Erotimaniac

"I'm beginning to think this is all just some... some fucked up game," Ethan

said as he paced back-and-forth in his kitchen.

He grabbed a fistful of his hair and tugged on his head, delirious. He was

tormented by his cynical thoughts and irked by his uncontrollable shifts in

mood. One moment, he was happy and hopeful about his future; the next,

he felt as if the entire world was going against him.

He was an unhinged young man who was shunned by his family and

friends. He didn't get the help he needed, so he continued to descend into

his own secluded world of depravity. He stopped in front of the mirror.

As he stared at his reflection, Ethan said, "Twice. That's two times that

she's rejected me. I... I keep hearing her voice in my head, she's telling me

that she loves me, but she keeps pushing me away in person. It's insane,

isn't it? What the hell is going on here?"

His reflection responded, "It's you, Ethan. It's not her. You're just not

confident enough for a girl like that. You're asking instead of demanding.

'Do you want a ride? Are you sure?' That's no way to talk to a girl like that.

She wants you to be more assertive. She doesn't want some passive

chump."

"I–I don't understand. This... This is me. Acting like me, like myself, has

always worked for me. Wha–What's happening? What's changed?"

"The world is changing. People want different things. You can't stay the

same forever and expect to please everyone. The gentleman-type is out.

Women are attracted to bad guys... again."

Ethan stared at his reflection, teary-eyed. He licked his lips, then he

clenched his jaw. He carefully examined himself, reading the expression on

his face as if he were looking at another man. Of course, in his mind, he

was looking at a different person – his doppelganger. He didn't know if he

could believe himself or not.

As a tear streamed down his cheek, Ethan said, "I've had sex plenty of

times. We both know that. Even if times change, even if Emiko is a

different breed, I can adapt. I can still have her."

His reflection responded, "You better start working on it, Ethan. I don't

think a fairy like you can get a girl like that..."

"I can."

"I don't know..."

"I can!"

The apartment was dominated by silence. A news channel was playing

on the TV in the living room, but the noise was muted. His unadulterated

anger caused the racket to stop.

"You... have... to... listen," the feminine voice whispered at the back of

his head.

With the message, the volume increased on the television and the racket

outside returned. Ethan glanced around the home, searching for the source

of the voice. He was alone, though. He heard Emiko's voice in his head

before, but it was different in his house. The woman was nowhere in sight.

As he stared at the ceiling, the disturbed author whispered, "It's you, isn't

it? Emiko, you're trying to talk to me, aren't you? Telepathy... It really is

telepathy." He opened a window in the living room, then he sat on the

windowsill. As he stared at the houses across the street, peering towards

Emiko's neighborhood, Ethan said, "Talk to me. I'm listening."

The sound of coughing engines, obnoxious kids, and domestic disputes

dwindled. The world came to a grinding halt – silence reigned supreme.

Dancing into his ears, the feminine voice said, "Watch your TV. Watch

me."

Ethan furrowed his brow upon hearing the message. As if he were in a

trance, he shambled into the living room, then he fell onto the sofa. He

increased the volume on his television. A reporter stood in front of a

suburban house and spoke about a missing thirty-year-old woman – Karen.

The news was insignificant, though. It didn't bother him.

He asked, "What am I supposed to be looking for? What–"

He stopped as Emiko walked onto the set. She approached the reporter,

then she yanked the microphone out of her hands. With her glowing eyes,

dark but beautiful, she stared at the camera and smiled – such a friendly

smile.

She said, "Hi, Ethan. I'm sorry I have to talk to you like this. As you

know, I'm stuck in my apartment and Charles didn't let you in. I'm sorry

about treating you like trash out there, too."

Ethan leaned forward as he stared at the television in utter awe. He

responded, "I... I forgive you."

Emiko sighed in relief, then she said, "I'm glad. I thought you hated

me..."

"No. No, I could never hate you, princess. I just... I didn't understand

why you were acting the way you acted. That's all."

"I owe you an explanation, don't I? I love you, Ethan. That's the truth.

I'm just too embarrassed to admit it. I can't do it in front of everyone."

"Wh–Why? What's wrong?"

Emiko blushed as she stared down at herself, bashful. She kicked the

rocks under her boots and twirled her hair. Ethan's bottom lip quivered as he

watched her. Her shy demeanor aroused him.

Emiko glanced up at the camera and said, "I'm pure, Ethan. I've never

had a boyfriend before. I've never... Jeez, this is so embarrassing, but... I've

never had sex before. I'm a virgin." Trembling with excitement, Ethan held

his hand to his mouth and chuckled inwardly. Emiko continued, "If I

become your girlfriend, I have to hide it from everyone because I can't let

my family back home find out. They wouldn't accept it and they'd force me

to go back... without you. I don't want that."

"I don't want that, either. I can keep our love a secret, I swear. No one

has to know about it. Not even you..."

Ethan pushed the coffee table aside, then he fell to his knees. He crawled

forward and approached the television. He planted his lips on the screen,

passionately kissing Emiko's lips. Playing along, Emiko puckered her lips

and pretended to kiss the camera. He couldn't physically feel her lips, but he

felt her love.

As Ethan leaned away from the TV, Emiko said, "I wish that was real..."

"What do you mean?"

"Come to my apartment, Ethan – tonight. Kiss me. Touch me. Make love

to me while I sleep. Just... Just don't wake me up. I want to believe I'm still

pure when I wake up. I want all of this to be a secret in the morning. Okay?

Like you said: no one will ever know, not even me."

Ethan touched the screen, as if he were caressing Emiko's hair. He said,

"I can do that, princess. I can give you everything you ever wanted."

"Really? Even a... a family? I've fantasized about having a family with

you, you know..."

"Me too!"

Ethan and Emiko shared a laugh, tears of joy coursing down their

cheeks. Ethan was elated by Emiko's confession. Emiko appeared pleased

to share in Ethan's happiness. Of course, the waitress wasn't actually talking

to him. The unhinged man believed it, though.

Ethan said, "I'm going to pay you a visit, Emiko. I'm going to make

your... No, I'm going to make our dreams come true. I'll be there in an hour,

maybe two. I just need to get some supplies first. You get some sleep,

okay?"

Emiko nodded and enthusiastically said, "Okay!"

She walked off the screen and the reporter returned. As if nothing had

happened, the reporter continued discussing the details of Karen's

mysterious disappearance. Shrugging off the peculiar event, Ethan

staggered to his feet. He lurched into his bedroom and began organizing his

supplies.