Part 30 (1/2)

”Do I get the pleasure of going shopping, or the pleasure of your ropes?”

”Maybe both.”

I pressed the CD eject b.u.t.ton. Lifted the small circle of light. Enya. I switched off the unit, the red numbers fading into oblivion.

”Yeah. I broke down. Listened to it.”

”Tired of Twisted Sister?”

She made a face. ”AC/DC. There's a bit of a difference. By the way, that Enya stuff is pretty good. I didn't think I'd like it.”

”Wait until I tie you down and force you to listen to Country and Western.”

”Oh G.o.d. Please no. I'll do anything to avoid that torture.”

”I hear you. I don't think I'm that cruel. Perhaps if you try and run again. Now there's incentive to be good. Hands behind you.”

She took a deep breath but moved her hands to behind her back. I moved over to her and she twisted to allow me access to her wrists. I slipped a pair of handcuffs onto her and she gasped as the cold metal touched her skin. She didn't protest as I'd expected. Just sat quietly on the sofa, legs together, waiting for my next instruction.

”Feet.”

She lifted her bare feet, carefully holding them together. I looked at her puzzled, finally realizing that she'd mistaken the order. Thought I was going to cuff or tie her ankles as well.

”No. To your feet. Stand up.”

She flushed, and lowered her legs. She stood up. I guided her to the front foyer where Jane and Christi were still waiting on their knees.

I spoke to them. ”Hands behind you. Same as Amy.”

They rose to their bare feet and allowed me to handcuff them all. No protests.

I opened the front door and they followed me out to the front porch. I admired their bare bodies as they moved outside. The sun reflecting off of them. Still sparkling from their shower. I shrugged and left the front door wide open. Who was going to break in? Find the two nude beauties bound up for my pleasure in there? It kind of felt odd walking away from the house, leaving it unlocked. Unprotected. Especially knowing what the house contained. Specifically Elizabeth and Sheila. But I suppose that it was one of the side benefits of this timeline. Not much crime beyond whatever mayhem I managed to cause.

”Okay, girls. Lead on to the nearest mall. Drug store. That sort of thing.”

Jane turned to me. ”Sir? We don't really know the area. We don't know where the nearest mall is.”

”Well, I guess we will just wander around until we find one. It's not like we are short on time or daylight.”

She swallowed. ”One more thing?” I nodded to her. I might indulge her. ”Can your slaves walk on the gra.s.s? Please? It's so much easier on the feet than asphalt. Have you ever walked on pavement in bare feet?”

”I have half a mind to have you crawl.”

He face clouded. Frightened. Not sure what they'd done to inspire my wrath, and afraid that her tongue was about to get them all in trouble. She just begged. Hoping that would appease me.

”Please. Master. Don't make us crawl. We'll gladly walk on the pavement if you want us to. I was just asking, in case you didn't care. Please. Please don't punish us,” the suddenly frightened girl's voice fell to a whisper at the end of her plea.

”You may walk on the gra.s.s for now.”

Her face brightened a little. Realizing that I was just tormenting her a little. She thought for a second and managed to organize her speech.

”This slave. Thanks you.”

She scampered over to Amy and Christi who were just waiting silently up ahead. I couldn't hear her voice as she whispered to them, but they had a worried look on their faces, probably as Jane related my mood, and then a little happier when told that they could walk on the softer gra.s.s.

I caught up to the bare girls. ”You want to be out here all day?” I asked them.

Jane swallowed and answered for them. ”No sir.” And the girls began to walk, moving off to the side into the green gra.s.s. I walked about five paces behind them. Admiring the view. Just enjoying the way their bodies moved. The way the steel cuffs jingled softly against their skin. Watching their bare female feet, painted toenails, whisking through the dewy gra.s.s. Aware of my presence, the girls didn't chatter much. Just raising their faces and enjoying the morning sun as we walked. Almost ignoring me.

About an half hour later, Jane spoke again to me. ”How about that one?” She indicated a shopping complex with a nod of her head. It looked fine to me. Didn't look too crowded, but by the advertising signs outside appeared to have most of the types of stores I wanted.

Our small group walked in that direction. The girls wincing as their feet struck the pavement of the parking lot. It had been a long time since I'd had any of them in such a public place. I could almost sense as their discomfort grew. Feeling their nudity, bordering on exhibitionism. But not being able to do anything as we slowly made our way past men and women, wheeling shopping carts, baby carriages and high school kids cutting cla.s.s.

I had to open the door and hold it for the girls, their hands not being particularly useful still cuffed behind them. The bare girls and I filed inside. We had to let our eyes adjust to the darker interior of the mall. It was a standard strip mall. One floor. A mult.i.tude of specialty shops. Shoe repair. Fabric places. Women clothing. A grocery store near one end. A video store. Jewelry shops.

Jane was the first the speak. Braver than the rest. As usual.

”M-master? Can this slave ask what we are shopping for?”

”You want to eat, don't you?”

”Yes sir.”

”I thought we'd grab some food before the kind Mayers run out of the basics. And I thought that we might do a little other shopping.”

”For other women?”

I smiled. Perceptive. As always. ”Perhaps. But I think we ought to get the food first. What do you think?”

Jane silently nodded. Her bravery run out.

I herded the bound girls towards the far end of the mall. Dodging the odd pedestrian. The mall wasn't particularly crowded at this time in the morning. I took note of some of the shoppers. Families. A couple of late high school girls caught my eye. Frozen talking to one another as they strode down the hall. A young mother, wheeling her infant in a carriage. Talking to it, by the look of things. A family. Boy. Girl. Mother and father. Almost looked like tourists. A clerk in a jewelry shop caught my eye. Blonde. Athletic looking.

I listened to my charges' bare feet against the tile as they walked down towards the grocery store.

The girls stopped in front of the entrance door. Helplessly looking at the automatic door.

”Come on. We don't have all day. Get in there.” I admonished them.

Christi looked at me. ”Sir? But the doors are automatic. They aren't opening.”

”I don't want to hear any excuses. Get in there.”

Her eyes welled up with tears and she walked towards me instead of the doors.

”Please,” she whispered. Really frightened by my sudden change of mood. ”You know we can't get in without help.” She gently rubbed her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s against my arm. I reacted. Of course, I reacted. ”Please. If you are looking for someone to punish, you know you don't need a reason. You can punish us anytime. For anything you deem fit. Please. You don't need to torment us with this.” Her eyes were the perfect vision of helplessness and frustration.