Shadow Play

Shadowed hands reached out through a round, bright light, each finger cocked at a different angle.

He could not move as they approached, unable to think or respond. He didn't have a name, didn't have

control

, and could only watch and wait, his only possible response a muted squeal through sealed lips.

The needle-like points on the ends of the fingers became more visible as they closed the gap, sinking into his eyes. He could see nothing as the pain began again.

A loud

click

sounded in his ears, an unpleasant pressure hammering at his temples as something lifted away. Was that a flap of skin? A

mask?

It was impossible to tell, as he still couldn't see. Couldn't move. Couldn't

think.

His back arched as an achingly bright flash washed through his brain. His muscles trembled as if touched with a live wire, and all he knew was oblivion.

How long he remained in the blank whiteness, he couldn't tell, but the pain was seeping away, his body returning to some sense of normalcy.

His eyes blinked, and the fear faded. His vision had returned, but he didn't rejoice at the resumption of detectable light.

He was sitting in a bright, white room, secured to a metal exam chair by a series of tight straps. He strained his muscles one by one, but there was almost no wiggle room. An attempted escape would be impossible.

Giving up for the moment, he relaxed, probing at his memory. There was nothing there, but for a gaping hole. Whoever he had used to be was simply

gone

.

This wasn't some kind of mental block - his mind had simply been wiped

clean

. There was no use in trying to recall further, so he didn't bother.

Besides, he had a more urgent need that required his attention. Lifting his neck, he chewed at the rubbery gag in his mouth as he looked towards the floor.

His legs had been forced apart, separated and strapped to two metal frames, forcing them down and below. He didn't have enough range of motion to see the floor from here, but what he

could

see was his massive, aroused length.

Fear normally wasn't a good aphrodisiac, right? Then

why

was he so freaking

hard?

He grunted around the gag, sawing the strap back and forth in his mouth, but there were no answers there. He simply couldn't remember.

As his cock flexed and strained, he let out a long breath, feeling another sense of dismay. There was something thick and heavy sitting around the base of his dick, squeezing at his length to keep him erect.

Grunting, he pulled at his restraints, trying to get a better look, but it was simply impossible.

Swallowing his phlegm, he gave up, resting his head against a hard pillow. His eyes darted around, studying his environment.

White ceiling. Painted white walls. White tile.

It was

maddening

how bright this place was - he was starting to feel a headache coming on.

He closed his eyes, desiring more than anything to wipe off his sweaty forehead, but his arms were pinned somewhere behind him, strapped in tight. The best he could do was to bite into the spongy gag in his mouth and sigh.

A loud click pulled him back into the present, his eyes snapping open. A black crack had appeared on the wall in front of him, twin doors creaking wide to reveal two slender arms.

His heart lurched as he got a better look at the sleek body entering the room. She was feminine in nature, with generous, perky breasts that danced in front of his vision as she took sure steps towards him.

He didn't let this distract him, however, as her skin color wasn't

natural

. It was polished

white

, as if she was made of plastic. A

robot?

Her movements appeared natural, however, the sexy way she swung her hips making his dick rock hard again. Her thick lips pouted, wide nose flaring as she approached closer.

Her head was bald, like a polished cue ball, sharp ridges cut into a pattern over her skull and down the sides of her face. A red number FIVE was stamped onto the center of her forehead with sharp lines, printed there as though she was a doll that had just come off an assembly line.

All of this combined together gave her an inhuman affect, but that wasn't the worst of it.

It was those

eyes

. They were utterly black pools, devoid of all light, like miniature black holes.

Nothing human about them at

all

.

He tried to say something, but the gag prevented him from doing much more than grunting. She ignored his noises, arching her back to show off her breasts as she got down on her knees, tilting her head forward.

Her wide lips wrapped around the head of his dick, squeezing gently around the ridge as her hands crept up his thighs.

His heart thudded in his chest as he studied her mysterious, black eyes, but the robotic women didn't give him any attention. She was single mindedly focused on his erect penis, as if that was the only thing that mattered in this world.

He groaned as her lips sank farther down, squeezing at each section in turn as a licking suction played with his engorged length. Clamping down on the gag, he grunted, uselessly trying to straighten his legs.

She

must

know what she was doing to him, damnit! This was intolerable!

Her lips continued to move, sinking down

, down

, without any concern for how her mouth was being choked off by his length. Her throat bulged as she swallowed and suckled at him, forcing his arousal to new heights.

The hot, fleshy interior of her throat felt really

good

, and he was finding it impossible to keep control of himself. That was probably rather the

point

.

What use was there in holding back? He had no idea why he should even bother.

He still couldn't remember

anything

. Even

if

he had some vague instinctual morals inherited from some past life, they couldn't possibly help him in the here and now.

The woman dropped the final distance, wrapping those fat lips around the base of his dick, right above the cock ring. Her throat began to vibrate against his length as she sucked on him with a light vacuum. A pulsating thrum vibrated throughout his body as she dipped her head up and down with rapid motions.

Her alien eyes suddenly flipped upwards, fixing on his as a vicious grin grew on her face.

She knew!

Sudden fear seized his heart as his dick trembled in orgasm, his semen being suckled and gargled as she extracted each pulsating burst.

His eyes rolled up in his head as the climax ruined his brain.

***

The line at the store was longer than John had anticipated, which was making him nervous. At any minute now, the loudspeaker could sound, summoning them to the rally. None of them could afford to be late to

that

.

An elderly woman was holding up the checkout, however, arguing with the cashier about whether her ration stamp allowed her to purchase two or

three

sticks of butter.

He supposed he couldn't fault her

too

much for this, as the store didn't often replenish their supply. Still, surely she could see that they needed to be fair about this. They couldn't let her take the entire supply, or the others might have to wait an entire

month

to butter their meager crusts of bread.

Truth to tell, it was a real problem for everyone, even for those with high flying careers like his. Being a lawyer meant that he was

paid

well, but he was still subject to the same restrictions as everyone else.

All he wanted was a tin of instant coffee, however, and he

had

his vouchers. He had forgotten to pick it up earlier, and his wife wanted it for tomorrow's breakfast. He couldn't afford to disappoint her.

She knows best.

"Couldn't you just give it to me this one time?" whinged the elderly woman, her knuckles white as she clutched at one of her allowed sticks of butter.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I've already given you your final warning," burped the mechanical voice from behind the barred counter. "The local authorities have been notified. Please leave all of your purchased items behind and wait to be escorted from the premises."

Rolling shutters clanked over the display fronts and the outside doors clicked shut, locking them all inside. Everyone still in line groaned, a younger man stepping forward to confront the elderly woman.

"Now, why'd you have to go do something silly like that?" he asked in a rough accent, pushing her in the shoulder.

The woman cried out, items spilling across the floor with a loud crack. A carton of eggs popped open, smashed goo slopping over the side of the cardboard sidewalls.

"My eggs!" she wailed, getting down on her knees and putting her hands over her face, the waterworks starting.

John rolled his eyes. He had seen this all play out before, and it was always unpleasant. As an upper class citizen, it wasn't his job to get involved.

Glancing around him, he retreated to the rear of the line, tightening his grip on his vouchers as his undergarment creaked. Unless he missed the mark, this was about to get rather violent, and he wanted nothing to do with it.

The young man hauled off to punch the woman, but she swayed right at the last second, spoiling his aim. "Are you trying to attack me, boy?" she shrieked, getting to her feet.

Tears streaked over her leathery face, causing her makeup to smear in long, red lines. "I'll make you regret your very existence!"

Her hand flashed through the air, nailing the young man's collarbone near his shoulder blade. A look of surprise sparked on his face as he backed up, hands raised. "Whoa, there," he shouted. "I don't want any trouble!"

Well, he didn't

now

. John shook his head, but said nothing as the rest of the crowd gave them both a wide berth. It was too late for the hothead; he had already earned his night in jail.

It was his own damn fault. He should have known that anyone willing to argue over a ration chit would have a few screws loose. The lady could be hopped up on drugs, or simply feeling like she had nothing left to lose.

The whooping noise of the Vitality Police presaged their arrival, spinning red and blue lights appearing over the locked entrance.

"Citizens," announced a robotic voice. "Step away from the doors and put your hands over your heads. Please, remain calm. This is only a ration check."

John dropped his briefcase and raised his hands, keeping a leery eye on the combatants as the roll up doors creaked open. Bulky, uniformed officers rushed into the store, arms raised with stun batons locked within their grips.

Their outfits appeared puffy, as if inflated, making it impossible to tell whether they were humans or robots. They probably liked it better that way, as it allowed them to disclaim responsibility for the brutality of their tactics.

The grandma should have known better, but some sense of the perverse had her clutching the butter and ration coupons to her chest as if they were a life preserver.

The cop's baton rose and fell, smashing into her shoulder. A bright electrical spark zapped from the tip, turning the woman's body into a mad, dancing puppet.

John knew better than to look away, however. Any

hint

of disobedience to the regime would have him shocked and whisked away to a holding cell for questioning before he could say 'hot coffee.'

The rebellious youth who had escalated the situation looked ashen, but there was nothing he could do to escape their attention now. Served him right. He should have minded his own business!

A baton was jabbed into his stomach, taking him down before he could protest. A set of helmeted officers grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him away, the heels of his boots squealing against the floor.

John frowned as he spotted the young man's limp wrist hitting the edge of a display case. He was definitely going to feel

that

in the morning.

Probably not as much as that grandma, but she had already been taken away, one of the officers returning to check their ration cards. John wordlessly scrounged in his briefcase, taking out his identification and the vouchers he had brought to purchase instant coffee.

A lurid light on the helmet's internal display clicked on to highlight his paperwork. "John Banks," came a muffled voice. "You are almost past the designated curfew time. Fortunately, glorious resident, a rally is scheduled tonight, and therefore you will be given a pass for this potential indiscretion. However, please do not delay. Attendance will be verified."

Was it already that late? An excuse sprung to his lips, but he suppressed it. The officer wasn't interested in why he wasn't being an obedient citizen. He must correct his behavior immediately lest he be subject to a more thorough investigation.

The man lifted a gloved finger and pulled down John's overcoat to examine his outfit. John didn't dare to breathe, cringing. If he had missed something, there would be demerits that would go on his social score. Too many of those, and he might as well kiss these coffee runs goodbye.

The problem was, it didn't matter how much one tried. You always missed

something

, and the officers would always catch it. They were extremely good at nosing out any whiff of nonconformity.

Had he forgotten something this morning? He was his usual professional self, but he couldn't help but feel that he was exposed.

Oh, that damn tie!

It had gotten caught in the strawberry jelly last night, a rare treat, and he had set it aside to clean it. His wife had said that she would take care of it, but then it had vanished and he didn't know where it had gone. Certainly, he wasn't wearing it

now

.

Shit!

The officer suddenly dropped his hand, as if shocked. "Pardon me, sir," he said, the robotic voice sounding strangled. "I was not aware an operation was being run in this sector. Please, forgive me for my intransigence."

Confused, John took a step back. "Uh, that's quite all right," he muttered, trying to understand what had just happened.

The officer didn't wait around for him to regain his composure, however, joining the others as they finished canvassing the remaining people in line. Some of

them

were assigned demerits, leaving him even more confused than before.

Bemused, he sorted through the vouchers, hoping that his goal of buying coffee was still in the cards. Vouchers were only provided for good behavior, and he had gotten these for... well, what

had

he done?

Mind spinning, he tried to remember whether they had been a reward, or if he had traded for them. Both seemed plausible, but neither seemed

right

.

His hazy memory was troublesome, but for all practical purposes, it didn't matter. He would buy his coffee, go home, and enjoy a nice hot meal with his wife. That would put all of the confusion behind him.

She knows best.

A cage above the store's cashiers dropped down, securing itself to the countertop. An opaque, gray material interspersed with metal bars meant that

nobody

could access or see inside.

A black screen on the exterior burst to life with a bouncy, animated puppet character. "We apologize for the inconvenience, but due to a political rally, access to all points of sale have been terminated," it announced, twirling around to give him a goofy grin.

John cursed under his breath, low enough to ensure that the police couldn't catch him. Demerits for profanity had lax enforcement, but that just meant that they could slap on extra penalties at whim.

No thanks, not today.

The screen snapped off, replaced by a jaunty tune coming from somewhere outside. There was a carnival atmosphere to the music, which was rather expected. Rallies for the Party always seemed to be a

production

.

The Party slogan immediately snapped to mind. "Come along and see... the Party's all here. Roll out the good times, and be of good cheer!"

It wasn't particularly erudite, but it sure was

catchy

, and he couldn't stop himself from humming along to the tune, his feet itching and tapping as if they wanted to

go

somewhere.

His hands snapped to his sides, shoulders straightening as he automatically slid into line behind the others. The officers had already left, unconcerned about them. They would obey the subtext being transmitted in the music, because they

had

to.

As they marched towards the exit, the music became more distinct. "Join the Party... and show your face! Stop being worried, forget the rat race!"

John's jaw dropped open as he marched with the others, passing between the vehicles in the parking lot. They wouldn't be leaving via one of these, as the exits had been locked off in preparation for the rally.

A chunky military vehicle with tinted windows was rolling down the center of the highway, a multi-layered mushroom of metal sprouting from the roof. A muffled voice came from the hidden loudspeakers, subliminal commands forcing the small crowd out into the middle of the road.

They all shuffled forward at a walking pace, the jaunty music of the Party filling the air around them. Feet marching in lockstep, they passed a series of shuttered shops and signs with happy smiling faces on them.

Propaganda, all of it, but John couldn't stop himself from smiling, too. Their faces were just so

cheerful!

They made you want to believe everything they were telling you.

The road curved, moving into a tunnel under the convention center. The military vehicle slowed down, turning to block the road. More muffled voices sounded through the loudspeakers, and John found his feet turning to the left.

The parking lot was filled on both sides, but there was an open pathway down the center for them to follow. Up ahead was a crowd waiting at a security checkpoint, more troopers checking out the new arrivals before they would be allowed inside.

John frowned to himself. He didn't really want to be here,

did

he? His plan for this evening should have been simple, but here he was, lining up to listen to a speech that wasn't going to affect his daily life.

It wasn't going to make him feel better. It wasn't going to solve any of his problems. In fact, it was really a huge waste of his time.

But he couldn't just

leave

. That wouldn't be right.

The mumbling voice from the truck washed through the crowd, and his disrespectful thoughts vanished. Yes. He

had

to be here. Listening to what the Party said was a

requirement

.

Determined, he marched directly towards the security checkpoint, waiting patiently as they ran a detector over his overcoat. The agent paused as he leaned in to take a closer look, his mask twitching.

"Good to see you, sir," he said suddenly, pulling back. "I hope you have a good time at the rally."

John gave him a nod, not really seeing him as he strained his neck to get a better look at the bleachers ahead. He would need to find a seat before it was too late, as the venue was already quite crowded.

Shifting between the other bumbling arrivals, he scooted his way around the front edge of the bleacher, using the metal railing to stabilize himself as he chose a seat. Turning towards the front, he ambled all the way in and sat down next to a couple, blinking as he stared down at his empty hands.

Damn.

Somewhere along the way, he had left his briefcase behind, and he hadn't even realized it! Sighing to himself, he shrugged. That's just the way things went when the Party dropped into town. There wasn't really any room to think about anything else.

Resting his elbows on his knees, he peered out at the stage built into the interior of the building. Lights ran up and around the sides, with bunting framing more cartoons. The jaunty tune from outside was still playing, but nobody had arrived to start the rally yet.