Freda

Freda(Joseph Logsdon) Freda
By Joseph Logsdon
Freda Garbo, unlike most women, refused to get married. She wanted, more than anything else, to have an independent life. Freda Garbo was, indeed, ahead of her time. Marriage, at least to Freda, was a prison, a place where there could be no escape. Finally, after many years of working as a journalist, Freda Garbo decided to take a vacation.
The road was slick as Freda drove into the harsh rain. Freda, drunk and lonely, almost didn’t notice the woman standing in the middle of the road. Having very little time to react, Freda stopped the car. Suddenly and without warning, the woman proceeded to walk towards the vehicle.
“I need your help,” the woman begged.
“I nearly killed you,” Freda replied as she opened the car door.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t intend to frighten you,” she replied.
“So, what do you want?”
“Can you give me a lift?”
“That depends, why do you need one?”
“My husband, drunk and angry, left me in the middle of the road,” she cried.
“That’s awful,” Freda stated.
“You have to understand, I normally don’t ask people for help,” she stated.
“It’s fine, I understand,” Freda replied.
Without further delay, Freda allowed the woman to enter her vehicle.
“So, what’s your name?”
“Laura Henderson,” she answered as the car drove into the night.
“Where do you want me to take you?”
“Frankly, I don’t care,” Laura answered.
“What do you mean, you don’t care?”
“Right now, anywhere is better than here,” she cried.
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
“Sure, I guess,” Laura answered.
“Why did you get married?”
“Honestly, I don’t remember,” Laura whimpered.
“What do you mean, you don’t remember?”
“I got married because I wanted a home, because I knew that I could never sustain a career. Fredrick was a good man, but he never understood me. I thought that, given time, he would see things my way, but that day never came. It took me years to realize that men, whether they admit it or not, want to dominate women completely. You know what I mean, don’t you?”
“I certainly do,” Freda answered.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your name?”
“Garbo, Freda Garbo,” she answered.
“Freda Garbo? The journalist?”
“Yeah, that’s me,” she answered.
“I really enjoy your work,” Laura exclaimed.
“Thank you,” Freda blushed.
“In fact, your writing inspired me to get out of my marriage,” she informed.
“How so?”
“According to your article, you think that women should never get married. You know, I once thought that, but, as the biological clock starts ticking, you begin to have second thoughts. Tell me, have you ever regretted not having children?”
“Not once,” she answered.
“Why?”
“It’s not that I don’t like children, it’s just that I don’t want anyone to rule my life. If I were to have a child, his father would, undoubtedly, try to control my every move.”
“Sure, I understand,” Laura replied.
“Now that you understand, can we talk about something else?”
“Tell me, Freda, are you an orphan?”
“Why do you ask?”
“A few years ago, I read that your parents gave you up at a very young age,” she stated.
“Where did you read this?”
“In the newspaper,” Laura answered.
“You’re right, I was raised in an orphanage. Now, just because I was raised in an orphanage, doesn’t mean that I had a bad childhood. On the contrary, my childhood was, without a doubt, the best time of my life. Back then, people, despite their shortcomings, always managed to give you respect. Now, adulthood, on the other hand, has been the worst time of my life. I get no respect, no decency, and no courtesy.”
“You know, somehow, I feel like we’ve met before,” Laura stated.
“That’s not possible,” Freda replied.
“Yes, but somehow, it feels possible,” Laura stated.
“I guess,” she sighed.
Suddenly and without warning, the car halted.
“What’s going on?” Laura asked.
“I don’t know, let me check the engine,” Freda stated.
Freda, despite her fear of the dark, left the vehicle.
“What do you see?” Laura asked.
“Engine overheated,” she answered.
“What does that mean?”
“Well, it means that we’re going to be stranded,” she answered.
“Call someone, anyone,” she begged.
“It’s not that easy,” Freda stated.
“Why?”
“Because, out here, we don’t have any signal,” she answered.
“I’m leaving,” Laura stated as she left the vehicle.
“You can’t do that,” Freda implored.
“Oh, I can, and I will,” Laura remarked as she walked along the empty road.
“Don’t leave me alone,” Freda begged.
“Why? Are you scared?
“I refuse to dignify that with a response,” Freda exclaimed.
“Look, you can come with me, or, if you think it will help, stay here and wait for help,” Laura stated.
“Well, I guess I’ll go with you,” she decided.
Together, the two women made their way north. An hour went by, then two, then three, and finally, four hours went by. Tired and hungry, the two women spotted an abandoned house. Thinking that it would shield them from the pouring rain, they walked inside.
“This place is really creepy,” Laura remarked.
“Yes, and you, unwittingly, brought us here,” Freda grunted.
“Come on, where’s your sense of adventure?”
“I don’t know, it probably left me five hours ago,” she grumbled.
“Don’t worry, as soon as the rain ends, we’ll be good as new,” Laura laughed.
“Yeah, when people can fly on the moon,” Freda sarcastically stated.
After several agonizing hours, Laura started to reveal her true nature.
“You’re a very beautiful woman,” Laura stated as she stroked Freda’s soft hair.
“Thank you,” she replied.
“Tell me, have you ever been with a woman?”
“Laura, that question is very inappropriate,” she answered.
“I mean, if you don’t like men, you must certainly like women, right?”
“I’m not going to dignify that with a response,” she replied.
“Come on, we both know you like me,” she stated.
“Yes, but as a friend, not a girlfriend.”
“You’re not being truthful,” Laura stated.
“This conversation is making me very uncomfortable,” Freda remarked.
“Don’t worry, if you let me, you can feel really good,” Laura exclaimed.
Without further hesitation, Laura kissed Freda. Freda, confused and panicked, wanted to resist, but, in the end, her lust for women was too strong.
“Laura,” she exclaimed.
“Do you feel good?”
“I feel good, really good,” she exclaimed.
“I knew you would,” Laura stated.
That night, the two women made love. The following morning, Freda smiled as she stroked Laura’s smooth skin.
“This was wonderful,” Freda remarked.
“Yes, too bad it all has to end,” Laura stated.
“What are you talking about?”
“You see, Freda, you’ve been deceived,” Laura stated as she grabbed Freda’s throat.
“Laura, what are you doing?”
“Shut up,” Laura exclaimed.
“What’s going on?”
“Hello, big sister,” Laura laughed.
“Sister? What are you talking about?”
“You don’t know who I am, do you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Finally, after all these years, I’m going to get my revenge,” Laura exclaimed.
“I haven’t done anything to you!”
“You’re right, you didn’t, but our parents, tragically, did do something.”
“I never knew my parents,” she whimpered.
“You didn’t, but I did. You see, Freda, as a child, my parents were very cruel to me. Sure, they loved me, but they never showed me any kindness. They were poor, so poor that I had to work as a janitor after school. You, on the other hand, were spoiled and privileged. My parents decided to give you a better life, and I, sadly, never had that chance.”
“How can I believe you?”
“That’s just it, you don’t have to believe me,” Laura laughed.
“Why would you, knowing that I was your sister, sleep with me?”
“Because, I wanted to see the look on your face when you discovered the truth,” Laura laughed.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Freda sighed.
“This is really twisted, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know what this is,” Freda stuttered.
“Well, sadly, it’s not over,” Laura laughed.
“What do you mean, it’s not over?”
“We’re just getting started.”
Laura, angry and depraved, started to strangle her sister.
“I don’t deserve this,” Freda gasped.
“You, whether you know it or not, deserve much more than this,” Laura grunted.