Remainders

; ; Tagline: Women find themselves trapped by a weird and mysterious force ; that seems to control their minds and bodies by putting them together ; in positions and groupings ideal for storage.

; ; This is a totally weird story, but one I've enjoyed writing. Enjoy! ;

Part 1

; Baby Come Home!

; ; The excitement in the parking lot came to an end. One punch and that ; was it, pretty anti-climactic after the shouting, swearing and ; pleading. And now all that was left the bloody-lipped loser, dazed ; about why he was involved at all; the muscle-bound, still crazed ; boyfriend, whose face, thick neck and arms were still hot and flushed ; with adrenaline; and the embarrassed girlfriend who was fed up with ; everything, especially angry at having been the unwilling cause for it ; all.

; ; Shannon glared across the hood of her car at Mike. His hands were ; still opening and closing with every anabolically charged beat of his ; heart. He was ready for more, and looking for it. At that moment, ; without having to see anything more, Shannon had had enough of this ; guy, this whole part of the country, everything.

; ; "Where're you going?" he shouted.

; ; Shannon slid into her car and turned the engine by the time he made it ; to the driver's side.

; ; "You leaving now after I fixed what you started? What the hell's your ; problem?"

; ; "Listen asshole - you're the one the who dragged that guy out here, ; you're the one who pushed him around looking to start something, ; you're the one to throw the first punch, and now you're the one the ; cops are gonna find standing here in this parking lot like some big ; dumb farm animal.

; ; "It's not my problem."

; ; The sudden rejection, a sniff of impending trouble, confusion over ; somehow doing wrong but not knowing what, swirled over Mike's ; face. His confusion lasted long enough for Shannon to gun the car ; backwards, spin it around in the gravel, and take off. Without looking ; in the mirror, Shannon stuck her arm out the window: later - !

; ; The night was dark and humid and the air poured through the window as ; she drove. Shannon wondered briefly if she were just being a little ; coward, leaving the scene, cutting loose because it got a little ; tricky. But that disintegrated pretty quickly. Ok maybe, she had been ; a fool to travel half way across the country to be with this guy, but ; for the six months after they met at training camp, especially when he ; was cut from the team, anyone would have been fooled into believing ; Mike was an ok guy. He behaved like one. He got cut from the team ; because he was the one who would come pick her up after practice, ; swearing, believably, that he was fine staying out all night with her, ; fucking like horses until early morning. But when he was cut, even his ; stoicism was attractive. But the disappointment and bitterness must ; have gradually gotten to him over the next few months after he left ; Phoenix. He came back here, his home town, found some work as a ; bouncer while she'd stayed behind in Phoenix while she was deciding ; whether to move up with him. When she did, it was only to find a ; completely different guy waiting for her, loony with resentment, ; anabolics, and a little soldier who never came to attention any more.

; ; Well this sorry chapter is done with, she thought.

; ; She counted all the way back through her life and see it all blowing ; behind her: She met him only because she was living in Phoenix, and ; she was living in Phoenix only because that was where she landed the ; Cardinal cheerleading gig. And before that the stupid lap dancing ; thing during college, where someone told her about professional ; cheerleading after graduation, which sounded ok as a last resort. The ; only reason she was a lap dancer anyway was because a girl in ; cheerleading at college had told her how to make more money than ; waitressing. Come to think of it, the only reason she was a ; cheerleader at college was because she had been one in high school, ; and the only reason she ignored her own advice about how stupid and ; worthless cheerleading was, was because her gymnastics coach threw her ; off the team. Not from anything she really did but because by the time ; she was a junior, her body had quit growing up and decided to grow ; out. Her hips and thighs thickened, her calves stayed the way they ; were, and her breasts got heavier and rounder.

; ; "Shannon, honey, really, it's not you or your lack of drive," her ; gymnastics coach explained, "it's that God wants you to be dish, not a ; pixie."

; ; And the reason she even went into gymnastics, apart from the fun, was ; to prove her mother wrong. That she could be an athlete instead of ; walking down another runway or sit for another stupid department store ; modeling gig, activities her mother forced on her when she was five, ; six, seven, eight, nine, ten years old. And each time it was smile ; prance giggle then sit and be bored and hot under the lights and ; suffer headaches and nausea.

; ; It had come to this: she was in this car speeding into the inky, ; starless night principally because of a totally muddled, harebrained, ; insipid childhood her beauty-pageants-over-brains mother had led her ; through.

; ; A wonderful, rare feeling struck - total self awareness. She was ; finally in charge. Just driving, under a big moon, speeding up, ; hitting the curves - liberating.

; ; She didn't have to do anything. Not a thing, not for anyone. The ; permed long hair ("make it like a lioness' mane") blowing all around ; her head - she didn't need to spend hundreds of dollars on it. Cut it ; off! Yeah ... short, really really dyke short. She noticed the purple ; nailpolish on the fingers gripping the steering wheel - stupid, ; bimboesque. Same with the frosted lips with the liner that Mike ; liked. And the hoops in her ears, the skirt, the top, the platform ; sandals(!) ...

; ; "Take it all off!" she yelled into the wind.

; ; She hated to admit it, but the feminists were right. Accessorizing, ; prettifying, this was just code to the people around her all these ; years and she could just as easily wear something else and still be ; the same person.

; ; The road beyond her headlights was dark; the stars were gone. Slowly ; the radio reception crackled and disintegrated. Before she could find ; a place to turn around, she felt something hit her car, or actually, ; her car hit something soft, as if she'd just run onto sand.

; ; "Fuck! What is wrong with you?" she asked the car. The engine didn't ; start either, it just groaned and choked until even turning the ; ignition produced nothing. Shannon looked all around her: there was ; nothing but fields, a forest off in the distance and no more ; road. When did the road end? There were no signs.... She got out of ; the car and stood there. There's got to be a farmhouse or something ; nearby, and for a moment she thought about a huge white farmhouse with ; a yard and tire hanging from a tree, a big old barn, a porch. She ; turned around again and thankfully saw a light, or a series of lights ; in the distance, and decided that stupid girly panic she had was the ; reason she didn't see it before. She reached into the car, grabbed her ; purse and headed off, still in heels, across the fields.

; ; After only a few steps, the air began to smell funny and she thought ; she might have stepped in something. But no... it tasted like ... she ; couldn't put a finger on it, but it was like lemon and sugar. Ok, ; lemon meringue, but not so ....

; ; Suddenly she gasped, unable to breathe. Something got caught in the ; back of her throat, up and back in her nose like a big gob of ; snot. She could barely wheeze her way through a breath and then just ; like she felt the gob loosen in her nose and slide down her ; throat. She even felt it slide down her intestines and into her ; stomach where it dropped and then dissipated. It took her breath away ; for a moment. She panted a while, catching her breath, and when she ; could, there was still something in the way.

; ; Allergies.

; ; Shannon swallowed a few times and the taste was still there. But it ; didn't keep her from heading off, tromping through the fields, ; swinging her purse, keeping her heels balanced in the ruts, towards ; the farmhouse or whatever it was.

; ; "It's my turn to pick a cd."

; ; Stacey reached down to the floor of the car and rummaged through black ; nylon bag.

; ; "Fine - just no more boy bands, 'k?" Mallory looked back to the road ; in front of her. Sunshine everywhere. Beautiful countryside. If ; everyone had the balls to blow off work for a three-day weekend, ; there'd be a whole lot less trouble in the world, Mallory ; thought. Which reminded her of what Stacey had just been saying.

; ; "So really - you should see how you feel after this weekend. After a ; couple rounds of massage, some mud baths, some tennis, it won't matter ; so much whether Scott moves in, or doesn't, know what I mean?"

; ; Still bending over, Stacey looked up at her friend. "That's where ; you're wrong. I want it to matter, Mal. Because I don't really want ; anything else except to think that Scott's so committed to me that ; he'll move in." She went back into the bag. "I know that sounds ; pathetic, but I don't care."

; ; Mallory turned back to Stacey, trying and then giving up on a punchy ; response. Once again, she stepped right into the same closed, ; non-verbal space: lately, it seemed, she could look at her friend and ; boom - she would be startled at what she saw. Pleasantly, fluterringly ; startled. Stacey was not that big; in fact, she was tiny. But she ; seemed so broad and swaggering, with her wide shoulders, and those, ; well, alright, really robust breasts, and the hips and thighs ; incongrously long and sleekly muscled. Lots of times it happened when ; they were walking together. Mallory found herself dropping her end of ; the conversation simply enjoying the way Stacey walked. Like a lot of ; dancers, her steps were a graceful combination of stride, step, and ; prance.

; ; Luckily, Stacey seemed to be completely unaware of how she came ; across, almost every minute of the day, no matter what was going ; on. Handed an ice cream cone, the lips and tongue worked the ice cream ; with abandonment. Told she looked great, the eyes lit up, her back ; straightened and for several minutes, Stacey was royalty. Tell her she ; took a wrong turn on the turnpike, there was that whole plucked ; eyebrow diamond faced princess pout that could quickly turn into ; derision. Being told how wrong she was sometimes made Mallory's ; stomach flutter.

; ; She long ago figured out that Stacey didn't have a clue how forward or ; commanding she could be, because mixed up in the whole package was ; this yearning for ... what? Well now it seemed that, deep down, all ; Stacey wanted was a little ... pity. Underneath almost everything she ; did, that's what seemed to pull Stacey along, as if being this crystal ; particle of prettiness was too much to bear.

; ; There in the car, looking at her friend while she rummaged through the ; bag of cds, Mallory realized something and then decided to accept it ; as a secret: she was - fuck it - attracted to Stacey, time after ; time. And the secretiveness about it was even more attractive. Like a ; little poison pill she willingly swallowed. Her attraction was an ; addictive self-negation, because Stacey was gorgeous, sexy and so very ; un-Mallory. Mallory knew she would always give Stacey the pity she ; wanted and keep the adoration to herself.

; ; And then, weirdly, that very notion was proved to her. Stacey handed ; Mallory the cd. She smiled at her best friend. "I know you're always ; looking out for me, Mal. that's why I can say these things."

; ; Before Mallory could respond, even with a smile, Stacey added, "Oh ; look - there it is." Looming before them was Rancho Caldera Resort, a ; sprawling three story white palacio with orange tile roof and gardens ; in front. "Oh, it's beautiful," Stacey said. They had somehow, ; somewhere turned onto the gravel drive and within seconds were turning ; into the carriage drive that would lead them to the front door. But ; before they could actually pull up, and before Mallory could figure ; out precisely how they got here without following the directions she ; memorized the night before, her attention was pulled to the car. It ; came to a chugging, choking gradual stop.

; ; "That's weird," Mallory muttered, trying to restart the engine and ; failing. There was no one around, either.

; ; "Yeah - well, at least we're here," Stacey said. "Let's go in."

; ; They walked to the open, arcaded entrance, heads turning up and ; around, taking everything in, especially the smell and feel of the ; air. Stacey thought of flowers, a heady, sugary odor. She smacked her ; lips slightly. "You can even taste the air, Mal." She took in a deep ; breath but suddenly felt something thick and syrupy run into her nose ; and down her throat, gagging her. Her eyes opened wide with panic, saw ; Mallory watching her, her face turn to concern and then managed an ; instinctive relaxation that allowed whatever had run down her nasal ; cavity and throat to continue down, into her chest and make its way ; down her intestines and finally into her stomach. She opened her mouth ; for more air, and found at last she could breathe. Not so easily, but ; enough to lessen the panic.

; ; "I thought I was gonna choke," she said to Mallory. "It's still all ; over my tongue."

; ; "What is?"

; ; "The smell, I guess. The air's pretty thick with it. Can't you smell ; it?"

; ; "Yeah...lemony. But you looked like ... you were almost in convulsions ; there, Stace."

; ; "Yeah, intense." She headed up the steps. "But I'm ok." Mallory ; followed.

; ; A brilliant blue tiled fountain sparkled in the center of the ; courtyard that was ringed with rose bushes and stone benches. They had ; yet to see a single person, and only in the courtyard did they ; recognize how silent this perfumy place was. No breeze, no cars, no ; telephones, no paper, and the rustling of the fountain itself seemed ; numb. Without being told or knowing exactly how they knew, they headed ; to the opposite end of the courtyard where they came to a large oak ; door. Mallory reached for the handle, pulled the door open, playfully ; bowed to Stacey who happily courtsied in return and inside they ; went. The door closed behind them and they never found it again.

; ; The vestibule was dark, but maybe ten feet in front of them, hazy ; sunlight illuminated a stonefloor hallway. To the left was a ; counter. A young woman, dressed in a white, open neck blouse, her ; blond hair piled high with professional hospitality stood behind it, ; looking not at Mallory, not at Stacey, but straight ahead, across the ; hallway. She hadn't turned when they came in, though she must have ; heard them.

; ; Then again, Mallory realized there still wasn't anything their ears ; could latch onto. They walked up the counter, to the side of the ; woman. Still she didn't move. Stacey curiously leaned to the front of ; the woman and once there, the woman's face came to life. Her awakened ; body became languid and welcoming. Mallory had the feeling they ; tripped a switch or something that told the woman she now had ; visitors, and looked at Stacey to see if she noticed anything peculiar ; too. Stacey was already looking at her and in the way she shifted her ; eyes between Mallory and the woman, she was indicating, "Too ; bizarre...."

; ; The woman placed both hands on the tile countertop. Three bracelets ; slithered down her arms. Her blouse was rakishly unbuttoned just so, ; revealing a flurry of gold lace beneath. Her skin was smooth and ; lightly tanned. "I'm so glad you could come," she said to both of them ; with the most honest-to-god welcoming white smile either had seen. "We ; hope you will be comfortable. Please wait in there." She lifted up a ; prettily manicured hand and pointed to another room behind them, a ; large sunny room with other guests inside. No request for names, no ; questions about bags, no howdy-dos formal or informal, just please ; step that way. Mallory shrugged, and if Mallory shrugged Stacey went ; with it too, and they both turned to go into the room.

; ; "Is this what they mean by Old World charm?" Stacey muttered sotto ; voce, but Mallory wasn't completely listening. She was watching the ; reaction of the other guests who, having noticed the two of them ; walking towards them had got up from their couches and were waving ; them away, their mouths saying no, go back, without a sound, as though ; they were behind glass. But Mallory and Stacey had stepped forward far ; enough to feel a wash of something push across their faces, over their ; heads and shoulders, and down their backs, as if they'd walked through ; a viscuous satiny wall of gelatin. And just like that, they were in ; the room with the others, and they could hear everything again.

; ; None of the women were glad they were there.

; ; "Dammit!"

; ; Someone to the side moaned, "Not more ..."

; ; Someone else said, "Didn't you hear us?" and another woman answered, ; "She couldn't see us, Bev --"

; ; A woman, slightly taller than Mallory, who was better than five eight, ; walked up to her and said, "Couldn't you see us waving either?"

; ; Mallory didn't know what to say. She was still taking in the really ; strange situation building up all around her and Stacey and it was ; becoming clearer that something was going wrong, irretreviably ; wrong. "Yeah, we ... I ... what's the matter?"

; ; "What's the matter?" the woman replied. Mallory fastened quickly on ; her blue, intense eyes and saw how incredulous they were. "You're ; stuck here now, that's what's the matter."

; ; "Susan, calm down." An older woman, slight and thin and confidently ; together stepped forward and offered her hand to Susan's arm. "You ; can't undo any of this."

; ; "Well, I'm sure as hell not going to sit back and do nothing," Susan ; replied.

; ; Mallory took a quick look around her: a comfortable, pleasant hotel ; lobby, with a few seating areas arranged around coffee tables, plants, ; small unthreatening paintings, unused fireplace, and maybe nine or ten ; women. An older, Hispanic woman and a pretty, thin Indian girl near ; the window; three high school aged girls huddling close to a middle ; aged woman, who looked like a mom or a coach, sittingquietly, ; ferociously, protectively, but unbelieving and on the verge of ; hysteria. There were three weary-looking hitch-hikers sitting on the ; floor and a blonde with that bimbo-lioness kind of permed hair Mallory ; hated, teetering nervously on lucite platform sandals. All of them ; looked distressed, anxious, waiting, or just observing the commotion ; between her, Susan, the older woman, and Stacey, who was now calmly ; asking "Can you tell us what's happening?"

; ; Stacey turned to some of the other women behind and to the side of ; Susan. The less intense ones, the ones she instinctively felt safer ; with.

; ; No longer the new girl here, Shannon didn't feel so dumb any more to ; get caught. She had spent the time sitting in the corner, staying to ; herself, evaluating, removing the nail polish and the earrings, ; remembering she was in charge. Now she watched the petite girl, who ; was already beginning to look scared, scan the room. Shannon decided ; to step forward and speak, for the first time. Everyone turned ; around. "We're trying to figure that out, too. We don't know what's ; going on. We just got here too."

; ; "You're all a group?" Mallory asked.

; ; Shannon and Susan and the older woman behind Susan, and a couple of ; others in the room answered separately but at the same time, "No." ; There was an awkward pause. And just then all these little social ; clues came together for Mallory. As if they were all in an elevator ; that suddenly went dead. No one was in charge, a few thought they ; were, some pretended not to notice the situation, a couple were ; counting on the politeness of others, and the rest just wanted to get ; out. But no one was coming forward with an explanation.

; ; No one's helping these girls, Felicia Octavio thought to herself. She ; got up off the couch and headed towards the stronger of the two.

; ; "Listen, none of us knows really what's going on. We all have been ; coming in to this ... building here... over the last, I don't know, ; how long's it been?" She looked around.

; ; "Seems like days," the woman behind Susan answered. Mallory could look ; at her now. She was dressed in formal business: a gray skirt, black ; shiny pumps, stockings, dark blue blouse with wide collar. Thick black ; bob, with a few lines of silver, handsome lines under some pretty ; green eyes. A grown up, non-hysterical, a boss, mother of teens, ; someone quietly in charge, thank god.

; ; "Sandy, Jenka, Allison, you were all here before me? And you four..." ; she indicated the quiet high school group in the corner and only one ; girl slowly, politely nodded in response but that was all. Three of ; the girls were still in uniform, cheerleading uniform, with light ; jackets on over the top. An older woman was with them, unlucky to have ; been driving carpool today, Mallory thought. They're way in over their ; heads. Sandy, Jenka, and Allison, the three hitchhikers, nodded ; too. One was fair and stout as tree, one tall and Nordic, one a ; curlyheaded brunette, soft and shy.

; ; It was Jenka, tall and Nordic, who realized that Marnie was once again ; stepping forward to help out because everyone else was ; panicking. Marnie. Jenka felt a warm memory waft past her, a memory of ; one of the dreams she'd had and it felt good. To hell with it, it felt ; good. Inspiring. She wanted Marnie to know she was there to help.

; ; Jenka spoke up. "And there were some here when we got here, too. But ; they're ... well, they are gone now."

; ; "Damn right, gone," Susan muttered.

; ; "What do you mean gone?" Stacey asked.

; ; Susan wheeled around towards Stacey, poised to lash out, wanting to, ; tasting the anger and liking it, and wanting to speak so straight that ; the girl would just die. And then it was gone. Her anger didn't ; matter. Setting the girl straight didn't matter. They were all here, ; they were all fucked, and the need to be held was so great it ; overwhelmed her. She retreated back to the window, and realized she ; was moving in this direction because Felicia was there. She heard ; Marnie begin to explain things to the new girls and felt all eyes were ; off her now.

; ; Susan moved close to Felicia, trying to disregard the swarm of ; thougths and emotions inside herself. Of all times to begin falling in ; love with a woman. And when she had only entertained the idea as a ; kind of mental game of curiosity before. She was straight as an arrow, ; able to look men in the eye and enjoy it, a player among pros, and ; never slutty, always in charge. But here, in this ... trap ... it was ; like she was sick. She was not in charge, she was losing her grip on ; her sexuality, and she was falling for a woman who wasn't, well - if ; she was ever going to have sex with a woman, it wouldn't be a ; middle-aged, robust, suburban real estate agent. But even that little ; bit of irony got her warm. Suddenly a lingering, spicy taste on her ; tongue came back. And just then felt Felicia's eyes on her. Standing ; next to her, Susan reached out and touched Felicia's arm.

; ; "You're going to hate me after all this," Susan said. "I'm not making ; a very good impression, I know."

; ; Felicia didn't know how to answer Susan cleverly. Her heart was ; beating and it was melting now that Susan had come near her. Each ; quietly indulged in a moment they knew the other understood. Felicia ; felt almost giddy with relief that Susan wasn't afraid to talk to her ; after all, because it had already been a long, awkward while since ; they brought together.

; ; Earlier, Felicia had retreated anonymously to this corner to think ; things through. The agitation in the room was getting too much and the ; desperation inside each of them only increased the more they ; talked. What good was all this talking, Felicia had thought, so she ; went her own way. They all want to get out of here, but they ; can't. They can't physically leave here, they've tried everything. She ; sat on an empty couch in front of something that looked like a window, ; a window that couldn't open, couldn't be smashed, and made only dull ; thumping sounds when you smacked it. She was sitting next to the India ; girl, Rana. Both smiled uncomfortably.

; ; Rana spoke. "This is a terrible situation." Felicia smiled at what was ; essentially a conversation starter.

; ; But what else do you talk about here, Felicia decided. At least she ; was kind enough not be hysterical.

; ; "Yes, it's very bad," she answered. But Felicia couldn't find it in ; her to keep the conversation going. Rana sensed this and politely ; leaned back into the couch. This is a terrible situation, Felicia ; repeated to herself, but it fell flat.

; ; They were all being so angry and argumentative, even poor, mighty ; Susan. Especially Susan. Felicia had watched her in action, urging ; everyone to think, to break this situation down, to think like their ; captors, whoever they are, and come up with a solution. Watching her, ; Felicia found herself retreating inside. The urge to fight was ; disintegrating into something vain, futile. She followed Susan as she ; began pacing in the middle of the room, but she was drifting back into ; memory. Or rather, memory was taking her away. To the last time, the ; time with Susan...

; ; There was the floating. The sudden, shedded nakedness. The freedom ; that came from being naked, and the caressing of black emptiness on ; her skin. There was the involuntary movements of her limbs, as if ; being placed into position by an unseen, methodical dancing ; instructor. Her knees slowly bent. If there was a floor, she'd be on ; her hands and knees, but it was empty space so her arms simply hung ; from her shoulders. And while her body belonged to something else, her ; mind was still hers. Or at least, she had access to it, watching, in ; her mind, how her body behaved to an impulse separate from her ; brain. She could see herself. In position, floating, naked, on her ; hands and knees. And see herself feeling it all, in a thick current ; that brushed along her skin.

; ; Her ass responded to an urge: Open more.The command worked on her body ; rather than her mind, though. It slowly creept downwards, more and ; more, until it reached .... It reached a place she had always felt ; disgusted and yet on the verge of loving.... Yes, open, open ; wider... yes. Here is my ass, she thought. It was wonderful. Like some ; wanton whore. Give it to me, she was thinking, lewdly, giving in to a ; need she didn't know was there but giving in entirely by sticking her ; ass up high and opening it from her hips. Who wants it? She asked ; herself. And tried to wiggle it. She wanted to wiggle it, but ; couldn't, it was not part of the position. But then she received an ; answer. The one to get it would be Susan. In her minds eye Susan was ; coming to her. Pale, sinewy Susan, already on her knees, thigh muscles ; straining because she was leaning back, her stomach muscles straining ; too, maintaining balance. Her knees were wide, and her neck muscles ; strained because her head was reaching forward, at a severe right ; angle. Her face was lewd too, grinning like the devil, eyes focussed ; with hunger, and through the grinning lips, a pink tongue wagged ; languidly. Susan's arms were held out in front of her, bent at the ; elbow, fingers splayed, as if were about to catch a big ball. I know ; what she's going to catch though, Felicia mused, the happy bitch. A ; happy bitch like me. Bring her.

; ; Frozen in this extreme position, Susan slid towards Felicia. And once ; Susan was aligned behind Felicia, Felicia knew what would happen ; next. The coupling would commence.Felicia too was frozen, on all ; fours, her head hanging down between her shoulders. She could see ; Susan's knees and thighs appear below her. The whiteness of the taut ; skin around her knees actually had a yellowish highlight. Not a pink ; white, Felicia thought. Slutty. like me. Susan's shins glided through ; Felicia's palms and Felicia's heart jumped at the touch of Susan's ; splayed hands once they met Felicia's generous ass and hips. Take this ; big round ball, girl, Felicia thought and that sealed it. She felt the ; orgasm begin, even before the coupling was completed, before Susan ; could finish having her face, frozen with expectation, brought right ; into the dark musk of Felicia's ass and her shoulders slipping under ; Felicia's big thighs, before Felicia could reach her own head down ; further and bury it in the tangled blackhaired forest of Susan's ; pussy. Even as the orgasm caught Felicia, she could still see the two ; of them in her mind, Susan on her knees, bent backwards, white hands ; grasping Felicia's tawny hips, Felicia bent over Susan's shoulders, ; her own hands with wine colored fingernails grasping that tight white ; ass.

; ; Frozen.

; ; In the silence of space, their two voices: Take this big round ball ; girl.

; ; Gimme that ass, Susan growled.

; ; Sitting on the couch next to Rana, Felicia shook out of her ; reverie. She spied Susan listening to Marnie and the new ; girls. Felicia looked around the room. She had been coupled with four ; girls so far and each one was deeper descent into this madness that ; Felicia knew she would have to give into soon. A couple of the girls ; were already gone, but afew were still here. Allison - in which they ; had both sat on their knees, breast to breast, arms tightly wrapped ; around each other, lips sealed together. Marnie - they laid together, ; spooning, hands joined together buried in each other's pussies, a ; little awkwardly because they were different sizes. But there was also ; Katie, Susan's friend, before she was taken away. The most beautiful ; girl she'd ever seen, Katie's smooth thighs straddling her face, while ; up above her, Katie's own face was buried in some girl who sat on her ; shoulders.

; ; Felicia started to feel a little remorse. Not just for Susan who was ; mostly upset at having lost Katie, but because, listening now to Susan ; insist that there was a way out, Felicia found herself thinking, There ; probably isn't. So why fight it?

; ; She didn't want to fight it. There was something exciting about this, ; not just as a mystery, confusing, even dangerous to some degree. But ; deep inside Felicia, the urge to fight on was giving way to wanting ; this. No thinking, no worrying, only wet, juicy pleasure was happening ; and though she'd never had a single sexual thought about women, this ; was the most thrilling situation she'd ever been in. At that moment, ; while Susan was arguing over the two new girls, Felicia scanned the ; room. Who would she next?

; ; Susan gave up and walk in her direction. "You're going to hate me ; after all this," Susan said. "I'm not making a very good impression, I ; know."

; ; Felicia didn't know how to answer Susan cleverly. Her heart was ; beating and it was melting.

; ; "You're upset, I know. You'll find Katie."

; ; "Maybe. Maybe," Susan replied, not believing herself. She took ; Felicia's hand, meaty and warm, but with fingers that were long and ; strong. Susan knew right then that she was slipping, but slipping into ; something inevitable and ... really good. She led Felicia off the ; couch into a corner nearby.

; ; "I want to tell you... " Susan began. She looked down into Felicia's ; big brown eyes. They weren't the same height, but it didn't matter to ; her. If she was going to be made into some big dyke, someone's ; prisonbitch, well then this woman was more than capable of making it ; good.

; ; "What I want to tell you is - " She stepped closer, and suddenly felt ; the urge to whisper in Felicia's ear. So she did. "If there's another ; one of those of dream times, I want you."

; ; Felicia melted again. Despite herself, despite her husband, despite ; her kids and her mother, despite her religion and the expectations ; that she should be wanting to escape this situation, not embrace it, ; Felicia leaned around to whisper back to Susan. As she did, she ; happened to make eye contact with Jenka. They both blushed, self ; consciously but Felicia still placed her brown, fleshy, elegantly ; manicured hand on Susan's wrist, just for a brief, secret, indulgent ; moment no one else paid any attention to. "I hope so - too."

; ; Susan gave in and brushed her lips on Felicia's temple. She'd never ; felt this sexy, this uncontrollably randy before. "If only we knew ; when it was coming again. Or how our partners were picked. Or where ; our partners go to ..."

; ; Her voice trailed off.

; ; Marnie moved closer to Mallory. "Listen - I'm sorry, what's your name? ; I'm Marnie."

; ; "Sorry. I'm Mallory. This is Stacey."

; ; "Listen, Mallory. None of us knows what's really going on here, or ; what this place is. There's not a whole lot of information available." ; Mallory was touched by her soft attempt at irony. At least there's a ; little bit of life to her, Mallory thought. "But ..." Marnie reached ; her arm out to Stacey to escort the two of the them to another part of ; the room. "But I want you to be aware at least of what we do ; know. Which is nothing. We haven't figured any way out yet. And we ; don't know who's holding us. Except -"

; ; Mallory was listening but watched Marnie sink a little only to pull ; herself together again. "Except that they single out one or two or ; even more and take them to another part of the building and they ; undergo something that changes them, brainwashes them, I'm not really ; sure...."

; ; "Brainwashed?" Stacey's voice trembled.

; ; Mallory felt Stacey's fear, as Marnie, all five foot six in heels, ; squared up her shoulders. "Stacey, this is very important. I'm not ; telling you this to alarm you or worry you. Now is not the time to get ; frightened, do you both understand? We need your help, you need our ; help, we all need to stay focused, because there's a lot going on here ; that'll throw you off. We're either being tested, or prepped, or ; something because there's a lot of hallucinatory events taking place ; that will ... oh, shit."

; ; It was Susan. "Oh, jesus, no. Katie!"

; ; Everyone turned around. Into the center of the room strode two women ; with a third behind them. Mallory immediately recognized the waspy ; blonde from behind the counter. She stood behind the other two without ; any discernable intelligence or animation, shoulders square, eyes ; unmoving, maybe not even breathing. The other two, more aggressive, ; resolute, held little black boxes as if they were weapons. Their backs ; were incredibly straight, stiff, their legs unfurling in jackbooted ; confidence with every step, their heads scanning the room slowly, one ; redheaded, freckly, the other chocolate skinned, sleek and lithe. It ; seemed weird just then to notice not that they were robotic or tranced ; and ready to dispense shit, but that they were dressed so normally for ; the dispensing: the redhead in gray flannel slacks, black buster ; browns, and white t-shirt; the dark girl in black cotton slip-ons, ; mid-length hunter green skirt, black mock ; turtleneck. Earrings. Silverpolish finger and toenails. Like they were ; straight out of the office.

; ; But it was Stacey who was in a better position to see their faces: ; unyielding, strong with emptiness and yet total enthrall, eyes open, ; bright, and only letting the light of purpose out, not in. They wore ; recognition, not welcome. It was a sight she had never seen before, ; and realized quickly there would be no chance she could beat ; them. Their unfeeling directness and emptiness of cognition lit into ; Stacey who didn't want them to look at her, but also knew she wanted ; them to, knew that to give in to them would somehow mean benefiting ; from them. She saw their power. Felt it even without being confronted ; by it, and for the first time in her life knew that she would never ; stand a chance if she had to. And once she accepted that, she ; underwent the dreadful indulgence of subservience: Kill me, take me, ; give it to me. Whatever you want. I don't care. The quicker the ; better. She hooked a finger in Mallory's jean pocket and held on.

; ; Mallory dropped her hand onto the small clutching one oh her ; friend. Then they held hands. Then they looked at each other. Stacey ; was so frightened, she seemed gone already.

; ; Susan saw immediately what was going on and left Felicia. Both women ; turned towards her, in unison, aware of sudden threat. Susan stopped ; in her tracks, giving space but determined to reach her ; friend. "Katie... Are you ok?"

; ; Sensing no more threats, both women turned away and took three ; steps. In the center of the room they turned, left, right, left again, ; looking or scanning. Mallory watched Susan try to get her redheaded ; friend's attention, and failing sadly.

; ; "Katie. Katie can you hear me?" She looked at Katie's face and saw ; only a single, unnamable purpose. Her eyes were focused, unblinking, ; and unseeing. The lips, still lined with the lipstick color they ; bought before winding up here, were not sealed tight, just resting and ; for the first time Susan noticed how pretty those lips were, in fact ; how, pretty Katie was, withdrawn, unblinking, determined.

; ; Katie, obviously in charge, was observing the high school group.

; ; The other girl spoke up. "You - " she raised a dark hand and pointed ; to one of the girls. The older woman rose with anger and fear. "Don't ; you touch her you cunt - get away - keep your filthy hands off her - "

; ; Susan heard the tinkling sound of Katie's bracelets and watched her ; automatically raise her hand, holding a thin black square as if she ; were offering it to the enraged woman. And with horror watched Katie's ; thumb tense and a shrill high pitched tone burst forth and a green ; light strike the eyes of the woman who now was suddenly quiet. Her ; mouth was open, her posture still leaning forward protectively, her ; eyes still boring straight into Katie's. But the anger evaporated. She ; was tranquil. The black girl said, "Sit," and the woman did.

; ; Katie lowered the weapon to the girl they wanted. "Come," she said.

; ; At first Linda couldn't believe they were pointing at her. Why are ; they picking me? She didn't have anything they wanted. She wanted to ; go home, she was tired of this, this was all stupid and scary and she ; was beginning to hate Ms. Southern for being so overwrought and ; hyper-protective. A small part of her was relieved she'd been silenced ; like that and for a second wondered if that was all that needed to be ; done. Maybe they'd go away. But it sunk in: the weapon was aimed at ; her. The nightmare picked up again.

; ; "Why me?" she asked. There was no answer.

; ; Linda had always admired professional women. She loved their ; confidence, especially their clothes. That's what I'm going to be ; like, she thought. When Katie had been conscious and in this room with ; the rest of them, Linda listened to every word Katie had said as Katie ; worked on a hunch - there's something controlling the environment of ; this building, something at work here, you can almost sense it.

; ; But then there was that weirdness, the floating, the sex with another ; girl who wasn't even here any more, the nurse. Where had she gone? For ; the first time in her life, Linda had felt what she guessed was ; intimacy, or was it ecstasy? She'd never had sex before, well, maybe ; kissing Danny was sex, but there was never anything big about it. And ; then driving back from cheerleading, Mrs. Southern taking a detour ; around road construction, getting lost, coming here, finding a bunch ; of women in this room and the next thing she knew, she was ; floating. And she was naked. Not in complete darkness, because there ; were little Christmas light things off in the distance, and she could ; see other women involved with each other. Floating too. And suddenly ; she was being flown towards Anita, the nurse, who was lying on her ; side, all naked too. Linda found her arms reaching out, and her legs ; reaching down, her toes pointing, and she came to a stop on top of - ; along side of? - Anita who seemed so glad she was there. Anita's pudgy ; arms were also stretched upwards, and her legs and toes were pointing ; and Linda couldn't believe it but her face slid right up Anita's legs ; to her feet. And there she was staring at this girl's short, little ; toes, and without thinking about it, Linda pursed her lips and in ; slipped Anita's two big toes, rock hard with pointing, at the same ; that her toes suddenly felt warmth and wetness and a sucking ; feeling. A girl was sucking her toes, and she started sucking on ; Anita's. That's when she exploded.

; ; The next thing she knew, she was back in the room. Anita was gone. And ; four girls came in and took Katie and the black girl.

; ; And now...

; ; They were here for her.

; ; "Rise," Katie said. To Linda.

; ; "Why?" Linda asked. She choked up. "Why me?"

; ; She looked at her friend Beth. Beth's face was wet with crying and ; searching for a clue. Beth's mom had been stunned and now Beth was ; simply overwrought. Cassie and Dierdre had pushed themselves into each ; other alternately hiding behind and protecting each other.

; ; Suddenly Linda felt a little brave. Resigned. From somewhere inside of ; her she accepted this: they weren't dead, they were just ; brainwashed. Alive at least. And in control. And yet not. It seemed ; scary and too inevitable to fight. She stood up.

; ; "Linda no, don't..." On her left Beth pulled on her sweater. "Don't ; go..."

; ; "It doesn't matter," Linda answered. And as she walked towards her ; keepers, they turned and led her without touching her. Linda knew all ; the women were looking at her. "It's ok. Maybe I won't remember a ; thing."

; ; Marnie said, "Good luck, sweetheart. You're very brave." Linda kinda ; liked that. She turned her attention to the two girls in front of her, ; and suddenly noticed a third, waiting for them. It was the girl from ; behind the counter.

; ; Mallory noticed her too. She had left the counter and was now standing ; there, not really watching, not really responding to anything, except ; for a wispy little expectant smile that centered on nothing and no ; one. The teenager, who was also blonde was brought forward. She stood ; before the counter girl and Katie said, "Embrace."

; ; The counter girl, in her pleated black skirt and white blouse and ; alligator heels stepped forward, her head and back straight and stiff, ; aristocratic face bright with a smile that didn't correspond with ; anything. She stepped right up to Linda until the billow of her shirt ; brushed Linda's highschool lettersweater. The sudden invasion of the ; girl into Linda's immediate space led Linda to lean back warily. The ; counter girl raised her arms which in any other circumstance would ; have been graceful and lithe, but she seemed to have no control over ; their inherent gracefulness any more because she embraced Linda ; awkwardly, as if she'd just been shown how to embrace someone and her ; movement still needed practice. Linda's earlier resignation turned on ; its head - she had no idea what the hell was going on, leaned as far ; back as possible keeping her eyes on the girl one moment then quickly, ; secretly scanning the room for help. No one moved.

; ; The counter girl was smiling still, fully responsive and yet ; waiting. Mallory could see the mental processes at work in side the ; brainwashed counter girl: now that she had the subject in her ; possession, she awaited the next procedure. Mallory saw the procedure ; arrive: tilt head slightly. The counter girl, whom no one here seemed ; to know or feel at all obligated to protect, tilted her head and her ; arms tightened around Linda. Pinned by the counter girl's embrace, ; Linda had no choice but turn her face to one side as the smiling ; counter girl slowly lowered her face into a nuzzle at Linda's ; neck. Poised like this in the middle of the room, everyone reached the ; same conclusion: they were both the same height.

; ; "You will fit together," the black girl announced.

; ; When they broke the embrace, Linda was red with fear and ; embarrassment. Katie turned then and pointed the weapon towards the ; window. Susan saw this and yelled, "No!!! Katie no!" But Katie didn't ; fire at Felicia. The shrill green light struck the timid Indian girl, ; Rana, who had been trying to disappear behind Felicia, stunning her ; unexpectedly. She staggered back as if she'd pushed. But she didn't ; regain her balance by herself. Whatever she'd been hit with seemed to ; instantly penetrate and take over control of her body. Her arms ; dropped to her sides and her whole expression collapsed to open eyed, ; open mouth blankness. Susan's head swam confusedly partly with relief ; it wasn't Felicia being taken away, and partly with a new awe and ; respect for the capabilities of her friend, or what used to be her ; friend but was now a kind of a tool. Susan felt a sudden plunge in her ; stomach - an arousal for the unfeeling power and precision her friend ; was now wielding confused Susan with the urge to surrender.

; ; "Come," she heard Katie say, and the girl stepped around Felicia and ; approached. Her eyes were fixed on Katie.

; ; "We will couple," Katie said.

; ; "We will couple," Rana replied.

; ; Susan leapt forward. "No - Katie stop!" But both the black girl and ; Katie turned in her direction and fired. The green lights burst and ; reached their target, Susan's eyes. Susan stopped in her tracks, eyes ; wide, mouth open. Felicia gasped and moved to Susan. She held her, and ; was about yell, "You bitch," but caught herself. Stunned, immobile ; Susan stood in her arms.

; ; Mallory watched the black girl, the counter girl, Linda, the Indian ; girl and finally Katie head toward a wall. One of the teenagers, ; Cassie couldn't help herself. Terrified for herself and for whatever ; would happen to her friend, she screamed "No! Linda!" Surrounded by ; her captors, unable to stop, Linda turned around. Her bravery was ; gone, her eyes watering and locked onto Cassie and Deirdre who were ; both standing, hands covering their mouths, even more ; vulnerable-looking in their cheerleading skirts and sweaters. Just ; like she was. She felt cold and her bare legs made her feel ; vulnerable, too. Her mouth opened slightly to let something out, a ; plea, a reassurance. But she was quiet. Cassie watched Linda vanish ; through a wall and blackness beyond it. The wall rippled behind them ; like a curtain closing and then regained its solidity. Cassie gasped ; and started to sob. Deirdre stumbled backwards into Ms. Southern, ; hoping be held or something. But Ms. Southern was still stupified. A ; pretty, wondering expression on her face. She had not seen or ; experienced any of the last several minutes or could comprehend that ; the daughter of her best friend, her charge had just been taken from ; her.

; ; So it seemed to Mallory. She looked at Marnie, Marnie looked at ; her. Marnie was worried, expectant. She said, "That won't be all." ; Even as she spoke, her voice seemed to slow and an upsurge grabbed a ; hold of Mallory, like a sudden wave. The contours of the room seeped ; away, the floor disappeared beneath her. Panic slammed inside her as ; she felt her body rise. Blackness fell. Everything was dark and in the ; far off distance, she heard the faint startled screams of a couple of ; the women. But for her, the blackness and the upsurge, and a gentle ; enveloping of something rolling around her like a thick, turgid river ; of molasses, settled her. She tried to move, but it was difficult. And ; then there was complete silence. So silent, the thoughts in her head ; were howling.

; ; Gradually she could make out tiny lights, like stars. All around her, ; but far far away. Like little party lights, flickering. She thought, ; I'm in space. Outer space. She had no sense of her weight and the ; sudden weightlessness made her stomach bounce. She turned giddy for a ; second and tried to move around, to float on her own and enjoy it. But ; she couldn't.

; ; She didn't move for several moments, just stayed in place, her feet or ; hands not touching anything. And then slowly, she began moving. The ; empty space had taken shape all around her. Not on her own, but she ; began drifting inside something languidly, as if floating on a fat ; lazy river. Or inside a river, because she could feel a current wash ; all around her. The uncontrolled movement made her feel nauseous. She ; could make out vague shapes passing her floating in different ; directions. Bodies. And then she was aware of voices, soothing, ; dreamy, loving, conversational. Not to her directly but to one ; another. In pairs or groups forming all around her, a muted, illegible ; cocktail party in the dark. Lull, murmuring, soothing.

; ; As she was carried, a current moved through her hair, and into her ; mouth, and around her breasts over her butt and down her legs. I'm ; naked, she realized, and a tiny reassuringly present part of her brain ; realized this all felt like she was really really high. And this time, ; it was ok to give into the high, not to worry. Just give in. So she ; did. And when she did, her floating began to feel good again. This ; isn't so bad. She even began to feel curious about where was being ; taken.

; ; More light began to seep through the dark river, like whisps of ; flowing satin. And then she came upon the first group. Next to and ; slightly below her on wavering cloud of whispy light, was Jenka. Jenka ; was stretching her long pale body out with dreamy relaxation, so glad ; to be lying on this soft pillow of light, naked. Mallory wondered ; briefly where her clothes went, but it was a difficult thought. She ; couldn't hold it and instead gave in to how delicious Jenka's thighs ; looked tensing while she squirmed, juicily, ready. That she was ; feeling attracted to a girl like this somehow made sense, in a ; self-defensive way: If I'm supposed to feel this, then so be it.

; ; Slowly maneuvering above, Mallory could see Jenka notice something and ; her arms lifted delightedly, her fingers wiggling with ; expectation. She closed her eyes in reverie as the full, brown body of ; Felicia hovered up from Jenka's feet. The brown, stout Hispanic woman ; did not seem heavy or unshapely. She was curvy, thick, and her size ; diminished into small wrists and tapered hands on one end and thin ; ankles and narrow feet at the other. Mallory had never thought a woman ; like this would ever be attractive or sexy, but in whatever spell ; Mallory was finding herself in, Felicia was all of that, like a ; roast. Her body was in a half crouch, as if she were on a ; motorcycle. Felicia's expression was dreamy, satisfied with ; floating. Her eyes closed then opened, then closed. As if to display ; her approval with not just the floating but her steady approach to the ; long, lean Jenka, whose wiggling also betrayed her complete joy with ; the moment and the impending Felicia, Felicia's thick tongue slipped ; past her lips with hunger and readiness. Felicia was carried above ; Jenka so that they faced one another, their tongues waggling at each ; other but not touching. Still crouched, knees bent and legs open, ; Felicia's body spun slowly without moving a muscle, or her tongue ; stopping. When her head came above Jenka's blonde pussy, her body ; lowered, slipping between Jenka's eager arms and came to rest on top ; of the creamy skinned hiker. The moving of Felicia's lips and tongue ; were timed to meet Jenka's downy lips without stopping as did ; Jenka's. Both bodies pushed gratefully into each other and Mallory ; lost sight of their faces. Jenka's hands grasped the rusty brown ; globes of Felicia's ass that opened wide at her touch and realized, as ; Jenka pushed her head in slightly, that she had just thrust her face ; forward into the warm spicy humidity of Felicia's ass, advancing with ; her own long pink tongue deep into the older woman's dark ; passage. Mallory saw them and thought, it's a perfect fit, and noted ; with subdued, soporific relief that she was still awake and ; thinking. But the thinking ended there. She suddenly heard Felicia's ; voice, as if from right next to her, coaxing Jenka: "Slide it deep ; into my ass." But Felicia hadn't moved. She couldn't have spoken, at ; least audibly, because she was buried between Jenka's cool thighs. But ; Mallory heard her and she heard Jenka squeal without actually removing ; her face from Felicia's stupendous ass and declare joyfully, ; thankfully, "I can feel your tongue inside me!"

; ; They remained this way for several seconds, one comment prompting the ; other.

; ; "Slide it deep into my ass." "I can feel your tongue inside me!"

; ; There was one final adjustment: both women slowly bowed their legs to ; open their ass and pussy even more and brought the soles of their feet ; together behind the heads of their partner. It seemed involuntary, ; every part of their bodies touch another part. A closed circuit. A ; sweet, tender position, and with their soles together, they seemed ; like they were praying.

; ; Their passion was building. Mallory could see it. Their tongues and ; lips worked over and over - Felicia on Jenka's budding clitoris and ; Jenka inside Felicia's deep asshole. Their bodies pushed against each ; other, their hands clasped thighs and hips more strenuously, barely ; holding on. Felicia's husky Hispanic "Slide it deep into my ass" ; dropped into a deep emptying moan. Jenka's naive contralto, "I can ; feel your tongue in me!" convulsed into an anxious "oh...oh...oh..." ; as if she slipping down the edge of a cliff. They weren't making love, ; they weren't just fucking. They were driving each other on, faster and ; faster, recklessly, heading not just into an orgasm, but smashing into ; it. Through it. And it frightened them. Mallory could hear it in their ; voices. But they never broke contact. They couldn't. They were ; connected by tongues and could not break free, not even to scream ; until they shot into orgasm. When it struck, it was blasting, searing, ; mindless.

; ; And that was it. No more movement. No slow relaxation. They were ; frozen in orgasm. Thigh muscles tensed extending down their calves and ; into their feet. Jenka's small purple polished toes were clenching and ; pointing, Felicia's brawny toes splayed at the balls. Their backs were ; tightened, arm muscles popping, necks straining, hands grasping, ; tongues reaching desperately. Frozen. Inside their minds, the white ; heat and white noise of orgasm screamed on. Time had stopped at the ; peak of orgasm.

; ; But their voices continued emanating, echoing.

; ; Slide it deep into my ass

; ; I can feel your tongue in me

; ; Repeating without end. Captured in orgasm.

; ; Mallory was still floating, moving slowly as their union took shape, ; giving in and accepting peacefully her own nakedness. It suddenly ; seemed inevitable that she would be coupled. She didn't know where ; that realization came from. It just landed softly in her ; conscious. And then she felt herself conveyed on.

; ; The invisible current lifted her. A vague outline of bodies wavered in ; the distance, in positions different from Jenka and Felicia. Slowly ; she could make out the shape of the bodies, four of them and one of ; them coalesced into the familiar shape of Stacey. Naked too. Mallory's ; first reaction was panic, protective and embarrassed for Stacey, but ; she found that the quickening pulse of the panic turned another ; direction. Longing? For a moment she thought of her and Stacey naked ; together and a clear hope opened inside her: let me be with her.

; ; But she couldn't dwell on that sweet, secret transgression because she ; was still moving forward and Mallory struggled to shake her lapsing ; into drowsiness to see more and more clearly. As the current brought ; her closer, she began to concentrate on finding Stacey's face, looking ; hopefully for her eyes to make some contact, even if it was a brief, ; silent "We are in deep shit" moment. But the closer she came, the more ; she saw and heard: Stacey's face was deeply embedded into the ; grateful, tiny, tense ass of Marnie. Her compact, curvy dancerbody was ; bent at the waist, and the top half was thrust forward, her tiny hands ; not only gripping Marnie's modest hips but also working to stop her ; from heaving forward even further. Marnie herself was fixed in the ; pretty, dainty pussy of Beth beneath her. Beth's creamy legs stretched ; past either side of Marnie's head to a muscle tensing toe point and ; her arms were clasped around Stacey's waist, her thick adolescent, ; lips fastened like a goldfish over one of the tits Mallory had always ; thought were big for such a petite, gymnast wannabe. Both Marnie and ; Stacey were bent at the waist, their legs stretching down over Beth, ; toes pointing in a frozen moment of ecstasy. They had already ; come. Not one of them moved, and the voices Mallory heard were:

; ; Beth: Such a fat nipple

; ; Marnie: So sweet and young

; ; Stacey: Anus gripping my tongue - my love

; ; My love. It took a few reiterations of the voices repeating for ; Mallory to hear the meaningfulness in Stacey's voice. It was ; disturbing, contradicting everything she knew about Stacey but also ; arousing a luscious kind of jealousy that Stacey was giving herself ; away so completely. But the jealousy dropped her deeper into a savory ; mini-annihilation.

; ; She passed over Stacey's motionless body, mesmerized by Stacey's loss ; into the ass of another woman. She tried reaching to her hand down to ; touch her friend she felt so inferior to. Mallory extended her arm as ; far as she could, her fingers wiggled but just missed. There was more ; blackness.

; ; Stacey was gone, and she wanted to carry that with her as long as she ; could. Until she saw, to her left what looked like Allison and ; Ms. Southern. They were sitting as though they were in each other's ; laps in a succulent embrace pussy to pussy, arms and legs wrapped ; around each other's waist. Something glistened between their pussies: ; a black phallus, a rubbery tube connecting the two of them. Their two ; bodies pushed tightly together, they would have been sealed had they ; been kissing, but instead, Ms Southern had her face pressed to the ; wrinkled, cupping soles of her daughter's friend Deirdre and Allison ; the long, tapering soles of Susan. Tightly together, Susan and Dierdre ; stretched above them like a dagger, ending in an immortally still ; kiss, their arms raised, hands together as if in meditation, another ; sleek black phallus connecting them.

; ; Susan capitulating to Deirdre, You are so sweet my feet are kissed

; ; Dierdre giving in to Susan, You are so strong, love me

; ; And beneath them:

; ; Allison's soft country voice, Let me die this way please, so good

; ; And Ms. Southern, wet lipped and ecstatic, Sweet delicious ; Deirdreflesh, thank you.

; ; Mallory flowed past them without stopping, their voices trailing ; gradually behind her in murmuring babble, Let me die this way please ; so good my feet are kissed you are so sweet delicious Deirdreflesh so ; strong love me thank you so good my feet are kissed die this way

; ; It was then that Mallory began to accept these frozen, living ; symmetries with complete understanding. Women combining in womanly ; shapes. That was correct. Women embracing, charged with passion, women ; clutching each other as if they were going to die, fall apart, ; explode. That was good. Women clutching, focussed, eternally ; single-minded. So important.

; ; She was giving in, she knew, but only because she was helpless on her ; way for her own rendezvous. It should have frightened her. She ; realized that. And weakly tried to raise some kind of anger, some ; fight. But she couldn't. There was something coursing through her, she ; could feel it as a separate, guiding consciousness. It was a ; consciousness that was bigger and broader than anything she'd ever ; experienced, as if she were hanging like cherry from a stem that was ; attached to a branch that led to the tree. Having all of her sense and ; faculties hugged close to her but disconnected from the part of her ; brain that moved muscles and acted on impulse did not bother her. She ; was being brought to something good.

; ; And there it was. Her skin tingled as if touched. She saw Shannon, ; golden tanned, voluptuous, glittering bimbohood at fingertip and ; toetip, on her back, thighs raised up, legs bent at the knees, toes ; pointed. A human stair. As that thought defined itself, Mallory found ; her own muscles tightening within her, without her coordination, ; commanded from outside herself. She felt a foreign energy draw her ; thighs in, bend her legs at the knee. It slithered and pulsed through ; her calves, tugging on her Achilles' tendon to stretch her own long ; feet out to a quivering, intense toe point. How she would wind up made ; itself perfectly, rapturously clear. A little release, just when there ; should have been one in the early stages of arousal, quivered below ; her stomach and through to her pussylips. She was losing to arousal ; and wanted more. As she drifted over Shannon, Mallory thought she had ; never seen a more beautiful woman before.

; ; Shannon too had drifted through the black, she had seen women ; coupling, in positions weird and outrageous. The drifting frightened ; her. She wasn't in control, she didn't know where she was going or why ; women were being coupled or grouped up, or how she had come here and ; why she was supposed to be a part of this. When her movement halted, ; even that felt ominous. She felt herself deliberately, but carefully, ; spun backwards, then forwards slightly. Once she was brought to lying ; flat, on her back, she had stopped. Anticipation raced through ; her. She couldn't move and her fear built up uncontrollably as if she ; were going to go insane.

; ; Fear of paralysis peaked when she tried to scream, but couldn't open ; her mouth. It stuck in her lungs.

; ; And then it lifted off of her. Just like that. Fear lifted away like a ; cape pulled off her, and all was quiet. She was lying on her back, ; felt her hair hanging down from her head, legs straight, arms ; comfortably at her side. She felt suspended, and after years of being ; the dish, the looker, the hottie, the sixth sense of being on display ; clicked on.

; ; What now? She wondered. She took a deep breath, as if she were testing ; her composure. She focussed above her. There was only a black ; emptiness, an emptiness with shape, her instincts told her. There was ; something above her, like space, but how much or how deep, she ; couldn't say. Now that it was quiet, the voices filtered into her ; ears, some were soft whispers, others exuberant bursts of truth, ; others beckoning to something other than herself.

; ; And then it happened. A short internal burst. Something moved inside ; of her. Another mind handling the muscles in her body, a separateness ; that, using what was left of her own mind, she recognized as the same ; feeling that came the moment she was unexpectedly lifted out of the ; hotel room where she and the other women had been. It was a feeling of ; being taken under control. Recognizing that separateness was ; important, it was the difference between herself alive and something ; taking control. Remember this, she thought. You can be in charge.

; ; And then it passed, the urge to remember. She found her focussed on ; nothing. No thought. Just feeling. Because that was the direction the ; separate entity, the impulse had given her: FEEL.

; ; I feel.

; ; It was a response to a objective. Her whole body opened to feeling, ; her mind processing each feeling. Legs lift. Legs raised back. Legs ; bent at the knees. Make angle. Perfect angle. More perfect. They are ; like stairs. Feet point. Arches grip. Toes tightly ; curled. More. More. Legs at tightest clench. Good. Chest ; relax. Stomach soft and relaxed. Tits round and relaxed. Shoulders ; relaxed. Arms want something, hands feel empty. Body feels beautiful.

; ; That was all. It seemed she might stay this way forever, whatever that ; meant.

; ; The poise she felt lingered a long time.

; ; It changed when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw an object float ; towards her. She turned her head. It was one of the girls from the ; room. A surprise just for a moment, but subsided into a distant ; familiarity. An inevitability even, and satisfying. She's for me...

; ; Mallory, pale, frecklish, girlish hovered over her, her body bent and ; shaped just like Shannon's. Her knees were bent perpendicular, her ; thick adolescent legs straining behind her, feet pointing, muscles ; stretching. Her shoulders back, arms crooked forward, back ; curved. That the girl was shaped exactly like her gave Shannon an ; unexpected, jolt of arousal. So beautiful, Shannon thought. Captive, ; like me.

; ; Their eyes met for a second. Mallory knew she was lost in something ; bigger than she was and felt herself give way to it. The second she ; did, she heard Shannon say You're so beautiful. Without speaking she ; felt a thought gather in her head and then drift outwards from the top ; of her head and seep into Shannon's.

; ; She said: I've seen the others. I know what is going to happen.

; ; Shannon replied, Yes.

; ; Mallory said, I'm so glad it's you.

; ; Shannon heard the thought and felt a rush: I am too. And in a voice ; not quite hers, she thought, Let's begin.

; ; Mallory felt her body turn and descend so that her own stair stepped ; body joined in the notch of Shannon's waist. It felt weightless and ; free, this need to join. Her arms moved out slightly so that her ; upturned hands slid beneath Shannon's feet, palm to sole. She felt ; Shannon's own hands slide across the bottoms of her feet, ; simultaneously. And when their thighs came to rest against each other, ; and Mallory's breasts rested on Shannon's shins and her face glided ; over the smooth golden insteps Mallory found there was only one ; remaining muscle movement left and her mouth gushed with wet ; anticipation. Her lover's toes were pointing just for her. Without ; needing it, the energy pushed her head forward and down so that ; Mallory's lips opened and settled over the long, fleshy pearly tipped ; toes of her forever lover. When her lips settled around the tense ; knuckles, a thought appeared to her and drifted towards Shannon: I am ; locked in now.

; ; Shannon was losing to the inevitability of the moment. The girl had ; slid in perfectly, her body warm and inviting, and the young girl's ; own long, white feet slid into Shannon's hands and push up onto her ; chin, the girl's toes clenching tightly, her white wrinkled soles ; blushing pink with the strain. The wrinkles and the tender curve of ; the curled toes inches away broke Shannon's heart in hundreds of ; ways. This girl was her lover. And she was the girl's lover. The ; lovely logic of the moment made Shannon swoon...

; ; I'm going to suck her toes... She gave in and the feet passed her ; lips. The filling, perverse sensation settled and then her mind ; erupted -

; ; My lover's toes are in my mouth!

; ; She felt the girl swoon too, as the girl, simultaneous with Shannon, ; lowered her mouth over Shannon's toes. I am locked in.

; ; The moment lingered. Both mouths drew long luxurious sucks.

; ; A new thought gathered inside Mallory, a thought she did not recognize ; as her own, though it used her mind's voice to express it. It went out ; to Shannon:

; ; I have always wanted to suck toes

; ; It made Shannon privately swoon, even when a part of her didn't know ; why. It didn't matter. She moaned, her tongue gliding over the tight ; ball of toes in her mouth.

; ; At that moment, Mallory was aware not only of the feel and taste of ; Shannon's toes and of the submersion of her own toes into the hot ; mouth of her lover, but also that the two of them were part of ; something more. Couples, threesomes, small groups of five, six, seven ; women all around her. There must have been thirty or forty such groups ; all floating and bobbing like her in this quasi-dark infinity. She and ; Shannon were joined with them, she felt it, and their voices joined ; the others, like a low parade of whispers. There was something else. A ; center to all of this, a divine force directing, establishing this ; union of captivated bodies and voices, and just then Mallory realized ; she was not just enveloping Shannon's thick toes and sucking them with ; the full drawing of her throat, that it wasn't just for her or ; Shannon. It was in service to the force at the center, to satisfy its ; wishes. Forever. The forever pushed her over to the edge, her body ; tensed once more....

; ; ... As they experienced a final impulse. Still deeply impaled on each ; other's feet, each raised one hand from the feet of her lover. The ; fingers curling into a fist. Except for one. Their hands drifted ; towards the velvety center of their lover, and when they arrived, the ; extended fingers ran lightly over the lips. The touch alarmed both of ; them, each sensing the magnitude of the shared orgasm that awaited ; them .

; ; I have always wanted to suck toes Mallory thought again, desperately

; ; My lover's toes are in my mouth! Shannon declared.

; ; And together they plunged their fingers in.

; ; White searing light blasted them and they jolted together.

; ; Then snap. Thought evaporated. Nothing but a suspended moment of ; connection and bliss.

; ; Mallory didn't wake up so much as begin to feel gravity again. She had ; a body. Her first moment of consciousness was a wave of relaxation ; that poured through her body, her tense muscles relaxed, but she ; didn't dare move. She didn't want to break from anything. She started ; breathing, too, and then realizing she was coming to, willed herself ; to open her eyes, not daring to move.

; ; It was hard to focus, but it looked like she was on a bed of some ; kind. When the soft light of morning registered, she felt a pressure ; in her mouth, the realization her mouth was completely full. She ; wiggled her tongue trying to feel what it was. Without remembering, ; without really thinking, it came to her. About seven of Shannon's toes ; were tightly wedged in her mouth, thick, unmoving, straining to ; point. Still deep under control of the dreamtime she felt a slight ; rush of relief, of gladness, and started sucking languidly, reaching ; with her lips, drawing down with her throat. She suddenly remembered: ; I've always wanted to suck a girl's toes. It was like she shouted it, ; and it made her blush. Embarrassed but true, though she couldn't ; really remember ever thinking that, in fact hadn't ever even thought ; about girls other Stacey before. But it didn't matter so long as she ; felt connected this way. She was changed, she knew it.

; ; On the other end of the bed, Shannon also stirred awake to the ; sensation of her mouth full, but Mallory's toes were wiggling ; slightly. Shannon was also surprised and embarrassed to find her mouth ; full of some girl's feet. She remembered too. She had given in body ; and soul to an urge that she'd never had before but which felt ; heavenly, pure, ravenous. Like Mallory, she was still very deep in ; dreamtime. The strong, high, white arches made wrinkles on the soles ; in her grasp, and now that she was conscious but still very much ; hungry and very much aroused by the warm wetness of her toes buried in ; Mallory's mouth, she began to suck as deeply as Mallory. If this was ; the rest of her life, so be it.

; ; It was too much. Shannon moaned, overwhelmed. The absence of gravity ; which had kept them weightlessly symmetrical had gone away and they ; fell to their sides. But didn't let go. They lay side-by-side, ; continuing what felt like a mutually sacred act that was also sending ; them back into orgasms. Both women squirmed, both groaned, their hands ; held tight to insteps and ankles, their hot, aching pussies grinding ; against hipbones and stomachs. They climbed together, worshiping, ; lapping, sucking, grinding, wiggling, the embarrassment of being ; caught sucking toes giving way to the excitement that the other girl ; was getting off just as much. Until finally Mallory slipped and nearly ; died in orgasm. Shannon quickly followed.

; ; They were not permitted the pleasure of a subsiding orgasm before, and ; both of the relished the feeling. The tide pulled them out and then ; ever so gently brought them back again. Nothing supernatural about ; this orgasm.

; ; And they were still conscious. It took a while to regain herself, but ; Mallory finally caught her breath. She lifted her head up to slip her ; lover's toes out of her mouth. They were red and soaking wet. Saliva ; pulled away with her lips and ran down the instep of Shannon's ; foot. She watched Shannon's toes come slowly back to life with a shy ; wiggle. Mallory had never felt so good, so drained, so much in ; love. What the hell am I going to say? She wondered. All she could do ; was lay back in wonder, petting and stroking her lover's feet and legs ; with quiet adoration.

; ; It was Shannon who finally spoke. "That was amazing." Then she ; wondered. "I'm sorry, but what was your name again?"

; ; Mallory laughed. And then Shannon laughed. Mallory swung around to lay ; next to Shannon, both girls still giggling. "It's Mallory."

; ; "Shannon."

; ; Both said: "Hi."

; ; There was a long pause. Shannon tentatively started to caress ; Mallory's shoulder and Mallory responded with a thankful kiss on ; Shannon's neck. "I don't even know where to begin understanding what's ; happened here," Shannon said.

; ; "I don't know anything either. I just ... I just got ; here... wherever... this is." Her voiced drifted off as everything ; began to change. The high was wearing off. Another long, uncertain ; pause settled in.

; ; Shannon said, "We've been kidnapped, I think."

; ; "Hmmm. But by who. Do you remember anything that happened ... before?"

; ; Shannon looked at Mallory, maybe for the first time. Full, even pouty ; lips. Dark brown eyes, high cheeks, still a little flushed ; post-cum. Black bangs. Tomboyish, but blossoming into another kind of ; woman. She realized she was now holding this girl with both arms, and ; the girl had moved one of her legs up to caress Shannon's thighs and ; nuzzle her pussy with her knee. Shannon forgot the question. "How old ; are you?"

; ; "Twenty-two."

; ; God, thirteen years younger. Maybe that's good. "I remember being in a ; room, a nice room, kind of like a hotel," Shannon answered. "I ; remember other women, too. And a few had just been taken away by, I ; don't know. By ..."

; ; "Robots. Or slaves. Mindless slaves."

; ; Now Shannon felt even older. Girl's got a vivid imagination.

; ; "Yeah, well, whatever they are, I don't think they're on our side."

; ; Another long pause. Jockeying for position and understanding. Mallory ; finally stated what was bearing down on her. "We're on the same side, ; right? I mean, I have a friend here with me, but I don't know where ; she is. We have to get out of here."

; ; Shannon nodded. "Yeah. I don't think there's anything really to be ; afraid of. Yet. I mean, it's not like we were just tortured or ; anything."

; ; Mallory nodded her head eagerly. Her eyes were big, pleading, but ; strong and that reassured Shannon. Still, though, she's totally out of ; whack, Shannon thought. She's never been in love. "We can't let this ; get in the way of getting the hell out of here," Shannon said. "I ; mean, I don't know about you, but I've never in my life had... oh shit ; - " Mallory watched the focus in Shannon's eyes disappear as her voice ; trailed off. The caressing, which had never ceased even as Shannon was ; trying to regain some solid, autonomous, footing stopped. Still in her ; arms Mallory felt Shannon simply go away. And then the wave started ; again. She felt it rush like a shiver of electrical current move up ; her body until it reached her mind which suddenly felt like her head ; had been opened and her brain removed.

; ; Shannon said. "We must go now. The others are waiting."

; ; Mallory said, "Yes we must. The others are waiting.

; ; Both women got out of the bed. Mallory knew a folded pile of Shannon's ; clothes sat on a table opposite the bed. Somehow there was room for a ; small questioning observer inside Mallory. How do I know what to do? ; Still she plucked the pile up and walked to Shannon, who stood arms at ; her side, still, waiting, patient, queenly, unregarding Mallory. Just ; as it should be.

; ; "I will dress you," Mallory said.

; ; "Begin."

; ; Mallory raised Shannon's arms and slid her blouse over them. Next, she ; lifted one leg then another into Shannon's skirt, and zipped it up in ; the back. Mallory felt her head swim between the memory of the ; lovemaking, the nearness of her lover's muscular ass, and the call to ; be obedient. When it came to slipping her lover's feet into the clear, ; four inch sandals, Mallory began to feel a tearing inside her. A ; rebellion. Inches away, she became fixated on Shannon's toes, how they ; splayed with magnificent power under the weight of Shannon's ; body. Beautiful, mighty, and controlling. Mallory felt she was on the ; verge of giving in totally to a divine force that was telling her she ; belonged down here. On the level of these magnificent toes.

; ; This was different. Before, she knew there was something directing, ; compelling her to reach for Shannon's body and to please not jut the ; body but the entity that was ordering her. But now, there was a foggy, ; frightening need to sneak in her own capitulation. She wanted to ; worship these feet because they were more beautiful more powerful than ; she was. Only, there was nothing pushing her to do this. Except ; herself. That much she was aware.

; ; Shannon towered above her, remotely. She was held in the command of ; the moment, waiting to be dressed. On her hands and knees, buckling ; the last strap, Mallory felt herself mesmerized, but all on her ; own. And wanted to do something with it, to show Shannon what she ; felt. She opened her mouth, sending her tongue to the place she longed ; for, between the toes and the platform. It slid wetly over the dry ; sole of the shoe, under the fleshy salt of toes.

; ; It was an infraction.

; ; Shannon was aware of the waiting, aware that she was once again being ; led by a force outside of herself, thrilled to be obeying. At her ; feet, she felt the timid but desperate tongue touch the underside of ; her foot. It electrified her but threw everything into doubt. This ; seeking tongue tip defiantly cut through her obedience and sent her ; back to the ecstasy she felt earlier. The obedience was being ; shattered and she struggled to ride out the transgressions, but would ; not move to alter anything. To move meant disobedience, but to disobey ; meant ... she knew then what disobedience meant now: love that a girl ; would be reverently worshiping her.

; ; Shannon's rigidity turned Mallory on even more. She licked harder and ; reaching her hands to hold the extended foot from the heel, she tried ; to force her entire mouth onto the shoe and foot.

; ; "You must stop," Shannon intoned finally, stretching her back ; straighter. "There must be no more of this." The obedience had ; returned.

; ; Mallory cried in her throat, unwilling to stop, aware of her own ; disobedience but also aware of her need to reach into the heart of ; this monumental woman and prove her own worthlessness. Make her come ; again...

; ; Her vigorous submission was all Mallory owned or even wanted, and she ; wanted to tear it up, eat it, spit it out, roll in it and wind up on ; her back, naked and open. At the feet of the commanding Shannon.

; ; But that single impulse, created all on her own and owned by her ; simply because she was aware of it, even gloried in it, began to be ; pulled away from her. As if a parent was removing an annoying, ; distracting toy. Mallory felt the focus of her reverence dissipate ; with the order, There must be no more of this, before she had time to ; react. And then it was gone. Emptiness settled like dust.

; ; She was on the floor. Disobeying. She withdrew herself and stood ; up. She faced the woman companion she had coupled with, who, in heels ; stood four inches taller than she did, barefoot. And she could see in ; the woman's empty but penetrating stare more willful obedience than ; she could ever achieve.

; ; "We must go," Mallory conceded. Shannon's body animated itself. She ; walked around Mallory to fetch her clothes and dressed the young ; girl. When they were dressed, they stood still again, waiting. Both ; staring at each other, regarding the other, but little more. They felt ; the impulse of direction and headed out of the room silently, side by ; side.

; ; To be continued... ; ;