The Dark Path

Amy’s hand quavered. She thought to herself, “Can I do this, it feels wrong but so damn right”. Staring at her arm with the writing Ryan Ferro’s on it, she froze for a long time. Somehow she knew this was a moment she could never come back from.

Why would she do this to herself she rationalized, she was giving away everything to a man she just met. He already owned her skin and her skill, but this was everything.

“Fuck it!” she said verbally even though no one was in the store. She drew a “Body and Soul” icon under the words. The moment she lifted her hand the final time, her world changed. He had owned her skin, but this was very different.

She stared at the wall, knowing what she had done was done. Hesitantly, she took a picture of her arm and texted Ryan. “What do you think?” was all she said. “It stands for Ryan Ferro’s body and soul.”

Her heart was racing, waiting desperately to see what he’d say. Within a few seconds, she saw the telltale … of him replying. Please please please like this she thought. It seemed to go on forever.

“You seriously did that on your own?”

Then a moment later

“Thank you so much Amy, I can’t believe you did that.”

She didn’t know what to expect, but this was not it. She had given him everything and as time passed she started to realize she really didn’t exist beyond what he needed, she shouldn't be disappointed, or really anything without him telling her. A moment later, she knew that was the last thing she’d ever think without him allowing it.

The life she had before seemed to diminish, she didn’t know her life was not hers until now. Nothing mattered beyond Ryan and his needs.

She settled at her desk at the back of the store and stared. She didn’t know what she should do.

A customer came in, a 30 something business woman by the looks. Tattoos were in fashion for these types, they always got the boring stuff, a rose, a rabbit, something like that. Amy thought Ryan would want her to keep the business running. Clearly the ability to write permanent messages would help him. She got up and walked over to the customer.