THE INDUSTRY

BY THE ONE

[ part 6 ]

NOTE: ‘The Industry’ is a series of 11 chapters. It will only make sense if you read them in order!

Strain

The sound of squeaking metal pulled Nicole from sleep. Her cell door was opening. She lazily opened her eyes, but was immediately wide-awake when she saw what was happening. Amy had returned, but it wasn’t the Amy who had left earlier. She had been upbeat and cheerful. This girl was shaking with fear and pain. Her blonde hair was in disarray, and hung limply down her back . Her usually bright smiling face was dark; almost ashen. Her arms were folded tightly, wrapped around her chest as if she was cold and trying to keep warm. She limped on her left leg and took shuffling, unsteady steps. Her frightened eyes darted around the cell, then locked on Nicole. Amy moved toward her, but then gave a feeble whimper and collapsed. The men outside the cell laughed at her; the guard was twirling Amy’s corset lock on his finger and watching them intently.

Ignoring them, Nicole rushed to Amy’s side. “Amy! Amy, are you okay?”

Amy moaned and said something Nicole couldn’t understand.

“What? Come on, Amy, wake up!”

Amy forced her eyes open and gazed at Nicole. “Help me…” she whispered.

“Help? How? What’s wrong?” Nicole was getting scared.

“Pain…everywhere…Help me…”

Without any better ideas, Nicole ran to the bathroom and wet a washcloth with cool water. Kneeling beside Amy, she folded the cloth and laid it on her friend’s forehead. Her fingers brushed Amy’s skin; she was very warm…too warm…and sweating all over. Out of other ideas again, Nicole unfastened Amy’s corset and slid it off over her head.

She gasped, appalled. Welts covered Amy’s once-smooth skin. She had been whipped over and over, specifically on her breasts, her ass, and the insides of her legs. Nicole laid a hand on Amy’s tortured skin and felt her shudder.

“Stop…please…Don’t hit me again! No more…please! No!”

Horrified, Nicole tried to comfort her friend. “Amy! It’s me, Nicole! You’re safe; calm down.”

“N-Nicole?” came a weak reply.

“It’s me! You’re safe!” Nicole gently stroked Amy’s hair.

“Nicole…” Amy opened her tired eyes, which were red from endless crying during her torture.

“Amy! Oh, what can I do to help you?”

“Help me to the shower. Cold water might dull the pain…”

Nicole removed the cloth from Amy’s brow and took her hands. Slowly, she stood up, pulling Amy with her.

“Okay. Can you walk?”

“I…I think so…” Amy tried to take a step. Instantly her left leg failed and she collapsed again; all her weight fell on Nicole until she caught herself with her good leg. “No…” Amy corrected herself and managed a little smile.

Nicole helped her into the bathroom and closed the door. Amy took off what little clothes she still had on and stepped in, trying to balance on her right leg. She didn’t bother to close the shower curtain; she just stood there naked. She didn’t care; it was only Nicole watching her.

“What happened to your leg?” Nicole asked, her voice full of concern.

“Oh, that…” Amy said as she turned the shower on and let the soothing, cool water coat her skin. “I was bound, and he forced me into a position that I just wasn’t flexible enough for. Part of my leg turned, but chains were holding my ankles. I felt my knee pop, and it still hurts. I hope it’s not too bad.”

Nicole noticed that Amy’s left knee looked a little purple and swollen. “You need help! You could be seriously hurt!”

Amy laughed dismissively. “This is nothing.”

“Compared to what!?” Nicole cried, “What have you been through in here that’s worse than a joint injury?”

Amy didn’t answer; she looked away from Nicole.

“Come on, Amy, why not just ask for a doctor?”

“You think they’re going to let me go to a hospital?” Amy asked dryly.

“Well…I didn’t know! How do they treat injuries and sickness then?”

“They have plenty of medicine if you get sick, but I don’t think they really expect major problems. I’ll be fine, Nicole.”

“No you won’t! You…”

“I’ll have to be. I can’t get help even if I ask for it.”

“But… that’s not right!”

“Is any of this right?” Amy shouted, “Look, I didn’t ask for your concern. I’m in a lot of pain, but who cares!? I’ll be just as available as ever tomorrow, no matter what shape I’m in! I don’t want to think about it right now; all I can do is hope it’s better by tomorrow. So stop badgering me about a problem that no one can fix! Stop showering me with sympathies. Just shut up for once!”

Nicole was speechless. What had she done to make Amy so angry? “I…I was only…” She faltered. Fine. If Amy didn’t want her around, then, “I’ll just…leave you alone.” She hurried from the bathroom, close to tears. Had she lost the only real friend she had in this place? Her mind overrun with emotions and confusion, Nicole flopped on the bed and closed her eyes.

Soon, Amy limped from the bathroom, dressed in a clean thong and corset. She staggered along, holding on to furniture to avoid walking on her left leg. Slowly and painfully she made her way to the bed where Nicole was lying. She sat down on the edge and said softly, “Nicole?”

“What?” Nicole responded irritably. Now she wanted to be left alone.

“I’m…I’m sorry I yelled at you. I didn’t mean what I said; I really do appreciate having your support. It’s just that I…oh, what can I say?” A tear slid down her cheek.

“It’s okay,” Nicole reassured her.

They shared an awkward silence, then Amy stretched out on her side of the bed and put a pillow under her injured leg to prop it up on. Nicole took her friend’s hand, and they lay together quietly.

Amy noticed that the man who had hurt her was still loitering in the warehouse. He was talking cheerfully with other customers, and occasionally pointed her way. She sighed heavily. This had been the worst day for her in a long time. The endless whippings had driven her to her limit. Many times she had come close to fainting from the pain. Then it had happened. With her ankles chained to the table she was laying on, he had forced her legs apart to begin to actually have sex with her. Her right leg folded up, but her left wasn’t at the right angle. It had been wrenched sideways and her knee had given a sickening pop. Fiery pain had shot up her leg and she had tried to scream that he had seriously injured her, but the ball gag in her mouth had stopped her from saying it. The man hadn’t even noticed. Amy gave an involuntary shiver.

“What’s wrong?” asked Nicole.

“Just thinking…about today.”

“How long did you have to deal with your knee like that?”

“About an hour.”

“Oh! Amy…that must’ve been horrible!”

“Yeah…how was your day? Did you get chosen?”

“Yes.”

“Oh no. Was it too bad? Which room did you go to?”

“No, it wasn’t bad. He took me to the soft rooms. All I had to do was put on lacy pink lingerie and let him do me. It was bearable.” Nicole suddenly realized that talking about her experience like this, when compared to Amy’s ordeal, made Nicole seem a little selfish. She added, “It would have been fun if it hadn’t been forced.”

“I know what you mean,” Amy said with understanding. “When I go to the soft rooms, I just think about my last night with my boyfriend; the night I got pregnant. It was only my third time, but it was the best I ever had. I just try to pretend it’s him again, and somehow it makes things better. Say, did you…do you…have a boyfriend?”

“Yes…” Nicole answered sadly, “His name’s Jeremy.”

“Did you guys ever…you know?”

Nicole laughed a little, “Yeah, we did. Once.”

“How was it? Was it your first?”

“It was my first time with another person. It was amazing!”

“Let me guess: you were doing it yourself before that?” Amy smiled slyly.

“Vibrator,” said Nicole flatly.

Amy laughed, then became serious again. “Do you think he’ll wait for you?”

Nicole felt a lump rising in her throat. Would he wait for her? She wanted to think so… “I don’t think he’ll recognize me by the time we see each other again.” Her voice grew thick and slurred as she tried to hold back her tears.

“Hey now,” Amy comforted, “Don’t think like that.”

“But I’m here until I’m twenty!” Nicole choked out, “He’ll be in college by that time…” Amy couldn’t understand her friend’s last few words. Nicole had finally started to cry.

Amy stroked her friend’s brown hair. Nothing she could say could calm her down; she would just have let the emotions pass on their own.

Soon, Nicole had herself under control. “Sorry,” she sniffed.

“It’s alright,” Amy said softly, “We all have times like that. It’s normal.”

“Oh Amy…I just want to go home! I still can’t believe this is actually real! It doesn’t seem possible! I keep hoping I’ll wake up and it’ll all be a dream!”

About that time, the same guard who had escorted Amy brought Katrina back. She said nothing and gave her companions no more than a glance before stalking off to the shower. But as the guard closed the cell door, he saw the bad shape Amy’s knee was in. He frowned as he read her clipboard, then turned and shouted, “Is there a Mike Roberts here?”

The customer who had hurt Amy waved at the guard.

“Come over here, sir.”

Amy paled as he ambled over. “That’s the guy!” she cried in a whisper and grabbed Nicole’s hand, “Don’t let him take me again!”

The guard was talking to the man and pointing at Amy. ‘Mike’ nodded. The guard gestured angrily and demanded a thirty-dollar fine for ‘damaged goods.’ The customer handed over the money, told the guard to go fuck himself, and left. The guard opened the cell door and stepped inside.

“Are you okay, Miss Amy?” he asked.

“My knee hurts,” she said matter-of-factly, “But I don’t think it’s too bad.”

“Well, we’ll get you some pain pills as soon as we can. Sorry your day didn’t go so well.” He smiled and turned to leave, just in time to see Katrina sprint out of the cell and take off down the aisle. Nicole and Amy jumped out of bed and ran (and limped) to the bars to watch the scene. The guard had quickly left and locked the door behind him, but they wanted to see if Katrina made it to freedom. She didn’t. As she reached the far doors, Smith exploded through them and intercepted her. He picked her up by her throat and slammed her down onto her back. She lay motionless. Amy and Nicole gasped as the big man flopped Katrina over his shoulder.

“Let this be a lesson to all of you!!” he bellowed to all the girls. Then without another word he left, carrying Katrina’s limp body with him.

“No…” Amy whispered weakly, “No…”

“I know! She was so close!”

“No, I mean for me!” Amy cried, trembling.

“What do you mean?” Nicole was confused.

“A few weeks ago, Katrina beat a customer up when he called her a slut. After that, Smith didn’t punish her. Instead he said that if she tried to pull any more stunts like that, I would be punished in her place! He said that since she didn’t care about herself anymore, maybe she’d care about me. I guess she didn’t…” Amy slowly slid onto the floor, her bad leg stretched out in front of her. “I’m scared, Nicole. I’m really, really, scared! Nobody’s ever the same after he’s done with them! I don’t want to be like that!” She shuddered and collapsed against Nicole’s shoulder. Nicole tried to comfort her, but it was no good. Amy cried and cried. Looking up, Nicole noticed many of the other girls watching Amy. It was true, then. Neither of the girls would be able to stop Smith from administering Amy’s unjust punishment, but Nicole still felt suddenly protective of her friend. Smith might be able to take Amy away whenever he pleased, but Nicole vowed that she wasn’t going to make it easy for him.

As she held the very distraught Amy in her arms, Nicole prayed for both of them.