Julie Start had a good life, bullying people in high school and then college, some of the instructors so worried about her, they passed her just to get her out of class. She had a degree in business, a nice job where she didn't bully anyone. She didn't need to, one of the partners of the business took to mentoring her.
Mister Rogers, forty-eight, exactly twice Julie's age, had mentored several of the employees over the years. Each year he selected one, mentoring for a year and then seeing how they did on their own. This time Julie was selected and she was eager to learn, a good trait, and even smart enough to learn, an even better trait in his opinion. Julie worked hard, even if she had a bit of a reputation for being a bit bitchy to others.
He mentioned it to her a few times, but as much as she claimed to be nice, the vast majority of the employees considered her a bitch, a rude one who was going to do whatever was needed to get ahead. That she was a bit ambitious wasn't all a bad thing.
Julie was feeling good about her life and career. True, the other employees ignored Julie, as far as social activity went. At work, they all worked together, or they didn't work at all. The partners didn't have a use for lone wolves in the business.
Julie worked on important documents, stuff some of the more senior employees wanted, and she was adamant Mister Rogers would not regret these opportunities to show she was capable of this and a lot more. She figured she might be a junior or a full partner by the time she turned thirty.
Today she turned in two projects, complete and well praised. Mister Roberts was so happy, he hugged her, the first time he ever touched her even if he was known to occasionally give celebratory hugs now and then. Instead of thanking him, return the hug and step away, she held her hands on his ribs, making a comment about sexual harassment. Mister Roberts quickly jerked away, a wary look on his face as she shrugged.
"You male, me female. You grabbed me without consent, thus the definition. Just, you know, pointing that out." she said.
"And we all know how that charge works in the business environment."
He seemed a bit angry, although Julie wasn't sure why. She was simply making a snarky comment. She did that all the time, just usually not around one of the partners of the business.
"Only if anyone has a reason to pursue the claim. Sometimes that doesn't happen, you know, for various reasons." she added.
Taking that as a possible threat, he took another step back, thanked her for her work, and sat at his desk. Julie figured it was meant for her to leave so she went back to her desk to do more work. She had no idea her remark was taken seriously, that Mister Rogers would talk to the other two partners about the comment, alerting them in case Julie Start caused a problem or tried some subtle operation to get ahead.
Word spread Mister Rogers gave that bitchy Julie a hug for doing good work and she immediately threatened a sexual harassment lawsuit for unwanted touching. Worse, she followed it up with threats to not sue provided she got some benefits her way.
In the breakroom, employees talked about the bitchy lady setting poor Mister Rogers up to take the company to the cleaners.
The next morning Julie came to work to find most of the files she was going to work on today were missing. She asked if anyone saw them, getting a collective shrug as a response before openly violating other desks in search of the missing files.
Julie soon discovered the missing files were done by someone else, the business was moving on and all she had on her desk were the mundane files that usually went to the new people. Every time she tried to talk to Mister Rogers, or either of the other two partners, it was made sure there were witnesses to the conversation, Julie discovering none of the partners wanted to talk to her one-on-one. She was being effectively shoved to the side.
She was informed her work quality was poor, she complained it was everyone else who was stealing from her, HR didn't seem impressed, informing her to improve if she wanted her job. Julie was still ticked when she got home, calling Sabrina, her close high school friend and fellow bully for advice.
Sabrina and her husband Johan had recently gone home to visit her sick father or maybe her mother, Julie didn't remember. What shocked her was how happy Sabrina sounded about the trip, so happy, she was thinking of moving back. Back? To a place none of them could stand? Couldn't wait to leave?
Julie informed her of the problem, Sabrina told her she was being forced out so she may as well find another job, so she didn't have being fired on her resume. Sabrina told her if she moved, Sabrina could find her work where she currently worked.
"Currently?"
"Yeah, Julie, because I'm really thinking about moving home. This last visit really made me happy and, well, I want more of that happiness."
That didn't make any sense to Julie who turned in her two weeks, moved her meager belongings to another city where Sabrina got her a similar position within the company. Julie got to see more of Sabrina, but a changed Sabrina.
This one was happy, smiling a lot, Julie shaking her head at this Stepford Wives version of her old bullying friend. Even Johan seemed eager to move closer to his wife's parents. Why was not forthcoming, both secretive about the reason, almost to Julie's mind, as if they both had reasons, but the spouse had no idea what it was.
It didn't make sense so Julie, during a long weekend, went back home to talk to Linda, another bullying friend from school and one who also seemed happy. Maybe Linda could explain what was in the water or what aliens took over the place. To Julie, there wasn't enough fun and entertainment there to last a good weekend, let alone a long one.
Julie met with Linda, amazed to see her friend in great physical shape, excited to be alive, happy as if someone changed her brain for someone else. Husband Ronnie, who was usually quiet and off to the side, was also happy to be living, more outgoing as Julie looked around. What was going on?
Charlie sighed as she sat on the park bench, Master next to her.
"So, another has arrived, wants to stay with bitch and cum slut for the weekend as she tries to figure out why everyone who couldn't wait to leave all want to return. And Master wishes me to dominate her as I did the others, all without raising suspicions. Which, I guess I can point out, is already being raised by this woman."
"Your sighs are on deaf ears, Charlie, since you do so well at this."
"I was fine not knowing I dominate so well."
"So, you prefer to return to your life as it was?"
Charlie sighed again.
