''m a little embarrassed about it, but you should know.""
""As I said, think of me as your girlfriend. What is your problem?""
""I did have a little run in with the customs police at Port-au-Prince when I arrived.""
""Yes, I imagine you did. Captain Fignolé, I assume?""
""How did you know?""
""He hates foreigners, especially Americans. A beautiful girl like you, traveling alone, would be an easy target for him. What happened?""
""It''s embarrassing.""
""You must tell me everything, Jessica, otherwise it could jeopardize the Master''s existence here.""
""They took me to a separate room and Captain Fignolé strip-searched me.""
""Were his guards present?""
""Yes, and then he did a body cavity search.""
Henri''s cock began to harden as he imagined her bent over the table, naked, the group of soldiers gathered around her, viewing her exposed charms. “"Vaginally and anally I presume?""
Jessica blushed. “"Yes.""
""Anything else? Did they fuck you? I hate to be so blunt, but I need to know everything.""
""They were about to, but Senator Montan''s aide came in and made them release me.""
""Senator Montan''s aide? Do you know the Senator?"” She is certainly moving in fast circles already.
""We met on the airplane.""
""So, they released you?""
""Sort of,"” she said.
""What do you mean? Did they do anything else to you?""
Jessica took a deep breath before admitting, “"They masturbated me. Twice.""
""Ah, I see,"” he said, imagining her body shuddering as they fingered her tight pussy. “"Twice, why twice?""
Jessica blushed, but she knew she must tell him, otherwise he might find out and she would lose his trust. “"Once in my vagina, with a vibrator they found in my suitcase.""
""And the second?""
""Anally. They also found an anal probe that I had bought before I left. I had never used it. I had just bought it on a whim.""
""And obviously you enjoyed both experiences. No, no. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Many girls your age will get excited when being taken sexually by an authority figure. It is an excuse to do things that they would normally not be able to do. It allows them a rational justification to experience the forbidden.""
""I never thought of it like that. I felt like such a whore, letting them make me cum while they watched.""
""You don''t have to feel that way, Jessica. It was a very normal reaction to an intense experience. That is what makes some sexual experiences so intense—the forbidden."” He moved closer to her, putting his arm on her shoulder. “"You are a young girl. Do not shut out the forbidden, it is what makes life so exciting. You seem to have come away from the experience intact. That is good; it shows your willingness to experiment. Remember, Haiti is very different from America. You will have many chances to choose the forbidden, or to let it happen. I hope you will not shut the door on these experiences. You will not be disappointed.""
Opening up to Henri was almost like talking to a girlfriend. Better, even. He seemed to understand her so well. Ever since she had decided to take this job, men had taken advantage of her sexually. First the Professor, then the Senator and finally the Captain, all of them taking her body and forcing her to cum. And yet it did not seem to affect her emotionally or psychologically. Each experience always ended with something better on the other side. “"Thank you, Henri, you seem to understand me so well, better than I do myself, sometimes."” She kissed his cheek. “"Thank you.""
""Mademoiselle, you make me blush. Don''t let the others see me like this. My power will quickly go away."” He laughed, he was going to enjoy the summer with Jessica, more than she could imagine. Or maybe she could imagine it!
""I need to get back to the staff before they steal the place blind. Have a good night. Charisse will wake you in the morning; we don"t have alarm clocks, a noisy distraction. Goodnight.""
""Goodnight, Henri, and thank you again,"” she said, walking from the room. She exaggerated the swing of her hips for him as she walked out.
He watched her shamelessly shake her ass, teasing him. His cock was already hard from the story of her strip search and masturbation, wishing it was he instead of the Captain. Soon he would have his chance with her and he would teach her how to submit. But for now, he needed a hot, tight pussy for his hard cock. Maybe he could tease her at the same time. He gave her an hour, watching from outside her windows. She was still modest, undressing in the bathroom, but he did catch a glimpse of her coming out and jumping into bed, a pair of panties the only nighttime attire she wore. Her naked tits danced as she ran across the room. The room suddenly pitched into darkness. Now it was time for his revenge.