© Copyright 2010 - Darkraptor1 - Used by permission
Storycodes: Solo-m; machines; spandex; hobble; armbinders; kidnap; F/m; wrap; entomb; jail; cons/nc; X
The massive city twinkled in the night like a Christmas tree. To an observer, it looked like a steel painting of well designed buildings and architectural perfection, as if humanity had reached the peak of their technological triumph.
Had an observer gone down to street level however, they would have been surprised to see how the residents were different from their city.
There were only a few people about at this late hour. This was not out of the ordinary, but what was strange was the manner in which they were all dressed. There were no varieties of pants, shirts, or winter jackets against the cold. Instead, all wore black fashions of darlex and spandex, the majority wearing hobble dresses that hugged the body, allowing only for short steps, for the sleeves enclosing the legs were thin and narrow, making impossible to run. Hoods covered their heads, masking their faces. A few of those walking about had straightjacket dresses that locked their arms around their chest. But everyone else were wearing arm binders that kept their arms firmly in place behind their backs.
One of the people walking around was unremarkable, indistinguishable from the rest. His face and body were hidden from view under a matching darlex hood, his only sound being the air going in and out of the nostril holes. Like the others, he walked along, anonymous, but with a sense of purpose, though occasionally trying to twist his arms inside his binder.
A half hour later, the man walked up to a well guarded apartment building and entered the main checkpoint. When the doors locked, he pressed himself against the wall and into a specially cut groove. A click, and the buckles holding his arm binder in place were released. The man slid his arms out, giving a content sigh as he stretched and took off his hood. Behind him, a powerful magnet took hold of the zipper on his hobble dress and undid it, allowing him to step out of it, which was then sucked away for cleaning, leaving him standing in a shiny PVC cat suit.
“Please present your arms.” a pleasant computer voice said.
Turning around, the man inserted his wrists into two holes mounted in the walls. A few wraps and clicks later, and he pulled back, two thick leather cuffs wrapped around his wrists, connected by a single strand of stainless steel.
The man smiled. The feel of leather was such an improvement over the cold of steel.
The checkpoint opened. Stepping out, the man walked through the colorful lobby of the building, his suit reflecting the lights in the ceiling. The elevator was empty as he got in and headed to the top floor, listening to the music, glad that it was more cheerful then the tunes at his previous apartment.
When the doors opened, he walked to his room, which opened after the scanner analyzed his retinas, allowing him entry. Once inside, he inserted his cuffed wrists into another machine, which removed them.
His apartment was just as he had left it, clean and pristine. With another day or two of work, he would have earned enough credits to give it a new coat of paint. He was undecided on what color he would use, and as he peeled off his PVC suit and took a shower, he gave the manner some thought. Afterwards, when he was dressing into a clean spandex suit, he thought that black and gold would look the best.
Checking his calendar, the man was delighted to find that he wouldn't have to get up early tomorrow, so he could enjoy staying up a bit later then normal. Walking over to the bed, he sat down, turning on the TV. There was a news broadcast, talking about normal subjects, such as the weather, latest entertainment news, and reports on accomplishments by local work groups.
The biggest story of the hour was about a strange, unidentified woman, and how she had attempted to kidnap a citizen in the entertainment district, but the attempt had been, thankfully, foiled. Authorities were still confused exactly how she had managed to remain undetected for so long. But all local law enforcement were still on her trail, and her capture was only a matter of time.
The only other news story of the hour was about an attempted revolt by three citizens at the local food market, but they had been quickly put down and demoted back to class five citizenship, where they would stay for five years.
As a sitcom began to play, the man turned the television off. The fatigue of the day was catching up to him. Going over to the calendar, he crossed off another day, doing a quick count to see how much time left before his next promotion. If everything went well, he still had ten years to go.
A long time, yes. But he could do it. He could prove he was responsible enough to earn it.
***
The next morning came about without the sound of the alarm ringing. The man woke up at about ten, ate a light breakfast, then changed out of the spandex suit and into a black PVC suit. When he was promoted, he would get to wear the white suit. He looked forward to that day, but this would have to do for now.
As noon came, he ate a light lunch, then had his arms cuffed, left the apartment and went down to the security checkpoint, at which he had the cuffs removed, and obediently stepped into a clean hobble dress. Putting on his hood, he put his arms behind his back and pressed them into a groove in the wall, waiting. A moment later, and a machine slipped an arm binder onto him and buckled it in place.
Walking out into the warm day, the man strolled down the sidewalk, heading to work. There were many more people about then the night before, wearing the hobble dresses in all manner of colors and in various modes of restraint, most more strict then his, some less so. But it was quiet, and it was quite pleasant to listen to the sound of chirping birds, and the wind blowing around the buildings and trees.
There were only a few people who were walking around without wearing any kind of restraint. The man admired these people, the class one citizens, for they reminded him that it was only a matter of time before he got to join their ranks.
Once he reached the office building where he worked, the man went inside, headed through the usual checkpoints, had his arm binder removed, and finally reached his desk. Though important to society’s continued efficiency, the man didn’t enjoy his desk work, the endless filing of papers and documents. Time passed slowly, but eventually the clock finally ticked to the end of his shift. Joining the other workers, he suited up and left, walking home as the sun began to set. Because of the distance from work to his apartment, he soon found himself alone on the streets.
Walking on, he failed to notice a form sneaking out of an alley and quickly moving up behind him. Hands grabbed him. Caught off guard, the man was too surprised to resist as he was quickly dragged into the alley. But with his restraints, he wasn’t able to fight back, even if he wanted to.
In the darkness of the alley, he could barely see who had taken him captive. Whoever it was, they were dressed in dark clothing and a face mask, clearly wanting to keep their identity hidden.
“Don't talk,” his captor finally whispered. “I don't want to cut your throat, but I will if I have to. Where do you live?”
The man was silent. In the face of this opposition, coupled with his helplessness, he figured the best course of action was to play dumb.
“I said, where do you live?! What’s your class!?”
His captor was a woman, the man realized. And from the tone in her voice, she wasn’t going to hesitate if it came to killing him. Realizing the danger he was in, he started to struggle, and was about to yell for help, but his captor had anticipated such a move. She pressed a damp cloth to his face, and within moments, the man went limp as he passed out.
Nobody saw the two heading deeper into the alley, where they both vanished from sight.
***
When he awoke, the man found that he wasn’t able to move. This realization didn’t panic him, for he was well used to the feeling. But this was different…it was not the type of restraint he was used to. He struggled, testing his bonds, and discovered that all he could manage was a wiggle, for his arms and legs were firmly compressed.
His hood was off, but it was dark, and something was pressing against his eyes. He realized that a blindfold had been placed across his face.
As if someone had heard his thoughts, it was quickly removed.
“So you’re awake.”
The man blinked, trying to make out his surroundings. It was a challenge, for the only light was from a single, naked bulb dangling from the ceiling. There were old, water soaked bricks around him… apparently, he was somewhere underground. An old subway, perhaps?
He looked down, saw how he was restrained. He was dangling from the ceiling, several straps of tape wound around him.
Then he saw her. A woman was standing before him, still dressed in her dark clothing; only now her mask was off, revealing a pretty, but sharply focused woman who impatiently watched him.
It only took a moment for the man to recognize her. She was the woman the news had spoken of, the one who had tried to kidnap someone.
“Who are you?” He asked.
“If I told you, I would have to kill you.”
“You no doubt plan to kill me already.” If he was being kept like this, deep in this subterranean area, her intentions were most likely not good for his health.
“Not necessarily. It all depends on how you act and what you say.”
Confronted with that information, the man went silent. Best not to antagonize the woman and give her a reason to hurt him.
“You should be grateful you’re here,” the woman said. “For I just liberated you from the clutches of that immoral society that enslaved you.”
The man was silent.
“I know you think I’m a terrorist, maybe worse, but that’s okay. You just don’t understand yet. You’ve been corrupted by the government, but it’s not your fault. You were raised in it. You don’t know any better.”
“Actually, that’s not true,” the man said.
“Don’t try to sweet talk me,” the woman warned. “And it won’t work. All the answers you’ve been programmed with are useless here. And besides, I remember a time back before the government enslaved everyone, you included.”
“It was for our own good,” the man said. It felt wrong to not speak.
“You don’t know what it was like back then. The government doesn’t tell you everything in its news broadcasts.”
When the man didn’t respond, she continued: “I suppose they didn’t tell you this in your schoolbooks, but thirty years ago, people were free. They could do what they wanted, go where they wanted to, live their lives as they wanted. And then came that war, and the new government. All freedoms were gone. And there was only the new tyrants.”
The man watched as the woman turned around, getting lost in her memories, momentarily forgetting about him.
“I escaped, but I watched it happen…all the free people were enslaved and forced into bondage. Real bondage, not some stupid political term. All freedoms gone, millions confined to prisons until they obeyed their masters, and even then, you have to be restrained for life unless you give yourselves up to them! Can you believe that?! No wait, you can’t. It’s been bred into you.”
She turned back to him. “It’s drilled into you to submit to whatever happens to you. Pathetic, really.”
“How so?”
“You’re a slave. And I’m here to set you, and everyone else, free.”
“To be like you? Running around and causing chaos?” It was probably stupid to try and talk back, but this woman was annoying the man.
“You’d be free. You would be free to do whatever you want! But now you’re just all locked up and controlled like animals!”
“But we’re safe,” the man said. “There’s no crime anymore. People have safe, structured lives. There’s no chaos or ruin anymore.”
“Those who trade freedom for safety don't deserve to be safe,” the woman shot back. “You ever hear those words before? They're true.”
“But the war...”
“The war was the catalyst, yes. But the cowards gave in to the new government. The one you're now a part of. I'm here to set you free.”
“What if I don't want to be set free?”
The woman paused, surprised by the question. “Excuse me?”
“What if I like the way my life is, and I don't want to be, 'freed', from it?”
“You're just brainwashed. You've known nothing else.”
“Actually, I do…I was one of those who gave in, as you put it. I was born before the war, and I lost my parents in it, along with my family. If we had kept going in our insanity, humanity would have been wiped out. It's better that we started over this way.”
It was several moments before the woman spoke. “I can't believe this.”
The man watched, silent.
“You should have joined your family and given your lives for freedom!”
“They wouldn't have wanted humanity to destroy itself in a nuclear war, which we were on the verge of,” the man said. “Humanity needs stricter parenting. We're not prepared for so much freedom.”
“So you all just give up, surrender everything to a bunch of tyrants, who decree that the majority have to go around in restraints for the rest of their lives, with only a few ever being freed.” She walked up to the man, roughly poked him. “Tell me, how many years have you spent walking around as a trussed up prisoner?”
“Fifteen.”
“Don't you want out of it? Don't you want to be free again?”
“I will when the time is right. I have to earn the right to be free, just like everyone else.”
“You can be free, right now! Don't you get it? I can set you free, I can set everyone free! All you have to do is join me!”
“And do what else? Inform you of all the secret ways our society works? I'm sorry, but I won't jeopardize the safety of my fellow citizens.”
“You idiot!” The woman snapped. “You're a puppet to your rulers, nothing more!”
“Would I be better off like you? You're running around and causing all the chaos and destruction we fought so hard to avoid. You're the one who doesn't fit in.”
The woman stared at the man, livid, her hands shaking.
“How dare you! How DARE you!”
She went over to a lever and yanked it. The chain dangling the man above the ground moved, dragging him through the air.
“I tried to be nice. I tried to make you see reason. But you're beyond saving. You're corrupted beyond repair. There's only one thing I can do with you now, and that's to turn you into a bargaining chip.”
“How so?” the man asked, starting to feel afraid.
“I'm going to issue a demand to the government to release you all, or else you will never be seen again, along with other captives I’m going to be getting this evening.”
The chain stopped, leaving the man helplessly dangling in the air.
“I don't like doing this, but I'll pay any price to get the world back. Even if it means sacrificing you.” She walked over to a box, pulled out rolls of duct tape. “You ever see any of the mummy films?” She asked. “The punishment for trying to bring the dead back to life was to be wrapped as a mummy and be buried alive. I always thought it was such a fascinating idea. So when I have a captive I want to hide away, what better way then to follow my inspiration?”
The man gulped as the woman walked over, stretching out one of the rolls.
Dangling from the chain, still imprisoned in his suit, the man was helpless to stop the woman as she wound the tape around his body, mummifying him, turning him into a nearly formless mummy. It took her about an hour, during which she continued to wind several rolls around him, encasing him in five layers of wrappings that compressed his body, squeezing him tightly.
When the process was complete, the man had been turned into a mummy, with only his eyes left unwrapped. And still, he dangled from his chain, but that was soon changed, as the woman lowered him onto a small trolley, which she used to wheel him through the dark sewers, until she reached a small side room. There were three crevices carved into the walls, just the right size for a human to fit inside.
Wordlessly, the woman picked the man up and maneuvered him into one of the crevices, and leaned him against the wall while crudely affixed straps were strapped around his mummified form.
“I'm sorry you had to go through with this, but I can't risk anyone finding you before I tell them to.”
Kneeling, she picked up a small trowel, then put some adhesive putty on the floor, and stuck a few bricks in place, and began to wall the crevice up.
The process was slow and tedious, but being strapped to the wall, the man couldn't stop his entombment, and could only watch as more and more bricks were put into place, three thick, slowly rising, darkening his tomb. It came to his knees, then his hips, chest shoulders, and finally, his head.
“I have no idea how long you'll last,” the woman said, her voice drifting into the darkened tomb, of which only a very narrow beam of light came in. “Pray your government decides to give in to my demands, otherwise this will be your permanent grave, rather then a temporary one.”
Then the last of the putty was put on, the last bricks inserted into place, and the tomb went dark.
***
The man lay in the tomb. With nothing else to do, he could only wait, breathing deeply, sucking as much air as he could through the gaps in the tape. The thought of staying here forever, never to be discovered was enough to make him fearful. But he did not panic. He knew that if he was going to get through this, he had to remain calm, and keep his cool.
It was only a matter of time before he was rescued.
With no references for time, it soon lost all meaning. One second stretched into the next, until there was only a single moment that went on forever.
He became thirsty. Then hungry. Then his arms were sore from being stuck in their binder.
Nothing happened.
Fatigue overtook him, and the man slept, only to awaken in darkness.
He waited.
The sound came as a surprise. Though his ears were covered, he could faintly hear something far in the distance. His hearing was heavily muffled, but the man was sure he could hear voices.
There was a hammering against the bricks. Gentle and deliberate at first, but then heavy and intense, until an entire section of the wall fell away, bright lights shining in the man's face. He heard voices, saw many people moving about, reaching inside and undoing the straps around his body. Helpless, the man fell down, but hands caught him.
Under the tape, the man smiled.
He was safe.
***
When he woke, he was lying in something soft. The bandages were gone, and so was his hobble dress, the arm binder, and hood. His arms and legs were free. But he was not naked, for he was wearing a simple spandex bodysuit.
Opening his eyes, he looked around, saw an unfamiliar room. But after a few moments, he recognized it as a hospital room. The walls were a pleasant white with blue tint, almost like the sky. It was quiet, save for the hum of the air conditioning.
“You're awake.”
The man looked up. A nurse had entered, looking over a clipboard. She smiled as she checked readout next to his bed. “How are you feeling?”
“Arms are sore,” The man said. “But otherwise okay.”
“I'm not surprised. You've been out for four days.”
“What happened?”
“The police found you. It took them a while, but they tracked your signal into the sewers and found where that horrible woman had buried you.”
The man smiled. Apparently, the woman didn’t know that every citizen was required to have a small tracking device surgically implanted into their bodies. “How long was I down there?”
“About three days. You were pretty dehydrated and weak, but nothing good rest, fluids, and solid food can't solve.”
The man nodded. While he felt good, it would still take time for him to fully recover, but at least he wasn't going to end his days deep inside the sewers.
“The woman,” he asked. “Where is she?” He was curious to know what had happened to her.
“Under arrest,” The nurse said. “The police caught her as she was trying to kidnap a second citizen. She's in solitary now, so you don't need to fear her.”
“What's going to happen to her?”
“The high rulers are still debating it. In fact, they want to see you when you're well enough.”
The man had to catch his breath. “The rulers want to see me?”
“Yes.”
He couldn't believe it... he was actually going to go before the rulers? Such an honor was rare indeed! The thought alone made him forget his weakness. In fact, he felt far too excited to stay in this bed.
“Can I go see them now?” He asked.
“Are you sure? You're still quite weak?”
“I know, but I would like to see them. If I cannot walk, I can go in a wheelchair.”
The nurse thought. “I suppose we can arrange something.”
“One question... do you know why they want to see me?”
“They just want to ask you some questions about the woman. I think they're going to rely on your opinions of you before passing judgment on her.”
***
The man had to wait another day before everything could be arranged and set up. When the time of the meeting came, he was strong enough to do a slow walk, but in the interests of keeping things moving slowly and orderly, he would be taken there in a wheelchair.
His nurse took him out of the hospital in his chair, and wheeled him to the transport that would take him to the ruler's building. Due to her status as medical personnel, the nurse was able to walk around unfettered, and with no restrictive clothing, but the man still had to wear his hobble dress. But due to extra security for the trip, he had to wear a sleep sack, which kept his arms and legs in sleeves, ensuring that he couldn't use them.
But he didn't mind. He was too excited, sitting, strapped in the wheelchair, to care. He was about to meet the leaders of the government, who wanted to see him.
They arrived at the head government building an hour later, after passing through several checkpoints. When he was wheeled out of the truck, the man peered up at the building in awe. It was over a hundred stories tall, built of silver steel that shone in the sun. It was a glorious building, and he felt puny before it as he was wheeled inside.
They went through many hallways, before they finally arrived at the massive double doors that would lead to the audience chamber. The man could barely keep his excitement under control. He was but minutes away from seeing the rulers, those who had saved the human race from total destruction.
Just what kind of proud, noble men and women were behind those doors?
The doors parted, and he was wheeled in. The nurse stopped, then walked out, leaving the chair in place, and the man alone. It was quiet and dim, and he could barely see. There was a tall booth above him, and there were ten seats.
Those seats suddenly filled as a door opened, and ten forms walked out, sitting down. They were human, only of greater stature then anyone else the man had ever seen. Four women and four men took their seats before him.
“Citizen,” one of the women said. Her voice was soothing. “You may speak if you wish at any time during this meeting. We have brought you here because you are in a very unique position to aid us, and your fellow citizens.”
It took a few moments for the man to work himself up to talking. Being in the presence of those who ruled the entire planet, was overwhelming.
“Perhaps we should explain further,” one of the men said. “We are members of an ancient society whose sole purpose is to ensure the evolution of humanity. When our race was on the verge of destroying ourselves, we knew the time to establish ourselves was right. And ever since, though we have forced our species into a prison like existence, we have no other choice, until we are ready to evolve into something higher.”
“Because we must purge individuals who threaten humanity’s evolution away from violence, we must debate the fate of each individual we capture. Therefore, we are undecided if it is worth the attempt to mold this woman into a useful and productive member of our society.”
“You have had extensive contact with her,” Another woman said. “Therefore, you are in the best position to determine if she is worth saving.”
“What do you want from me?” The man asked.
“Your opinion on her. What did you notice about her?”
The man thought, then began to speak. For the next half hour, he told the rulers everything he thought about the woman. Her personality, her traits, her feistiness, and her apparent willingness to go the distance to get what she wanted.
The rulers listened as he talked, never saying a word. And when the man finished, they talked amongst each other for a few moments.
“Is there anything you wish to say before we make our decision?” One of them asked.
The man thought for a moment.
“You say that our society, and our way of living, is to turn people away from violence. If we are trying to see if the woman is worth saving, then that means that she is like everyone else… trying to leave our violent past behind us. Therefore, I believe we can help her. And when I was with her, I sensed that she was full of despair and hopelessness. Her violent ways have left her alone and abandoned. I believe that she is frightened, not only of this world, but that she has no place in it. Perhaps, if I may be permitted, I can take her under my wing, and help her learn to live with us.”
The rulers listened, then talked once more amongst themselves. A few minutes later, and one of them stood.
“Your answer is wise and just, the qualities we desire in all people. Therefore, your request is granted. You will be allowed to take the woman under your care and acclimate her to our society. And furthermore, because of your efforts, you will be promoted to class two, effective immediately.”
The man’s heart soared. Class two!
“This woman will be your test to see if you can handle the responsibility of integrating someone into our society. Should you succeed, you will be promoted to class one citizenship.”
If the man’s heart had soared, now it almost burst from both shock and joy.
“This meeting is complete. You will be taken to gather the woman immediately. That is all.”
***
“A promotion!” the nurse said as they left. “I haven’t seen one of those in a long time. You must be one of a kind.”
“It appears so,” The man said, still smiling.
“So what are you going to do next?”
“Start my new job and new responsibilities… all my belongings are being moved to my new apartment. While that's happening, I'm going to go get the woman.”
“You mean they're actually going to let her out?”
“Yes. She’ll be my charge, though I assume there will be restrictions about what I can and cannot do when I get her.”
“Well, that'll have to wait until tomorrow. Then you'll be released from the hospital.”
The man smiled. “I'm looking forward to it.”
***
When the following morning came, the man was released, just as the nurse had promised. It felt good to be out of the sleep sack, but because he didn’t need to wear an arm binder any longer, he walked out of the hospital wearing only his normal hobble dress, and leather cuffs on his wrists. It was a surreal feeling, to be walking about on the city streets not in heavy restraints, but only light ones.
As he walked towards the class five facility, the man couldn't stop looking at his fellow citizens. He couldn't get over how he was now one step higher, walking around almost like a free man.
While humility was a virtue, the man couldn’t deny that he loved his new status.
The class five facility towered above the man as he walked up to it, the green walls only faintly disguising the fact that it was a prison. The guards and staff had been expecting him, for he went through the checkpoints quickly and efficiently. Once inside the facility, he was escorted through the halls, passing cells holding numerous prisoners. These were the citizens on the lowest level of the social ladder. Totally restrained, they were slowly working their way up to earn greater freedoms and privileges.
But until that day, they would remain in this facility, either in their cells, or doing menial work.
The man watched them all with a calm, unaffected gaze. He had spent ten years here. Going through its halls once again was a strange, unnerving experience, helping to reinforce the fact that he was glad to be rid of this place.
He was taken to an elevator, which took him deep into the bowls of the facility, deep underground, where the most dangerous of society's members resided. Here lay the criminals, or those who had tried to overthrow the social order. The tunnels in which their cells lay had dim lighting, giving the impression of a tomb. From what the man knew, they were kept in their cells twenty four hours a day.
Some would eventually move up into the general population, and earn their freedom. But some would never leave this place.
He walked amongst the cells, following the guards as they took him to the very back, to a particular cell.
Peering in through a slot, he saw a restrained form sitting on a bare bunk, wearing a standard issue hobble dress, but where an arm binder should have been, the prisoner was wearing a thick, all-encompassing straitjacket that enfolded the upper body, and a hood covered the head, with only a ponytail sticking out through the back.
“Permission to speak,” The man said.
“Permission granted,” The guard said.
“This is the woman?”
“Yes.”
The cell door was opened. The guards went inside, attached some cuffs to the woman’s ankles, then clasped a steel collar round her neck, to which a long, thin leash stretched. Not only was she going to have to wear maximum restraints, but she was going to be led around like a dog.
The woman struggled, resisting her new restraints, even as she was put up on her feet. Clearly, she was not used to having all her freedoms taken away.
“This woman is put in your care,” one of the guards said, reading from a list. “You are officially in charge of her. Due to her criminal activity, she is to be kept in restraints at all times, and must not be released, under any circumstances. Should she require medical attention, she is to be taken to the nearest hospital. She is to be fed via tubing...”
“Tubing?”
The guard reached up and pulled the hood up, revealing the woman's mouth. There was a large, steel plate where it should have been, with a thin hole and tube stretching out of it. With the stitches and glue, it looked as if it had been surgically put in place.
“It was determined that while she may work her way to freedom, she cannot be allowed to speak, due to the risk of spreading discontent. Therefore, she has had her mouth permanently plugged.”
The hood was pulled back down, the woman sobbing behind her permanent gag.
“Water and liquid diet will be inserted through this tube. You will only have to take her to the cleaning center every other day for cleaning. You will have her for ten years, at which point we shall review if she will have earned the opportunity to move to class four citizenship.”
“Understood,” The man said.
The man was given the leash. He took it, wrapped the strap around his wrist, and gave a slight tug. The woman gave a reluctant step forward, but she still resisted. The man had expected that, but didn't mind. He was sure he could get this woman used to it after ten years.
They left the cell block and went back to the main facility, where the man and the woman then left through the checkpoints, finding themselves out and back in the city streets. Figuring that his new apartment was ready by now, the man started to walk.
The woman stopped, refusing to follow.
“You'll have to come along,” the man told her.
The woman refused to move.
“If you don't move, you could end up back in your cell, and I don't think you'd like that.”
After a few moments, the woman reluctantly started to walk.
“That's good,” The man said.
They walked down the streets, the prison growing smaller as they went on.
“You'll eventually get used to all this,” The man assured the woman. “And you are quite fortunate. You could have been left in that cell for the rest of your life, but now you have a chance to redeem yourself. You could have done a lot of harm, but in time, you can become a productive and satisfied citizen.”
The woman didn't reply, or give any indication that she had heard him, but the man knew that she had.
For now, it seemed, she would remain his pet. He would have to train her, but truth be told, he was looking forward to it. Life here wasn’t all that bad, once you began to follow the rules. The woman would learn that in time, and once she had learned enough, she may even drop her violent nature, and become a good citizen.
And it was in his hands. She was his chance to help bring an outsider into this new world, and to further prove his own responsibility and maturity.
As they walked, the man smiled.
He was going to enjoy this.
06.04.10