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Review This Story || Author: Freddie Clegg

Such Sweet Sorrow

Part 2

CHAPTER 3 : DEBTS INCURRED. DEBTS REPAID: SEPTEMBER

TWO CONFERENCES


Corinne Aimes, founder, director and part owner of Inward Bound, is at her desk, dealing with emails, when her telephone rings.


“Corinne?” the voice at the other end of the line says.


“Charlotte!” Corinne replies, as she recognises her friend.


“I just had a follow up telephone call with Fifty. Well, yesterday evening actually.”


“Howd it go?”


“She seems to be settling back in to her home and work routine.”


“Good. It could have been difficult, after what she went through. How did her husband take to her adventure?”


“She says he is coping reasonably well. Its funny; normally I am concerned about how effectively our clients re-socialise but in Fiftys case, its her husband I am more concerned about!  I know she was at greater risk than usual because of the rendition incident but with her husband ... Well, I think we both had the same concerns. Anyway, theres one other thing.”


“Yes?”


“She wants to speak to us about her research project.”


Corinne snorts. “Ha! So she has learned to get things right way round at last?”


“Well to be fair, I think she was under the cosh from her director of studies.”


“Oh yes: the Professor”


“Anyway, what do you think?”


“It depends a bit on the direction that shes planning to take the research in. I suppose it could provide some valuable information to us, about our clients. You and I have both had psychological training so we are in a good position to assess the value of the information she is proposing to collect. If you ask me, I think wed be more effective as research directors than her professor because we actually have a personal interest in getting the research done and getting it carried out to a high standard.”


“So shall I call her back and arrange a meeting I thought London might be the most convenient place for all of us?”


“No, lets have her come up here. This is where shell be doing her data collection, I suppose? In any case, Fifty had better find out which is the most practical way for her to make her trips here. If this project goes ahead, she will be up and down quite often. Besides, I feel less than inclined to bend over backwards for her. In fact, she should be bending over backwards for us.”


Charlotte can imagine the glint in Corinnes eye. “Umm, fair enough and you know something?”


“What?”


“I think youre right about her bending over. Dont you feel that she owes us a small forfeit for her initial dishonesty?  A little restitution, as the price for our cooperation.”


“Now thats a good idea.  Im not sure its ethical, but its good! What do you have in mind?”


“Well, I havent thought this through. It only occurred to me just now, but isnt Twenty One going to be at the Centre again shortly? It would be so nice if they could meet up again....”


“Charlotte, you can be a very devious girl sometimes, do you know that?”


“Yes, Corinne I think I do.” Charlotte has a self satisfied grin as she puts the phone down and checks her laptop to see just when Twenty One is going to be around.


While Corinne and Charlotte are speaking to one another over the telephone, Larry Ross is at the London headquarters of Freddie Clegg Enterprises. Its the regular senior management team meeting. Theyre reviewing the progress of the business and their current projects, almost all of them illegal, not to mention immoral. Pam Jordan the Groups Medical Advisor  - an important role given that the Groups primary interest is in human trafficking in one form or other - has been speaking about the value of understanding but not necessarily being sympathetic to - the emotions of abductees as they try to come to terms with what has happened to them.


Connie butts in, “You know Pam thats very interesting. Now take Larry here. He is running a consensual slavery adventure experience and Ill bet you one hundred pounds that he has never had any slave experiences in his life. I think he would run a much more effective programme if he had a taste of what his guests are being put through. What do you think Mr Clegg?”


Larry is lost for words. What the hell is Connie playing at?


Clegg smiles broadly. Hes sometimes inclined to enjoy a joke at others expense and hes noticed Connies occasional sniping at Larry. “Thats a perceptive observation, Connie, especially as we all have such high hope for Larrys project. Pam?”


Pam Jordan is perfectly aware of whats going on but shes happy to indulge Connie and Freddies teasing. “I am inclined to agree with Connie,” she says. “Larry, when are you planning to go on holiday? Perhaps you should be aiming to mix some business with pleasure?”


Larry feels he is rapidly losing control of the situation. He is never sure about how serious some of these suggestions are. He cant think of any reason why Connie should want to get her hands on him her professional hands and he has absolutely no wish to spend any of his holiday allocation in her dungeon. And why are Pam Jordan and Freddie pouring petrol on the flames? They dont think its his birthday do they?  An opportunity to play some amusing prank?  On the other hand Connie usually doesnt do pranks ….


Just then Larrys mobile rings. Mercifully, it stops the flow of the conversation.


Larry picks it up and answers. He turns to the others in the room. “Er, this is Corinne do you mind if I take this Ill just go into the outer office,” says Larry.


Freddie nods. “Sure, no problem. We need to press on though.”


As he gets up Connie smiles at Larry. She slightly narrows one eye as she inclines her head towards him. She knows her prey has escaped. So does Larry. It occurs to him that maybe Connie is keen for more involvement at Inward Bound, after her involvement with the rendition project. That can only cause problems, Larry thinks.


When Larry returns to the table, the agenda has moved on and Larry finds that “Progress Report. IWB Project” is the next item. At least he will now be leading the discussion and in a position to deal with any more interference from Connie.


“Larry; your report.” Clegg is happy to play the chairman today. Hes looking forward to a few weeks in Greece and hes prepared to make the effort to ensure things are on an even keel before he heads off.


“Thank you Freddie. Theres quite a lot to cover, so its probably best if I give you an overview and I can invite comments, questions and suggestions from the rest of you.” Freddie nods. The others do too. Connie looks Larry straight in the eye as she does so. Larry feels like a rat in the gaze of a cobra.


He tries to forget Connie as he starts his report. “First, the performance of the business itself. I am pleased to say that all courses are fully booked, nine months ahead. The business operations are cash positive although that wasnt really the point as we know. All the indicators for customer satisfaction,” Connie snorts, “are higher than when we started our relationship with IWB. I am also very pleased with the level of new enquires which should see future courses also well subscribed.

“Secondly, Corinne Aimes and I have given quite a lot of thought about creating more places on each course. However, there is a limit to the number of adventurers we can deal with on each course whilst keeping a high level of intimacy and control. Our part time staff such as Ylena and Celia are having to make a bigger commitment and that isnt sustainable in the longer term. Celias time is not her own because she in a full time NHS post and Ylena has her own practice. I can foresee Celia asking to go full time with us and take on some of the work being done by Ylena. Corinne is very conscious of the need for capacity planning and succession management so I believe that we will be able to work our way through it.


“Third, I have had a careful look at the enquiries and a significant number are from Alumni who would like to do a second course. That gives us another opportunity. I propose we look seriously at creating another Centre to handle the returnees, to give them a tougher trip, a more stretching second experience. The ideal would be somewhere abroad: warm, dry, sunny ...”


“I can see now why you dont fancy my holiday, Larry,” Connie cuts in. “Youve got one of your own planned.”


Freddie glances at Connie to signal that this line of banter has gone far enough.


Larry continues. “... and of course private which would also give a more profound sense of separation from the vanilla world. A soon as Guests arrive, we take their passports from them along with all their clothes, so they know at once that they are very securely trapped.


“Fourth, graduates from the second course are likely to include people who are looking for a much longer and more profound slavery experience and these are the people we can approach for contracted slavery the consensual non-consensuals as you might put it. Here are some draft Contracts and Slave Management Protocols I have put together.” Larry passes folders around the table. “Freddie, here is yours, Ellie, Pam and Connie. Now this is where I think your input would be very valuable, Connie but we have to handle this with some care, some diplomacy.” Its obvious to the meeting that Larry doesnt think this is one of the organisations key competencies. “I dont know if Corinne Aimes and her team will see this as part of their brand so to speak or whether she will feel happier to keep it well off limits. I am hoping so, but let me develop this slowly - ” Larry looks directly at Clegg, he knows that patience is not Freddies long suit, “ - with her and I will report back.


“Finally,” Larry can almost sense the relief. The rest of the team are anxious to get on with things closer to their core business. Thats fine by him with any luck theyll have forgotten Connies mischievous proposal. “Finally, you will all remember the Jennifer McEwan business? Well, according to Corinne that was the reason for her call by the way - McEwan has asked if she can discuss her research with Corinne and explore it further.   It seems she is still keen to go ahead with her project. Corinne and Charlotte are happy to cooperate with McEwan but I just wanted to run this past you all. My personal opinion is that the more we know about our clients, the better we can tailor their experience to what they are looking for and most important, the easier it will be to spot the people who are after Slavery Contracts which,” Larry scans around the room making sure he has everyones attention, “was of course our principle reason for getting involved with Inward Bound in the first place.”


“Research?” muses Freddie. “That will mean publication eventually, I suppose. Publication is publicity and its not really something Ive gone after in the past.”


Larry can understand. Publicity is something that few criminal enterprises seek. “Agreed, Freddie but we run the risk of that already, every time someone books themselves on to a course. For all we know it could be a reporter from one of the tabloids looking for a story. At least this will be publication is a sober academic journal. In fact, from what Ive seen of this academic stuff, it will be so sober that whatever is being described will read like the telephone directory!”


Clegg looks long and hard at Larry. Ellie gives Clegg a nod. “OK Larry,” says Clegg, summarising the discussion. “I am happy to leave this with you, but just keep us in the loop as ever. Any dissenters? No? Now, next item: Ah, cooperation with the Glennis Organisation ….”


NEW DEBTS INCURRED


Corinne looks steadily across her desk at Jenny McEwan, who still sports a shaven head and a septum ring. Corinne is pleased. Charlotte encouraged her to stay that way when she left and she obviously took it seriously.


Yes, thinks, Corinne to herself. She does look very sexy and yet also very elegant in a hip sort of way. I am glad she decided to keep to the look we chose for her. Still if she had reverted to her former appearance, we would be the first to notice and perhaps McEwan wants to make sure she does not antagonise us, by giving us a reason not to cooperate with her. So who has the upper hand here? Her or us?


Jenny is the first to speak. “First of all, I feel this sounds silly but I have to ask, what should I call you?” Jennys memories of this place, of the way she was trained, of the sanctions for failing to use the words “Mistress” or “Gazpazha”, are still sufficient to leave her uncertain of the protocol, in the current situation. 


“Jenny, please call me Corinne. At least for now” There is a twinkle in Corinnes eyes which Jenny finds slightly disturbing. “I hope me calling you Jenny is OK?”


Jenny blushes. “Yes of course. I am very grateful to you for agreeing to see me!”


“So you came by car?”


“Yes. When I knew where you were, I had a look on the map and thought I could manage a return trip in one day, if I started early. My husband is away for a few days and so it does not matter when I get home. I mean wont be disturbing him, if I get home late tonight.”


If you get home tonight, muses Corinne, thinking about how she hopes the day will turn out. She merely says, though, “Lets just see how we get on. I expect we will have a lot to talk about.”


Jenny clears her throat and begins a description of her project. “Youll remember that I was looking at aspects of adult play and in particular, play behaviours in relation to BDSM. What I hope to do, as part of this next phase, is to try to find out if people who come on a course here, are significantly different in psycho-sexual attitudes from the average population …”


“ a normal population controlled for age, sex and education, social class but not selected with respect to sexual fantasies?”


“Err, yes.” For a moment Jenny is surprised by Corinnes intuitive grasp of the nuts and bolts of her project, “… and then to see if people change as a result of their time here.”


“Change how?”


“In a nutshell, are their psychological outlooks confirmed, emphasised or altered? In particular are they altered with reference to their sexual fantasies and in particular again, to any BDSM fantasies.”


“And your data collection?”


“Will be by questionnaires and interviews at base line and after the experience has ended. I would also very much like to compare what the subjects tell me with what they tell you, in your application questionnaires.”


“Informed consent?”


“Yes: thats essential. I must inform the subjects that an investigation is on-going and to have their permission to access their answers. I remember filling in my own forms and feeling very glad that only your staff would have access to my answers!”


“I bet you were! Data security?”


“I think it would be best if I can leave all the questionnaires here and only take away anonymous data for analysis. So for example, the questionnaire data filled in by Jennifer McEwan would stay here but I would take away a string of numbers corresponding to the questions and answers given by subject number 001


“And the code key which translates subject 001 into Jenny McEwan?”


“Would stay here and be in your possession because they are your clients and they put their trust in you and your colleagues, to keep their information confidential.”


“You know, Jenny, that your local Ethics Committee will take a very close interest in this. Your  - our - arrangements must be really watertight otherwise the project will not be considered past first base?”


“Thats absolutely right.” Jenny pauses. “You seem to have a very clear grasp of the technicalities of this. Im feeling I am talking to my research supervisor.” She adds with a grin.


Corinne smiles in response. “Ah, yes. You wont know this but I am a psychologist too. My other business is Huntington Management Sciences which runs management courses. The IWB course content is heavily influenced by management and workplace psychology.”


“Ah. Perhaps you should have been the supervisor on this project?”


Corinne smiles and Jenny laughs. Many a true word is spoken in jest!


The interview lasts throughout the afternoon. By four thirty, Corinne has heard enough to feel confident that Jenny has a viable project on her hands; that she is capable of carrying it out and that Corinnes business could benefit from the data that the study will generate.


As she rounds off her presentation, Jenny says, “Corinne, I am very much in your debt for giving me access to Inward Bound and for agreeing to host the project. I know Professor D…”


Corinne holds up her hand. Her limited dealings with Professor Dawney have been enough to convince her that any gratitude felt by the professor, will be in strict proportion to how far the project will further the professors own career. Corinne continues, “Thats all right, Jenny. I think you will more than repay any future debts of obligation to us if you can successfully complete your project and the information you collect and the analysis you undertake helps us to provide a better service to our clients. However there is the matter of past debts …”


Jenny blushes deeply. She knows at once where this is going.  Corinne is going to ask why this interview did not precede Jennys original adventure at Inward Bound? Jenny, wreathed in embarrassment, looks down at her feet.


Corinne continues: “… so I thought you might like the opportunity to repay some past debts and start again with a clean sheet. What do you say to that?”


Jenny says nothing but in particular, she does not argue with Corinne. Jenny feels her mouth dry and she swallows hard, wondering what is coming next.


OLD DEBTS REPAID


“Take off all of your clothes!”


Corinne speaks softly. Conversationally. She gives the order as easily as she might ask for a sheet of paper.


Its not the sort of request one expects, at the end of a meeting to do with research data collection. Jenny understands the incongruity of it but Corinne is a Mistress - the Senior Mistress at Inward Bound. Inward Bound, where Jenny was trained as a slave, so she at once accepts the instruction and obeys. 


Presently Jenny stands naked. Her hands are behind her back, clothes carefully folded on the chair where she sat a few minutes ago in her other life as a PhD research student. Now, in an instant, she has reverted to her role as slave. Which one does she really prefer she asks herself ?


“Well done, Fifty”


Jenny feels her stomach muscles tighten and a stab of adrenalin as Corinne uses her Inward Bound slave name.


Corinne stands and walks around her desk. She places a hand on Fiftys shoulder.  “Here,” says Corinne as she draws a leather collar around Fiftys neck and snaps it shut. It bears a tag that says “This Slave is Property of IWB.”


“Better” comments Corinne, “and now I am going to hood you.”


She takes a black leather bag hood and drops it over Fiftys head, pulling the drawstring closure snugly tight. Jenny stands passively, accepting; transformed from her assertive, confident, intellectual self to an obedient slave by the simple use of words. Now Fifty is alone in a black, musky, pungent, world where she depends completely on her Mistress but Fifty trusts Corinne and sighs with contentment and anticipation born from her surrender to her situation.


“Come with me:” Corinne clips a leash to Fiftys collar and guides her, a hand on her shoulder, out of the office. “We are going to meet an old friend of yours!”


Fifty tries to chart her direction of travel in her mind, using her memories of the IWB centre.l They walk along the upstairs landing, down the main stairs through the hall and out of the main building. Her feet feel the smooth clean cold of the courtyard path are they going to the Gym? Who will they meet? Ylena perhaps? The anticipation and uncertainty dry her mouth even more, as much as the stifling enclosing of the hood.


Corinne pauses. A door is opened. Fifty feels a gentle pressure on her shoulder. She moves forward in to where? There is laughter but whose?


“Hush!” says Corinne. “Is everything ready as I asked? Good. Fifty? This way ... turn … stop.”


Fifty feels her arms taken and bent forwards and strapped above her.


Then her legs are spread and her ankles secured. Something is pressing on her chest and belly.


Corinne leans towards her, loosens the draw string and lifts off the hood. Fifty blinks in the light and quickly glances left and right.


She has been strapped so she embraces a giant “Swiss Ball”: it is squashy but also firm beneath her. In front of her Corinne is standing and smiling and beside her stands someone she recognises from her first visit to Inward Bound; another slave she knew as Twenty One; Judy.


“Fifty,”says Corinne making the introductions, “this is Judy and Judy? This is Fifty. I think you might have met before?” she asks, smirking.


“Thank you Mistress,” laughs Judy. “I was so looking forward to seeing Fifty again and here she is!” Judy emphasises Fiftys slave name. The last time Jenny and Judy met they were both under slave training. Judy was known as Twenty One. Now Jenny is still Fifty but Judy is no longer Twenty one. She has become Judy.


“Well, I will leave you two to enjoy some quality time together,” says Corinne. “Judy? You know what to do?”


“Yes Mistress,” replies Judy simply.


After Corinne leaves the gym, Judy walks slowly across to Fifty. She is carrying a flogger in her left hand, its tails spilling over her right hand.


She walks up behind Fifty and kisses her on the shoulder and licks and kisses again, this time on the back of her neck. “I have heard”, says Judy conspiratorially, “that you were a very naughty girl, when we were slaves here together and now here you are, still a slave and I have been given the job of punishing you. I think thats neat, dont you?” Fifty turns her head to see the wicked grin on Judys face. “I am to warm you up with this flogger, then I am going to whip you.” Judy pronounces the word whip very carefully letting it slither from her lips. “How many strokes should I give you? One lick of the whip for every day you were here? Well, lets just see. Oh, I am going to enjoy this, Fifty!”


Judy begins carefully spraying the tails of the flogger all across Fiftys back and buttocks, thighs and calves and up between her legs.


Fifty tugs and squeals but she has to hold her position to prevent the ball rolling backwards on top of her. She is perfectly presented for punishment and each soft blow of the flogger seems to sensitise her skin more and more, readying it for the beating to come.


The heat builds up in her skin. The sensation is well within what she can cope with and in fact she is beginning to enjoy the experience, enjoy this slight suffering at the hands of a fellow slave. But Judy is not quite a slave anymore, is she?


The flogging stops. Jenny is breathing deeply, rhythmically; the flogger encourages that. Judy says “and now for your whipping, Fifty. This is going to sting. Look at this; isnt it attractive? Such a wonderful sexy red colour? ”


Fifty can see Judy reflected in the mirrors which line the wall of the gym. She can see Judy uncoil a thin red whip. Judy takes her stance, her hands held wide and straight above her head, one hand holding the whip handle, the other holding the tail. She languidly sends the tail of the whip sailing out towards Fiftys back. It lands and lays a fiery stripe across her right shoulder. Another lick follows. Then theres another to the left shoulder; then another, lower, to impact on her left buttock and down her thigh.  Another snakes around her calf. Fifty can see that Judy has to make very little effort to land the whip on her skin but how bright and hot and stinging are the impacts. She can also see that Judy is smiling. She is in no hurry to finish Fiftys punishment. Judy pauses and carefully coils up her whip and picks up another. She comes over to Fifty and carefully kisses her back running her tongue along the raised welts. She makes her way down Fiftys spine to the level of her pelvis, drinking in Jennys response to the soft touch of her mouth after the sharp cutting of the whip.


“Mmmm, you do like pain, dont you?” Judys tone is mischievous. “I am learning to whip. Then today, you turned up with debts to pay. Corinne was very keen for me to help you pay. This is going to be your last instalment a bit more expensive, Im afraid but I think its an expense you will enjoy!”


Judy now picks up a thicker whip. Its light brown; its handle is decorated with gold bands. Once more Judy takes her stance. She flicks the handle and a fiery kiss appears on Fiftys right buttock another on her left. Pause a pause to recover before her buttocks are kissed again: right and left. And again; left and right. Jenny has problem keeping her feet now as the combination of the ball, her awkward stance and the way her mind has become completely focused on the each stroke of the whip all combine to make her unsteady.

“Now Fifty, your last two. Oh, you are going to look magnificent when you get back home. By tomorrow your whip marks will be fully developed. I think nothing looks more erotic than a freshly whipped slave. What will your husband say?”


Fifty is also trying to think what she can say to Joe when Judy lands her whip twice more, one left, one right. By now Fifty is squealing, and writhing. If only she could rub where the whip has landed but the restraints hold her hands firmly in their place and she can only gasp and sigh and squeeze her buttocks until the pain begins to fade. 


“Very well done Fifty! I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did! Now I am going to turn you over.” Judy snaps a handcuff onto Fiftys right wrist before releasing the strap and taking the limb to the anchor point on the left. She snaps the cuff closed. Fifty is still trapped.


Judy repeats the manoeuvre with Fiftys left arm: left arm to right anchor. Judy, one at a time, re-straps Fiftys wrists and removes the cuffs. Then she releases Fiftys ankles. “Now, Fifty. Turn Around!”


Fifty obeys, her arms un-cross as she turns and Judy rewards her obedience by re-securing her ankles which now presents Fiftys front to Judy.


“The great thing about this ball is that you can roll the victim around. Over you go!”


There is nothing Fifty can do to prevent the Judy pushing the ball over backwards until she is balanced looking upwards at the ceiling. Judy pauses to strip herself naked and Fifty finds that her mouth has been nicely positioned directly opposite Judys crotch. She is aroused, Fifty can see her labia glistening and smell her arousal.


“Now Fifty, business is over. I am sure you know what to do?”


Fifty does know. This is one order her Mistress doesnt need to give her.


“Oh, Oh, Oh that tongue of yours! That stud feels wonderful. I wonder if Corinne will have you pierced again so you have two studs to pleasure your Mistresses with? I think … you are … Oh!you are going to have to stay the night ….”


AND JOSEPH WRAPS UP THE DAY


Im is sitting in my hotel room. Weve wound up the meetings for the day. I half expected that two or three of us would hook up for dinner but it turned out that everybody had other plans. Im feeling a bit bored, a bit dissatisfied as a result of the outcome of the days discussions, a bit disappointed at spending an evening on my own, and, if Im honest, a bit lonely.


I wonder what Jenny is up to. She was supposed to be going to see the people in Suffolk today. Shes probably driving back about now. I dont like to call. Jenny hasnt got a hands free kit for her mobile in the car or a sat-nav. Shell be concentrating on where shes going and some of those Suffolk roads are narrow. I wonder what shes up to, now? Maybe shes stopped off for a break. I think again about calling her. Then my own mobile rings.


“Jenny?” I say, expecting it to be her on the call.


It isnt. Its one of my colleagues from the meeting. Plans have changed. Do I fancy dinner? Theyre meeting up for a couple of beers first in a bar not far from the main station but theyve got a table booked for eight, so if Im coming...


I look at my watch. A beer and a meal with colleagues sounds like a better evening than playing guess the hooker in the hotel bar. I tell him Ill be there shortly. I grab a sweater and a jacket and head for the lobby. “Maybe it wont be such a dull evening after all,” I think, “I just hope Jenny is finding something to keep her amused, too.”   


.....................................................................................................................................


Footnotes:


1. NHS: the United Kingdoms state - funded National Health Service.


2. Swiss Balls Not a new name for Ferro Rocher but actually....

    http://www.dietandfitnessresources.co.uk/home_gym/fitball_swiss_exercise_ball.htm

CHAPTER 4 : THE OBSERVER: OCTOBER

THE RETURNEE


Its two months later.


Jenny feels really strange driving herself to the Inward Bound centre in Suffolk, to meet the whole “Faculty” again. Shes beginning the next part of her research project. Its worse for her than the last time when she came just to see Corinne then, she kept telling herself it was just another research agenda discussion, even if it was going to turn out to be a bit more than that! This time, she feels as though shes going back into a Lions den.


She plans to sit in on the first few days of the programme, then shell come back again for a day or two each week. Finally she plans to undertake follow-up interviews with the participants, after they complete their course. Charlotte has spoken to the all participants and asked if they would be prepared to sign consent forms for the study. Jenny is pleased. She guesses that theres a bit of the exhibitionist in most subs, because they all agreed.


Jenny stops at the gate, announces herself and the gate swings open. The mini-bus that brought her here on her first visit is parked outside the front of the house. Theres a group of girls standing around looking nervous the newest intake. Jennys research subjects.


She stops her car and gets out. Charlotte breaks off a conversation with the others and comes straight across to greet her. Jenny feels glad that Charlotte is pleased to see her but Jenny also knows that this is an opportunity for Charlotte to  remind the newcomers of their place in the pecking order.


Charlotte and Jenny embrace like old friends, which of course, they are. The two of them walk into the house together, Charlottes hand on Jennys shoulder while the others are herded forward by Gerry. Jenny imagines them, going through the same admissions process that she did. It seems odd not to be joining them!


“You look terrific,” Charlotte says with approval. “Really well. Im glad you are still shaving your head. It really suits you. Your initial disobedience has paid some rather nice dividends! Do you keep your head shaven, or was this a compliment to us?”


Jenny laughs. “Thanks,” she says. “I feel great and its nice to be back. And no, the head shaving isnt a compliment. I keep it that way. It seems right, somehow and even Joes got used to it! My mum thinks its strange though….”


“Well, its good to have you back even if its only for the week-end. Weve got a room for you. Ill show you. Ill get your bag brought up from the car if you like. Charlotte shows Jenny upstairs to a comfortably furnished suite of rooms with a small lounge, a bigger bedroom and an en-suite. She looks out over the grounds and across the lawn where she and her colleagues were harnessed together, to pull the mower like a pony team. Her new room is such a contrast from the cell she had when she was first here with its bars, hard mattress and squatting toilet!


Jenny is pondering her new found luxury when theres a knock at the door. She calls  out. “Come on in, its open.”


The door opens. Its a woman; naked, shackled, ball-gagged, carrying Jennys bag.


Jenny knows that she shouldnt be shocked, but she is. Its a real surprise for her.


The woman puts the bag down on a small stand, bows silently, steals a brief look at Jenny and backs out of the room, closing the door behind her.


The effect on Jenny is profound. Shes left speechless and rooted to the spot. The girls wordless obedience to an order given her (presumably) by Charlotte, her nakedness and the fact that she has obviously decided that Jenny is one of the staff (and thus someone to be submitted to) disturbs her. Jenny wants to call her back, to tell her that she is just like her; that Jenny has done what she is doing but Jenny knows that she must not interfere.


Jenny stands in the middle of the bedroom asking herself how on earth she is going to cope with the study programme if such an incidental encounter drags back the memories of submitting to Celia and Ylena and Jo and Jonathan.  


A LA CARTE


Everyone is in the dining room. Charlotte, Jo, Gerry, Celia and Jenny share a table. The food is delightful, accompanied by a couple of bottles of good wine. As Jenny takes a sip she looks across to where the newcomers are sitting down to their first meal. Theyre working out what the numbers on the place cards mean, realising that no one is going to tell them to take the strip of  tape from their lips, looking enviously  at the food on the Facultys table and then tucking-in hungrily to the oat cakes, muesli and fruit which has been provided for them. Jenny knows how they feel; she has been there herself, before.


“You look as if you envy the new arrivals,” Josephine says.


“Well, I think I envy them the discoveries theyre all going to make, thats for sure. If they are like I was when I came first time, theyll be finding out an awful lot about themselves.”


“And youre going to be finding out a lot about them too, if you get through the research agenda.” Charlotte adds, running her hand across the folder that I sent her with the plan for the investigation. “Weve set things up so that you can connect your lap top to the video feeds for observations. You can do it from your room upstairs. We thought that would be best. We have also made the arrangements for the initial interviews, as you asked. Why not frame them as a form of interrogation, just to keep in line with the “new arrivals” expectations?  You said you wanted to collect some data on physiological changes. We thought the best opportunity would be during the initial physical exam sessions so we will include you in the team when that is carried out.”


“Thanks, Charlotte but I was always a bit envious of Celias blue scrubs and white clogs” Jenny replies, not entirely joking!


Charlottes remarks and Jennys jokey reply brings Jenny to a sharp moment of self-understanding. She really hasnt prepared herself emotionally in the way she should have.  She had almost expected that the data collection would be incidental to her own participation but of course, she now realises, what an idiotic idea that was! How on earth could she have given it space in her brain, to lay there festering, seducing her from the serious purpose of her visits?  This time, its business, not pleasure. This time, she has to be detached, objective, in-charge of the situation. The observations and data collection have been cleverly integrated into the programme, thanks to the ingenuity of Charlotte and her colleagues. The process might even might provide some additional amusement for the participants. Jenny does not want to let them down, not the Faculty, nor the participants. It is going to be hard emotional work, to do her job properly.


But from somewhere deeper in her mind, a small voice whispers. It tells her that she will look like one of the staff. And that would make her a domme. And shes not….


THE WATCHER


Jenny makes her excuses and returns to her room. “Im tired,” she tells them (which is a lie) and “Im feeling a rush of familiarity, a reminder of when I first got here.” (which is the truth)


She sits, silent and uneasy for a minute or two. She cant let things get away from her at “first base”, she tells herself. Shes got a job to do now, otherwise the whole research project falls apart, almost before it has begun.


Jenny turns on her laptop to look at the video feeds, gazing down on the participants, just as others had watched over her, when she had come to IWB as a participant.


Start with the facts, she says to herself. The secret of successful ethnography is a dispassionate assessment of the subjects in their situation.


“Participants = 6,” Jenny writes in her notes, “all females. The six are confined in individual rooms for their first evening.” She describes the cells that the girls have been locked in; the sparse furnishings, the bars and shutters.


She describe each of the girls, referring to them using their course numbers their slave numbers -  in preference to using  their real names, to protect their anonymity.  Jenny wonders if that makes her complicit in their dehumanisation? Is it any worse than referring to them as Subject A, Subject B, Subject C as so many studies would? But surely, they are not being dehumanised. It is merely their status which has been changed and changed with their full knowledge and consent.


She notes the extent to which they have followed their joining instructions Charlotte has let her have a copy -  the ones who have cropped their hair, the ones who have the bright red mark of a new piercing and the ones who havent and dont. She makes a note to explore whether these disobediences are the result of studied defiance, naivety, or a  lack of understanding (as it was with Jenny when she came here) or an intent to taunt.


Jenny studies the girls in their cells. No. 101 is already asleep. Naked on her couch, her collar and cuffs locked around her neck, wrists and ankles. No. 105 is sitting on the floor against the back wall, hugging her knees to herself, staring fixedly at the back of the shutter that closes off her cell. Its not surprising, because this is her first time. She must be scared witless, much as Jenny had been. Her next door neighbour, No. 106, is quite the opposite. Shes evidently aroused. She has taken her red cellular blanket, the one piece of bedding in her cell, and pulled it up between her legs, dragging it across her labia. Shes sprawled on her couch, sweating, touching her own nipples, unaware or completely unconcerned about the presence of the video cameras. The next is more of a puzzle. No. 22, according to the notes. It must be her second visit, at least. So why is she so panicked? She is laying on her couch, her knees drawn up to her chest, clutching her blanket around her with one hand, the thumb of her other pressed into her mouth where she is sucking it and whimpers softly. The next participant, No. 89, paces her cell, he arms folded as she walks back and forward. Finally, No. 68. She lays on her bed, looking up at the ceiling, apparently calm but Jenny notices her fists. They are clenched tight on top of her blanket.


The more Jenny watches and notes the actions and responses of the girls the more uncomfortable she feels. She tries to think when shes felt this disturbed before and it comes flooding back to her. It was after she came back from the interrogation or whatever it was. When Ylena had ordered her to beat Judy. Its remarkable how each individual scene is etched into her memory. They say a good ethnographer has to observe and recall. Jenny applies it to herself.


Jenny is staring at the laptop screen, flipping from cell to cell, making occasional notes, often without thinking the ideal, innocent, dispassionate observer  - when theres a knock at the door.


Jenny doesnt say anything but the door opens anyway.


She looks up and sees Ylena framed in the doorway and begins to chew her lip with anxiety or is it in anticipation? 


Shes wearing leather as she so often does; a dark brown waistcoat worn without a shirt and tightly fitting leather trousers pushed in to short cowboy boots.  “It is difficult, moya sluzhanka?” she says, but it is more of a statement than a question.


Moya sluzhanka! My slave. Jenny thinks for a moment that she will melt! She wants to tumble off of the chair and kneel at her feet, throwing her arms around her calves, pushing her face into her boots. But she doesnt do that. She tells herself that she has to be strong.


“Oh, Gaspazha!” Jenny replies and smiles:, “how can vasha sluzhanka do this?” Ylena walks across, places one arm around Jenny and one hand on her scalp. Jenny finds it absurdly comforting. “Spaseeba, Gazpazha,” she says, “Spaseeba.”


“You remember your Russian,” she says. “That is good. You will find a way through. You know you will.”


Jenny feels as though Ylena can read her mind. Shes grateful for her confidence.


Ylena pulls up a chair and sits down beside Jenny. 


“I would still like to be one of them,” Jenny says wistfully, nodding at the screen, at the girls in their cells. “To have my number again, to be Fifty.”


Ylena shakes her head. The Faculty have thought this through and are  very well aware of Jennys innermost desires, to be one of the slaves once more. . “You know you cannot be one of them and observe them, as you need to this time. You must be one of us.”


It feels very odd to be one of you,” Jenny says. “Im sluzhanka, I was your sluzhanka vasha sluzhanka.”


Ylena raises an eyebrow at me. “Ah, Fifty!” she says and slowly adds ... “Perhaps I have an idea. Look at you! A Spaniel or a Labrador could not be more attentive and loyal. Or impose herself so much, I think. You know that for your studies you cannot mix work and play. But that does not mean that there cannot be any play.” There is a mischievous twinkle in Ylenas eye.


Suddenly Jenny is worried that Ylenas idea of a solution might be worse than Jennys idea of the problem! “Spaseeba Gaspazha” she says once more. She understands now that they the Faculty -  understand her only too well and in return for their understanding, patience and cooperation, it is her duty to do all in her power, to complete her investigation properly.


“Now, listen to me, Fifty,” Ylenas tone is stern but there is warmth behind it. “You will do your work. You will do it for your Gazpazha, if you like, but you will do it. And then, well maybe then,...”


Jenny smiles at her. “Oh no, Fifty,” she says. “Not me.” She peers down, wagging a finger at my whimper of disappointment. “I shant always be here when you are. Nor Jo or Gerry or Jonathan or Charlotte, I think, they will all be busy with the course.”


Jenny is puzzled. Thats all of the Faculty.


Ylena sees Jennys confusion. “No,” she says, “Ill talk to Corinne. I think shell be happy to look after a teachers pet.”


ANXIETIES AT GROUND CONTROL


I know that its part of the deal. I told Jenny I wouldnt worry but its hard not to. Before, when she was away, I was also away. This time, Im at home, in familiar surroundings and Jenny is not with me.  I guess I am feeling lonely. Wondering what she us up to? Wondering what she is getting involved with? Missing her!  Conscious all the time (or so it seems) that Im here and Jenny isnt with me.


I cant help but speculate on what shes up to. She told me what her work plan would be: that she was going to observe. Im pretty sure that it will be difficult for her to maintain as much distance between herself and her subject as she would ideally, intellectually, academically, wish.


I get a beer from the fridge. I put on some jazz. Lee Konitz. I want abstract music; something to concentrate on, something I have engage with, use my mind on. Yet the sensuality of the music just reminds me of her. But thats fine. Maybe thats something we can share. Ive always found that my biggest turn-on, was her being turned on. I catch myself smiling. Im hoping, genuinely hoping that shes enjoying herself as well as enjoying her work.


© Freddie Clegg & Phil Lane 2010

All rights reserved.  Not to be reproduced or reposted without permission

All characters fictitious

E-mail: freddie_clegg@yahoo.com 

Web Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freddies_tales/




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