IMPORTANT: This story is not as much erotica, my usual shtick, as it is horror. But it does have nonconsent. Basically, it is dark. If you are not cool with that, turn around and go back the way you came. This story was written based on the Flash Fiction prompt by Chuck Wendig, Dirty Sex Moves.

The Missionary

“Let’s go out.” My roommate, Willa, stood in the doorway of her room.

“I’m studying.”

“I can see your screen from here. You’re on Facebook. What are you studying, Jason’s pics from Spring Break? Come on. Let’s go somewhere.”

They were pictures of him at a basketball game, not Cancun. “Go where?”

Willa smiled slyly. She came and sat next to me on the bed where I was sprawled. “Here, let me.” She pulled the laptop over and typed in a URL into my computer.

It loaded slowly, filling in from the top down, our shared apartment wi-fi slow as heck. Skin. Rounded, peachy skin with … black heels. More black satiny fabric, more skin.

“Oh my god, Willa. What are you showing me? Is this … porn?” I whispered the last word.

“No, it’s not porn,” she said mockingly. “It’s a local place. They sell accessories.”

“Accessories? For…what?”

“Oh, come on, Jess. Even you aren’t that innocent.”

“I’m not innocent,” I said, but I was. “I just don’t know what kind of accessories you’re talking about. Like…shoes?”

She laughed. So growing up in conservative family in a small town hadn’t exactly made me worldly, but I could learn. I would learn. “Okay. So what do you buy there?”

“Vibrators,” she whispered. “You know what they are, right?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. “I know what they are.” Although I had never actually seen one.

“I was thinking we could buy one. Well, two. One for each of us.”

I just knew this was going to be a stupid question. “But why?”

“You said you knew what they were for.”

“I do know. I just don’t know why I need one.”

She rolled her eyes, exasperated. “Just come with me. We’ll get them and then we’ll figure out the ‘why’ part.”

It seemed backwards to me, but I knew this was one of those times where my naivete was making me look stupid. “Okay. Let’s go.”

All the way to the shop, the sex shop, Willa rambled about the type of vibrators we would buy. She had done some research into ratings, but said she’d have to see them to know. I had no idea what she’d look for. I’d had sex before, but I hadn’t really gotten a good look at the thing.

We pulled up into the dark parking lot. The lot was filled with cars, and I realized the shop was next door to a bar. These buildings were a ways away from campus, and a lot seedier. People loitered by the cars and in front of the business, dressed in grungy, scary ways.

“I don’t know about this,” I told Willa, as we walked up to the doors.

She laughed, but there was a waver that told me maybe she was nervous, too. “Don’t worry, chica. We’re just here to have a good time.”

I glanced back, away from the store, and saw a man. He was dressed in slacks and a polo shirt, holding pamphlets. He looked completely out of place on that street corner.

He saw me looking and gave me an easy grin, as if we were passing each other on campus, instead of this dirty place.

“Hey,” I said timidly. I rarely struck up conversations with strangers, but he felt safe. The one safe thing in this new world I’d stepped into.

“Hi.” His smile widened. “I’m Ben. What’s your name?”

“Jessica.”

“Well. Hi, Jessica. I’m glad to meet you.”

“Oh. Me too. What – what are you doing there?”

I was comforted that he stayed in place, not making a move towards me. “I’m just passing out information about the Salvation of Christ. Do you want to learn about it?” He held up his packet half-heartedly, with a look that said he already knew the answer.

“No. I’m already Catholic,” I told him.

“Oh, that’s good.” His smile was easy. “I didn’t think you belonged here anyways.”

“Yeah, my roommate – well, we just wanted to check it out. That’s all.”

He nodded. “I understand. Just be careful, you hear? It’s not always safe around here.”

“Yeah,” I nodded back. “I’ll be careful.”

“Good,” he said. We exchanged farewell smiles as I headed back towards the store. The men outside the bar slid their gazes up and down my body too boldly. Willa had gone inside without me, and I found her by a display of magazines, most of them covered in black plastic.

“So this one is a little more hardcore,” the store clerk was telling her.

Willa waved me over when she saw me. “Come on. Check this out.”

I went to her reluctantly, and appropriately marveled over her selected purchases.

“Brian here is a huge help,” she said, nudging the clerk in the side, who blushed.

I pulled Willa aside. “Listen, I don’t want to be spoil sport, but I’m not really comfortable here. Can we just buy this stuff and go?”

“Oh.” Willa bit her lip. “Well, the thing is. I already met up with this guy and agreed to meet him next door.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

“It’s just drinks,” Willa said defensively. “What’s the point of being twenty one if we never drink?”

I hated being the lame friend. Was I the only one who wanted a quiet, boring night?

I sighed, and her eyes lit up hopefully. “Okay,” I said. “We can go have drinks, but only for a short while. And we have to watch our drinks at all times, remember? The date rape drug.”

“Yes, mom,” she said teasingly.

Now it was my turn to be defensive. “A girl can’t be too careful. Especially in this part of town.”

Inside the bar, the air was thick with smoke and body odor. Somehow Willa managed to keep up a conversation with two scary biker-looking guys, but I couldn’t hear a word.

I leaned over to Willa and told her I was going to take a breather outside, and to come meet me in a few minutes to leave. She waved me away, and I didn’t hold out too much hope that she’d be quick.

I escaped to the street, glad to fill my lungs with the semi-clean outside air again. I looked over at Ben, who was still standing, alone, on the corner. I walked a little way over to him.

“No takers tonight, huh?” I said.

“No, I never really get any.” He shrugged sheepishly. “I know it’s lame, but I guess that’s just me.”

I smiled at him. “Lame can be good.”

He rolled his eyes. “I know being a reverend isn’t exactly a popular career choice.”

“Oh, you’re a reverend?”

“Yep. I have my collar and everything, but I don’t usually wear it on the streets. Tends to hurt more than help in these parts.”

A man stumbled out of the street from the bar, almost bumping into me. He leered at me. “Hello, chica.” I shuddered at his use of Willa’s endearment.

Ben stepped closer beside me. The man continued on his way, but I felt gratitude that Ben had made that small show of support. I also felt solidarity with him, that we were both misfits in this sinful place.

“I just want to get out of here,” I confided. “But my roommate is having a good time, so…” I gestured toward the bar, futilely.

“Oh, well…” Ben looked away.

“What is it?”

“Nevermind. It’s nothing.”

“No, tell me.” I gave him a smile. “I won’t bite.”

“I know,” he said earnestly. “You’re a really sweet girl. I was just going to say – well, I was going to say my apartment is just up there.” He gestured to the big building across the street. “If you wanted to wait for your friend. But it’s not a good idea.”

“Oh. Yeah, I guess not.” Better safe than sorry. That was the motto, right?

A couple more drunks left the bar, singing loudly. I stepped closer to Ben. He reached out to hold my hand. It was the first time we touched, but I didn’t pull away.

His lips tightened as he watched them leave. “It’s not safe out here for you.”

“I know.” I shivered and glanced back at the bar. “Maybe it would be okay to hang out in your apartment. Just for a little while.”

He looked at the bar, too. “Okay,” he said. “But if you change your mind at any time, you can tell me and I’ll come wait with you out here.”

“Oh, that’s really sweet. But I can wait up there until she’s ready. If she doesn’t find me outside, she’ll just call my cell.”

He led me upstairs to his threadbare apartment. “Have a seat,” he said, gesturing towards the couch. “I know it isn’t much, but…”

“It’s great,” I said, with an encouraging smile. He’d been so kind.

“Do you want anything to drink?”

“Sure, water or anything is fine.”

He gave me a glass of orange juice. “The tap water in the city is disgusting,” he said apologetically. “And I don’t have bottled water.”

“It’s okay. Really. This is perfect.” I drank down the tangy juice thirstily.

We sat on the lumpy couch together.

“I know we just met, but I really like you, Jessica,” he said.

The quiet of the apartment was lulling me into a dreamy peace. I wasn’t even sure how much time had passed. “I like you, too, Ben.”

“Would you mind if I kissed you?”

Such a gentleman. They were so rare. “Okay.”

He did kiss me – a little hard and a little wet. Our teeth clinked, then again. This kiss was progressing too quickly – faster than I normally allowed and faster than I was comfortable with. But I couldn’t seem to get ahold of myself.

His tongue snaked out to rub mine, and I recoiled. He leaned towards me again. “Wait,” I said, but my voice came out softly, stringy.

Oh God, the orange juice.

I reached my hand up to stop him, but all it did was raise uselessly, almost beckoning him. He pushed me back onto the couch and rose up over me. His hands were taking off my clothes and touching me, while my hands rested limply at my sides.

I wasn’t ready for him, down there, but thankfully I felt no pain. I drifted in and out of consciousness. He shuddered and grunted over me, then pulled away.

“Oh no,” I heard him say. Somehow, I raised my head to see him. He looked down at his wet, limp penis, crestfallen. He looked oddly innocent, like a little boy who’d just broken his favorite toy.

He looked up at me, his eyes accusing but his voice sad as he said, “I thought you were different.”

I struggled to sit up, and probably wouldn’t have made it anyways, but he pushed me down firmly.

“No, Jessica. I can’t let you go,” he said sadly.

“Please.” I whispered.

“I was sent here to do this work. It’s my mission. I hope you understand.”

He pulled my hands up to my chest and pressed the palms together in a mockery of prayer. He arranged me like a doll, but I hardly had the strength to resist.

“I’m going to pray for you, Jessica,” he said calmly. In my muddled state, I first hoped that it really was redemption, a sign that this nightmare would end soon. But in another minute I recognized it as the threat it was.

I summoned whatever strength, whatever will for life I had left, and scrambled away from him on the couch. Not even taking the time to grab my jeans, I half-ran, half-staggered to the door. He hit me as I reached the door and we both slammed into it. The force of the door and his weight behind me knocked the air right out of me. When he released me, I crumpled to the ground.

“Shh. I’m going to minister to you,” he whispered in my ear. “Just let it happen.”

All I heard then was a prayer, and I wasn’t sure if it was his voice, or just inside my head.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name…lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”