Seanday Shorts: Last One

"Cole do you have to smoke?"

He paused and looked at me. It was a cold hateful stare of a trapped man. He stubbed out the cigarette, returning it to the packet. I watched as he tensed his muscles one by one, was he bored or just testing the limits of the control I had over him?

I'd seen him working over the street, heavy labour and quickly realised he was really strong. He was just one of a handful of men working on the house.

He was usually the last to leave, having to clear the site each evening. So I called him over as he was about to leave, we shook hands as I introduced myself--his last voluntary gesture. He belonged to me now. In his eyes I could see the frustration as I toyed with him, each time he would struggle to resist, but I could see he was weakening.

After a few hours I sent him on his way, told him to act normally. But each evening he'd return to my house, totally passive but his eyes told the true story.

As the days past I bought a new closet of clothes to suit Cole's stature. He showered, cleaned himself for me and got dressed in clothes that I knew he could never afford himself. I told him to take me out for dinner--he did of course, was very attentive, but always the eyes told another story.

Still that was all to change, I'd completed the paperwork now. Cole was able to handle all my finances as he wished.

undress myself was awkward. "Help me," I told him. He carefully undressed me, at 84 years, it was something I wasn't going to have endure for much longer.

"Sit down Cole," I said, and I climbed onto his lap. "Now lay back." As his did I laid back as well. I could feel his strength. "Hold me," I whispered.

He embraced me with his strong arms, I felt his stubble on my cheek. I muttered the words I'd used some sixty odd years ago and slipped into Cole's body. With a gasp, I sat up. Getting to my feet I went to the mirror to see my new reflection. "Perfect," I said in Cole's voice. I blinked for a moment; his--my--eyes. The hatred and loathing was all gone, even though we shared his mind now it was me in control.

Laughing I returned to the chair, took out the cigarette and lit it. "I'll give up at the weekend," I chuckled to myself.