Dale left and Elaine went back to her routine at the house. The time with him had brightened her outlook on life and given her hope that there were other men out there who could make good masters for her and that she might find herself with one someday.
She would have a few hours of training in preparation for her try out, and to do her chores and serve people. The guards could not fuck her, though she did still have to perform oral on demand. Steve seemed to be moving away from his obsession with her, anyway, and spent more time with Mary. Elaine's paranoid side told her that they were plotting against her, but aside from being on her toes, there wasn't much to do about it.
Billie, well, Billie still had Elaine. The dark skinned competitor was Elaine's only path to orgasm for the moment, and at least she was generous with her hand. Billie was a demanding taskmaster, but Elaine enjoyed it as much as she could. Elaine was starting to get feelings for the athletic competitor and she wasn't too happy about that. Elaine would just as soon be her prize and leave it at that, but she was starting to fall for her. Billie demanded much of her prize, but as long as Elaine obeyed and delivered, she was treated decently. Elaine would have loved to watch from above when she performed on her competitor, the idea of her pale skin between dark thighs thrilled her.
There were good days and bad days, just like anywhere else. The intensity of being in the same small area with all of the other men and women amplified the problems and drama of the group and never knowing when she would be taken away to suck a cock made things strange. The grief of losing Sam and the anger towards Roy and Hunter made for a potent emotional stew. Spring was coming, though, even to the Midwest, and with it, hope. The gray piles of old snow were melting and she could hear more than the cardinals now as other birds arrived. When she needed a boost, she would think of Dale and her time with him and everything seemed a little better.
--
It was the day of her tryout against Michelle. Elaine was loose and well rested, Billie had made sure Elaine got her sleep. She was confident in her body and abilities. She did a few laps to get warmed up before Michelle arrived. This was Elaine's chance to rise above being a prize and she was not going to mess it up.
Barry and Winston stood by with tablets to record their observations and times.
Michelle arrived already looking beaten. She had obviously been up the night before drinking and still reeked of wine. Her walk was a little unsteady and she kept rubbing her temples. Unless the redhead was one of those rare people who performed better hungover, Elaine was going to win by default.
Michelle staggered around the track, but as she did it, she looked stronger. Elaine was still going to have to do well just to be sure, she did not know how the deck was stacked, but she knew either she or Michelle was going to get screwed.
"Okay," Barry said. "Let's get this started."
"Yes, Master," Elaine and Michelle said in unison.
"To the line, five laps."
Elaine took her position. Her heart was racing in anticipation, she was as ready as she could be. She was distracted a little, though, by the smell of alcohol that seeped from Michelle's pores.
The starting pistol echoed loudly in the old gym and the slaves took off. To Elaine's surprise, Michelle jumped out to an early lead and led for the first lap. Elaine buckled down, and passed her early on the second. The redhead never recovered and Elaine was almost a full lap ahead when the race ended.
Michelle reacted to her loss by vomiting into a trash can.
The rest of the tryout was no contest. Elaine dominated every event. Michelle put in some effort, but it was obvious she had already given up. She seemed to be a little better at the end, the exercise having worked out the worst of her hangover, but it was too little too late.
Barry look pleased with Elaine.
"Nice job, slave," Barry said and gave her a quick kiss. "Let's make it official. Elaine, you are now officially a competitor. You can take one of the empty rooms."
"Yes, Master," Elaine said, "thank you, Master."
Elaine did not try to hide her happiness, she had done it. She was a competitor and not just the bottom bottom for everyone to use. No more having to serve other girls or getting fucked by whichever guard had a hard-on at the moment.
"Now," Barry said with a hint of disgust in his voice, "as for this one." He pointed his chin at Michelle. "Give her twenty for a lack of effort. Start getting her ready for sale, when you're done with her that is. Tomorrow, let Billie have her until we can get rid of her."
Winston hooked a leash on Michelle and cuffed her wrists in front of her. He led the southern slave down into the tunnels and into one of the lesser used buildings. It was mostly used for storage, but Winston and the guards had made a little mancave in one of the old rooms.
Michelle was in a strange place in her head. She became a slave because she liked cock. She loved it. She loved it in her mouth, in her pussy, in her ass. She loved the men attached to those cocks, too, but mainly she just loved a good, hard fucking. Which was precisely what she was not getting here the past year.
She was done. She stopped caring a while ago and her performance had reflected that. If Elaine, with her big blue eyes and small tits wanted to race, let her. Michelle was happy. Maybe she could have beaten Elaine if she had tried, but trying would have just locked her in here for even longer. She was going to be sold, her life might be better. It couldn't get much worse.
"Hands on the table," Winston ordered.
Michelle obeyed.
She was done with this place. If 20 lashes and licking Billie's pussy for a few weeks was what it took, fine, she could take it. The first lash landed across her back, but Michelle was too lost in her world of anger and disgust to pay much attention. A year of her prime youth spent running around tracks for men to ogle. Not fuck, ogle. Cock doled out in little bits here and there.