Transcendent

It was a murky, cool morning. The sun peeked through the cloud cover occasionally and cast the kitchen in orange and yellow light. Delilah was enjoying her usual breakfast, cherry flavored vape and a coffee. Sean was digging into a plate of bacon and toast. The radio on the kitchen counter was cranking out hits from the nineties. As another song began, the drum beats and guitar strums of the

Barenaked Ladies

filled the background.

I.. met you... before the fall of Rome.

And I... begged you... to let me take you home.

You were wrong. I was right.

You said goodbye. I said goodnight!

Woo, woo, woo! IT'S ALL BEEN DONE!

Sean studied the sultry goth across the table as she flipped through a magazine. Delilah beamed in between tokes on her pen and sips of black brew as she browsed through pages of Femdom fashion. It was during these quiet mornings together that she reminded him of Melissa. When she was excited or enjoying the power high of dominance, the resemblance wasn't there. But when she relaxed, Sean felt like he was back with his high school sweetheart.

I... knew you... before the west was won.

And I... heard you say, the past was much more fun.

You go your way. I go mine.

But, I'll see you next time!

Woo, woo, woo! IT'S ALL BEEN DONE!

He crunched into a piece of bacon and savored its flavor while shifting in his chair. Sean's leather clothing flexed and creaked around his body as he repositioned his legs below the kitchen table. The now-flexible fetishwear had become his permanent uniform. His collar, likewise, remained snug around his neck; a permanent fixture of his life since his second day in Chrysalis.

Sean was reminded of a line from

Fight Club

:

'You will wear leather clothes that last the rest of your life.'

Never in a million years did he think he'd be living in the portrait those words painted. It was doubtful he and Delilah would be hunting elk or climbing the Sears Tower any time soon, but at least one part of that strange prophecy had come true.

Come to think of it, how long had it been since he arrived? Two weeks? Three weeks? A month? Longer? Time was difficult to gauge in Chrysalis. Sean hadn't seen a single calendar since entering this place. Even clocks seemed rare. Then again, since so much of commerce and

business as usual

had broken down in this place, it made an odd kind of sense.

Their life, for however long they'd been together as Mistress and slave, had been a whirlwind of female domination and male submission. For Sean it was an epiphany. Chrysalis provided a boot camp of sexual discovery, experimentation and hedonistic debauchery. They ate. They slept. They fucked. More specifically, Delilah fucked him with ever bigger strapons. She'd trained him in many other ways as well. Sean was now accustomed to wearing chastity devices and butt plugs as a matter of course.

They went to wild sex parties hosted by her friends. At times, Sean would be dominated by multiple women. At others, he'd be virtually ignored; human furniture as Delilah and her fellow Dommes focused on other subs in training.

That was life now. There was no work to be done and almost no worries to be had. Yet, no matter how many days passed like sands through the hourglass, Sean still looked over his shoulder and listened carefully for ominous sounds on the wind. He never wanted to be caught by another swarm of filthy creatures or confronted by that horrible monstrosity again. So far, he'd avoided further altercations.

"Mistress. A question, if I may?"

"Ask away." Delilah looked up from her magazine and smiled before taking another sip of joe. Her good mood was evident.

"Do you remember why you came to Chrysalis?"

The black-haired beauty leaned back in her chair. "Hmmm... I don't recall what my reasoning was before I arrived. But once I'd been here a while, it became obvious. This is what I wanted. So, I left my old life behind."

"And what is it you like about living here?"

Delilah shrugged. "Lots of things. Sure, it's run down, messy and even a little dangerous, but it's authentic. I am... who I want to be. I do what I want to do. Nobody who lives in Chrysalis answers to anyone else."

Sean lifted an eyebrow in a clear pantomime of:

'Say what?'

She chuckled before reaching over and grabbing hold of his leash. Delilah gave it a gentle tug and the collar pulled on Sean's neck. "Unless they want to" she added in her most alluring voice.

The leather clad submissive smiled back before reaching down and resuming his breakfast. "What's on the agenda today, Mistress?" he asked before biting into a piece of toast.

"We're going to an event tonight. The biggest since you've been here. I'd tell you the name of the club, but I don't want to spoil the surprise."

"There's a club still operating in Chrysalis?"

"Of course. We make time for what's important to us. Priorities."

Sean nodded. He didn't need to ask what type of club it was. Dancing was not the primary motivation of the people in this town.

"I want to look my best, so I'll be browsing new outfits this afternoon. While I'm doing that, you can handle the chores. We need food, so you'll make a trip to the market. After that, you can pick up my things at the laundromat."

"Yes, Mistress." As Sean finished the last of his bacon, a sudden realization flashed through his mind. He swallowed down the last couple bites before speaking again. "Oh, that's right... I have an appointment today."

"Dr. Solomon?" she asked.

"Yes, at our usual time. One o'clock."

"Good. You'll do that first. It's important you keep up with that."

Sean had no intention of ending his visits, but he had his own reasons for seeing Dr. Lena. He wondered what Delilah meant by that. "Why is it important, Mistress?"

She took a long drag from her vape and exhaled a wispy, cherry cloud before responding. Delilah's demeanor grew serious. "I've seen what happens to those who don't. Chrysalis isn't kind to people who don't work through their shit. Sometimes they're found dead in the streets."

Sean's eyes widened as a chill went down his spine. He folded his arms over his glossy black vest and body harness.

"But at least with them, there's closure" Delilah continued. "The rest are never found."

* * * * *

Leather. Never had the taste been so heavy on Sean's tongue. The scent of leather filled his nostrils. He opened hazy eyes to find his nose and tongue pressed against a tall, shiny black boot. His other senses returned. Raw knees digging into the floor. Stiff arms bound tightly behind his back. He flexed them and the thick, unforgiving leather of an arm-binder held him fast.

Sean looked up and found a smiling Dr. Solomon leaning forward and gazing down at him. Her brunette hair was pulled up and back into a high ponytail. Her glasses were portals to the deepest green eyes he'd ever seen. As he gazed into them and clarity returned to his mind, Sean experienced a flash of

deja vu

.

'Miss Cunningham?'

Yes. Seeing Lena, from this angle for the first time, it was clear. She looked strikingly like Sean's third grade teacher. Ms. Cunningham had been an excellent, if stern, instructor. She brooked no nonsense from her students; especially the boys. Her temper tantrums and ruler-slapping outbursts were the stuff of legend. The kind of thing that would get a teacher fired these days.

"Welcome back. I must say, you're quite good at licking boots." She pulled her glossy footwear, wet with his saliva, away from his drool-slathered mouth. "I wonder if that skill extends to other parts of the body?"

"What did you learn?" Sean asked impatiently as he fought off the remaining grogginess.

Lean's happy expression faded. She reached over to the end table and picked up her riding crop. She directed it downward and planted it just below Sean's chin. Lena lifted his face, directing his gaze up and demanding his attention.

"Oh no, no, no... That's

not

how this works. I am not a transcriber for your subconscious. I am here to guide you and help you make the discoveries on your own. The effect is much more powerful that way! The results, long lasting."

No wonder Sean had smelled nothing but leather before waking up. She'd really gone crazy with it in her outfit and elsewhere. With the thigh high boots, black leather pants, leather corset, and arm-length leather gloves outlining her fit body. Dr. Lena wasn't the sultry librarian anymore. She looked like a proper Dominatrix this time.

Beyond the lavish leather costume was the leather chair she was sitting in and the leather couch not far away. Sean looked from side to side. There was more bondage furniture present than he remembered from before. Her office was looking more like a fetish dungeon with each visit.

Lena retracted her crop and lounged back in her chair. The supple sounds of leather rubbing on leather creaked and rippled as she shifted her body. She set her crop aside and adjusted her glasses.

Sean squirmed and grunted as his knees burned and his arms tensed in the tight leather prison behind him. He tried to shift his legs, but was stopped short by metal restraints. A clanking sound rattled behind him. He quickly realized his ankles were cuffed to a spreader bar and the end of the arm-binder was locked to it as firmly as his feet.

Dr. Lena ignored his discomfort. "How have you been feeling these last couple weeks?" she asked casually.

"Good" he replied with a nod. "I've enjoyed my time in Chrysalis."

"Perhaps, but that's not the whole story, is it?"

Sean had to remember that he couldn't hide anything from the doctor. By the time they had these little chats, she'd already interrogated his psyche.

"No. I suppose I've been anxious at times as well."

"Anxious about what?"

"Lots of things. That I still don't know what's going on. That I'm not sure if this is where I belong. That this could all vanish any second and I'd never be sure if it was a dream or a nightmare."

"All perfectly natural concerns. But you haven't mentioned the biggest one."

Sean paused and his neck flexed around his collar as he swallowed. He looked up at the dominant doctor and spoke from the heart. "That thing that attacked me. It's still out there, isn't it?"

"The stalker" she said in a nonchalant tone.

"

Stalker

?" he asked reflexively.

"That's what we call them. Almost everyone who arrives here has one."

"What is it? What does it want?!?"

"It takes a different form for each individual. Its motivations can differ somewhat, but generally, they seek to block your way. To bring your journey to an early end."

Sean looked to the side, ashamed to look in Dr. Lean's eyes. "It was terrifying."

"Describe your stalker to me."

His head lulled down and he sighed. Sean didn't want to think about the gruesome thing, but he knew it was necessary. He looked back up at the lounging doctor and his eyes and voice grew resolute. "A figure in black robes, carrying some kind of spiked hammer. It was huge. If it had a face, it was covered by a giant

Noh

mask."

Lena's left eyebrow rose. She picked up her clipboard, unclipped her pen and started writing. "A

Noh

mask, you say? That's an awfully specific detail. What do you know of them?"

"They're a prop used in Japanese theater. Typically white with painted eyebrows; ghost-like. Though some are more colorful and demonic."

"And where did you learn about them?"

"My parents had one since I was very young. They kept it in the family china cabinet. They were both theater buffs and it was a prized possession. I always thought it looked creepy as hell..."

The doctor scribbled away. "And what happened during your first encounter with the stalker?"

"It came after me viciously. If Officer Melinda hadn't shown up when she did, I might be dead."

"Are you sure it was trying to kill you?"

"It seemed pretty intent" Sean answered in a grim voice.

Dr. Solomon set her clipboard aside before picking up her pocket watch from the table. "Well... I, for one, am glad you're still with us." Lena held out her hand and the small golden watch dropped from her palm like a rock. It's shiny, gold chain jingled as it bounced into Sean's line of sight. She swung it back and forth, slowly, in front of his eyes.

"Thanks" he answered. His eyes followed the path of the metallic timepiece and his mind grew hazy again. His tense limbs relaxed, yielding to the metal and leather of his thorough, full-body bondage.

"We have some time left, so I'm going to do a bit more digging. You're

very

forthcoming with your answers when you're in sub-space, Sean. But, of course, I have to get you there first. Let's put that naughty tongue of yours back to work..."

* * * * *

A thick, musty smell overpowered Sean's nose as he walked into

Aisles Of Smiles

supermarket. It had to be the most ironically named store in the world, in its current state. Maybe it had been a happy, bustling grocery at some point, but now it looked like some kind of ghost galley.

There was a layer of dust and grime covering just about everything. The floor, the walls, the shelves and the checkout lanes were all smeared in filth. Only half the ceiling lights worked. Of the ones that remained operational, many flickered on and off, periodically casting sections of the store into darkness.

Beyond the uncleanliness, the place could best be described as ransacked. What existed on the shelves was some pitiful fraction of the products it was capable of holding. Aside from the faint buzzing of failing lights, you could hear a pin drop. Needless to say, there wasn't an employee in sight.

"

HELLO

?" Sean called out and his voice echoed through the store. He figured it was pointless, but it never hurt to check. "Clean up on aisle

all of them

!" he quipped to himself as he reached for a shopping cart. The sound of metal on metal screeched as he yanked it free from the long line of rusting trolleys.

As he pushed the cart through the store, the wheels squeaked loudly. It was obvious the carts hadn't been maintained properly. The wheels ground against their metal fasteners, slowing his progress and making him push it that much harder to advance himself through the aisles.

Sean wound his way up and down the lanes, stopping at the rare few spots that actually had groceries. He grabbed things that he and Delilah could use. He'd committed a thorough list of their needs to memory, but it seemed his choices would be dictated more by supply than demand. He hoped the store could provide at least half of the things they were running low on.

When he was halfway through the aisles, Sean felt his bladder swell. He abandoned the cart and walked the perimeter of the store until he found a sign pointing to the restrooms. A short, dimly lit hallway led him to the bathrooms and he turned into the men's room, ready to burst.

The sole urinal had an '

Out Of Order

' sign draped over it and was covered in strips of grimy duct tape. There were only two stalls and Sean entered the first one directly. The place smelled awful. He discovered why as soon as he got a look at the toilet. It was clogged with a mound of shit and giant wads of piss soaked toilet paper.

He didn't bother closing the door behind him before unbuckling his leather pants and pulling down the zipper. His caged dick was exposed to the cool air and he lifted the metallic device wrapped around his manhood carefully. Once he had it at the right angle, he let the stream rip and sighed in contentment as his bladder emptied.

A loud, rippling, echoing shit-fart blasted from the other side of the wall and Sean jumped, sending piss spraying all over the place. Once the shock of someone else being in the bathroom with him had passed, he cursed under his breath and got his stream back under control.

"H-Hello?!?" he queried as the last of his urine drained into the disgusting bowl.

"

Heeeyyyy

! Fancy meetin you here!" a familiar voice chuckled from the other stall. Two puffs of cigar smoke floated up to the ceiling followed by a cough and a hack.

"Jim?!? I didn't think anyone else was in the store."

"That makes two of us, kid! I was hoping you got the hell out of Dodge, by now. I see you didn't take my advice."

Their voices echoed off the cold, filthy tiles and reinforced walls of the bathroom. The only other sound was the persistent drip of water from a leaky faucet.

"Yeah, I guess curiosity won out in the end."

"You mean that thing that killed the cat?"

"Good thing I'm more of a dog."

Jim laughed. "Yeah, I bet you're a good doggy. Probably being led around by one of those dames by now."

"Delilah" Sean confirmed. He didn't care what the old fart thought about it.

"Delilah, huh? Pretty name. Bet she's some tattooed witch, though."

Sean tucked his caged member away and zipped up his pants. "You know, for the town welcome wagon, you're a real

asshole

" he stated as he buckled up his belt.

A boisterous, snarling laugh hooted from the other side of the wall, followed by another gravy-spurting, flatulent fountain of shit. "

Ahhhhh

... That may be, kid, but I'll never steer ya wrong! The truth is often unpleasant. I'll say this much for ya. At least you're using the right bathroom."

Sean pushed the stall door to the side, cringing as he stepped out. He caught a glimpse of more cigar smoke wafting over the metal embankment. The smoke combined with the stench from both stalls to form a hideous, overbearing odor.

"Maybe I'll use the ladies room next time just to piss you off."

He strode past the cracked mirrors and leaking sinks, his footsteps echoing off the floor tiles.

"Go ahead, punk!

KEEP AT IT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS

!"

Sean exited the smelly restroom. Jim's laughter was cut off as the door swung closed.

* * * * *

It was growing late in the afternoon as he approached the entrance to

Hyper Wash

laundromat. A heavy duffel bag filled with food and supplies weighed Sean down by its thick shoulder strap. He'd been lucky to find it near the back of the market with a display of camping gear. Without it, he would've had to push one of those rusty carts all the way home.

Sean walked up the few stonework steps to the door, seized the handle and proceeded in. Warm air and the loud hum of washers and dryers greeted him. He closed the door behind him and scanned the long, dingy room. It had two distinct rows of top-loading washers and front-loading dryers on either side. There was a series of tables and chairs down the center for any patrons that chose to wait on site.

The place looked as dirty and worn down as everything else in Chrysalis, but the machines were obviously in working order. The most surprising sight was the other men, seated or standing near the appliances as they waited for their loads to finish.

Other than Jim, Sean had only encountered other guys at the parties and private get-togethers he and Delilah attended. At those events, the men were busy obeying and pleasing the Dommes, so he hadn't gotten the chance to exchange more than pleasantries with any of them. It seemed like this might be his first opportunity to inquire how Chrysalis was treating its other male guests.

His enthusiasm faded somewhat as Sean made his way in and walked past the first patron. It was a guy in a full-body black gimp suit. The mouth hole was sealed with a zipper and locked tight. It seemed his Domme didn't want him chatting with anyone. The sitting gentleman glanced up at Sean briefly before returning to the book he was reading. It was a worn paperback copy of

The Picture of Dorian Gray

.