Sara, Sara, her name is Sara. Her name was Sara until she became "Mistress" to me, but I remember her now.
My mind is working erratically, seems to be turning on and off like a-
Darkness.
Am I unconscious? I can feel ropes around my wrists but not much else...
Sweet Jesus, they've left me here to die.
I don't know how long I'll be here, I don't know how long I'll hang. I've hung for hours now, but maybe it's been minutes. Maybe a minute or two. Maybe they'll be back for me in a minute.
I won't die here, I won't die. Let this punishment end, Mistress, and I'll drop to my knees for you, at your command, I'll do all you ask of me.
Darkness.
God I'm hungry. The last time I ate was on the plane, and those airline peanuts just don't cut it. The plane-where am I?
Darkness.
My eyes open, and I want to cry out, but I don't dare. My entire body feels numb, but worse than that, so does my mind. I can't think, I have no concept of how long I've been here, and-
Fear.
If only I had kept my mouth shut at the airport, if only I had followed her without question, maybe her punishment wouldn't have been so brutal. But I'd thought it was funny, I'd thought it would be fun. When I had told my friends about Sara's letter three days ago, they had laughed, I had laughed, they had asked me if she was-what were the words? "Freaky deaky?" I promise, if I ever hear anyone say those words again, I'll smack them. They have no idea...
If only Mistress would come for me now. I could call for her, but she would ignore me. Even if she did come, the punishment would be worse for opening my mouth.
I'm thirsty, too.
Darkness.
Mistress, my sweet Mistress, is that you?
I feel a hand on my face, stroking my cheek lovingly. I try to open my eyes, but I've lost control.
"How do you feel?" My Mistress. Her words seem entirely out of place at this time, but I know I must answer her.
"I...I feel...lost..."
"Lost?"
"How long?"
"You've been here for five hours."
"Oh God..."
"You thought this would be easy," she says, "If you want to be in my world, you have to pay the price, love. Do you want me to let you go? Say the word, and I'll let you go. It's your choice."
One word, yes, and she'll let me go. This will be over, yes, and I'll be free, I'll get back on the plane, yes, and go back to my life.
"No, Mistress, I don't want to go."
"Good," she says, "good answer. Now, you have to listen. Are you listening?"
"Yes, Mistress." I try to nod my head, but I can't seem to move.
"When you come to me, you will come on your hands and knees. Understand?"
"Yes, Mistress."
"Good."
I see her move towards the switch, and my heart begins pounding. If she lifts me any further off the floor, I don't think my body can handle it. How can I get her to stop? If I tell her yes, I do want to go, she'll just make me hang here longer, I know it.
The whirring sound starts, but I can't feel a thing. Up or down, I can't tell the difference. She comes back to me.
"Stand on your feet," Mistress tells me. I'd like to tell her I can't, that my entire body is numb, but she'll punish me if I do. I make the motion of putting my feet down, and it must be working. She reaches up and slips the rope off the hook, and almost immediately I collapse solidly to the ground, naked, humiliated.
It's dark again. All I hear is the steady sound of my own heartbeat. I feel a hand touching my cheek.
Marie? Marie, is that you?
"Poor darling," I hear a voice whisper.
"Marie?"
"Yes, quiet. Drink this."
I feel a cup at my lips, water slowly flowing into my mouth, and I manage to get some of it down.
"Marie?"
"Yes?"
I have nothing to say to her, I just want to hear her voice. I wish she would tell me everything will be okay.
"I want to go," I hear myself say.
"No you don't," she says firmly, "you just think you do. The truth is, you'll never let yourself leave. You thought this was some little fun sex thing, but it's a part of you now. That's what you have to learn."
"I can't..."
"You can. I did."
"But..."
"I'll tell you a secret," Marie says quietly, running her fingers through my hair, "she'll never hurt you. We'll never hurt you. She picked us for a reason, and now we belong to her."
Her words, her touch, comfort me. I want her so badly now, I want both of them. She leans forward and I feel her soft lips gently touch against my forehead.
My mouth begins to open, but nothing seems to come out except for a vague grunt.
"Shh," Marie presses her finger to my mouth, then looks over towards the door. Mistress stands there watching us through the darkness. Her presence to me is both powerful and frightening.