Sex and Murder Magazine

By Amanda Lawrence Auverigne

Celia entered the cluttered dorm room. She stopped near the center of the tiny chamber and looked around the space with a shuddering grimace.

The floor of the small box-shaped room was covered with wrinkled clothing, cracked compact discs and tangled ear buds.

A small unmade bed lay in the dark corner of the chamber. A large wooden desk was pressed against the wall near the bed. The wooden table was filled with stacks of books, two battered laptop computers, empty soda cans, capless highlighter markers, rubber bands, and bent ink pens.

A small battered television rested atop a rusted metal crate. The old machine was situated in front of the bed.

An opened can of Spam rested on top of the TV.

A cracked Game Cube and a duct tape covered Nintendo Wii lay on the floor in front of the television.

Several gaming disks rested on the floor in dusty piles near the two gaming consoles.

Posters of half-clad women, growling football players, large bottles of liquor, and grinning soccer stars decorated the walls of the tiny room.

A large window was situated directly across from the doorway of the chamber.

A set of frayed, white curtains were hung clumsily from a rusty rod that was suspended above the partition.

The curtains were open and the partition provided a view of the tall buildings and lush green campus that lay fourteen stories below.

Several large cracks and small fissures marred the center of the window’s smudged glass pane. Five thick strips of black electrical tape had been applied to the imperfections on the glass.

Several empty beer cans, half-eaten Power Bars, opened packages of chewing gum, and dented boxes of crackers lay perched atop the windowsill.

Celia held her large bag at her side while she gazed at the damaged window with a huff of disgust.

“Oh, Celia you’re here,” Phillip said.

Celia turned around. She stared at the space behind her and saw Phillip standing in front of the door.

“Yeah, I’m here. This place should be condemned. Do you even try to pick up after yourself?” Celia asked.

“Oh, you will excuse the place. You see, my maid hasn’t had the chance to do her rounds yet,” Phillip said.

Phillip took a small step back. He grabbed the doorknob of the door behind him before pushing it closed with a grin.

Celia took a step forward and pointed at the closed portal with a huff.

“No way, Phillip. I’m not here for any of your stupid games,” Celia said.

“What games?” Phillip asked.

“You open that door right now and you keep it open. Understand?” Celia asked.

“Oh, this door? Don’t worry about it. It’s in the middle of the afternoon which means that most of the people in this building are in class. It’s practically deserted. So, you don’t have anything to worry about,” Phillip said.

“Phillip, if you don’t’ open that door right now I swear…” Celia said.

Phillip raised his hands. He thrust his limbs in Celia’s direction in a gesture of defeat.

“Okay, okay. Your wish, as always, is my command,” Phillip said.

Phillip lowered his hands before he turned around and grabbed the doorknob.

The young man opened the door slowly. He kept his hand on the knob while he turned to Celia.

“There, now the door is open,” Phillip said. He twisted the knob with a wide grin. “Are you satisfied now?”

“It’ll do for now, I guess,” Celia said. She looked at Phillip’s hand the clutched the doorknob before pointing at the limb. “Take your hand off of it.”

“Fine,” Phillip said.

Phillip took his hand from the door.

“Its open and your reputation is safe,” Phillip said, folding his arms across his chest.

“And we wouldn’t want the people on this floor thinking that you’re in here getting a piece. Now would we?” Phillip asked.

Celia took a cautious step away from Phillip. She glanced quickly at the opened door behind the young man before she focused her sight on his face.

“Look, Phillip, I’m not here to play games with you,” Celia said.

“I know,” Phillip said.

“Then you know what I’m here for. So, let me have it,” Celia said.

“I’ll let you have it alright,” Phillip said.

Phillip lowered his sight to Celia’s bosom.

Celia slid her large bag from her shoulder and placed the parcel protectively over her chest.

“Don’t do that,” Phillip said. He raised his eyes to Celia’s face. “You’re blocking my view.”

“Phillip, just stop it,” Celia said, with growing impatience.

“Stop what?” Phillip asked.
“Looking at me like that!” Celia exclaimed.

“Looking at you like what?”
“Is this supposed to be funny? Or is that what you say to get the drunk, slutty girls at the bars to come home with you?”
“No and no. So, move that bag.”

“No, Phillip. Stop playing games and get your mind out of the gutter. I’m not one of your giggling sorority sluts.”

“You’re absolutely right, Celia. You’re not. You, Celia Grant, are something else entirely.”

“Look, do you have the notes for class or what?”

“Notes for?”

“The project for Sociology. Come on, pay attention. Our group met yesterday and we’re almost done with the project, but we need your data in order to process the statistics for our presentation.”

“Oh yeah. That data. I got it right here.”

Phillip took a few steps forward.

Celia moved quickly from his path and she kept on gaze on Phillip as she stopped in front of a wall on the far side of the room.

Phillip moved towards his desk. He paused in front of the table and grabbed at the piles of rumpled papers and dented books with slow sluggish movements. He snatched at a pile of wrinkled papers that jutted from between the stacked laptop computers and gazed at the parchments with irritation.

“That’s not it,” Phillip said absently.

Phillip tossed the papers onto the corner of the desk. He grabbed at a pile of books near him.

Three soda cans fell from the table and landed on the floor with resounding clanks.

“Hmmm…this is awkward. I seem to have lost it,” Phillip said.

“Lost it?” Celia asked.

“Yeah, I can’t find it,” Phillip said.

“Phillip, please say that you’re kidding about this,” Celia said.

“Afraid not. I seem to have misplaced the all important data.”

“Phillip, do you have any idea how important this project is?”

“Yes, I do have an idea.”

“Well, do something about this! You need to find that data and fast. Our presentation is on Thursday. It’s Monday.”

“Relax; I saved it on my drive. I just have to find it.”

Phillip placed the books on the desk before calmly sifting through a pile of flyers and pamphlets that lay on the table near his computers.

“Look, Phillip, after you find the data in whatever cave you’ve shoved it in, just email them to me in an attachment. I’ll make some sense of it so that we can have a good presentation for Thursday. But I will be telling Professor Hanson about your half assed work ethic on this project,” Celia said tartly.

“Just wait a minute. And I’ll give you what you need,” Phillip said.

“Phillip, I don’t have a minute to wait for you to find your stuff. I am a very busy person and I have places to be.”

“Where you have to be, you stuck up little bitch, is right the fuck here.”

“What did you just say to me?”

Phillip turned around. He rested the rear portion of his body atop the edge of the wooden desk behind him while he gazed at Celia with a lopsided smile.

“You’re a roid raging psycho and I’m leaving. Fuck your data,” Celia said with a huff.

Celia turned around and she stomped across the room in the direction of the door.

The sound of loud sighs, guttural moans, and resonant slapping noises filled the room.

In between the guttural intonations, the sound of two distinct voices echoed in the small chamber.

“Oh, Dr. Hanson…that feels so good!”

“You like that, Celia?”
“Yes, I like it.”
“Tell me how much you like it.”
“Oh, I fucking love it! Harder! Harder! Yes!”

Celia stopped walking. She turned around and looked across the room.

Phillip stood in the center of the room. He held a cellular phone in his hand.

The image of two naked people flashed across the small screen of the device.

The two unclothed forms writhed and gyrated atop a large wooden desk that was situated in the center of an empty lecture hall.

The sound of grunts, shouts, and squeals became louder while the resonant slapping sounds increased in velocity.

Celia moved slowly across the room. She stopped a few paces in front of Phillip.

She studied the small screen of the cellular phone. She gasped when she recognized herself bouncing atop the body of a bald, sweaty, and red faced middle aged man who writhed on the desk beneath her.

Phillip pressed a button on the phone.

The machine’s screen went dark and cold silence filled the room.

Celia blinked several times. She looked up from the dark screen of the cellular phone and stared at Phillip.

“Where did you get that?” Celia asked.

“Doesn’t matter where I got it. Just know that I have it. And judging by the look on your face, you know that what’s on this thing is real,” Phillip responded.

“I don’t feel well,” Celia murmured.

Celia raised a hand to her head. She rubbed at her forehead a few times before lowering her limb from her face.

The young woman took a deep breath and she looked around the room.

Celia gasped for air and she took a few clumsy steps backwards. She tripped over her feet and regained her balance quickly.

Celia avoided Phillip’s penetrating stare and she quickly lowered her sight to the floor. She studied the floor for a few moments before she grabbed at her stomach with a gagging choke.

“Now, you’re not about to get all sick on me are you? Because if you are the bathroom’s down the hall. So get out of here and try your damnedest to make it there, cause I’m not cleaning up your vomit.” Phillip said.

Phillip moved to Celia. He stopped in front of her with a cold smile.

“But then if you leave, there’s really no telling what I could do with this little piece of viral video during your trip to kiss the commode,” Phillip said.

Celia took a deep gasping breath. She swallowed with great difficulty and looked up at Phillip.

“Why are you doing this?” Celia asked.

“Let’ see, if this vid gets out what would happen? Hmmm…possible expulsion for you. A public hearing for the esteemed Dr. Hanson. Which would probably lead to his termination. And he’ll be blackballed from teaching at any university in the country. Especially after I upload this little gem on the Tube,” Phillip said.

Phillip raised the phone in his grasp and shook it in Celia’s direction with a cheerful laugh.

Celia stared at the phone. She lowered her hand from her abdomen before she rushed forward with her limb stretched out in front of her.

Phillip walked backwards a few paces in a lively dance while he raised his free hand in Celia’s direction.

“Ah, stop right there,” Phillip warned.

Celia stopped walking. She raised her sight from the phone and looked at Phillip.

“Give it to me,” Celia said.

“No,” Phillip said.

“Phillip I’m warning you,” Celia said.

Phillip released a high pitched whistle.

“Oh, you’re warning me? Let me see…” Phillip said.

Phillip pulled the phone closer to him. He stared at the screen while he tapped at the object.

“Phillip don’t,” Celia said.

Phillip stopped the motion of his hand and he looked up at Celia.

“Don’t what?” Phillip asked with an edge to his voice.

“Don’t upload that video. Please. You could destroy a lot of lives if you do,” Celia said.

Phillip lowered the phone in his grasp. He stared at Celia for a brief moment before he burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

After some time, he composed himself quickly and ceased his merriment with a string of rattling coughs. He raised the phone in his hand and gazed at its monitor while tapping at the screen.

“Destroying lives. Fucking hilarious,” Phillip said, with a shake of his head.

“Phillip, no. You wouldn’t,” Celia said.

Phillip stopped tapping at the phone and looked up at Celia.

“What makes you think I wouldn’t?” Phillip asked.

“Because you don’t have it in you,” Celia replied.

“You’ll find out soon enough what I have in me,” Phillip said.

“You wouldn’t do that to me. You wouldn’t do that to Dr. Hanson.” Celia breathed.

“You bet I would. What do I have to lose?”

“You’re an asshole, Phillip. Just like all the girls say you are.”

“Yeah, but at this moment, I am the asshole with all of the power.”

“So, what do you want?”

“I want what you gave Dr. Hanson. But on a regular permanent type basis.”

“What?”

“Yeah. I want it on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Wednesday nights. Hell, Mondays too if I’m not watching sports.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Afraid not.”

“This is insane. You could get so much out of this besides a weekly lay.”

“Careful, if you’re good as you look on this vid, I might require your services on the weekends too.”

“Phillip, I’m serious. You could get. You could get a serious settlement from me. From my family if you agree on paper to keep this from going public.”
“How much of a settlement?”
“Six figures. Maybe more if you’re willing to play ball.”
“Oh, you’ll be playing with balls alright. Mostly mine.”

“Look, Phillip. If you give me the vid and agree not to post it in any way, you could get some serious cash.”
“How much?”
“I told you. A lot.”
“How do I know that you’re good for it?”
“I’m Celia Grant. My father is Matthew Grant and unless you’ve been living under a rock for most of your life you’d know that my father…”
“Owns one of the oldest and richest pharmaceutical companies in the country.”

“Yes, he does. My family owns it. So, I am good for it.”

“Celia, I know all about that. But it’s not money I want.”

“Then why did you ask me about it?”
“To fuck with you. I’m having so much fun right now. You have no idea. Like I was saying. I’m not hurting for cash. See, my great, great, great-granddad manufactured this food that everyone has loved, loved, loved for the last century or so. So, no, I’m not strapped for cash and I don’t want your money.”

“So you still want sex?”

“Yeah.”

“But you have a girlfriend.”

“Well, she’s not really into some of the things that I’m into. But you will be.”

“Only if I accept your offer.”

“Aw, bitch. You really don’t have a choice. See, not only will this video hurt your poor Dad’s heart when it blows up on the Tube but it will also totally, and I mean totally, wreck that little abstinence group that you’ve been trying to jumpstart on this campus. Any success with that?”

“But I don’t understand. I’m not your type.”

“Sure you are. You are the type who pretends to be all uptight and not into sex. But if you hit that spot and slam it a couple of times you really get into it. And then the claws come out. Meow.”

“This is ridiculous. You’re a Chemistry major!”

“What does that have to do with what’s on this tape and what I’m expecting from you?”

“Phillip, with help from my father’s company, you could use this to set yourself up with a lucrative career for life. A job after you graduate in one of the top pharmaceutical labs in the country. Damnit, you could have your own lab. But instead, you want sex four times a week.”

“What can I say? I’m a young stud. And you’ll be my mare.”

“This is insane!”

“Actually it’s not. I’ve been into you since forever, and you’ve always thought that you were better than me.”
“I never thought that!”

“Yes, you have. But now the tables have turned haven’t they?”
“I can’t believe you’re doing this.”

“Believe it, sweetheart. From now on, your ass and everything else that’s attached to it is mine. Unless you want me to upload this little video onto the university webpage.”

“No, please don’t do that.”

“I thought that you’d see things my way.”

“So let me get this straight. You’re blackmailing me for sex.”

“Are you wearing a wire and trying to tape this? Let me spell it out for you in a way that I’m sure you’ll understand. Yes, Celia, I want to fuck. I want to fuck a lot and I’m going to be fucking you on a regular basis. If you agree to my terms. And you will agree because you have no choice. Before you go and ask me another stupid question about what I want from you let me repeat the same answer. Celia, I want sex. So, I am trading not doing anything with this tape of you banging the old dude, on school grounds, for sex. Sex with you. Lots of sex. The good kind and not with you just laying on the bed like you’re half dead. The way you were with Dr. Hanson is the way you’ll be with me. But with a lot more feeling. I’m a lot younger than him and I can go the distance without help from a little blue pill.”

“Well, I guess I don’t have a choice then.”

“No, you don’t.”

“But there is something I could do.”

“Like what? Call the police and report me for attempting to blackmail you? Not smart because they will have to view this tape as evidence.”

“No, I would never call the cops.”
“Smart move. Half the force in this town are a bunch of pervs. But enlighten me, Celia, If you’re not going to call the cops, what will you do besides what I say?”

“Uh, I don’t know.”

“Come on, I’m dying to find out what you’re gonna say.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“You’re lying. I can tell. Come on, what will you do, huh? What choices do you have besides getting on your knees?”

“I could just kill you.”

Phillip tossed back his head with a chortling laugh. He wiped at a tear that gushed from his left eye and before he looked at Celia with a slow shake of his head.
“Bitch, you don’t even have it in you,” Phillip said.

Celia looked at the floor. She blinked back a flood of tears while she spoke in a faint whisper.

“You’re right. I’m not a murderer,” Celia said softly.

“Yeah, baby. You’re not. Now, enough with all of this talking. Get on the bed and take off your clothes. Let’s get this thing started,” Phillip said.

Celia looked up at Phillip with alarm.

“What, here?” Celia asked with shock.

“Yeah, bitch here. You’re not leaving until I get my stuff sucked and slam into that little thang of yours. Shut the door and come over here. Now,” Phillip said.

“Alright,” Celia said softly.

Celia turned around and walked across the room. She stopped in front of the door and pushed the barrier closed slowly.

“Hurry up,” Phillip said.

“Okay,” Celia said.

Celia turned around. She looked across the room.

Phillip was seated on the edge of his bed. He gazed at Celia with interest while he pulled off his shirt.

“Take off your clothes. I won’t say it again,” Phillip commanded.

“Alright,” Celia said softly.

Celia dropped her bag to the floor and took a few steps forward.

During her stiff movements across the room she grabbed at the buttons of her shirt and undid the fastenings slowly. She shifted her sight from Phillip’s face and stared at the cluttered desk near him.

His cellular phone was perched atop the stack of battered laptop computers near the center of the table.

“Hurry it up, Celia. I don’t want a fucking lap dance,” Phillip said.

Celia looked at Phillip.

“Sorry,” Celia whispered.

Celia pulled at her buttons clumsily.

“You will be once I get into that,” Phillip said.

Celia opened her shirt.

A small black bra adorned with tiny white pearls adorned her form.

Phillip leaned back on the bed. He gazed at Celia’s partially naked form with a smile.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Now, come over here,” Phillip said.

Celia looked up at Phillip. She raised her sight from the young man’s face and stared at the window.

The young woman released a small cry before raising her hands and closing her shirt atop her partially exposed bosom.

“What is it now?” Phillip asked.

“The window,” Celia replied.

“What about it?” Phillip asked.

“The curtains are open. I can see the windows of the other dorm from here,” Celia said.

“So?” Phillip asked.

“So, someone could see us. Please, close the curtains,” Celia replied.

“Why the fuck do you care? You’re on tape screwing some old dude,” Phillip asked.

Celia shifted her sight from the window and looked at Phillip.

“Please, Phillip. I’ll do what you want. But I want to keep things…private, you know?” Celia said.

Phillip looked at Celia for a long time before he sat up and rose from the bed with a huff.

“Fine, bitch,” Phillip muttered.

Phillip turned away from Celia and he moved to the window. He stopped in front of the partition and grabbed at the curtains.

“Are you as big as they say?” Celia asked.

“Well, bitch. You’re just gonna have to come over here and find out,” Phillip said. He pulled the curtains shut with a chuckle. “Let’s get to it, bitch. I want my dick sucked and I want it sucked now so when I turn around you better be on your fucking knees with your whore mouth open and your clothes off too.”

The sound of low footfalls echoed behind him. Phillip turned around quickly and looked at the space behind him.

Celia ran across the room with an expression of intensity across her features. She moved rapidly in Phillip’s direction with her hands raised.

Before Phillip could react, she was upon him.

The young woman stopped in front of Phillip briefly and slammed her palms into the center of his chest, shoving his form roughly backwards.

Phillip stumbled backwards with a loud cry. The rear portion of his form struck the cracked window behind him.

The window shattered from the impact of his body. Phillip fell through the broken window and screamed in a high pitched whimper while his form rapidly descended to the ground.

The sound of a sickening crunch rose up from the ground below and the screams stopped.

Chilled silence filled the room.

Celia stood motionless in front of the broken window. She stared at the shattered pane of glass while the thin white curtains billowed outwards.

A sudden gust of frigid air filled the room just before the sounds of loud screams and yells rose up from the ground below.

Celia blinked rapidly before she turned from the window and rushed to the desk.

She snatched the cellular phone and two laptop computers before running across the room. She fell to her knees in front of her bag before opening the satchel and shoving the items inside.

Celia rose to her feet and swung her bag atop her right shoulder. She rushed to the door, fastening the buttons on her shirt during her trek forward.

She stopped cautiously in front of the door and raised her shirt. She quickly wiped the hem of her garment against the doorknob.

Celia clutched at the metal sphere beneath the thin fabric of her tunic before twisting the object and yanking the door ajar.

She gazed into the hall warily.

The passage was empty and silent.

Celia released her hold on the doorknob before stepping casually from the confines of the room and entering the vacant hallway cautiously. She turned from the opened doorway and walked briskly across the quiet corridor.

She moved steadily towards a large silver elevator that stood at the far end of the corridor.

A large door marked ‘Stairwell’ lay embedded in the wall on the left side of the elevator.

The carved numbers above the closed elevator door flashed with illumination in rapid succession.

Celia rushed steadily forward. She moved towards the stairwell door. She used her shirt to push the door ajar and she entered the dim confines of the stairwell with a heavy sigh.

She descended the staircase rapidly and reached the lower portion of the building. She moved to the door that lead to the first floor of the structure.

Celia opened the large portal with her shirt and she stepped into a large bright lobby.

The lobby was empty. The glass sliding doors that lead outside were open.

Celia moved to the portals. She slowed her stride and looked outside.

A large group of wide eyed students stood in a large circle a few feet away from the doorway.

Phillip’s twisted and bloody form lay in the center of the ogling group.

The young man’s body lay still atop the bloody stone beneath him. His eyes were opened and gazed at nothing. His head was twisted at an odd angle atop his neck. Blood gushed from his open mouth.

The loud sound of a shrill siren echoed in the distance.

Celia moved forward. She stepped from the confines of the building and moved towards the circle of shocked students.

With each step she took, the young woman twisted her face into a mask of shocked concern and when she reached the group of students her face was a mask of sympathy and surprise.

Celia stopped beside a weeping blond girl. She turned from Phillip’s broken form and looked at the yellow haired woman.

“What happened?” Celia asked.

“I dunno, some people said he just fell,” the girl replied with a sob.

“Oh, no,” Celia said.

Celia turned from the girl and she stared at Phillip.

The crowd that surrounded the young man’s bloody form grew larger.

Three security guards rushed into the space.

Celia blinked a few times and the tears that she had successfully suppressed moments earlier flowed freely.

The blonde girl looked at Celia.

“Did you know him?” the girl asked.

“No, but it’s just so sad,” Celia replied with a choke.

“I know. I think he’s dead,” the blonde girl said.

Celia nodded.

The blonde girl pulled Celia into a hug. Celia returned the young woman’s embrace.

The security guards approached Phillip’s motionless form. They pushed a few of the wide eyed students away from the corpse.

The sound of approaching sirens grew louder.

Celia stared at Phillip’s face. She suppressed a small smile.

“Yeah, I’m something all right.” Celia whispered.