"And so I was scared. Scared of my own sexual hunger, which felt so secretive and uncharted."
--Caroline Knapp
CHAPTER 06
I took Aaron's extended arm like I have so many times tonight, and we left the shibari room behind. From there, he took me to other rooms to show them to me, even though they were all unoccupied. The Grey Room was really just a meeting room for anyone interested in a homosexual or bisexual encounter. The lights were on, but again, no one was there. The room consisted mostly of large sofas arranged in a circle, with some smaller love seats scattered about the room. Aaron told me that people usually just meet here, then move on to the private rooms, though some will stay here and engage in activities for those who like to watch or be watched.
From that area, we went to the Pink Room, which was for roleplaying as 'adult babies.' It, too, was unoccupied, but as Aaron explained, it was for people who liked to pretend or role-play as a baby, or as a mother or babysitter to those babies. The room was decorated like a nursery, though the typical baby furniture was enlarged to accommodate adult-sized babies. I didn't really comprehend the enjoyment in this. Aaron said he never engaged in this type of activity, but those he talked to like the nurturing aspect of that type of play, though it wasn't something that he was interested in at all.
Another room Aaron told me about, but that we didn't see, was the Green Room. This room was for pet and pony play. I had read about pony play, and this was a a unique activity all to itself. Aaron confirmed what I remembered, that this activity was about dehumanizing the person into an animal, be it a pony or horse for service, or a dog or puppy for play. If someone was a pony, it was all about the service, and that was reflected in transporting their owner, either carrying them or pulling them in a carriage of sorts. If it was puppy play, it could be sexual, from the use of the puppy's tongue on parts of the owner's body, to the owner using the puppy as a sexual partner. Though this was a room that did garner some use, Aaron thought it wasn't worth viewing, at least not tonight. I agreed.
Aaron then took me to the third floor to show me the private rooms. These were smaller than the other rooms I saw but were all well-furnished. No one was in any of the rooms we entered, but a few were locked and in use, so of course we didn't evev try to go in. What was interesting here was that each room had a different theme. One was an office with a couch. Another was styled as a hotel room. Yet another was a doctor's office, complete with examining table. One I thought was funny was an adult movie rental store, with a small viewing booth. There were also several smaller private rooms designed just for bondage and discipline, like hotel rooms but with the special BDSM furniture. Aaron explained as we walked and observed them all that they were for different encounters or role-play scenarios, depending on what the couples agreed should happen that evening.
As we moved on, Aaron got a little quiet. Down one hall, he stopped and turned to me. "Elizabeth." He paused. "I should bring you to the Black Room, but I'm a bit hesitant. I don't want you to be scared. Remember, this is the room for more harsh bondage and discipline. What happens in there can look like torture and abuse. But please believe me, it isn't. The things we do in there are worked out between the participants long in advance and with everyone's thorough understanding of what will happen and who will be subjected to what. We work up to the harsher things, never starting off here with anyone. For the submissive subject, I've heard that the experience is incredible to all the senses and can result in a level of pleasure that's almost ... unimaginable."
Aaron let that sink in. I wasn't sure I was ready for this, for seeing something this extreme, and I'm sure that was reflected in my expression. Aaron addressed me again, "Before we go, I want to make sure you can handle this. This isn't for the faint-hearted. Do you want to see this?"
After a few moments' hesitation, I responded, "I think so," then I became more resolute, gathering my strength. "No, I know so. I can handle this." He nodded and led me on. I steeled myself as we moved on.
We came to a room with a solid black double door, coated in padded black leather, riveted, like a fancy couch. He opened one of the doors and we entered. The black room was large and dark, but like the red room, there were spotlights highlighting different areas. There were only two people here, both with their backs to us so I couldn't see them or tell who they were. One was an auburn--haired woman with her hair up in a bun. Her hands were tied over her head with a rope that pulled them upward, stretching out her body. The rope was attached to a ring on a post.
Unlike most of the other females being escorted in the manor tonight, she was not fully nude. Her back was open, as was her rear, but there were leather straps around her waist and shoulders. It looked like an outfit that consisted of only leather straps of various widths, but from this angle I couldn't be sure. What was immediately noticeable, though was that her back and rear end were already bright red from her punishment.
The man behind her had his shirt pulled off, but still tucked into his trousers, as if he had unbuttoned his shirt, pulled his arms out of his sleeves, and just let it dangle. There was sweat beading between his shoulders. In his hand was a flogger, and he was winding up to swing it.
When he struck, it was not the simple little swings like I had seen in the red room. This was a strong, forceful blow, coming down across her back. The woman grunted as her back recoiled from the impact. He raised his arm and the flogger came down again, this time across her butt. She grunted and gasped this time as her body shook from the impact, sending ripples across her butt and down her legs.
As I watched, I actually winced with each strike, sensing and feeling each strike as they came down on the unknown woman. I closed my eyes and turned inward, against Aaron, gripping his arm. By the time I opened my eyes again, the man had stopped.
He stepped to his side, tossing the flogger away. He reached toward the wall and grabbed something I couldn't see. He returned behind the woman and rubbed her back and rear with his hand, lightly touching her. He moved his other hand up and draped the thing in his hand over her shoulder, letting her feel it. As I heard her intake of breath, I realized what he held ... a bull whip.