She is such a sweet and caring person. When it comes to sex, she is very hesitant and shy. So when I saw her in our lab this morning, I was surprised that she agreed to participate in this experiment. Maybe she was just as curious as I was. This situation meant a bit more paperwork because of this conflict of interest, but we decided that it was worth it. She has always been very helpful and cooperative in the past, and I knew she would be perfect for this experiment. Many people have volunteered for this, but few have actually followed through with it.
She's also a bit naive and compliant when it comes to authority. So when the experiment supervisor instructed her to remove her clothes, she just did. She was willing to do anything else they would ask, if it meant being helpful. Of course, her face was now flushed red, but she managed to keep calm and professional. Then the supervisor motioned toward the chair in the middle of the room, and asked her to sit in it. She complied, looking like she wasn't really sure what was going to happen. But she trusted the process. However, when the assistants started securing her arms and legs to the chair with wide, sturdy straps, she became hesitant and started visibly doubting her decision to participate. She read the protocol and agreed to it at the beginning of this session, so she knew that the assistants were just doing their jobs. But she still looked a little scared about what was going to happen next. Another two straps secured her shoulders in place. She tried wiggling, but was unable to move at all. I have seen participants in this exact situation many times before, but seeing her there, with the thick leather straps against her pale freckled skin, it all felt very surreal. Like I was seeing her in a dream. I don't think she's been restrained like this before. The supervisor noticed her discomfort and reassured her that everything was going to be alright. Then he instructed the assistants to start the procedure.
The first thing they did was to apply a series of electrodes to her temples and forehead. The next set of electrodes went on her chest. The supervisor then placed a collar with wires hanging from it on her neck. They then placed a VR helmet over her head and began securing it in place with more straps. She said she was feeling a little claustrophobic. Someone put a small device in her mouth, and the supervisor told her to bite down on it. The supervisor then disinfected her arm, and told her "Just a little sting," inserting a needle into one of her veins.
Then the supervisor gave her one last instruction: "Just relax and let the procedure take its course. We're right here with you, keeping an eye on everything." She looked very exposed and vulnerable, her breathing appeared deep but slow.
I know her since my university days. She was always very keen to help out with research and experiments. I didn't know her name then, but I remembered her face. She always projected this aura of dignity and refinement, competence and professionalism. But here she was, completely helpless and at the mercy of this procedure.
I was also feeling a bit uneasy about this. It was one thing to have sex with her in the privacy of our own bedroom. But watching her like this... it felt very intimate somehow. Like I was seeing her completely naked for the first time.
One of the assistants started operating that big machine to which all cables were attached. She jolted a bit with surprise, but the straps held her down securely. The supervisor and another assistant were both taking notes, while the rest of us just watched.
The machine started making a deep humming sound, and she jolted again, this time with a little shriek. I could see her breath rate increasing, and her chest was heaving. The assistant operating the machine was making adjustments, and the deep humming sound changed pitch several times. She started moaning softly, her head moving from side to side as if she was lost in some kind of dream. A thin layer of sweat was forming on her skin. Then her body began convulsing and she arched her back as far as the straps would allow. She now screamed loudly, and I could see tears running down her cheeks beneath the VR helmet. The machine worked her relentlessly, and I could see the straps stretching and creaking under the strain. A bit of saliva was dripping around the device in her mouth, and landed on her sweaty, heaving chest.
She was now starting to calm down a bit. Her body was still convulsing and her breathing was laboured, but the screams had stopped. She just moaned softly now, her head lolling to one side. The supervisor called for a break, and the assistant operating the machine switched it off. The remaining tension in her body has disappeared, and she lay limp in the chair. The supervisor has taken the device out of her mouth, and asked "How are you feeling?"
She just moaned in response and tried to catch her breath. She was still sweating, and her face was red.
The supervisor asked, "Are you feeling any pain?"
She shook her head weakly, and managed to croak out "No."
"And do you want to continue?"
She again nodded weakly. The supervisor replaced the device in her mouth, and instructed the assistant to start the machine again. It hummed to life, and she was soon lost in her dreams once more.
The session continued for another hour or so. I don't know how many times she convulsed and screamed, but it was a lot. She was covered in sweat by the end of it, and her breathing was very laboured. The supervisor called for another break, and this time he instructed the assistants to remove the VR helmet and electrode pads. They did as they were told, while he undid the straps securing her to the chair. She was still moaning softly, and crying intermittently. He then helped her to stand up, and she nearly collapsed into his arms. He instructed one of the assistants to help him take her into the adjoining room, where they would perform a detailed checkup.
The rest of us just sat there in stunned silence until they came back a few minutes later. The supervisor reported that she was doing fine. Then he asked her, "How are you feeling?"
She looked down at her hands, which were now trembling uncontrollably. She took a few deep breaths to compose herself before looking up and saying softly, "I feel...different. I can't really explain it."