Lust

By VALERIE MARGO

There he was again. He was looking intently in her direction. But was he really looking at HER? Were his eyes focused on her plain face and ordinary figure'? Filamina couldn't tell for sure. This was the third such encounter in as many days and she was beginning to get nervous.

He was good looking for sure. In fact, Filamina found herself strongly attracted to his broad, muscular shoulders. His eyes were dark brown nearly black and exactly matched the color of his well-kept hair. But she'd really only seen him from a distance, and never for very long for when she found him looking at her, she could not return his gaze. Her eyes averted and her body turned away after only a few seconds.

Could they really have encountered each other purely by coincidence? Three times? It seemed a very remote possibility. Each time she had seen him over her lunch break but two of the places were miles across town from each other and today she hadn't taken lunch at all, but had decided on a nice long walk in the park. And there he was. Coincidence"? Filamina could not confront the other possibility. If they weren't coincidental, these meetings, then they must be intentional. And that would mean that this man, however attractive, was following her.

This thought sickened Filamina. The newspapers were rife with tales of helpless females stalked and raped or even murdered. She was terrified that she might be the next victim. A grim statistic. A testimony to a society no longer orderly and civilized. Her feats were often apt to play tricks on her. An Innocent shadow was often transformed into a loathsome character cruel lust burning in his eyes, following, following, following...
Filamina shuddered and pulled her coat collar up around her neck and looked again in his direction. Careful... look now... not there. Not there'? But where had he gone"? Behind a tree? No. He had disappeared. The field where he had stood was completely empty. She telexed a little and told herself she was going around the bend. She laughed to herself and started her walk back to work.

The next two days passed and there was no sign of the man. Filamina was beginning to telex and to know that it had been just another trick of her overly fearful Imagination. But on the third day he appeared again. It was a Sunday and she had gone to the zoo with her sister Cleo. Filamina had nearly fainted when she'd caught sight of him on the other side of the orangutan enclosure. She recovered and looked again yes it was him! But...

"Cleo, Cleo!" she called and turned, locating her sister two or three people be& "Look over there. See that man?" She pointed across the enclosure. Cleo looked, her eyes squinting against the glare.

"Yea, I see him. What is it?" Cleo's face showed concern.

"Well..." Filamina began. She told the story as they watched him from behind a large rock next to the enclosure. He looked toward them and seemed to be searching, confirming their growing suspicions.

Cleo insisted that Filamina should make a report to the police. "He could be a stalker," she pleaded.

But Filamina was hesitant. After all, she had no proof of any wrongdoing not even ling malintent on his part.

They made their way to the polar beats. Cleo glanced casually behind them in order to gee if he was following them.

"He's still there," she said breathlessly, "and he's looking lit us through binoculars or something!"

Filamina's blood froze.

"God he's handsome," chirped Cleo.

Filamina gave her sister a scathing look. But to herself she had to admit that she felt a little thrill inside underlying her fears at the thought of big presence. Following... following... following.

They lost him somewhere between the ostriches and the elephants. They had been making their way to the exit and he had simply vanished. Cleo expressed her release of tension with a non stop stream of chatter. She insisted that he resembled a television star newly playing on one of her favorite soap operas. And wasn't he handsome…and sexy! But she was speaking mostly to herself for Filamina was fat away

Filamina slept fitfully that night. In the morning she was still haunted by the dreams of his face everywhere she turned. She couldn't get away from big dark eyes. Then she watched in horror as those eyes transformed into the amber orbs of a monstrous creature. His head become the head of a slavering, carnivorous beast with an Insatiable appetite.

She called in sick to work and took a sleeping pill and went back to bed.

At eleven, she was woken by the phone. It was Ellen at work

"How site you feeling?" Ellen asked.

"Better,'' Filamina said groggily."What's up Ellen?"

"Well, I thought you'd want to know that someone was here to gee you this morning.

"Oh... was it Mr. Murphy from... Ellen, why ate you whispering?"

"Well, I don't want the others to heat, but I thought you would like to know. It wasn't Mt. Murphy from the agency. I don't know W140 he was he wouldn't leave a name. But, Filamina you devil who is he? What a dish!"

Suddenly Filamina was wide awake. "Did he have dark eyes?"

"Yea, that's him. Where did you get him'? I want one too!

"Ellen did he..." she paused too afraid to finish her question. But she must know! She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "Did he ask for me by name?"

"Now that's s the funny thing," Ellen answered. He didn't ever mention gout name. But he described you to a tee!"

Filamina was slightly relieved that he didn't know bet name. She composed herself, thanked Ellen non commitally for the information, dressed conservatively and headed out the door for the police station.

"Yes?' the uniformed police women greeted Filamina solemnly.

"I... uh... have a question regarding a stalker," she began.

"Are you being stalked?" the woman asked, pulling out a printed form from under the counter. "Name please."

"Oh, no!" Filamina protested. "I'm not... I mean I don't... oh. She was not handling this very well. "My question is actually hypothetical," she continued.

The police woman looked disappointed and then disgusted. "Yea, right." She put the paper back. "You have a friend, tight?"

"Well... no," Filamina struggled "there is this man... but it's Just that I always SEE him wherever I am. Is there any law against that'? I mean, is there anything someone could do to stop..."

"Has he made lewd comments to you or any sexual overtures?" the police woman smiled, obviously mote Interested now.

"No. We've never spoken... I've only seen him... that is noticed him... from a distance.

"Do you feel you're in some sort of danger?" the eager voice quipped.

"Well... no not exactly,"

The police woman's face fell again. Filamina continued, "I just went to know how and when would a person actually BE in danger and perhaps take steps... I mean, when would the police be called in on something like this?"

"A stalking?" The police women looked away, thinking. A serenity washed over her horsey face. "If the person were to approach and speak in a manner which would lead the stalk ee to believe that he... or she... was in danger or coming to some sort of physical harm, well the police would be VERY Interested. The law is very cleat on that. "

"Then as long as he doesn't approach, there is nothing that can be done?" Filamina inquired.

"That's tight. It's still a free country and we can't go bothering people just because they like the same spot as you," Horse face chuckled.

Filamina smiled weekly and bid her goodbye. What the police women had said had raised questions in her mind. If this man was a stalker, and dangerous, why hadn't he approached her or threatened her'? And why did his Nee always seem to portray anxiousness and curiosity Instead of evil or treachery'? Perhaps Filamina had misjudged. Perhaps he was not after her in the criminal sense, but was someone very special who might turn out to be the very man to create all her future happiness. But how was she to know'? Was he a lustful Boston Strangler? Or handsome Prince Charming? Somehow, she must find out. As she made her way home through the busy streets, a plan began to form in her mind. A plan which culminated in a face-to-face encounter and the very appealing fairy story ending, "Happily Ever After." Filamina wisely checked her imagination. One step at a time... one step at a time.

Starting the next day, Filamina was a new woman. She had a purpose and a plan and every step was calculated to achieve her objective. Now Instead of fearfully watching hat back to see if he was there, she sought him out. And when he looked at her, she held his gaze, searching his Nee for clues to big Inner self. She frequented the places where they had encountered each other and once she had even casually followed him for a couple of blocks.

And now when she saw him, his dark eyes pierced her to her very soul and her body thrilled at the thought of their future encounters under the cover of dark and romantic nights. She was no longer afraid. Her feat had been replaced by a deep longing for him. And this surely must have been his motivation as well. He must have sensed her feat and been patient enough not to push bet into something she would not have been able to accept. Or maybe he had been just as reluctant as she was - after all they were strangers to one another. Cautious or considerate, whichever it was, Filamina didn't mind. He was there and she wasn't going to let him slip away now. It was time for the final step of her plan. They must meet and speak to one another... and it must look casual and coincidental.

The next day Filamina rose early and began bet preparations. She made up, curled, sprayed, powdered and bejeweled her body. Her plain features came alive and shone with a new vibrancy due, not only to the extra bit of make up applied just tight, but to the blissful anticipation of her future happiness. She had never felt go alive and so beautiful.

Time dragged at work until the lunch bout arrived. Today was the day and her plan was perfect! A casual meeting in the park was what was called for, very public and safe for both of them. She only hoped he'd be there today. It was the place they had most often met well... not met! Filamina smiled at that. How they will both laugh ten years from now sit this very Orange beginning to their relationship. He would be at the park today. She knew it is she had never known anything before.

She stepped up onto the curb and headed across the grass to the center of the park. The trees were tall and leafy even though Nil was well under way. She stood and surveyed the area and found the spot he was usually at. A score of silly teenagers were standing in a group to the left some sort of event was happening. A table was set up and some young men milled around it. Another "gave the Planet" event, she thought. She turned and looked farther to the tight. There he was! He was watching the scene from a distance and hadn't caught sight of her get.

Filamina made a wide circle around the activity in order to come up from behind him. Vet heart was racing and she was beginning to perspire a bit, but her eyes gleamed and her Nee showed a look of pure log. She took another step closet to him and smelled big cologne. She breathed him in and turned to Nee him. He looked at her and his Nee showed surprise. He turned away for a second and Filamina reached out her hand to touch his arm. Looking into his face, his eyes now so close were even more intriguing. Then he smiled. But what was it about the smile? It was not 11 smile of welcome or adoration It was a sardonic smile... almost cruel. She was confused for a moment. Then suddenly his arm flashed out and grabbed her by the wrist, holding her with an iron grip she couldn't shake. She tried to pull away, to turn, but he held her fast.

As she struggled she turned to see two men running toward them. And from the other side came Horse face from the police station. Filamina called out for help. When the others arrived she and her attacker" were separated.

The morning paper carried the story...

	LUSTFUL STALKER APPREHENDED BY POLICE
	In a bizarre stalking case police arrested Filamina Gooch in Central park yesterday. Ms. Gooch had allegedly been stalking TV soap opera star Clifford Trent for several weeks. Police say their success was solely based on full cooperation between the victim and police in three precincts. Mr. Trent has risen rapidly in popularity as Josh Turner on WVRE's newest continuing story, "Our Lives... Our Business," and reported the stalking to police after receiving several threatening letters at the television studio. Officer Bergendorf, one of the arresting officers, reported Ms. Gooch's unusual behavior during an earlier encounter at the 34th precinct headquarters and after reading an account of the crime and description of the suspect. This culminated in the arrest of Ms. Gooch as she attempted to molest Mr. Trent during an autograph signing event in Central Park. Officer Bergendorf had this to say: "She was very interested in how far a stalker could go before the police could be called in. I advised her on that point but today she crossed the line. She's a testimony to a society no longer orderly and civilized. But luckily for Cliff Trent, we were there to protect him against her kind of treachery."