I wanted to scream "Can’t you see what a mess I’m in?" but I could not give voice to my thoughts so I walked over slowly, ready to retreat if things went wrong.
I stood next to him and he took my hand and led me around to the side. I caught a whiff of myself and sickened slightly - I really needed a shower. I thought‘You like smelly armpits? Fine, help yourself!’I almost could not help smiling but I didn’t want that to be seen.
He didn’t flinch, he just said
"Relax, let all the shame go away."
Shame? What was that about? God, this is really crazy!
While I was busy in these thoughts, he put one hand on my lower back and the other on the abdomen, around the navel.
"Close your eyes and relax."
I did. I closed my eyes, overcome by fatigue and tried to figure out what insanity ailed my guest. He didn’t seem dangerous in any way however so I complied.
Small electric shocks seemed to climb up from below, moving in the direction of my breasts, stimulating and enlarging the nipples and then converging toward the exact center of my skull.
"Relax, let go of all your emotions of shame, free yourself," he recited like a sort of magic formula.
The shocks intensified from tingling to waves; I let out a groan, I felt his warm hands which, while remaining still, seemed to envelop me. The waves grew, I felt the rise and fall, until a wave stronger than the others surged through me from the bottom up, making me tremble and hitting exactly the center of the brain. I submerged into a pleasant wrap-around feeling, staggered, groaned. I do not remember ever feeling sweeter and yet so damn annoyed.
I was a slut, I wanted to disappear. What was happening to me?
Had I perhaps experienced the much-coveted orgasm for the first time in my life?
That strange and perverse feeling that all women since time immemorial have been looking for? No! It can’t be! Me here, right now! I stink, I'm exhausted and hungry and I'm not doing anything that could in the smallest way be considered a sexual act. So, again - what the hell was going on?
"Relax and let all the shame leave you. Don’t worry, if you feel yourself falter, I'll support you." So saying, at the sound of those words I narrowed my eyes and looked down at my feet. I stared at them and felt myself taken back to when as a twelve year old I found myself on an errand for my mother.
I remember that I was out playing with other kids. We often went around barefoot and rolled around in the hay. My mother shouted for me to run an errand. She told me to get a move on because it was getting late. So I headed out to the village shop to pick up a package.
The shop was empty of customers, there was only the proprietor on the other side of the counter. I found myself looking at my feet as if there were scores of people intent only on making me realise how shabby I was. I was deeply ashamed, a treacherous shame that assaulted me when I saw my two dirty black - nailed feet tucked into a pair of slippers that were so worn they would have appalled the most fearful of delinquents. I saw where I had cut myself on the ankle with a small blood clot - I noticed those feet, so well made and yet so filthy that .....
The waves again began to mount. I could feel excitement in the lower abdomen, the breasts swelled slightly. I had never been so excited, so wet. I felt shame mixed with sexual pleasure. It seemed like an internal struggle and soon the shame turned into excitement: an energy wave swept my body from the inside up, shaking and jerking until the waves turned into a real tsunami and I let out a cry, then another, giving vent to a strange anger I felt inside.
Violent waves of raw energy lashed my flesh, my body felt out of control and yet I was still standing with his hands resting on my skin.
An orgasm erupted that was violent and long enough to make me feel genuine physical pain; it was long, and I felt drained, dazed, pleasantly surprised by that terrible experience but at the same time angry, confused, relaxed and satisfied but constantly alert.
"OK, now sit down and relax."
The sound of his voice brought me back to reality, I remembered where I was. Without being able to put together a sentence–not even a word let alone a sentence–I sat down in the chair next to him and drew my knees over my chest.
He handed me a blanket and said some more words.
“Relax…rest…. the bathroom…. the kitchen that way.”
I don’t know if I passed out or fell asleep, but the last words I heard came from a distance. I fell into a calm, relaxing and oddly deep slumber.
REAWAKENING
My eyes opened on what looked like a beautiful day, I had not slept so well for a long time. I stretched and found myself smiling. I was very awake and sprightly. I hadn’t felt this way for decades - yes, I felt pretty good. I got up, perhaps too quickly, and I felt some small pain in my joints from my sleeping position.
I suddenly realized I had slept on a chair. The slave trade! Danger! Now I remembered. I had to flee immediately. Yes, escape. Daylight had only just arrived, the light flooding through the windows and no one was guarding me. Okay, you run! Let’s plan a quick departure, hurry up!
But the mirror reflected my condition, telling me that I would have been too easy a target for pursuit, plus I had to go to the bathroom urgently. Where was it? What had the man said last night?
I slipped silently along the corridor like a hunting panther; my prey was the bathroom! Mustn’t get discovered, don’t want to wake anyone. Found it! All the best plans start with perfect strategic planning, one action at a time without hesitation, taking you to complete success. I felt really awake now. I began to compliment myself on finding the room I needed. I actually felt rather idiotic also but it didn’t matter.
Yesss…. a shower! One of life's simple little pleasures! I took off the clothes I had worn the day before. Ohhhh, hot water on my skin, to see the dirt trapped in my hair running down the drain; absorb the sweet smell of white musk shower gel that seems to clean up a ton of grime. I felt my long hair become silky and smooth after the shampooing. I was enjoying the shower but then I thought myself an idiot. I had a plan to put into action.
That little voice inside was so insistent that I could not ignore it: Hurry! Get a move on! There was a new bathrobe still in its packaging and new slippers. They were put here for me maybe? No, surely not…. who could have imagined I would take a shower before running off? Let’s use them anyway.
So here I am, dry, cleaned and ready for flight. Oh God! Look at those red nails, they look like strawberries hanging off my toes! Nahhh ... can’t escape looking like that! What a laugh, can you imagine? .... if someone sees you - "Miss, do you need help? Where are you going with nails like that ? Are you really running away?”
I just know they would stop me immediately.
Ok, now think .... think. Come on Trinity, move yourself. What has Matrix got to do with this? A great film, I love Trinity, I’d like to be her now. I’d draw my weapons and leap from one roof to another. What would you do, my dear heroine, in my shoes? So ran my thoughts as I looked around in a vain attempt to find something that would help me in my escape plan. Stop fantasising and remember….. only perfect plans! Yes, let’s get the varnish off. So I’ll need some remover, some acetone. Here we are! And now some cotton…. yes, that works, no more colour, now they would no longer say“Miss, you must be escaping.” Oh yes, I’ll show you all now!
If anyone had heard these thoughts they would have thought I was raving.
I had to find food though. What had the hooded man said just after bringing me to the most perfect, in fact the only orgasm of my life so far? Yes, the kitchen is over there! Or maybe this way? Found it! Great! Steel and wood and some great working surfaces. But what the hell? Who cares what the kitchen’s like? Well defined plans, that’s what we want. Hungry! I’m so hungry! To tell the truth I could have eaten just about anything in range; I grabbed a banana from a fruit bowl and while I was peeling and eating it, with my free hand I snatched another.
“Good morning. How is our guest today?�
�
The words hit me hard. Surprised, I spat out the banana I was voraciously devouring.
“You should maybe peel the next one before you eat it!”
Still more surprised I found myself laughing with a mouth half full - I spat out the remains and felt like an imbecile for being caught out before even trying to escape.
So much for a well-planned departure!….. you really are a…..!
But my host was indifferent. Perhaps all was not lost, maybe he hadn’t caught on to my plan…. all right, so how could he have figured it out? I could already see the headlines in the newspaper however– ‘Girl in bathrobe holding two bananas tries to run away!’
Nahhh ... he suspects nothing, I’m still cool.
THE OTHER ONE
He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a jug of fresh Kefir, offered me a glass that I slurped at greedily in a very inelegant way. I was thirsty, parched. Had I taken a shower or crossed a desert?
He kindly filled my glass again and this time I sipped at it. I found myself surprised to discover the flavours of raisins, prunes and lemon used for its creation. I could, oddly enough, feel the flavours separate and then unite. I had never noticed the simple flavours of the food I listlessly consumed.
My mouth fell open when she entered. Of course, how stupid - acetone, musk shower gel, there had to be another female in the house! Before I could continue in my thoughts I watched her stretch, smile and plant a tender kiss on his cheek.
She looked at me, smiling, and gave me a spontaneous and disarming“Hello!”
She had the same bright, deep eyes as him; she was beautiful, sensual and friendly and she made me feel uncomfortable. As had happened the day before in his presence, I could not hold her look.
She was tall and slender, with smooth brown hair, dark eyes and a genuinely friendly smile that rendered her bright and radiant. She had the confidence of those who did not have to prove anything to themselves or the world. An innate and contagious joie de vivre.
I found myself thinking about those two strange people and I liked them. I felt a terrible idiot however. Someone who had‘purchased’me could not possibly please me, in the same way as I felt stupid with a banana in my hand and with hair a bit ruffled. I was in the wrong place. But then... why the hell was I there?
"Who is our guest darling?" She began.
I was thinking to myself; let's see how you get out of this one, honey! You'll tell her you bought me last night right? Tell her who I am? What I did until yesterday? Or rather, what I didn’t do? Come on, out with it, I'm really curious to hear the answer!
His answer took me completely unawares.
"Ah, yes. She is ..... " and he turned to me with an interrogative air and asked,
" May we know your name?"
My mouth fell open and I managed to stammer:
"Ka ... Ka ... Katerine…Kate.”
"There you are then darling…. this is….." He turned back to me with a bright smile. I was dazed ...
"Um, listen," he said, "Listen ... Ka…Ka…Katerine ... Kate ... How about if we just make it Kate? I would say that it’s more practical, don’t you think? "
And without waiting for my reply he turned toward her again.
"This is Kate darling!"
“Good”she replied and turned to me.“Welcome Kate, I’m Sonia.”
At that moment a woman in her sixties entered. She wore an apron and carried a tray overflowing with freshly baked pancakes. She laid them on the table and followed up with a second tray of maple syrup and fresh orange juice. After a kind greeting she left. It was only then that I remembered my crazed hunger. I devoured everything on offer. Much better!
The cook returned, or what I thought to be the cook, to pick up the leftovers and replace the trays. She smiled when she saw that there was not a crumb left.
"I’m pleased to see you have an appetite this morning! And who is our nice guest? "
I don’t deny that I blushed slightly for having madea clean sweep of everything edible. But there was another question to which I was curious to know the answer and for which I now suspected I was unprepared. And sure enough ...
“Serena”he said, turning smoothly in my direction,“May I introduce Kate, our new assistant in the family business.”
Whaat? Me, assistant? The family business? What was he talking about? About me? Did he not remember what happened last night?
“Hello Kate and welcome aboard”said Serena cordially, coming out of the kitchen which was as large as the apartment I shared with three other girls.
“Well Kate,”said Sonia,“Tell me, what have you studied? You know a few languages don’t you?”
“Yes,”I replied suspiciously. How did she know that?“I manage quite well in English and French….”
I didn’t finish as the man interrupted.
“Very good, we’ll take you on!”
He continued, turning to his wife or girlfriend.
"Darling, do you think that as a first salary of three thousand Euro a month is adequate?"
My jaw dropped. I felt like my chin was resting on my chest and I stayed like that until the end of their conversation, and found myself with my mouth completely dry. I must have looked very stupid to anyone looking on.
“Certainly”replied Sonia.“I believe that for an assistant with linguistic knowledge and junior managerial responsibilities, for the moment that is acceptable.”
I clearly had no idea what they were talking about. Why was I even in that place with those mysterious and lovely people? Why were they offering me such a salary without even knowing what I was really capable of? What kind of a situation had I dropped into? From reluctant prostitute to assistant-with-low-level-managerial responsibilities and, moreover, with a salary that I could never dream of. What's the catch?
My internal voice was active once more. Ok Kate, well-defined plans! The alarm bell started to chime once more - it was time I thought seriously about getting out of there.
My thoughts were interrupted by Sonia who came closer, smiling and friendly and offered to show me around the house.
The house, or villa was large and on two floors; the French doors in the living room overlooked the rear garden which had fencing around a large part of the surrounding hill. It was extensive enough not to be able to see its limits. There was a large and very old oak to the left of the building - so old I could not even guess at the age. It was high, majestic and reassuring in its ancient solidity and I couldn’t hope to embrace the trunk even with four arms. There was a garden table and chairs beneath the oak. To get to it we had to go through either the living room or the kitchen. To the right of the house the garden extended into a simple lawn.
There were few plants here but there were well tended beds as if someone wanted to keep the space as open as possible. In the distance I saw a man who greeted us with a wave of his hand. It was him! He was the one who would have discovered me with strawberry nails trying to escape!"
I surprised myself with the stupidity of that thought. Maybe the presence of such a large panorama had gone to my head and confusion was still prevailing. Yes, all this was possible.
"If you want you can stay here until I find you a better place to live. If you don’t know where to go, naturally."
With these words, Sonia indicated me a wing of the house slightly apart from the complex and invited me to enter. A bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom and a small living room. For me? I thought. They're offering me a whole house until I find something better? I didn’t dare ask anything for fear that I had misheard. But was it really true?
I just said "Yes," and she smiled and added, "Later I'll show you the work and I'll explain your duties. Now make yourself at home, you will find some clothes in the closet. I hope you like them."
She went away, leaving me alone.
THE ESCAPE
I made myself comfortable in what was for the moment my new home. It was unusually warm and I found myself thinking how truly at ease I was.
Escape however ... that was the watchword. I glanced in the large living room mirror. I was still in bathrobe and slippers, hair messed up because I had only managed to towel my head briefly.
Strategy, I needed a well-planned exit strategy!
I felt alert and smart, willing to do anything rather than submit. I had after all managed to get what I needed... oh yes, how clever I felt! I now had the time to plan .... oh yes, really smart.
I patted at my hair as best I could with the help of brush and dryer. My raven - black hair had re-discovered its sparkle and sleekness, reflecting the room’s light in quick flashes. The bedroom was decorated in a modern style with a walk-in closet that was almost as big as the accommodation kindly offered me by that slime ball Kurl. I chose a couple of items from the closet and I planned. Ahhh yes, I’m going to be free! My mind was totally absorbed in thoughts of escape. Well-planned strategies, Kate.
Yes, I really felt a lion. I put on a pair of light pants, dark blue, soft, fresh, perfect size. Well-planned strategies. I repeated it to myself as if it were the key to the solution of all my problems.
White shirt and a violet scarf. Yes, I was a master of escape. Now, shoes….
Strangely, the shoes I found fitted me perfectly and were very comfortable. But this was not the most important consideration at the moment - escape was uppermost in my mind.
Socks. Yes, OK, let’s take socks.
I looked in the mirror hanging over the dresser and saw another person, no longer the timid Kate, the submissive Kate, but a good-looking girl with black hair, a bit messy, wearing a purple scarf. I was as beautiful and feisty as ever, and before long I would be free!
Planet-H: The End of the Beginning Page 2