The Package

Tom could not wait to open his package. It had been over a year to get everything ready and now it stood in the middle of the room waiting for him to open it.

You would never know it. But Tom was one of those people you would pass by every day. Quiet, unassuming, middle class job. Single white male with blond hair and hazel eyes. Not GQ cover material but you average middle of the road type of guy. Joe average would be the best way to describe him. You may have seen on a bus or in line at the bank. Passed him on the hi-way with out a thought or a wave to him.

But unlike most people Tom has a darker side. One which through sheer luck had emerged. It was something that most people thought of doing and dismissed it on moral grounds but with money, some inhibitions are often relaxed and indulged. Tom won the lottery. Rather doing things that some people would do after winning four million after taxes, like quitting your job and traveling to exotic locations. Tom planned his moves very carefully.

They say money changes people. In Tom’s case he was always this way but never had the means to do it. Now with means in hand he could bring forth his deepest desires. Tom’s first did not quit his job. No he wanted everyone to think nothing had changed. In fact since the jackpot was so low compared to other mega million jackpot winner whose name and face are splashed over every form of media. Tom’s was just a small paragraph on the today winner list in the daily paper. His outward appearance and attitude did not change at first but now he did make an effort at going to the gym. But his main focal point to accomplish his desire were the building of a house to his needs. His other goal would take longer and could be pursued while his house was being built.

The house was a simple one with two bedrooms, two and half baths, three and half car garage and a basement. The site was just outside the city limits nestled in a wooded valley, only just an acre in size. But it would do. Land size was not his forte, Tom explained to the builder what he wanted and how he wanted it. One key factor was his expressed interest in a wine cellar with a hidden door, which a stair to his wine cellar could be found. He also expressed an interest in constructing a panic room in the basement, which could be access from the wine cellar and another secret from downstairs.

The panic room and wine cellar where under the garage, off the main part of the house. So no one would even guess to think it was within house itself or in the basement. The builder understood Tom's eccentric nature and was well paid. It took nearly a good quarter of his winnings to make the house the way he wanted it. 

Although the builder never did ask why Tom insisted he would be putting in the wine racks himself. Tom was very insistent that the wine cellar floor and ceiling have receptors every three feet and the same every one foot on the walls. These receptors would allow a standard half  inch diameter bolt to screw in. But Tom had other ideas than bolting a wine rack in place. Rather he had came across this unique security device at work. A  snap lock bolt. The bolt was a standard half inch bolt with a keyed lock at its head. Once locked the bolt could not be removed. The bolt could hold down and secure any number of things. Rings and hooks for one.

While the house was being built. Tom's working out was starting to pay off. His waist size shrank as his chest increased. If he was to have his desires fulfilled, he had to play the part he wanted to do as well. While surfing on the Internet, an integral part of his second goal. He found this rather odd service - Girl in the box. Now the prospect intrigued and amused Tom. His long term goal of taking a girl and making her his obedient sex slave might wait. Or it might not. His original plan was to meet a girl through the internet, the idea was good but there where a number of sticky points he had not gotten around. No, it was not the way he planned but now he had a better idea. The girl in the box might be better used for a more practical use. Much more practical for him.

It was too easy on the surface. The perfect crime. As the say, is one where no one knows one has been committed… Or one where you could find a fall guy to take the blame. Tom knew one such person. Mark.

Now this was not a rival at work. Rather Tom was on rather good working relations with him although he would not call him a close friend. But others at work had voiced their personal dissatisfaction with his behavior. Further more this co-worker was a slight leech. His divorce was a rather messy one and the subject of many break room talks. He set things in motion. It took time but this could be a test. If it blew up in his face. He could pass it off as a practical joke gone bad.

One day he made the premise of stopping by Mark's place on the pretext he wanted to go over some things at work. Mark seemed please that someone came to see him. Tom did a quick survey around the place and saw a rather racy screen saver on the computer and number of porn mags around the room. When Mark was not looking Tom took from his mail pile his credit card statement. With that he could charge to his account the package. But not now. He had to wait.

Now he got small place and rented it under Marks name but paying cash. Mark had different color eyes and was only marginally taller than Tom was. A little padding in the shoes and buying clothes like those Mark wore only added to the effect. Sunglasses and a baseball cap added to the effect to cover the eyes and hair. He used his name again to get cheap rental furniture that closely matched everything he had seen in Marks place. Again paying cash. He would take the bus from his place to ‘Marks’ place. For over a month he lived a double life. Which proved to be useful, that way when he left with his package he would be moving into his new house. Most of everything from his old place he had been selling off or disposing of. The only thing that proved annoying was his internet connection was dicey and prone to hang ups. But he was only using dial up. 

Tom’s plan was to have the package delivered, dispose of the deliverymen. Not kill them of course but he suspected there was going to be more than one. He was going to have to act quickly. A tazer gun would work but only at close range. The service provided a person in a wooden box after cardboard proved to be cumbersome according to pictures. Two maybe three people would deliver the package and then wait and come back later to pick it up. Tom decided that he could not do this cold the first time. So he arrange for the pack to delivered but he would not be there. He planned to use Mark's credit card twice within one month. Both for the same purpose. He would observe the first delivery and then reschedule the second one. Claiming something came up at the last minute.

The truck looked like a conventional truck. Two men. One would stay in the truck while the other knocked on the door. There was only a crate in the back. No woman was to be seen so she had to be in the box already. There it was. He would simply take out the man waiting in the truck. To keep his package out of the way a portable battery powered nail gun would do the trick and chloroform sheet laid over the top may be needed.

Two-weeks passed since his dry run with the first missed delivery and every thing was ready. The house was finished. His pickup truck was parked a number of miles away. In the opposite direction from his house. In fact it would be with in blocks of Mark’s original place.

Everything went as planned. With the passenger waiting for the driver to return so both could take the package to Mark residence. Tom stunned the other occupant. Placed him out of sight in a dumpster. Used the nail gun to keep his package secure. Placed a cloth over one air hole and applied a careful measured dose of chloroform. He drove off with the truck with the window down to prevent the chloroform from effecting him. Tom made the transfer of the package to his truck behind a bankrupted mega-store blocks away from Mark location. He then drove with his package to his new home.  Tom then grabbed a cart to bring it down stairs and placed it in the middle of the wine cellar and had a number of binding tools at the ready

Now was the culmination of a year’s work. Oh the things she would do. The enjoyment he would have. His desire would be her desire.

With crowbar in hand he pried open the wooden case. The faint smell of chloroform assailed his nose as he open the lid.

He stumbled back.

But not from the vapors. 

It was something more

His package.

It was a man.

Worse. He knew who it was.

It was Mark.

End.

01.03.04