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Off To Work
Cathy and Robert stopped in front of the entrance that separated staff and secure sections. She took the opportunity to look up at him, so handsome in his dashing warden's uniform. As usual he kept one hand on her back while with the other he pushed the buzzer and waited for the outer door to open. He used his own key to unlock the security gate inside the entrance. She went in first while he held the door for her. She waited just inside the entrance while he closed the gate behind them. Regulations , she told herself, on this side of the door there's only one right way, and I have to get it right every time.
The moment she crossed the threshold her status was no different from the students. Robert and all the other wardens expected as a matter of course her full and unquestioning obedience, even though she was on the staff. As a teacher there were few privileges and no exemptions. She stood silently facing straight ahead. From this point on she did nothing without his express orders. When he finished with the doors he pointed toward her locker as he took her arm.
This was the primary passage for teachers and wardens going back and forth between the two sections. Cathy could buzz for someone to let her in, or Robert could open the door for her. Leaving wasn't nearly as easy. He or someone he listed as a delegate had to escort her out. She could neither walk out on her own nor ask to be returned to the staff area. He led Cathy to her locker so she could change.
"Strip," came the familiar command she knew she would hear. Without hesitation she unzipped her dress and stepped out of it. The dress and her shoes, the only clothes she brought, went into the locker. Robert closed the locker door. "Hands behind your back."
"Yes, sir." Cathy turned away from him and reached behind her back, presenting her wrists to him. The click of the handcuffs confirmed she was now in his custody. She would be escorted to her classroom under the same conditions as her students. Only the fact that the wardens knew her separated Cathy from becoming a full-time resident. She felt the pressure to conform every bit as much as the women she was assigned to teach.
"We're a little early. How about a cup of coffee in the lounge?" Robert asked as he led her to the entrance to the warren of corridors that made up the bulk of the school. She knew how the wardens were able to navigate by using a small earpiece that whispered directions to them. She didn't have one; none of the teachers did. Like all the other women she had to depend on him to lead her from place to place.
There was a lounge area shared by wardens on break and the teachers who were between assignments. Robert took Cathy to an empty table, unlocked one of her wrists and sat down. Meanwhile she went to the coffee machine and poured two cups, sugar in his, cream in hers. She put them on a tray and brought them back to the table. When she sat down she carefully placed her hands in her lap. The open handcuff lay close to her unfettered wrist.
He took a small taste of his coffee and asked, "Ready for the big day? Nervous? Remember your schedule?" He nodded toward her cup, giving silent permission for her to drink. She used her free hand to pick it up and sipped at the hot brew.
"The first class I'm going to talk about equality. You know, submission is not inferiority any more than domination implies superiority. After that I'm supposed to assist in a presentation practice session. After a break I think I've been designated to help evaluate a writing assignment. I hate grading papers."
Robert smiled. "Someone has to do it. You have the insight to know what to look for. You'll have to tell me about your equality lecture later on, especially the some are more equal than others part."
Cathy recognized the famous line from George Orwell's Animal Farm . "Why am I not surprised to hear a dominant personality quoting Orwell? I bet it's required reading. Did you sympathize with Big Brother in 1984 too?"
"The book gave a distorted view. What's wrong with a paternalistic leader gently guiding his charges through life? Naturally he has to be strict at times…"
"…but it's for her own good." Cathy completed his sentence. From the smirk on his face she could tell Robert was teasing her. "Not that I object to the principle, sir, but the means to reach the end do make a difference." There were some disturbing parallels between the way the school operated and the society Orwell described, but she was convinced the crucial difference was in the motives of the men who ran the place. As Robert often pointed out, there were no deceptive claims to some abstract high purpose. The school's express reason for existence was to produce submissive women who would properly serve their masters. If in the process she happened to discover untapped feelings within herself so much the better.
The lounge room door opened and another man came in. Like Robert he wore the uniform of a warden. Cathy recognized him, Mathew Lasky, Kelli's master. He went straight to the coffee machine, poured a cup, and headed for their table.
"Hi Bob. Nice to see you again, Cathy."
"Hello, sir." Cathy put her hands in her lap again, and lowered her eyes.
"Sit down and join us." Robert pulled out a chair. "How's the weather upstairs?" He turned to Cathy. "Matt takes a walk in the desert before work."
"It's nice out this time of year. It rained late last night so the air is cool and fresh today." Matt sipped at the hot coffee. "Yuck, I need some more sugar. Is this coffee or mud and battery acid?"
Cathy spoke up, "Please sir, may I get it for you?" At Roberts nod she stood up and went to the coffee counter.
"How about it Cathy, no roses but would you like to go smell the sagebrush? We can go up during your break." Robert called out to her as she went to get Matt's sugar.
She turned to answer him first. "Could we, sir? Maybe just a short walk?" He knew she missed the outdoors. She picked up two packets of sweetener and brought them back to the table.
"If it isn't busy we'll take off an hour or so. What do you think, Matt, are we shorthanded today?" Robert hadn't seen his full schedule yet.
"I don't see a problem, go ahead. I can cover for you. Besides, I owe you two a favor. I'd like to thank Cathy for spending time with Kelli this last week."
Cathy answered softly, "I hope I didn't interfere, sir."
"Not at all! I knew something was troubling her. I could see it but she was reluctant to talk. You broke the impasse. She followed your advice and came to me."
"I'm glad to hear that, sir. Does anyone need a refill?" She checked both their cups.
"None for me," Robert answered. He leaned to one side, a hand covering his ear. "I'm being paged, time to get to work. Do you want to go now, Cathy?"
Before she could answer Matt interrupted. "I have a few minutes, Bob. The room's still in use; she'd have to wait. Want me to escort her?" He took a sip from his cup.
"I'd appreciate it. You have her class?" Matt nodded. "Okay, you'll go with him, Cathy. I'll see you when you are on break."
"Yes sir," Cathy answered. Though she wanted to stay with Robert it wasn't much fun waiting for a room to clear. Mostly it involved standing in the hallway and doing nothing. Robert reached over and removed the dangling handcuffs from her other wrist. He folded them up and stuck them in a holder in the back of his belt. She waved to Robert as he left.
"I hope it all works out for the best, for you and Kelli, sir." She turned back to Matt. On this side she wasn't allowed to use his name. It was one more rule she had to follow. All wardens had one name, sir . If she forgot she'd have to answer for it.
"I hope so. I didn't want to do it but she is presently enrolled as a student. I couldn't argue with her reasons."
Cathy was surprised. It had been only two days ago she had suggested Kelli talk to him about the possibility. "You have to understand, sir, we need to prove ourselves just as you men do. Sometimes you go into the military to test yourselves. Some of us, well, one of us at least needed to learn she could measure up too. Was there a problem, since she was a volunteer?"
Matt shook his head. "That part turned out to be quite easy. She couldn't put herself in here. But there's no policy on the reasons for being enrolled. All it took was a call from me and she went in right away."
She hadn't thought about that possibility, but it made sense. As her master Matt had the authority to commit Kelli at any time. Cathy knew from past experience Robert could do the same.
"It's about time to go. Are you ready?" He pushed back from the table.
"Yes sir. May I clean up first?" When he nodded approval she picked up the empty cups and took them to the trash bin. Matt stood up when she came back. "I'm ready now, sir." She saw him reach for something behind his back.
"Hands behind your back." She was already turning around, anticipating the mandatory order. The handcuffs went around her wrists. Cathy noticed he preferred a looser fit than Robert. Not so loose she could slip out of them but she could tell the difference. "What's your topic for today?" he asked as he took hold of her arm.
"Equality, sir." She reflected on how odd it was that being virtually naked and in handcuffs, controlled by a strange man she barely knew, seemed so normal and commonplace.
"Sounds interesting. I imagine it's difficult to separate power structure from the more abstract concepts of parity in the value of our roles in life." He opened the security gate for the break room. In the corridor he turned her to the right. "We go this way."
"Yes, sir. I teach that equality comes in the value of how we relate to each other, as dominant or submissive. Both have comparable worth, for one can't be complete without the other." She went on to detail some other points.
"This is your class," Matt stopped as they approached a door. "Your students are being led in now. We'll wait till they're ready."
Cathy stood in front of the door, rehearsing her entrance one last time. Her pointer would be in a bracket just inside the entrance. She had to remember to pick it up first, as soon as Matt left. Hopefully he wouldn't forget to take off the handcuffs.
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