Chapter 4 - Road Trip
Jane awoke from her waking slumber, again finding herself in a time and place she didn't recognize. What day was it? What month, and what year?
"We're going on a trip. Come," said David's voice, coming from the second story of the cabin.
Jane was too lifeless to even question David's sentence. Instead of thinking where they were going, and why, Jane simply followed her master's orders mindlessly.
Upstairs, in the second-story bathroom, David pulled out a red sun-dress, and a matching set of red-laced underwear. He gave them to Jane, who just stared lifelessly into space, waiting for a command that would tell her what to do.
"What are you waiting for? Get dressed. And put some make-up on too."
David left Jane to her own devices, alone in the bathroom. Jane dressed mechanically, and then opened a make-up bag that David had left her. It had a minimal set of items, just foundation, mascara and lipstick. Jane felt odd, putting on the products. It seemed like a thousand years ago, that she had last dolled herself up.
Staring into the mirror, Jane could no longer recognize herself. Where had her face gone? Blonde hair, instead of brown, lash extensions, lip filler, red lipstick... all things that weren't "Jane" at all, but just David's fantasy girl. When had she even gotten those done? Jane tried to remember, but had seemingly blocked out the memory.
Jane checked the rest of her body, too. She had to make sure there were no permanent changes. Relieved, Jane noticed that there was nothing else - no tattoos, or piercings. Stepping back from the mirror, Jane froze in horror. How had she missed such a big detail? When had it happened? She couldn't even remember taking a pregnancy test. But still, a pregnancy bump was staring her in the face. Didn't David promise not to get her pregnant, without her permission? Whatever else Jane might have wanted, she would certainly not have agreed to this.
When Jane was finished, she waited in the bathroom for David to come fetch her. She didn't even step out of the bathroom on her own - so dead was her autonomy, and her sense of self. She needed him now, even for basic life necessities. If it were possible, Jane would stop breathing until David told her to take a breath.
"Ready?"
Jane only nodded, then looked down at the floor. She didn't want to do anything to anger him. Even the smallest sideways glance could make him angry.
David led Jane to his red convertible, which was parked in front of his cabin. David needed to guide Jane each step of the way: he commanded her to get in the car, buckle her seatbelt... Jane didn't do anything, without being explicitly told to.
"Fuck, can you imagine... It's been six months already. Fucking crazy, how time passes when you have fun," said David, as he started driving.
Head spinning, her insides tossing and turning, Jane felt like she was being tossed around in a tornado. Six months? It had been six months? Jane tried to shake herself awake, but when she stirred, she found nothing to awaken. There was nothing left of her personhood; no one to answer her call.
The red convertible soon parked at the entrance of a small store. David got out first, and opened the passenger's side door for Jane, before lifting her out. They walked, hand-in-hand, seemingly an ordinary couple. David led the way, and brought Jane into a cute little shop, with rabbits and flowers decorating the windows.
"Welcome to Bunny's Baby, my name is Fiona. What can I help you with?" smiled the shop attendant, eager to help.
"Hi. Me and my wife are expecting, and looking for a crib for our little one. Could you help us out?" asked David, speaking for the both of them, as he always did. Jane wasn't allowed to speak to strangers. Anyone besides David was a stranger.
Jane stared blankly into space, struggling to register the words being spoken around her. Babies? Why were they in a store for babies? She remembered something about a baby, but that wasn't possible. David had promised: they wouldn't have a baby, before she was ready.
"Of course," the store attendant beamed, as she guided the couple further into the store. "How far along are you? A boy, or a girl?" she asked, addressing the question to Jane. David answered, instead.
"A boy. Five months along."
"Oh, that's lovely!"
Nothing made any sense. It couldn't have been six months... Jane could only remember a few days, and then... nothing. It was like she hadn't existed for the past six months. She had no recollection of those days. A baby boy? Five months along? It was simply impossible. This all had to be a dream...
Jane stayed behind, and stared into empty space, as David and the store attendant continued on. They abandoned Jane, alone in the middle of the store.
"Jane!? What the fuck? What are you doing here?"
A stranger approached, seeming like a familiar face... Still, Jane could not place her. Jane hesitated, not knowing what to do. She wasn't allowed to talk to strangers. But this stranger didn't seem strange at all.
"What the actual fuck? You go missing for six months, everyone thinks you're dead... and you've actually just run off with some guy?" the stranger was angry. Jane didn't understand why.
Jane looked around, panicked. She wasn't sure what to do. Half of her mind told her to call out to David, and the other half told her not to. Thinking about the familiar stranger's words, Jane became even more confused. Missing? Who was missing?
"Jane, are you ok? You don't seem like yourself."
"I don't... I think..."
The woman looked around the store suspiciously. When she noticed David staring at them, she walked away from Jane, and pretended to be minding her own business. But when the woman saw David disappear behind a corner, she ran back to Jane and grabbed her arm.
"Come with me, Jane. I will get you home."
Jane's head was spinning. She didn't know what she should do... she had been following orders for so long that she had forgotten how to make her own decisions. But the stranger seemed safe. She smelled like a library... like happy memories and sleepovers.
