***
The themes and events in this short collection of stories are not only unrealistic, but distinctly misogynistic. It's important that these themes are framed from a point of view of catharsis and not endorsement. Whether you have similar thoughts or are a victim of them, these stories are meant as a safe way to explore this prevalent attitude. This method of coping is not for everybody, so indulge accordingly. Enjoy.
***
Danielle had been wary from the beginning.
She felt bad for being suspicious of the fact that Brian had given her a gift at all, but it just wasn't like him to give her something out of the blue without an occasion. Her next points of suspicion had been the name and location of the spa that the gift certificate had been for. She had never heard of Pink Industries and while she tried to not be too judgmental, the name just wasn't up her alley. And to have to drive two hours out of the city? She'd be spending more time in the car than at the spa.
Still, she wasn't going to be so ungrateful as to turn down a gift from her boyfriend and even if she didn't like the idea of driving so far to go to a spa that she couldn't even find online, she had too much pride to voice these complaints.
So that's how Danielle found herself taking a sip of her coffee and turning off a long twisting road through a patch of rural woods to see the largest and - well - the pinkest building she had even seen.
"Well at least they got their name right," she said to herself as she drove up to the expansive parking lot. Despite all the spaces, the lot was relatively empty. If it wasn't for the enormous "Pink Industries" sign on the side of the building, she may have second guessed if she was at the right place. It looked more like a factory than a spa.
When she walked in however, the lobby was immediately more comforting - even if the style was far too, well, pink for her tastes.
"Hiya! You must be Danielle! Our 4 O'Clock appointment?!" An uninhibited voice cried through the air. Danielle's head had no choice but to whip around to the source of the sound and she also had no choice but to gawk when she laid eyes on the receptionist.
Danielle really thought of herself as somebody who did not judge other women. She worked hard to assess her own predujices and preconceptions. But this receptionist looked like a cartoon character. She had huge vacant eyes, massive plump lips that were somehow pouty even through her big smile, thick long hair that was so blonde it was almost white, and an absolute ocean of perky jiggly cleavage.
"Y-yes, I'm she," Danielle replied. The girl didn't seem to either notice or mind Danielle's staring. Danielle figured that she was used to it.
"Oh I'm so excited for you! Your boyfriend must be, like, SO sweet to have ordered you the full package! You're about to have, like, the absolute best day of your whole freaking life!"
Danielle forced a smile through her cringing.
"It was certainly unexpected," she replied.
"Well here are the forms and by the time you're finished, your guide should be here to bring you to your first treatment," the receptionist said, handing two pieces of paper to Danielle. Danielle couldn't help but look down at the girl's wild abundance of cleavage that seemed ready to tear her pink top open just from the act of leaning forward to hand over papers.
"U-um, thank you," Danielle said and took the forms. She sat down in a nearby chair that was - of course - enormously pink and fluffy. As weird and pink as this place was, Danielle had to admit to feeling calmer now that she was here. Who cares if it was out of the way and had a bit of a bimbo aesthetic? A spa was a spa and she was here to relax and that's what she was going to do.
At least the forms looked boring and normal. There was a Pink Industries logo on the top, but everything was in black and white so Danielle's brain tuned out while she put in her information. She groaned when she turned the page and saw there was a whole other form, but then felt relieved when she realized it was just a page of fine print with a place to sign at the bottom. Normally she would actually take a look at all that writing - what did a spa need so much fine print for anyway - but at this point she was eager to get started. She signed the page and stood up, ready to return the forms, but the desk was empty.
"That's odd," Danielle said out loud. She hadn't heard anybody leaving. That's when she noticed the strange music playing over the speakers. Had that always been playing? As she approached the desk to place the papers there, she heard a noise from behind a door. It sounded something like voices, but not really like speaking. Danielle furrowed her brow and stepped closer. Was it... Giggling? Slurping?
"All set there?" A voice boomed from behind her. Danille gasped and spun around to see a large fit man in a set of pink work out clothes. Where had he come from?
"Y-yes! Yes of course!" She said. The music seemed louder now. It was hard to describe what it sounded like. Humming? Water running? A choir? She felt embarrassed. She was always so put together, but she suddenly felt so out of sorts. Maybe she needed this spa day more than she thought.
"Follow me, Dani," he said and began to walk to a door that was different than the one Danielle had been trying to spy on.
"Oh, it's 'Danielle' if you don't mind," she said. Normally she had no problem correcting somebody on how she preferred to be addressed, but she felt a little more demure now that she was in "spa mode".
"Nah, I think Dani's cuter," he replied and opened a door for her.
She felt a surge of indignation and frustration at his arrogant reply, but when she saw inside the door, everything flew out of her mind and she walked inside, gawking at the sight.
Inside was a hot springs. But it wasn't just a pool that looked to be fashioned that way. The room was so enormous that it was as if the door led outside. She stepped into the room and immediately felt at peace. The air was thick and humid and the springs looked to be completely empty. Was it a slow day, or had she been booked to have the facilities all to herself? Maybe she had underestimated Brian's gift to her.
"It's customary for you to completely undress in the hot springs," the man said behind her. And before she could protest: "I'll leave you alone now and one of our ladies will collect you when it's time to move on."
Then he closed the door before she could answer. She didn't expect to be naked today, but what the hell? This place was beautiful and she would certainly be more relaxed if she was entirely nude. So she stripped down right there and then, not really worried about putting her clothing anywhere. The staff would take care of it. They seemed so put together here. She strode to the edge of the spring and slid her slender body inside.
"Ohmygodddd," she groaned as the warm and perfectly conditioned water surrounded her skin. The mist was thick and it made her feel like she was floating in a calming abyss. An entire therapeutic universe just for her.
She closed her eyes and lost sense of time. She hadn't realized how uptight she had been until she had slipped into these springs. She remembered that large fit man that had led her here. He had been so nice to her, why had she been rude to him? She hoped he would be back.
When she opened her eyes again, she was surprised to see that the mist was even thicker than before and appeared to have a pink tinge to it. And the music was back. Or had it left?
Part of her felt a little unnerved, like something was wrong. But the more she tried to think about what it was that be making her feel that way, the more foggy her mind seemed to get. It wasn't worth concentrating so hard on her spa day, she finally decided. She felt a heavy rush of calming pleasure as a result of that decision. That's right. It felt good to stop caring sometimes. She smiled as she remember that large man again. She hadn't even gotten his name. Wouldn't it feel nice if she was in there with her?
Then she heard a door open and she gasped as she looked up. To her disappointment, she said a very curvy figure appear instead of the hulking man.
"Danielle? Are you ready to move onto the next treatment?"
Danielle stood up and walked toward the figure. The attendant looked very much like the receptionist had, but had different enough facial features for Danielle to know it wasn't her.
