This short story is an entry in the 2002 Soc.Sexuality.Spanking Summer Short Story Contest and is copyright by the author and commercial use is prohibited without permission. Personal/private copies are permitted only if complete including the copyright notice. The author would appreciate your comments
Category: Period
A Matter of Control
By
Starship <starship_64@yahoo.com>
"So if I do this I'll lose my memory?"
"Temporarily, yes. You should get most of it back within five years. There'll be a lot of emotional instability too until your brain integrates the regenerated neurons."
"And in the meantime the doctors will control me like a child." Ellie turned from the window and hobbled across the room to the big video screen, which at the moment was showing a woman who could have been her twin. "One hundred forty-seven years old, with the body of a twenty year old and the brain of a newborn? she snorted. "No thanks."
"I know change is scary," the woman on the screen replied.
"I'm not scared!" Elli snapped.
"You forget that you imprinted me to think and feel exactly the way you do."
"And yet, unaccountably, you seem to think I should undergo this rejuvenation process."
"If you don't you'll die. The anti-geriatrics have already extended your life as far as they can."
"Hmmpf." Ellie turned her back on the screen and moved slowly back to the window, wincing at the pain in her hip. She stared down at the street below.
"It's been twenty-seven years you know," she after a while.
"Excuse me?"
"Since I've been outside the senior center." She sighed. "The world I knew doesn't exist anymore."
"But you'll be able to see the world that's out there now."
"Will I?" Her voice lowered. "I've been running my own life as long as I can remember. Now you're telling me to give that up. Let somebody else make the rules, decide what is and isn't good for me, even spank me when I don't comply--you see, I've read some of the literature too."
"Corporal punishment seems to help the mind reintegrate. No one's sure why, but..."
"That's not the point! Don't you see? the world I knew is gone. If I do this..." She paused. "You were right. I am afraid. Afraid that if I ever give up control I'll never get it back."
"So don't"
"What?"
"Don't give up control."
Ellie snickered. "Now I know you're malfunctioning. Have you forgotten the amnesia? The emotional instability? I won't be able to make decisions and you know it."
"You will if you give authority to somebody who thinks and feels exactly the same way you do."
Ellie blinked and turned back toward the video screen. "But that's... is that legal?"
"Of course. Simulacra like me have been exercising powers of attorney for years. Naturally the doctors would still be doing most of the actual work."
"But you'd have the last word." Ellie turned back to the window. "That... might work," she said softly.
"You understand that I'll still let them spank you when you need it."
Ellie nodded. "And I'll resent you for it, at least until I've recovered enough of my memory to understand." Her heart was pounding. She took a deep breath. "All right," she whispered. "Schedule the procedure."
The End
© Copyright Summer, 2002
Reviews
Pam <pamiMac(at)aol(dot)com>
Wow. This is very much in the John Benson style and as well written too. I mean that as a compliment. I'm not such a sci fi fan but this was interesting to read. Starship seems to have adopted science fiction this year and one of the nice things about being an SSC reader is one reads stories one normally might not read. I'm learning to appreciate the science fiction mode a bit more this year and Starship is one of the reasons.
Dyke Grrl <dyke.grrl(at)verizon(dot)net>
Excellent story, as usual. The interplay between the two characters--or is that between the character and herself?--is interesting, and the resolution of the story is satisfying.
Sarah Nada <circler73(at)hotmail(dot)com>
A Matter of Control seamlessly combines science fiction and spanking, and the story line is really intriguing. I like it that the author manages to keep the story character-driven even though the setup is complex.
Simon <srb(at)imrryr(dot)demon(dot)co(dot)uk>
A new twist on the theme of rejuvenation. The idea of being parented, in some ways, by a clone of oneself is certainly interesting. It definitely gives new meaning to the concept of talking to yourself !