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Old Friends
Cathy, Kelli and the other two women knelt in a line, facing Paula as she sat at the supervisor's desk in their cell. Paula had gone down the line, correcting all of them over and over until she was satisfied. Then she had gone back to the desk to read through their records.
"Diane and Cindy?" Those were the two on the other side of Kelli. Cathy knew better than to look at them. Paula might be an old friend but she wasn't showing any favoritism in a situation like this. "You were fighting. Is that correct?"
"Yes, Miss Paula." Both answered, Diane first. Paula had established a hierarchy, starting at Diane's end of the chain.
"Kelli, you failed to observe position?" Paula looked at her over the top of a sheet of paper.
"Yes, Miss Paula." Kelli's answer was so quiet even Cathy could barely hear her.
"I can't hear you. Did you not stand up and turn your back to a warden while you were supposed to be kneeling in respectful attention?"
This time Kelli spoke up, "Yes, Miss Paula."
"And you, Cathy. You spoke out of turn in a disrespectful manner to a warden?"
"Yes, Miss Paula." Cathy saw the steely glare in Paula's eyes as she answered. There was no hint of compassion or sympathy.
Paula arranged the papers in the folder neatly before closing it. "When I ask a question I expect an answer, not mumbling." She pressed a button on the desk. "All of you stay where you are."
A moment later a warden appeared at the cell door. Paula asked for permission to approach the door, and then whispered something to him. He nodded and left. Paula came back to her desk and knelt next to it, facing the door.
When the warden returned he was carrying a bag. Another guard stood by the door as he opened it and came inside. Cathy being the nearest he started on her, shoving a gag into her mouth before covering her head with a tight fitting hood. She could hear him do the same with the rest of the group before leaving.
"If you won't answer me then you won't answer anyone," Paula lectured them. "Perhaps a little quiet time to meditate will encourage you to speak up next time. You will all remain in position until I tell you otherwise." Cathy heard her pull out the desk chair and sit down.
The hood was hot and the gag uncomfortable. Being forced to kneel while in the chains didn't make it any easier. And Paula was watching them. Cathy knew it because there was a steady stream of reminders. "Straighten up", "Don't slouch", and "Keep those knees apart" came every few minutes. Paula never mentioned anyone by name, so Cathy had to respond to every one, unsure if it was directed at her or someone else.
Cathy had forgotten the circumstances under which she had first met Paula. They had both been students then, but Paula had been in the school for more than a year, waiting for her master Mike to be released by his kidnappers at a mine in South America. During all that time she had been steadfast in her belief he would come back for her, no matter how long she had to wait. Many a time while talking she had made it clear to Cathy she believed in absolute obedience to the man she called master, no matter what the circumstances. She never knowingly broke her promise to him, and didn't tolerate it in any other submissive woman. Putting her in charge of the four of them was far worse than any warden. Undoubtedly the wardens knew it too.
Cathy heard the desk chair slide back, followed by Paula's footsteps as she walked back and forth in front of the four of them. "You all have one last chance to make good. I've been tasked to see to it the four of you straighten up and behave. Those of you who know me," she stood in front of Cathy, "also know I take assignments seriously. We will start from the beginning. Anyone falls behind, we'll start over again and again till you get the message.
"And get this straight too. There's no way out of where you are except to do better. No one is going to come and rescue you. None of you are going to see your masters until we're finished here. You can't quit and walk away."
Cathy missed Robert already. She had no idea how long it would be before she would see him again. Even if she did everything right from now on she still had to count on the rest of the group to do just as well.
Paula started again. "Let's begin with something simple, which appears to be all you can comprehend. Speak only when spoken to, and answer in a clear voice. Keep mumbling and you can kneel there all day with those hoods on. Do what you are told, right away. When a warden is here you ignore me and pay attention to whatever he says, even if he contradicts me you do what he tells you. Pay attention, and don't think for one minute you can get away with anything."
Cathy heard the door being unlocked. She could barely make out Paula talking to someone. Soon after she heard the warden's boots on the concrete as he approached the group. She couldn't tell what was happening at first, but when he reached her and took off the hood she was able to see the rest of the women had their heads uncovered too. He removed her gag, putting it into a bag he carried. He stood up and went back to Paula, kneeling by the desk. "Showers in five minutes," he told her as he passed by the desk on the way to the door. From the corner of her eye Cathy could see another warden in the open doorway.
A shower! Cathy was dirty and sweaty from wearing the stifling hood. A chance to take a shower would be heaven. Maybe they'd even take off the chains for a few minutes.
As soon as the warden left and closed the cell door Paula stood up. "Alright, you heard him. You are going to get a chance to clean up. I want you to stand up one at a time, Diane first, and line up to be escorted."
They were all stiff and sore from kneeling so long. The additional encumbrance of the chains didn't make it any easier but Cathy and the others managed to get up off the floor and line up. The chain between hands and feet forced them all to stand with their hands at waist height.
Paula wasn't impressed. "I said line up. Diane, face the door, the rest of you line up behind her. Space yourselves out, take up the slack in the chain between each of you. Back straight, head up, look straight ahead. Keep your arms down, hands open. If you can't get it right by the time the warden comes back you won't get a shower today."
Cathy backed up until the chain linking her to Kelli was off the floor. She tried to do everything Paula was yelling at them but it seemed nothing could satisfy her. Either they weren't in a straight line, or someone was standing improperly. Cathy received a jab in her back when Paula went behind them to check alignment. "Keep your eyes front," Paula warned her, "or you all get hoods again. Want to sleep in them tonight?"
When the warden came back they were lined up to Paula's satisfaction. The four of them were marched out into the corridor and lead to another room with a tile floor. Paula stayed behind.
The warden placed them in the middle of the room and told them to remain there. Cathy knew something wasn't right because there were no plumbing fixtures on the walls, though there was a drain in the center of the room. How were they supposed to take showers?
That question was answered by the first blast of cold water from behind her. Another warden had a hose in his hand and was spraying them down. When they all reflexively turned away from the stream he stopped and shouted at them. "Back in line! Now!"
When he finally stopped they were all soaking wet. The door opened and Paula came in, escorted by another warden. In her arms were rolled up towels. "Each of you take one as I go by. You may dry off." Being last in line Cathy took the final towel. She wasn't surprised to see that Paula wore handcuffs. She would be the last to insist on any special treatment.
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