Forty-Four Hours, Chapter 8
During the drive to the airport Jessica noticed that the thin straps and
neckline of the cocktail dress did little to hid the tell tale marks on Kara's
upper body. The hem that had been hastily shortened the previous evening to her
upper thighs allowed additional marks to show. That concerned Jessica. She
reached behind her into the rear area of the Suburban and rummaged through
Kara's carryon bag until she found a white button up cotton sweater and a pair
of dark taupe panty hose. Though not the perfect fashion statement, she knew
the sweater would cover the marks and the hose would at least make less
discernable the marks from the crop so visible on the legs.
The suburban eased off I-25 and onto E470. Since they were now well beyond any
point of Kara being able to retrace her route, Jessica loosened the knot of
Kara's blindfold and removed the covering. Kara acknowledged her gratitude and
rubbed her eyes.
"I'm going to do you a favor, one I probably shouldn't. Perhaps I'm doing it
more for mistress than you, but I don't want to draw any unnecessary attention
to your marks, and goodness knows with your legs and the brevity of the dress,
you'll get enough as it is. We just don't want them looking too closely."
Jessica said slyly. She handed Kara the sweater. "This you can put on when you
get out of the car and the pantyhose, though, will have to wait until we remove
the chastity belt in the restroom at the airport."
Minutes later, Luke guided the Suburban to the curb at the departure level of
the airport. Jessica exchanged a few brief words with him instructing him to
return in thirty minutes for her and Annie. With Jessica in the lead, the
three women walked briskly into the terminal. She motioned them to the left
toward a rest room she knew would be less crowded. Spying the half open door of
the handicapped stall, she knew luck was with her and she guided Kara into the
stall with her and slid the bolt.
A few minutes later, a slightly more normal Kara emerged from the restroom.
Freed of the chastity device, she'd taken a moment to rearrange her hair and
check her make up in the mirror. She picked up her carry on bag and followed
Jessica and Annie out of the rest room. The trio proceeded toward the screening
area where Jessica stopped and turned to Kara. "This is as far as we can go.
We'll wait until you've safely passed through the screening. Do your best,
sweetheart." Eyes met eyes and tears blurred Kara's vision as she held Jessica
tightly and broke into an emotional release. Traces of moisture filled the
corners of Jessica's eyes. "I love you. I have a feeling we'll meet again
sometime." She hugged Kara tightly one last time. Softness enveloped the two
women until Jessica broke the embrace. Kara then turned to Annie and exchanged
a passionate embrace.
As expected, Kara was detained at security and led to an area where she was
questioned on the collar. Finally, when she said she was undergoing a type of
initiation and this was her symbol, the watchful eye of the female security
agent nodded her head and indicated she was free to go. Now she walked down the
corridor, quite relieved that passing through the security checkpoint had not
been more embarrassing. What she had feared most was the possibility of a strip
search; what she didn't know was that Jessica had lingered specifically in the
event it happened.
Kara scanned the reader board to confirm her departure gate and proceeded to the
line of travelers waiting to obtain their boarding pass. Moments later she
stood before the airline attendant, a tall well groomed brunette who appeared to
be her age, and handed her the ticket. "I'm in 17 C, I think." Kara spoke
quietly. The attendant keyed some information into her computer and then looked
up at Kara. "No, you've been upgraded to 3A, first class."
"Upgraded? But I ..." Kara hesitated.
The gate attendant extended the ticket receipt and boarding pass across the
counter. "Courtesy of 'The Coterie' "
Kara looked stunned and took her flight envelope containing the boarding pass
for 3A. "I don't understand," she spoke softly at the attendant.
"The collar, honey, it's their trademark. From what I saw and what I've been
told you need a little extra comfort."
Astonished looks swept over Kara's face and her lips quivered. "From what you
saw.... Please I don't understand! What are you trying to tell me?"
"You probably didn't remember me. There would have been no reason too, really.
I was seated back in one of the alcoves Saturday night. Enjoy your flight.
Next in line please!"
Dumbfounded and unable to control the trembling that suddenly consumed her body;
Kara stood aside, took a final look at the attendant, and walked to the gate.
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She'd halfway expected Maya to be at the terminal though no definite
arrangements had been spoken between either of them. She slowly walked through
the terminal, stopped, turned searched for Maya and when she finally realized
she wasn't there she clutched her carryon bag and walked downcast through the
outer doors of the lower level of the terminal and then slowly toward the
overflow parking lot just east of the main deck. She spotted her silver colored
Volvo, and a moment later, the jeans clad figure leaning against the trunk
staring at her through the glare of the parking lot lights. It was a moment
that would be framed forever in her mind.
Maya tossed her cigarette to the ground and crushed the glowing tip under her
boot. "Hello, slave," was all she said. Kara's eyes filled with emotion and
the forty-four hours of servitude flooded over her and rushed like waves at high
tide onto the beach and into her eyes. Tears flooded down her cheeks. She
dropped her bag, hugged Maya, and sobbed as if she was a child until Maya's
hands wrapped around her shoulders providing some sense of comfort, of
acceptance and understanding. Maya felt the dampness of Kara's face against her
black cotton top and she lifted Kara's face and pressed her lips into hers. The
kiss was forceful, consuming and consoling.
Maya broke the kiss and looked into the tear stained face. "I understand they
marked you pretty good. I've spoken with Sophia."
Kara weakly nodded, trying to hold back her tears.
Maya slowly pushed Kara back to arms length and her eyes focused on the thin
stainless steel collar still locked around her slim neck. The thin white button
up sweater Kara had worn on the plane hid the full effect of the collar. There
was clearly no evidence of a bra and Maya suspected no panties as well, though
she did not explore her thought. At the moment, it was irrelevant. She glanced
down at Kara's toned legs and noted the panty hose and the black high heels.
Even under the artificial glare of the parking lot lights, the tear streaked
face that echoed the tiredness in her body and the disheveled hair, Kara was for
all intents and purposes, still stunningly attractive considering what she'd
endured.
From the shadows of a minivan parked adjacent to her car another figured
appeared, "hello, Kara"
Kara turned. Debra! Oh baby!" She fell into the arms of her long time friend
and broke into tears again. Friendship and passion permeated the lingering
embrace until Maya intervened and turned Kara back to face her.
Maya's fingers found the two pearl covered buttons at the neck of the sweater
and quickly undid each one and slipped the sweater down her arms and threw it
across the trunk of the car. "Slide the straps off your shoulders and the dress
down to the waist. I want to see."
Kara remembered looking at Maya in astonishment. "Here?"
The reply was adamant. "Yes, here!"
At this hour approaching midnight she looked at Maya and Debra and then quickly
around the lot. She slipped the straps from her shoulders gathering the top of
the cocktail dress in her hands around her waist. Maya motioned her to turn and
then turn back to her. Marks from the flogging lay on top of marks from the
afternoon on the ridge and on top of those, the telltale rope marks still so
evident from the stringent bondage
"Oh my god,' Debra gasped. " I had no idea! Oh Kara!"
"Pull it back up," Maya spoke again. "I'll want you at my place Tuesday evening
promptly at seven o'clock. I'll want a complete look at you and a chance to
hear your side of it. Debra, you should be there, too."
"What did Sophia say? I know she talked to you and sent you pictures."
"That doesn't matter right now. We'll discuss it Tuesday. Now, can you drive
home or do you want Debra to drive you?"
"I think I can manage, but what about the collar? I can't wear it home."
"That I can take care of, but the marks, how will you hide those from him?"
Maya withdrew a small hexagonal wrench from her pocket, reached for the collar
and inserted the end into the tiny hole that secured it. A few twists of the
tiny wrench loosened the lock and Maya pulled it free. Kara rubbed her neck
feeling a strange feeling of freedom since the collar was attached to her neck
Friday evening in the hotel.
Kara sighed and paused before speaking, "Obviously he can't see me naked for a
few days: it's my problem, I'll handle it."
Maya reaffirmed that Kara was to be at her place Tuesday night, at seven sharp,
kissed her again. Kara turned to Debra. Again, the two exchanged an embrace of
a friendship that spanned several years.
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Kara arrived at Maya's promptly at seven Tuesday evening. Debra had preceded
her by a few minutes and was sipping wine when Kara entered. Upon entering,
Kara dropped to her knees and bent until her face was at Maya's feet. Maya
smiled and stroked the blondish hair of the woman and then spoke, "Debra, I want
you to be a witness to what has transpired. Kara, stand and remove your
clothes. I need to see you."
Kara did so and unashamedly removed her clothing until she stood naked facing
Maya.
"Turn slowly for me. Hold your arms out straight. I want to see all of you."
Kara rotated her body in a slowly in a complete circle until she was again
facing Maya. Debra was stunned and nearly blurted something out until a look
from Maya froze the words in her throat. Kara looked at Maya and hesitatingly
asked, "What do you think?"
Maya smiled. She reached for the decanter of wine, poured three glasses of her
favorite Chianti, and handed one to Kara. "I've seen worse, but I want to hear
about the entire weekend, from you. I want your thoughts. Sophia gave me the
highlights. Now I want the details and I want them from you."
Kara began. She recaptured the mental images from her mind and began relating
them one by one to Maya beginning with Friday evening in the hotel, kneeling on
the tape squares in the suite waiting for Sophia and how almost without warning
she'd been led deeper into submission hour by hour, event by event. Through the
narrative, Debra felt strangely uncomfortable and fought the urge to rush from
the room. By the time Kara reached the events of Saturday evening, all wine
glasses were empty and after asking Maya for permission to refill the glasses,
she continued into the events of Sunday morning and concluded with her
experiences at the airport.
Segments of clipped conversation followed between the three until Kara seized a
pause. "Maya, tell me ... what is 'The Coterie'? What is it really? Are you a
part of it?"
Maya looked straight at Kara, "I'll answer this way. There will be changes in
your life now. You don't know them; I don't know all of them. There will be
fears. Fear is an evolving process. What does someone in your position fear
most? Acceptance? Is it acceptance of their place or the fear of being
rejected? Of being left? Being physically beaten? Being brought out?"
"Am I a part of the Coterie? I will only say that slaves ... true slaves ...
have real fear of me as I do have a history. I look at a slave and see memories
of many years and faded faces. Confrontations, leaving beating marks, words
loud and hurtful, leaving errant property to explain their being found, leaving
them to be ostracized, to face humiliation." Maya paused and sipped her wine
then continued, "No, not this one, not you. Not now. Not this way, at this
time. Might in the future but there is something else here, but lessons will be
taught. Lessons will be learned."
Maya, what are you telling me? I don't understand, I only asked ..."
"Silence! I approach slaves as property. It tries to speak, to grovel. A cuff
of my hand it knows better than to say a word. Hands are joined behind, chains
are put on its ankles, leashed... driving forward ... leading it around what is
to become it's former home... coming to the foyer of its home. Oh yes, I've
shoved the slave to the wall ... then turn its face back to its home, letting it
take one last look at what it had.
Maya paused, lit a cigarette and exhaled the smoke slowly in Kara's direction.
"I have said to some, 'that was your last look slave. What was will not be
again. This is how you come into my world, naked as the day you were born. If
you return here, if I allow it, you will reenter the same way, but with a
interesting reception I am sure.' "
"I have quickly opened the door and shoved the slave outside, pushed it to my
van ... watched it seated in the small back seat. Attached its' chains to the
runners on the floor. I drive it away. Looking back in the mirror I see its
eyes look back at what it thought was its home ... hear a sob ... and
resignation that new life springs from the old."
"Will I take you? No. It will not be me. Will you be taken? Isn't that your
real question, Kara?
Tears welled in the corners of Kara's eyes and she lowered her face to her palms
and sobbed. "Yes dear god.... Oh Maya...."
Debra reached for her friend and wrapped her arms around the trembling body.
She too broke into tears.
"What do you envision, Kara? Do you seek the face behind the mirror?" Maya
spoke softly and forcibly at her quivering prey. "Picture a working warehouse,
people moving machinery, goods moving, boxes, cargo. The slave looks, yes
nudity. The workers are nude. They're collared and chained, both male and
female. They take no notice of the slave. A look earns punishment, the slave
can see some marked. A male in a chastity device, obviously didn't know when to
be excited. Slaves chained to tables, packing, moving. Tits, asses, cocks,
legs and arms jiggling ... males flexing, and a new butch chained here also. My
loud laugh as it struggles to accept. On to the back, the bosses, hard people,
the slave is turned over for preparation. Led by a male, the slave is made to
void into a bucket, then cleaned out. It's packed into a kennel cage as for a
dog, a pet. Tagged, and put onto a van with other goods. I see the slave peek,
watching me, much as my loyal dog bitch does as she sees me leave each day.
Still smart enough to not cry out. Obviously the slave has seen one brand being
worn in here, and doesn't want the same treatment."
Raising her tear-stained face from Kara's shoulder, Debra flashed a furious look
at Maya and screamed. "You can't! It's inhumane! I didn't bargain for this
when I brought her to you, you bitch! I thought you were my friend!"
"What I am doesn't matter, does it, Debra?" She shot a look back at Debra.
"What matters now is what Kara thinks, what she does, where she goes." Maya
turned back to Kara, "What matters is that you may be called, not by me. You
weren't meant for me. I was simply finding someone. Am I a part of 'The
Coterie?' It doesn't matter. I am my own person. Now dress and both of you
get out!"
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Kara sat at her desk and stared blankly at the stack of memoranda that begged
attention. None of it created a sense of urgency nor made any impression that
she should snap out of her reverie. How long had she been sitting, staring, and
it wasn't the first time. Three weeks had passed since she returned from
Colorado and the periods of reflection were becoming more pronounced, entering
her mind more frequently and interrupting her daily routine. At times, she
almost thought she heard voices in the space around her.
Now she looked up, glanced around the office and reassured herself no one was
there except within her thought. She got up, closed the door to her office and
walked over to the window that overlooked one of the several courtyards of the
office campus. Four story office buildings framed three sides of the open area
and a small lake, largely inhabited by geese formed a panorama on the other
side. From her second floor office, her eyes fell to the small stone bench by
the lake tucked under a cluster of pines and hardwoods and dotted with under
plantings of azaleas and holly. The shade beckoned invitingly. Her mind
flashed back to the shade deep within the trees that dotted the ridge some 1300
miles to the west and that fateful Saturday afternoon when she has been
repeatedly forced into submission on the ridge and then her thoughts flashed
forward to the final hours of that fateful weekend.
Kara sighed and shook her head as if that would disperse the memory, as if she
was casting a bad dream out of her mind. She picked up her cigarettes, filled
her coffee from the carafe, and headed toward the stairs. On her way by the
second floor lobby, she briefly told her administrative assistant, that she'd be
back. She passed through the outer door of the sprawling building and into the
courtyard. Upon reaching the bench, she sat and stared out over the lake
watching the geese paddling back and forth. Her mind seemed transfixed on the
ripples they created on the surface of the lake and her mind wandered again,
this time to the Tuesday evening at Maya's where more questions had surfaced
than answers has been provided.
For three weeks, she had wrestled with the memories and tried even harder to
make sense out of Maya's ramblings. Her daily life for all practical purposes
had been at a standstill. Here body now bore no reminders of that weekend but
in her heart and soul, it was if she was still at the ranch. She withdrew
another cigarette from her pocket, flicked her lighter, and watched the smoke
dissipate in the afternoon air.
Now Kara's eyes returned to the ripples on the lake and she followed the
rhythmic pattern to the grassy bank on the far side of the lake. Her eyes
glanced up the slope to another bench; another bench occupied by another woman
who seemed to be staring back across the water at her.
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