ะค
The fair Rossa surpassed all the other hot, young, models dancing in the field.
There was not one who could boast so pleasing a form, so mild a grace, so delicate a turn of foot.
Unfortunately, Rossa knew that she was handsomely conceived and that Günter worshiped her.
He wrote songs of her in the evening, as the crew mended the wounds of a day’s labor.
Günter worked with his team, out near the hot springs and was regarded by all who knew him as: a brave fellow, a bold leader and a kind comrade--‘One who feared God and venerated the saints’—but, he was in-love with the fair Rossa (Folie a’ deux) and never let anyone forget it.
He boasted of her perpetually, often weeping like a child until her return and when she did, he’d dote on her like a puppy.
Had you but seen the tears as he pressed her picture to his lips, you would have some vague conception of the power which love can exert over a man.
Günter owned a messy house, a decent portfolio and an excellent engineering-mind (a mind, which had been tempered against submitting to defeat) and he offered the whole-lot for his Rossa, Glamorous Rossa.
It must be acknowledged that Rossa was a ‘live for the moment’ kind of girl and thought of little else but her continuing refinements.
Her only affects were a trunk, a looking-glass (for admiring herself) and a hand-me-down spinning wheel that never turned and stayed mostly in the trunk!
The love of her handsome and brave benefactor flattered her pride, but she felt no love for him in return. Her loves were herself and power and nothing else…
Yet still, she did not reject Günter.
After visiting the factory one day and having turned many heads, in a thick Roman accent, she said to him…
“I have seen the daughters of your citizens.
“They are not as stunning as I.
“Yet, they wear costumes of splendid color
“…and gold medallions at their necks”
He - the fearless captain - whose voice was so often heard to rise above the storm, trembled at the slightest of Rossa’s grumblings.
Günter purchased for her: a new pair of shoes, silver buttons and a medallion of gold (which he hung for her to see in the looking-glass.)
“Are you happy now, my love?”
…he asked…
“I am happy…
“Because, I am beautiful
“And now …I look more so.”
…she answered…
“Rossa …quit this game …let us retire.”
…he pleaded…
“Wait, until the end of the winter’s season…
“I wish to tango… freely… just one time.”
…she lied.
The winter season came: well known as a time of renewal, festival and lucrative offers (gayety and inspiration seem to flow freely with the anticipation of spring’s coming juices)…yet she continued to lose competition after competition and carried on, unconcerned.
Meanwhile, in order to keep her in new “threads” and “smart wheels”…
Günter had liquidated his portfolio, cleaned up the house (which his father had left him) and, prostituted his mind. His team would now be playing for the ‘other side’ and a meager but steady paycheck
…all to give Rossa her ‘big chance’.
Still …she put off setting the date.
Other pretexts were offered for her delay: spring season, summer, fall… another year came and went, all the while she’d passed the days behind her looking-glass, purring incessantly and smiling at her own beauty.
Scarcely would she give her admiring benefactor a word or even a look.
Günter saw very plainly, fare Rossa had no love for him and so…
He resolved to put her to an ultimatum.
This proved to be all the more tragic for his courage.
What she required was absolute.
She needed everything. Everything the others had: the beautiful bonnets, the fine chains and belts, the buckles and handsomely hand crafted rings…
She needed them all!
“Then …and only then, will I give myself completely.
“And then Günter …we can race with the devil,
“Just the two of us, forever”
…then, finally, she would be satisfied with her trophy.
Some ladies are gifted with a fatal beauty, some Demon impelling you to love them. Their eyes …instead of healing the wounds …seem to afflict ever more.
Günter collected his Luger from the bureau -– that very Luger which ‘the old soldier’ (his father) had carried in the war — and with the giant apelike passion of his Gaulish ancestors, pinned all his dreams of immortality, on one fey ray of hope. He headed, for the nearest bank.
Always gorgeous, always adorned, always gay, Rossa waited in the parking lot, thinking nothing of the poor wretch who was risking life and soul in order to gratify the vanity of his needy lover.
“Soon, the fare Rossa will have the beautiful bonnet, the fine new chains and belts, the buckles, the handsome rings …and many things besides.”
No sooner than 2 hours and 15 minutes, after Günter did in fact ‘acquire’ them for her, did a review of the tape—plainly revealing Günter’s mug while conducting the impromptu stick-up—yield a perfect full-frontal head shot, which got cross checked against the DMV archives.
And then again, at the police station…
The desk sergeant radioed a specially unmarked car, with Günter’s only known address and the numbers on his vehicle’s plates.
“ARMED AND DANGEROUS,
“PROCEED WITH CAUTION”
Rossa …the beautiful Rossa, sat behind her window and smiled at one of the young officers, as he was going to arrest her lover!
The agent gave her only a moment’s glance in surprise, but it was enough, enough to ignite an explosion of jealous rage.
Günter aimed and fired a single shot, over their heads, to draw them—and suspicion—away… ‘Away …from the beloved Rossa’
‘Nothing left …not even, Rossa’s love.
‘Dukkha und Weltschmertz!
‘Though, I’ll not go out with a whimper…
‘Ich bein eine Lichtquant…!’
He could take anything, even death, but…
“Do not touch my lady… Not my Rossa!”
He fell in the driveway, pierced by six 9mm bullets.
Even then, Günter managed to crawl the twelve feet to be at Rossa’s side when he gave up the ghost.
She didn’t budge an inch all the while.
The fare Rossa was fascinated by the brave young officer behind the sexy, uniformly-black, suit—‘the badge’ that had just shot Günter.
Even as Günter’s bloodied remains lay at her boot, she bestowed on Officer Ramirez her most winning look (more beautiful, more decorous than ever…. The Demon Look, which disarms with the irresistible force of curiosity’s charms), but the loyal upholder of the law, was somehow immune.
‘It has to be the gun,’ …she mused.
D.O.E. Special Officer Ramirez knelt at her side checking Günter for a pulse while McMurphy made the call –
“THIS ONE’S GOIN’ FAST! HIS DONOR CARD HAS HIM AS DNR. BETTER SEND A PRIEST AND A TOW TRUCK”…said Ramirez in the general direction of his partner, while taking a not unwelcome little peek under Rossa’s skirt.
“RAMIREZ?” asked McMurphy into the cell.
Ramirez shook his head.
“NO, HE’S FINE… NO…
“NO HURRY…
“IT WAS CLEAN…PERP FIRED FIRST…
“YA… I’LL PUT THE CALL IN …
“OK!”
Officers, Ramirez and McMurphy, secured Günter and Rossa, then searched the premises and finding no one else in residence, holstered their weapons. They reached for them again …when they found the ‘WORK’ shop
“Man…
“Will you look at this place…?”
“IT’S LIKE A SHRINE!”
“Madre de Dios…!
“This guy had it bad.”
“SAINTS BE PRAISED…
“CRAZY KRAUT WAS A GENIUS”
That’s when McMurphy radioed for the ambulance.
It was too late. The obituary read:
Günter Münstrikken: Shot by police today—
After robbing the ‘FIRST NATIONAL BANK AND TRUST’ of $135,000 at gun-point, the charismatic head of design for ‘PORSCHE RACING’ and one-time owner/operator of the now defunct ‘MÜNSTRIKKEN RACING & DESIGN TEAM’ (engineers of the revolutionary, but ill-fated, ‘TESTAROSSA ULTIMA’—Münstrikken’s brain-child racing machine, which held great promise as a safe and renewable, inexpensive and pollution-free transport) returned to his ancestral manse, near Talladega.
Two officers responded to the call and, upon discovering Mr. Münstrikken in residence, were fired upon without warning. These returned fire, subsequently slaying Mr. Münstrikken in the volley. Both officers have since been cleared of any wrong doing in what’s been officially labeled, ‘An obvious case of self defense.’
The much publicized ‘TESTAROSSA ULTIMA’—Fusion-Concept-Vehicle (FUCOVE #1)—was found in-situ, but has since been given over to Münstrikken’s neighboring parish as bequeathed …perhaps never again to make public showing.
Near the ‘Church of the Magdalene’s Glory’ …there flowed a deep stream summoned long ago from within the very bedrock by a holy hermit whose powerful prayers caused it to issue forth.
No bird flew overhead, nor was there an insect of the air or soil in sight.
Not even the grass would grow within arm’s reach of her.
Instead of weeping over her errors and repenting, the fare Rossa spent the long days in the scorching sun: contemplating her image as reflected in the stream’s watery mirror.
As promised, the vicar, renowned for his piety and benevolence, arrived the following day with designs for her exorcism.
“No ‘thing’ could be conceived as she had been, unless by possession!” …he postulated, and had Rossa flat-bedded to the foundry that very night.
“So perish the comely dreams of any blinded by love of their own mind,” …the proclamation of the wise and pious priest. *
The F.U.C.O.V.E.—Narcissa Testa Rossa—had a final visage as her engine’s radioactive core was electro-statically induced to 22,746 degrees Fahrenheit, fusing with molten body and chassis.
What you ask…? What was her last thought…?
Herself of course—The Ultima!
Basking in glory and adorned in poetic wreaths of ‘paperwhite’ daffodil.
* (NOTE: As regards “truth” (which should guide one when treating on important matters such as these) we are obliged to state: from what was given above—the policemen’s viewpoints, the obituary rendering—which concisely truncated the events, and even the priest—who to this day still holds his beliefs as ‘The Facts’… all were mistaken in regards to the actual causes of Rossa’s malevolence and demise. In point of fact, the self-manifested incarnation of Narcissa—the Succubus of Nicaea—insinuated itself into the flamboyant Italian stylings of the German engineer’s ingenious, but, high-browed hybrid. Jubello—King of the Toadstool Faeries, having been made aware of this, was not surprised to witness Narcissa’s total disregard for policy and safety. The Specificities of Rule #3 ~ ‘Extreme caution need be exercised when anthropomorphizing any concept, object, or belief: inclusive of fast cars, fusion devices, mad scientists and anything else which is, or, can be “driven”, as they all tend to take it very seriously. ’King Jubello, reminded of previous associations with similar Daimons (baring them naught but ill will and himself contesting on the side of ’Good’), thus became fearful of the evils which must result from a residency among men by a womanly spirit so dangerous in character. For it is said that , “While some are beautiful without being conscious of it… Such being admirable and safe to love… Others know only too well their powers of seduction. Those being whom one should avoid.” Narcissa being decisively of this latter class. It was consequently with great enthusiasm that Jubello placed an elixir of ‘Blinding’ in the waters of the sacred stream, which entranced the Narcissa while she was subsequently returned to her own ‘Mad dame’n’sion’.)
Review item
Add to faves
Ratings & Rankings
