You Belong To Me

peculiar how this circumstance came to pass
after what was deemed the hottest day on record in the city
it was late evening with the temperature unrelenting
making matters worse
the air conditioning unit in her apartment had failed
according to building management
she would have to endure a minimum of 24 hours…
…before the repairs were to be made
dreadfully uncomfortable
she opens her window and removes her clothing
with her apartment being on the 6th floor
there was no thought of someone from the outside looking in
seeing her in the nude, thinking perhaps she was inclined to exhibitionism
furthest from consideration
…was that someone would be watching her with perverse intentions
it only mattered that she find a respite from the heat
after toiling around for about an hour or so
she found her way to bed, managing only a few hours of restless sleep

********************

the next day went off without a hindrance
it was quite busy and hectic
appearances in courtrooms
meetings with clients
as a Paralegal, her job is both demanding and exciting
…and although the city was still in the midst of an oppressive heat wave
she had came home from her day at the law office where she works
finding that the repairs Had been made
it was once again comfortable within the confines of her apartment
quite relieved she was
after enjoying a glass of wine and nice salad for dinner
she needed to run a few errands
to the library to get some reference materials for a case her law firm is currently involved in..
then to the store to replenish her bottled water supply in the ‘fridge
with her tasks complete and totally exhausted
she settles in for the night
undressing
closing the window and the curtains
after climbing into her bed and before drifting off into slumber
she thought to herself a while
it just felt like she was being followed
a weird presence she felt everywhere she went throughout the day
she couldn’t really put her finger on it
leaving it to over-imagination, her eyes close for the night

********************

the following day and more of the same
the heat had been forecasted to extend into the next several days
no relief in sight
the cases she is working on are challenging yes
…but are taxing her resolve a little
in fear for their safety
one of the witnesses on a armed robbery case keeps changing their story
comes with the territory she determines in her mind
she is in dire need of the commonly referred to, “Calgon” moment
that is exactly what she has planned for her evening
arriving at her apartment after another long, hot and somewhat tedious day
she can hardly wait to get into the bathtub so that she may soothe away the stress
upon entering, she is in utter shock
her apartment has been ransacked
EVERYTHING! all of her possessions were strewn about
immediately she called the police
shortly after, officers arrived and began their initial investigation
her door lock had been picked clean and there were no fingerprints discovered
also, it was discerned that none of her valuables were missing
money, jewelry, fine china, expensive clothing
all just thrown on the floor
who ever did this was in a fit of rage
…but robbery was not the motive
as the police questioned her
she searched the recesses of her mind
in no way could she imagine who would do something like this
it just didn’t make sense
especially since her apartment is so high above street level
she did tell them of her uneasy feelings the previous day
…but that was purely speculative at best
the cops took their report, advised her to not be alone for a few days
there upon they left
she began the clean up process
while spending about two hours or so, gathering and rearranging
she notices that her apartment was unbearably warm again
as she went to turn on the air conditioning unit
she found it to have been deliberately broken
that’s all she needed, another night in the extreme heat
having decided to cease her  clean up efforts for the night
she still had a date with the bath tub
something she needs now more than ever
as the dark of night has fallen upon
again she opens the curtains and the windows
she undresses
goes to take her bath
after spending about an hour and a half in the bath tub
feeling a much more relaxed despite her present anxieties
she grabs a towel and dries herself off in front of the window
as a gentle breeze from the outside assists in cooling her body temperature
she notices a post it note attached to one of the panes
it wasn’t there before
she retrieves it
on it, in sloppy handwriting it reads:

“you belong to me”

as fear saturates her being
she places a call to her friend/sometimes lover
demanding that he come be with her at that very moment
he arrives about twenty minutes later
she explains the scenario to him
he stays with her throughout the night

********************

her nights are much more peaceful these days
somehow it seems she sleeps much better
it’s been several days now since the break in
order has been restored to her apartment
the weather forecasts are for warm days and balmy evenings
so no need to spend the money on repairing the air conditioning again
her work schedule is as busy as ever
…but she wouldn’t have it any other way
she hasn’t heard from her friend who came to stay with her that night
none of her calls have been returned
none of their mutual acquaintances have seen him
she hasn’t been able to figure it
it's as if he vanished in to thin air
maybe he’s just too upset
the fact that she doesn’t want a committed relationship with him
she has always been up front with him
so he should have been aware
it was something physical she wanted to share with him, only once in a while
all she knows now is that, now, at this present moment
each night before she goes to bed
when she undresses and stands before the window
she can feel the most protection...
...the deepest LOVE she has ever known...

Rory


©rj2011

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