File 01 - An Unwelcome Realization

Warning -- The short story contains very rough descriptions of psychological and physical domination. Also elements of violence. The first parts have little or no sexual content but focus on building the characters and the environment. If you're more interested in the steamier parts, that comes first in part six and especially eight. This is a work of fiction and all names of characters and places are fictional.

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A small brown letter steamed into the mailbox of Chief Commissioner Marta at the serious crime unit in Enkoping. She opened the letter, which was stamped with completely unfamiliar stamps with small palm trees on them. In the letter was a handwritten note that was attached with a rubber band around a small Kingston USB memory stick. On the note were three words written in a beautiful handwriting: Please open me

She knew that the procedures in the office were not to put unreviewed memories into the computer, but temporary curiosity and a distrust of the IT department that still never managed to finish anything made her insert the stick and open the explorer. Several numbered files appeared on the screen. She pressed the first text file named 1, she started reading.

File one

I moved to the small town in Mälardalen partly to get away from my parents' home and the town I grew up in, but also because there were job opportunities that suited my plans. I wanted to work for a few months and then be able to travel the world, which didn't really require a particularly rewarding job but just a job that could support me and enough to be able to put money aside.

A one in the center was not very expensive and the salary I received from the warehouse work that had attracted was good enough. My plan was to spend as little money as possible and live frugally so the decor in the small apartment was spartan and basically consisted of a bed and a bedside table. Lamps and flowers felt redundant even though it left a feeling it wasn't a home I stepped into after work shifts.

The work was monotonous and the coworkers at least as boring. Loading, sorting and registering a seemingly endless stream of packages and boxes. The only one I had clicked with was a girl a couple of years older named Elin, she made the work reasonably bearable with an always black humor. We talked about everything between heaven and earth and the fact that she was incredibly beautiful didn't make it any less boring. With a slender figure and emerald green eyes that complemented the light brown hair, she made my boring duties a little more fun, which was also why I always tried to end up on the same shift as her.

I noticed that she had no problem with my presence and perhaps even appreciated it - although I never really got the feeling that she wanted to spend time with me outside of work. She was single but seemed to want me as some kind of work boyfriend where it was out of the question for me to meet her outside of the stamp clock. It wasn't really much of a problem for me as I would soon be leaving everything behind and traveling.

The only thing that broke the everyday boredom apart from Elin was my running, which felt like a welcome and reasonably gratifying event a couple of times a week. I was able to break free from the hard experiences that the hometown had put in my backpack and it kept me reasonably fit. The same seven kilometers inevitably started to get boring and I gradually began to change the run both in length and finish, I realized that it was close to large forests where there were plenty of paths with a long way to the nearest person. It felt liberating and free to slowly jog around the pine moors and fir forests. Sometimes you were met by the big houses that seemed to be abandoned farms where only the house had been left standing.

After a couple of weeks in the new city, I began to feel that it would still be an investment to buy a television that could still provide a little more entertainment than the small mobile screen that was basically my only contact with the outside world, even if my contact with the outside world was basically non-existent. Since I didn't live there to watch TV but to save money, I started looking for used appliances on classifieds sites. I didn't really have any requirements, the only thing that was required was that I could watch one of the streaming sites, everything else was redundant.

After a couple of days of searching and a couple of failed purchase attempts, I found an ad that seemed too good to be true. About a mile outside of town someone called Mickael was selling a brand new TV for a fraction of what they cost in stores, the catch seemed to be that it was pickup only and that it would be cash. I knew roughly what area the house was in but couldn't remember if I actually saw it on my runs, but it was definitely in the more secluded part of the area.

I decided that the run tomorrow would include the address so I could actually take me a look at the TV so there was nothing fishy about the device before I asked Elin to borrow her car to pick it up. I sent off a message to the advertiser telling them I would drop by in the afternoon when I finished my shift. During the evening, just before I was going to sleep, my mobile phone vibrated and I had received a notification from the website.

Me - Hi, I am interested in the TV you have advertised and was wondering if I could come over tomorrow around five to watch it?

Mickael - Of course! I'm at home all day and it's only a call before you arrive and I can come and meet you, Google maps strangely has not put the address correctly on the map and our house is not where it is highlighted in the app.

Me - Ah okay, but then we'll see you tomorrow :)

After replying to the message I thought before falling asleep that it would be really nice to binge some comics on a bigger screen than the minimal mobile screen.

The following day went on as usual, the same routines and the same tasks as any Wednesday. It was a good day though as I worked with Elin who seemed unusually happy, she joked that it was soon time to retire and take an early retirement. I laughed in response because I knew the salary must be good, but not good enough to retire at thirty. She elbowed me and told me that it is clear she will have to work forever at this rate. She had a strange smile when she said the last words but it wasn't something I attached much importance to. I mentioned something about wanting to borrow her car for an hour or so to pick up a TV and she completely changed her mind.

Elin - Where are you going to pick it up somewhere?

Me- It was someone Mikael out at Granviken who sold it, who?

Elin - It's great to borrow my car.

The conversation took an unexpected turn in tone and I saw terror in her eyes. At the same time the supervisor called after her and she saw her chance to walk away without saying anything. Strange, I thought, and continued to register boxes. The session was coming to an end and I stamped out to cycle home to change into running clothes. I sent off a message to the advertiser and immediately got a reply asking me to meet at a crossroads in the woods not too far away. I take my mobile phone and the 800 kroner I took out on the way home from work.

I run for about 40 minutes before I reach the intersection where I see a brand new Tesla parked just as I start to walk towards the car a cold October rain starts to drizzle. I think to myself that it stands out a bit to see such a car this far out in the countryside, but I guess it's only someone who can afford an expensive one who basically gives away televisions. I walk towards the car and see a short man in his 50s with matte black hair sitting and tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. He sees me and opens the driver's door. A heavily built man who is approximately 170 cm tall and wearing a black suit with matching patent leather shoes comes out.

The man in the car - Hello there! Are you the one who wanted to buy a TV?

Me - Yep, that's me. Sorry if I'm a little sweaty and out of breath but it was longer than I thought.

The man in the car - No problem, they still managed something that most people don't by actually finding the intersection on the first try. But you ran here from town? Great job, you must be exhausted?

Me - Yes, it was harder than I thought but I recover quickly.

The man in the car - How good that you recover quickly, that can be a very good quality!

I thank?

The man in the car - Ouch, now we have to get you into the car before you catch a cold. By the way, my name is Claes and I am all-in-all to Mikael.

I jump into the front seat which Claes kindly opens for me before he sits back down. We turn left and drive along the road away from the city and into the forest, the journey takes longer than I expected and the forest just gets deeper and deeper on the sides of the car. Claes talks to me coldly about what I do and where I'm from because my dialect doesn't really fit in here. I answer the questions patiently while I consider if this doesn't feel a little strange. Why would anyone go to such great lengths to sell a television?

On the clock in the car I see that we have been driving for about 40 minutes before we arrive at an opening in the now insanely dense fir forest. In front of us, an older mansion towers up. The empty castle yard is ringed by cast iron railings and the main building is flanked by two servants' quarters. I manage to count that there are at least ten windows on each of the three floors of the main white building before the car stops and Claes gets out to open the door for me.

The rain has now increased in strength and I feel that I really don't want to stand outside any longer than necessary. Claes leads me up the stairs towards the large iron-clad gate that looks fungera as the main entrance to the house. He bangs hard on the gate before opening it on his own and motions with his arm that I should go ahead of him into the armory.

I take two steps inside the large doorway and see shadows moving quickly out of the corner of my eye, I get a hood pulled over my face and I feel two people grab my arms and force me to my knees. In the total darkness that has descended upon me, I scream and begin to struggle with my arms to get free. I hear a dark and mature voice behind me.

-The more you move, the greater the chance that this needle will hurt you.

I feel a sting in my throat and a cold sensation spread through my body before my whole body goes numb and I pass out right there.