The Night of Iniquity

Heather Macpherson

Robert Dradbor III only ever dresses in a black, perfectly pressed button-down shirt with a red and black-checkered bow tie, brown, pleated slacks, white socks, brown loafers and a brown sports jacket with green patches at the elbow. He smokes a chestnut-colored pipe with a black tip and reads Robert Frost by the light of a tall silver lamp with a 75-watt light bulb and a forest green shade, sitting in his black leather recliner, sipping brandy from a squat sparkling glass. Robert Dradbor III is a partner at a prestigious law firm in New York and makes 250,000 dollars a year. He lives with his wife, Lucinda, their two children, Dominique and Daniel and a yapping terrier named Petey.

Beneath Robert Dradbor IIIis perfectly pressed, impeccable daily uniform lies the secret that makes him feel pretty: A red, intricately stitched brassier with tiny black flowers on the cups and a little bow at the center. Matching red panties hide beneath his brown pleated pants. These frilly under-things were a presents from his mistress, Tabitha, who works days in the childrenis section of the local library and keeps her long brown hair in a tight bun at the nape of her neck and buttons her white blouses to the hollow of her throat. Tabitha owns the sleaziest bar in town and works nights as a dominatrix and topless dancer. Robert Dradbor III is a frequent patron of her fine establishment.

When Robert Dradbor III sits to eat his dinner it is always the same. His family may vary their dinner but he insists upon the same thing every night. A large, medium-rare sirloin steak, three potatoes, fourteen green beans, a half of a peach, exactly thirty-two peas, a corn on the cob and peach cobbler for dessert. After which he retires to read in the den while his wife and children bore themselves to sleep. Every third week, every three months, as soon as their heads touch the pillow, Robert Dradbor III strolls casually out of the white front door of their Tudor-style home and transforms into a black panther with blue eyes, shedding clothing and red under garments at the front door to be collected upon his return.

Black Panther prowls city streets, feasting on rats and small homeless children. He runs directly to the local zoo, leaps over the fence and hunts zebra in their confines and although it isnit much of a hunt, Black Panther is satiated. He slinks through central park looking for young lovers to either kill or scare and is rarely disappointed. He passes the night in devilish delight, as his soulis owner would want. Black Panther must please or Robert Dradbor III will no longer be a master of universe in fine clothes, rolling in money and power. And, although Black Panther would be satisfied to roam the night forever conquering and devouring, Robert Dradbor III pulls the panther in at dawnis first light and appears to be asleep in bed just as his wife, Lucindais, pretty green eyes flutter open to a new day.

Copyright ©2001 Heather Macpherson. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the editor for free text versions of this very short story formatted for e-mail, usenet news, or ftp.

Story Bytes

Subscribe

July, 2001 Issue #63

512 Words

Feedback