Tristy bounced on Olivia's bed. "Get up, silly!"
"Thank you," mumbled Olivia.
She stumbled out to morning education with the other girls. Only her second day in the compound but it was already getting to her. She pulled the robe more tightly around herself to hide the fading arousal from the night. She hadn't yet memorized the mantras but she mumbled them along with the other women. May lectured on some kind of mythic history.
Olivia struggled to pay attention through her exhaustion and hunger as May spoke.
"Long ago there was a great empire unmatched in prosperity. The queen was a wise ruler but she believed she could be the master of her own flesh and refused the touch of both men and women. This mistake, so oft repeated in the outside world, allowed her lust to master her. Gradually the kingdom began to decay." May walked down the isles between the girls. "When the First Patriarch came he saw that the queen's behavior was born of shame. She was afraid that acknowledging her need would cause her to be looked down upon as weak. For many days she refused his offer of aid."
The teacher shook her head with a wan smile and many of the girls laughed.
"Finally," continued May, "fearing for her and for her people, the First Patriarch stole into her bedroom at night and made love to the queen against her will. At first she struggled against him but by the time that morning came she understood that the weakness of a woman's need was nothing to be ashamed of. She allowed him to master her body and to embrace the lust inside of her. In this way the realm was saved."
May's eyes fell on a dusky skinned young woman. "In her submission to a man that queen became the First Matriarch. What lessons does this teach us?"
Tristy raised a hand.
"You always have an answer, dear," May said, not moving her eyes from the girl she was standing next to, "I'd like to hear from Apara."
Olivia's reporter instincts snapped her to attention through her exhaustion. That was the girl she was looking for inside of the compound. Apara was a new recruit, one she was pretty sure hadn't been broken yet. On the other hand she'd seen Apara get fucked into obedience the day before. She turned to look. Apara was clearly nervous. The cult members hadn't managed to brainwash her the way that the other girls were.
That was good.
Apara swallowed. "The story of the First Matriarch tells us that we cannot live in Truth while our body and soul are out of harmony. A man can . . . can help us to correct that."
"Very good, dear." May spread her hands as she addressed the other girls. "Touch yourselves for a moment girls. Experience your body."
The class all raised hands to their chests. Olivia obeyed hesitantly but her reluctance faded in seconds. She felt like she was on fire with the need for sex. Just a moment of caressing her own breast had her squirming in her seat and thinking of Billy. There had to be something in the food.
"Your bodies desire to be touched," explained May. "Lust drains the strength from you just as it did to the First Matriarch. Desire tries to command your every thought. This tells you that your body wishes to submit." She smiled pleasantly at her charges. "On the outside girls are taught to deny this desire and so are left helpless before it. Evil men force them to suffer. Here we learn the High Truth, that we must teach our soul to embrace submission. Lust is natural but it is dangerous if unrestrained. Let a man's will guide you safely through."
Most of the class murmured in agreement but Olivia saw Apara not moving her lips. She mumbled a few words herself. Morning education continued for another half hour of mantras before the girls were sent on their way.
As they finally left Olivia caught up with the girl. "Apara, wait a second."
She paused to glanced over her shoulder then increased her pace. "Olivia, right?"
"Yeah." Olivia matched her speed and looked around. "Are there any private spaces in the compound?"
"Not really, someone is always keeping any eye on everyone. We'll only have a few minutes alone no matter what." Apara lead her behind one of the greenhouses. She leaned against the glass wall. "Here is good." She started to remove her robe.
"No Apara I . . ."
"We have to behave the way we're supposed to," the girl said as she let the robe fall to the grass. "If they think we're just talking they'll get suspicious. Come on. Touch me, it's okay. Girls are supposed to be lustful."
Oliva pushed the girl against the wall of the greenhouse. "Apara, I need to know . . ."
"Call me Aparajita. That's my real name. It means . . . never mind."
"Unconquered." She grinned at the girl's reaction. "I wasn't a linguistics major in college for nothing. You weren't born in here."
Apara nodded. "My boyfriend freshman year of college was a member. He seemed so nice and sex was so amazing." She took a deep breath and her pupils dilated like she was high. "Absolutely amazing. It's still amazing. He had this hold over me . . . has. He has this hold over me." She moved Olivia's hand down between her legs. "I agreed to come here when he asked me to. He said I was going to meet his family."
"And they wouldn't let you leave."
"Yes."
"You must have people looking for you."
"No."
"Friends? Family?"
Apara leaned her head back against the glass while she pinched a nipple with her free hand. She shuddered in pleasure. A keening sound escaped her mouth. "I get to call them once a week to reassure them. He makes sure to fuck me stupid before I'm allowed to have a phone. Then May watches me the whole time." She pulled Olivia's hand higher up her thigh. "I always tell everyone how much I love it here because . . ." She looked back at Olivia with desperate eyes. "Because I think I do."
Olivia licked her lips nervously. "I'm here to get you out."
The girl shook her head.
"I saw the video they made when you came here," said Olivia. Apara's heated breath was starting to get to her. The sweet smell was like nothing she was familiar with, as if the girl was breathing more of the drug that still poisoned their minds. She closed her eyes, trying to draw closer to it. "I can help you get out of here. I promise."
"You have a plan?"
"Soon."
Apara shook her head again in defeat. "You don't understand."
"It's okay I . . ."
"No, you don't understand. You won't get out." She took a deep, ragged breath. "Pretty soon you'll be just like me. Get out now. Leave. Run away."
"I came here to find you, to prove what this place is."
Apara gasped in pleasure. "Stop . . ."
"What?"
"Don't tell me things about you." She looked up at Olivia, eyes heavy with desire. "They can make me tell them. I can't resist when he asks. He makes me so weak."
Olivia found her eyes locked on the girls lips, reading every word. She could see the motion of Apara's tongue inside her mouth. Each puff of breath offered the taste and smell of lust. "Apara . . ."
"May is coming. Don't stop."