Secret Society

by Robin Roseau

  "Good," Opal said. "That's good."

  I tried to guess the pattern, but I couldn't. I was completely lost by now, my thoughts focused and jumbled at the same time.

  "Not there," Opal said when someone grew very intimate.

  Opal was on my right side, my back and shoulder and arm. Then she said, "We're about to do your hands. You will relax both hands, Blythe. We'll hold your fingers still, and you will not fight us." Then I felt a hand on my left turning my palm up as far as it could twist. Then the pen, or pencil. It felt weird, and it was very hard to relax. Then Opal began on my right, and the sensations were nearly overwhelming.

  "Good," Opal said a while later. "Blythe, we're going to do your feet now, one at a time. We're going to hold you very firmly. I know your feet are ticklish. You will do your best to remain still."

  That was hard, and I twitched more than once, but they grasped me firmly, and they completed their drawing on the bottoms of my feet and the sides, and the bottoms and tip of each toe.

  Then Opal moved around me. She did a few touchups. Then she was at my head.

  "We're doing your front as well," she said. "You will remain completely limp, or you will not like your punishment."

  Again they didn't wait. They released me, they released me entirely. And I didn't remain limp but instead curled into a ball.

  Opal allowed that. "Give her a minute, but if she moves, stop her."

  They gave me more than a minute, but then I rolled onto my back without prompting, and I was returned into my previous position, but face up instead of down.

  "Good girl," Opal said. "This will be harder."

  And it was.

  They were thorough. They were very, very thorough.

  They released the stocks thing that was around my neck and pulled me more fully onto the table. Then someone -- it wasn't Opal -- did as much of my face as was exposed, turning me this way and that. She did my ears and neck. Lines first, then filling in.

  "Good," Opal said. "Beautiful. We're almost done, Blythe. We have a little more to do to prepare you. Then we must prepare ourselves as well. We're going to give you a little water now. If you say one word, you get punished."

  They untied my arms from the table, but two of them kept control. Opal helped me to sit, and then she held me steady. Whatever was in my mouth was removed, and she let me work my jaw. Then she held a glass for me, and I drank, a little, then a little more.

  I almost thanked her, but I remembered her words.

  "Do her feet," Opal ordered. My bonds changed, again in steps. They were moved slightly closer, but still well spread, and then secured again. Then they helped me from the table and helped me to stand, two still holding my arms.

  "Not a word," Opal ordered again. "We're giving your mouth a break, but it ends if you make a noise."

  Then she began tying rope around my body. It took her time, and soon I felt half encased in rope from my ankles to my knees, my thighs, my hips, under and then over my breasts. She braided more rope into my hair.

  Then they bound my arms behind my back before I was returned to the table. My ankles were released and tied pressed together, and I was dragged to the head of the table again.

  "Get comfortable," Opal ordered. "You're going to be here for a while."

  I nodded and rolled onto my side, squirming around a little. Then I nodded again. Opal adjusted my position a little, and then the stock came down around my neck. I heard a latch snick shut. I was sure Opal wouldn't use anything flimsy, so I was sure I would remain where she had placed me.

  "We're going to leave you while we get ready. Not one word, Blythe, unless you grow distressed. If you call my name, I will return, but it better be an emergency. Being afraid isn't an emergency."

  "Bathroom," I said. And then waited to see if I would be punished for it.

  "Shit," she said. "Is it urgent?"

  "Not yet."

  "Later, before the next part. Not another word."

  They left me, and I lay there, wondering what the next part meant.

  * * * *

  They wandered back, not all at once, but none of them saying anything. But then I felt hands untying my ankles, and the stock released from my neck. They helped me to my feet, and then they led me through the house.

  "This is a bathroom," Opal said. "I am going to give you a very small amount of dignity. If you do anything I don't like, I will be livid. We went to a great deal of effort, and you will not ruin it."

  I nodded, and then she was untying my hands.

  They led me to the toilet, helped me to sit, and then Opal led my hand to the paper.

  They stepped away, but I was sure they were watching. I did what was necessary, and then I said one word.

  "Done."

  "Good girl," Opal said. Two stepped forward and helped me to stand, and then they again tied my arms behind me. They gave me a pair of thin slippers. I walked after that, and they led me through the house, and then into a garage, and then into a car.

  "Not a word, Blythe," Opal said. "Not one word."

  We drove, not far. And then I knew they intended to display me, naked, prepared like this. I didn't know half of it.

  We came to a stop. Someone climbed from the car, I thought Opal, but I wasn't sure. Then there was a delay. I sat quietly.

  Then the door on my right opened, and the person beside me slid out. They helped me from the car and into another house.

  I wondered how many people were watching, but I didn't struggle, and I didn't try to talk. By now I was emotionally numb, and I didn't even have thoughts of resisting.

  We came to a stop.

  "It gets harder now, Blythe," Opal said from in front of me. "But if you struggle, will be a whole lot worse. Open your mouth and stick your tongue out as far as you can."

  I opened immediately, and after a moment, she clipped something to my tongue. Startled, I tried to withdraw my tongue and close my mouth, but something pressed against the corners of my mouth, and I couldn't pull my tongue loose. I struggled with it, craning my neck around, but Opal grabbed my chin and turned me back to face her.

  "You might be able to get that off, but if you do, you won't get rid of the next one. Are you going to fight me?"

  I shook my head, slightly, as much as was allowed with the way she held me.

  "You are free to exercise your tongue however you want. And from this point forward, you are allowed to make noises, but not any that sound like words. Or screams. And remember the other things I told you."

  She released my chin.

  I couldn't help it. I still struggled to free my tongue. I struggled to pull it into my mouth, but it was firmly trapped, and I couldn't release it.

  "It's not the first time I've done this, Blythe," she said, and she tapped the tip of my tongue. "Come."

  Then she grabbed whatever had trapped my tongue, and she began pulling. I was helpless but to follow. I was led forward until I encountered a table, and then further still until I had crawled onto the table and lay, face down, my forehead pressed into the surface.

  Opal positioned me where she wanted me, and then I felt her sliding ropes through the various harnesses she'd tied earlier.

  Then my hips lifted from the table, only a short distance. Then my chest. Then my head was lifted by the blindfold harness, not painfully, but enough I couldn't hang my head.

  She released my arms and pulled them, one at a time, straight out, then up, a little higher than my head, and somehow she tied them that way. I could wave around some, but my arms remained well stretched, and movement was limited.

  My legs were treated the same way, and I lay, now dangling from the ropes, a short distance above the table.

  From time to time I grunted, but Opal made no complaint. I whimpered once or twice, and there was no complaint. After the third whimper, Opal moved to my head.

  "Those noises excite me, you know. I hope you don't stop. You may make those noises all you want. You will want to be very careful with any others
."

  She made some adjustments, and then there was a pause, then well above me the sound of a motor, and I could feel myself pulled higher. I could hear the noises of the room changing, and then with a shudder, the motor noise stopped.

  I heard booted footsteps on the floor, now much further below me. When Opal spoke, she was near my head, but somewhat lower than I was.

  "I was careful. You are evenly supported. None of the ropes are tight. I imagine it is uncomfortable, but you're safe."

  She paused, and I felt her breath against my skin. She breathed in. "God, you're beautiful like this, Blythe. You can't believe what this is doing to me."

  She pulled away, but not far. "It's not over. You've figured that out. But there are no servants tonight." Again she breathed in my scent, and I felt her shake beside me. "God, I'm getting myself worked up just looking at you."

  She moved a little ways away, but she still spoke in a low voice. "You know I can make this worse. You don't come down until I decide. If you do a single thing to rush this, I will make it worse. I haven't clipped a thing to any of your sensitive areas. I can replace the trap on your tongue with something that has spikes, and I can do it without removing what's already there. If you work it loose and clamp your lips shut, I can force your mouth open, and if you fight me, you do not want to find out what happens. But you're not going to fight me, are you?"

  I shook my head, just a little.

  "Good. Do you have any doubt I can make this a whole lot worse?"

  I shook my head emphatically.

  "Good. You may make noise if you want, but no words. Control your volume. Do not sound like you're imploring anyone to make this end." And I nodded. "You may squirm if you want. You can't go anywhere. You can't free yourself. You can't hurt yourself. But I recommend remaining as limp as you are able."

  I believed her.

  "I will, from time to time, offer very small, very brief relief for your tongue. But when I tell you to stick it out again, you will do so without complaint or hesitation. Fight me, and you will lose. Understand?" And I nodded.

  "Good." Then she moved close again and inhaled deeply before whispering into my ear. "God, I could eat you right here, with witnesses, and I might be an exhibitionist, but I'm not that big of an exhibitionist."

  And then I listened to them all walk away, leaving me there.

  * * * *

  I heard noises. I heard the front door a number of times. I heard shoes on the foyer floor. I heard people move deeper into the house, the sounds subdued.

  I hung there.

  I heard footsteps, boots this time, and then I knew it was Opal.

  "Your friends want to know where you are," she said. "I'm about to tell them."

  I began protesting. Opal was ready for it, and she clipped something to the tip of my tongue. I really began protesting. It hurt!

  She removed it. "Silence."

  I whimpered a little, but I grew silent.

  "Don't fight me, Blythe." Then I felt fingers at my mouth, and the pressure on my tongue relaxed, and I almost cried out.

  I could barely return my tongue to my mouth.

  "I have water. I'll give you a minute. It's in a squirt bottle."

  She gave me a minute, or maybe more than a minute, but then I nodded and opened my mouth. She squirted a little water in, just a little. I swallowed and opened. Swallowed and opened. "Now hold this for a bit before you swallow. There's no more for a while. Then, when you're ready, you will stick your tongue back out." She squirted, and I held the water in my mouth.

  Then I swallowed, swallowed again, and obediently offered my tongue. She applied the trap again, and I keened for a moment.

  "It's really hot, Blythe," she said. "And it's exotic. Anything else I might use is tacky. This is art. I know it's uncomfortable. But you can take it."

  I keened a little longer and slowly stilled.

  "Good girl," she said. "God, if we were ten years closer in age, or even five, I'd keep you forever. God, you're amazing."

  She gave me a lot to think about while she was gone, which caused me to squirm.

  I heard footsteps, coming from a different direction. Then they stopped, and I heard Kiki said, "Oh shit."

  "Quiet." That was Claudine. "Okay, you're right. Oh shit."

  "You two shut up." That was Hope. "Opal doesn't bluff. If we talk to her, it gets worse for Bythe. Not a word to her. Not one word. And you better hope Blythe doesn't get it for what we've just said. Now shut the fuck up. Chairs first, then the table."

  I couldn't tell how many moved into the room, but it felt like they surrounded me. I thought they looked up at me for a moment longer, but then I heard them moving around, setting chairs into place at the table. I listened as they spread a tablecloth and then I heard the clinking of tableware as they set the table below me.

  "Is she even alive?"

  "She's breathing," Kiki said. "I can't stop looking at her. Is she awake?"

  "Shut UP you two."

  They finished with the table, but they didn't leave right away. One of them walked around the table, and I heard creaking, then breath against my cheek.

  "Kiki!" Hope said. "Opal will know."

  The mouth withdrew, but I got the message, anyway.

  I had friends.

  I wondered if that reminder was why Opal sent them in.

  * * * *

  People came in and out a few more times, but no one spoke. I imagined I was difficult to ignore.

  And then I heard the party moving towards me, and part of me was filled with horror. But part of me was glad. This wouldn't last too much longer.

  People moved into the room, and then they all came to a stop.

  "Blessed mother of god." That was Wilba Everest, and I was sure I began blushing, if that was possible. I keened, softly, and struggled, but neither would do me any good.

  "Move in, Ladies," I heard Opal say. "Let everyone get a good look."

  There was shuffling, more footsteps, and a few people walked around me. They came to a stop, all around me, and I knew they were all looking at me.

  There wasn't a thing I could do about it.

  "Opal Pearce," said Mrs. Shaffer. "Perhaps you would care to explain."

  "This living sculpture is from the collection of Opal Pearce," Opal said. "It is titled Initiate Member Displayed."

  "Displayed, indeed," said Wilba Everest. "Let her down."

  "Oh, no," Opal said. "This is an interactive display. If you will take your seats, you will see. Don't worry, there are no best seats. Everyone gets a good view."

  "Opal..."

  "Wilba," said Mrs. Shaffer. "Perhaps we should give Opal a few minutes to finish her hazing. Take a seat, please."

  There was shuffling, and chairs pulled out, and a great deal of muttering. Then Opal said, "Go ahead. You may touch, however you like."

  No one touched.

  Everyone -- except Opal -- sat, or so it sounded.

  "Explain, Ms. Pearce," Mrs. Shaffer said.

  "Of course. I believe there is a motion on the floor to let her down. Perhaps we will let the initiate decide." Then Opal moved closer, and I heard her lean against the table. She whispered into my ear. "Be brave."

  Then she released my tongue. She gave me a little water, and then a little more.

  "Ms. Todd," she said. "I will allow one name. Who decides when you come down?"

  I licked my lips. "More water," I whispered. She gave it to me, only a little. I held it then swallowed.

  "Who decides when you come down, Ms. Todd?" Opal repeated.

  "You do," I managed to say. "Opal Pearce decides."

  "Good girl," she said. "Stick out your tongue." I did, and she trapped it.

  "Oh my god," Claudine whispered.

  "Shut up," Hope whispered back to her.

  "No, it's quite all right," Opal said. She moved away.

  "She consented to this?" Wilba asked.

  "She consented to a hazing, and I told her it would be terrible beyo
nd compare, and that she would have to trust me. It appears she trusts me."

  There was muttering at that.

  "Claudine, tell me," said Opal. "What do you think when you look at your friend like this."

  "I don't know what to think."

  "Is she beautiful?"

  "Yes," Claudine whispered. Then in a louder voice. "Stunning. But it has to hurt."

  "It does. She's cried a few times. She's going to cry a few more. She's going to be a wreck when I let her down, possibly before dessert, more likely afterwards."

  "How can you do this to her?"

  Opal ignored that question. "Kiki Furman, you nearly spoke to her, didn't you?"

  "Yes, but I didn't."

  "Only because Hope stopped you," Opal said. "Am I right?"

  "Yes."

  "What were you going to tell her?"

  "I was going to ask if she was all right."

  "She's not," Opal said. "I'm not explaining why I did this. I'm not explaining why she trusts me, either. You can all figure it out for yourselves." But then her tone changed. "I promised an interactive display. You'll notice each of your places came with a, well, an implement. Ms. Furman, may I borrow yours?"

  I listened, but I couldn't tell what was happening.

  "Each of these is different, and you may ask to trade if you like, sampling this one then perhaps that one." Then I felt a touch along my side. A light touch. "They are long enough to reach while you're seated."

  Then the touch moved, and Opal touched me here, she touched me there. She ran whatever it was along my tongue, and I recognized a feather, but she was either a lot closer than she sounded, or it was the longest feather on the planet.

  I heard her walk around. The touches moved. She worked to tickle me a little, but I was so lost to the ropes that I didn't have the sensations she wanted. She teased my nipples, and that caused only slight squirming, the sensation intense.

  I don't know how to describe the noises I made at that.

  "As you can see, she is under-sensitive in some places, and over-sensitive in others. You can experiment." Then the feather was between my legs, and I thrashed and hissed in surprise.

  "Nowhere is out of bounds," Opal said. "You can play a game and see who achieves the most amusing reaction, if you want."