4 comments/ 19902 views/ 11 favorites Unchained By: Lycandope Unchained Victoria looked around her. A monstrous worm-like shadow struck out at both of them but dissolved when it neared the fire. "The shadows are still here. I don't think it worked." "They returned. Slowly. As far as we know, this area is the only safe haven. Or perhaps the shadows follow us and only this part is tainted." The woman frowned. "The fire is neither as large nor as bright as it used to be." "So what is this place? Is this all I get for dreams now? No crazy dreams of flying or skeletons chasing me in a hand cart while I roll down a hill of dead bodies?" The woman's left eyebrow arched slightly. "A hill of dead bodies? I should think this was preferable to that kind of nonsense. We don't know what or where this is. Perhaps it is the afterlife or... Yes, I know. Yes, I'll tell her. One of us believes this is the shared subconsciousness of all the living and dead creatures." "This? Seriously? And you think my skeleton dream was fucked up? So what're the shadows supposed to represent? Mankind's hope for a better future? Or never ending optimism? Bullshit." Victoria gestured at a shadowy face full of fangs and hatred hovering 10 feet away. "Give me flying unicorn puppies any day over that." "The one... the one has reasons for the belief. We can see into the past and future. For a small amount of time. It whispers to us. The past is clear but the future... If this is our home and we live in the subconscious of all living creatures then perhaps we read their intentions and create a tapestry of a possible future. Sometimes what we see doesn't happen but often, it does. The future is open but if we hear the whispering of what someone intends - is that not the future? At least for that one person?" Victoria thought this over. It made some sense on a certain level. "Knowing what a guy wants to do after he gets out of bed is not the same thing as seeing the future." "You are correct. But if you know what everyone in his city plans to do as well, you start to build your pattern. An... an educated guess, you would call it. Useless for any long amount of time but superior for shorter times. And there are ways to see farther." This got Victoria's interest. "How much farther? Could you see what my life will be like? How I will die? What ways are you talking about?" "Blood and death. Blood magic is always stronger and death the strongest. It solidifies the pact and brings the favors of more powerful things." Death, Victoria thought. I want none of that. "What powerful things?" The woman thought for a moment. "We cannot remember our birth. As time passes, we forget the past but we have lived for a very, very long time. We have our own magic but we are part of you and you are the vessel that contains our strength. We are an elemental force. In the same way, there are things that live outside of the natural order and we have a pact with them. We can attract the attention of more powerful beings with a strong sacrifice." Victoria thought back to her cross necklace and her upbringing. "Like God? Are you talking about God?" The woman shook her head. "No, not like you think. There are... wait. You must wake up, girl. And when you do, remember. Stop the vehicle. You must remember. Stop the vehicle. Wake up now." "Wait! But I don't...!" The fire consumed her in a roar of fury. Unchained But not dead. How the hell would she kill it? She dared not let it go - she didn't know anything about it's abilities except it healed fast. She pulled one of her snakes around. "Hey! Are you guys still sleeping?" Nothing. Great. Wait, she thought. What was it they said again? Something... I was their vessel? Are they the ones doing the magic shit or am I? It can't hurt to try, yeah? In the old movies it was the eyes that did, right? Okay... She stared at the creatures face and then tried widening her eyes. Nothing. Then she tried the same thing with her hand on its face. Still nothing. She clawed his other eye out in spite. "Hey, wait. Do I even need to do anything like that?" She grabbed his head and twisted hard, hearing it snap. "Hah! Killed you, fu..." It was still breathing. "Fucking... All right." Victoria took a breath and looked around. Oddly enough, there was still nobody else on the road. She stared at the Trask. "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Change to stone... ummm... you must!" Nothing. "Goddammit! If you tell anyone about that one... Why am I even threatening you?" She tried grabbing the creature and pulling its head off but even straining she couldn't do it. She tried all the childish magical incantations she could remember and nothing worked. She yelled, she screamed, she pleaded. Nothing. Then she watched in disbelief as its head reattached itself properly. Both eyes were whole again so she pulled them back out. "What fucking pact? You lazy bastards." Victoria closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Things. Whatever you things are. I was told we have a deal. I don't know what it is but I need you to keep your end of it. I need this to work. This thing wants to kill me and I don't want it to kill me. It's simple. Help me out here." She opened her eyes again. Nothing. She frowned and almost started yelling except something moved at the corner of her eye. When she turned to look for it, it was gone. There again, at the corner of the other, something else small and moving. She turned again but nothing was there. She closed her eyes again. "All right. Hah hah. You've had your fun. Now I'm going to open my eyes in a few seconds. When I do, I expect to see something. Ready?" She opened her eyes and they were there. Small motes of light, everywhere. Floating lazily, shooting from one place to another, doing spirals around each other or just hovering in place. Little things of every color imaginable - brown, green, blue, grey, red... she couldn't keep track of them. Quite a few danced around her body but none of them touched the creature she was holding. Ones that got too close turned black and fizzled away. The world was full of shining lights. They danced away as she tried to grab one or two. She felt little tugs on her body as if tiny little hands were pulling gently on her skin. "I... Okay, I wasn't expecting that. Thank you. No, really, thank you. Now the hard part. The next hard part. What do I do? I want to turn this thing to stone and my little helpers are useless. I..." She remembered the words. There was always a sacrifice. She grimaced and placed her hand on the creature. "Okay. Listen to me. Take what you need - just the bare minimum - and turn this fucking thing into stone. I... give myself to you." At first there was nothing. Then, she felt her snakes stir. They made no sound but they rose up and arrayed themselves, facing the monster. Here and there gray and brown lights streamed toward her. A few at first and then more and more in a rush. They hovered in a huge makeshift ball of brown and gray. She stared at them. "Do it." She said. She felt the pulse from her snakes and immediately wanted to sleep. She was suddenly so tired. Her head swayed but she kept herself up. The little lights streamed to the Trask. Haha! She thought. I did it! Score one for human... Just at the last moment the lights diverted and flowed behind the creature. She cursed and turned to watch them. The broken stick was on its side close to the road. The little lights flooded it and Victoria watched one of the last two segments turn to stone. She wanted to cry in frustration. Now she noticed a thin light brown line between the creature and the stick. Little pockets of light traveled back and forth across the line. She broke the thing's neck again and dropped him. When he didn't move, she went to the stick and picked it up. The line moved with the stick and stayed attached to the monster. When she tried breaking it, she could only break off the stone apart - the wooden part wouldn't even bend. Small sparks of light popped around the edge of the wood. They were smaller than the creatures floating around her and flashed brilliantly before vanishing again. She thought for a moment or two, winding and unwinding her tail to work the muscles out from holding the monster for so long. The problem is, she thought, I think I can only do this once more before passing out. If I do it again, the stick takes the hit and I pass out. Then the monster kills me. I can't break the stick, so... I wonder... Victoria brought the strange stick back over to the creature and stared at it. It was drooling again and one of its eyes was healed. She rubbed her side to feel the punctures and sore muscles. She looked at the stick, then at the creature again. At least she was prettier than it was. As she watched, it drew itself slowly into a ball. "Damned if I do..." She jammed the stick in the empty eye socket. The creature jerked reflexively but made no other move. Victoria moved back, rearing up on her tail. "Okay, little ones. I'm going to do that again. I'd appreciate it if you can leave me enough to stay awake." She tried willing the gray and black lights to come forward. Again, she felt her snakes lift from her shoulders to glare at the monster on the ground. "Hey, thing. I hope you're awake now. I hope you feel this. Well, shit. Actually I just hope it works. If it does then, good bye. I hope there's a hell for things like you." The snakes were dancing on her head, weaving a pattern. Gray and brown lights were gathering again, faster than last time. "Hey, look at me. Maybe..." The pulse from the snakes dropped her to the ground. "Fuuuuuuuuuuu..." she coughed. Her body felt like it weighed tons. She could barely lift her head to look at the Trask. The lights were flooding the stick. She held her breath as she watched. The monster's other eye twitched over to look at the lights and she was she sure heard it rumbling again. "Work. Work, damn you." She whispered as her sweat and blood mixed with the dirt under her face. The last piece of the stick turned gray and she almost lost hope until she saw the eye socket darken. And then the nose. It's mouth opened to scream or curse or do something but then froze, a rasping gasp escaping concrete gray lips. Victoria smiled and started laughing. Unchained The girl touched her face and looked at her hand. Her eyes were wide and scared. "I don't... I'm sorry... I..." "Fucking sorry! You're *sorry*!" She slapped the girl again, putting her weight behind it. Blood trickled from the girl's mouth and she started crying. "Every single fucking one of you ruined my fucking life and you dare to look at me like I'm some fucking degenerate?!" She spit in the woman's eyes and turned away. She held the plastic store bag in one hand and was gripping her purse with the other. She slammed the door with her shoulder and walked out. A block away she stopped. She just slapped that woman. She just... Oh my god, she thought. What have I done? She sat at a bench nearby and stared at the road. This isn't me, she told herself. What is... what's wrong with me? Minutes passed before she collected herself. When she pulled the rag off of her foot, it was soaked in blood. The bleeding from her foot had slowed to a trickle but the wound was still open and tender. She took the socks and shoes out of the box and gingerly put the socks on. The shoes were harder to put on and didn't fit quite right. Their tightness hurt her feet and made her cut foot throb in pain. She threw the box, bag and rag away in the bin next to her. She looked at herself. I look more normal, at least. Thank god I have a long sleeve shirt and pants to cover me. I need a shower and something to eat and I'll feel almost human again. A man walked by and laughed. She glanced up, baring her teeth in a snarl. Was he fucking laughing at me?! The man was walking with a woman but Elizabeth could swear he leered at her as he passed. It was past noon and she hadn't eaten yet. Perhaps that's why she's acting like this, she thought. Low blood sugar or something. There was a hot dog vendor down the street so she walked over and ordered a hot dog with a cup of coffee. She listened to people talking as she waited. Everyone sounded false. She heard hidden threats, condescension and boredom in everyone she listened to. Men's voices sounded guttural and angry, woman's voices waspish. Finally her food was ready. Her stomach growled - she hadn't realized just how hungry she was. She stood aside to eat but sniffing at the food turned her stomach. It smelled wrong. Old. Dead. Like something left out for dogs. She glanced at the man and then back to her food. Maybe she was just feeling sick and stressed from everything else. She took a bite of the hot dog and nearly retched. It tasted like a hot dog but with a hint of some diseased flesh and blood. She spit out the food and threw everything at the vendor. He screamed when the coffee hit his face. "You trying to kill me?! Poison me with this shit?! You think just because of who I am you can feed me this dog shit?!" The man was on his side, clutching his face and still screaming. People were starting to gather around and look. She could smell them - the stench of them. She'd had enough. Turning, she hailed the first cab she could find and gave him the address of her friend. She just needed a hot shower and a change of clothes. Then she'd feel more human. Unchained "Tainted one." She crawled slowly to the other room. I can't bear it, she told herself. I can't look at it. I don't want it to look at me. I can't... When she was in the study she felt her stomach loosen slowly. She tried to catch her breath over and over. She wanted to cry again. Something was wrong. The bar. The trip. Something. She could hear whispering around her. A hundred voices whispering to her. She pulled herself up on the large desk dominating the room. The charred wood in the fireplace behind the desk took her breath away. The dream. The bar. The man with no face. She remembered. Unchained Calli stared at the phone and exhaled with a sigh of relief. She'd made it through another Friday night call from her mom. Again she'd managed to dodge the same questions and concerns she hears week after week: "Are you getting enough rest, Calli?" "Are you eating right, Calli?" "Met any new friends lately?" "Having Sam is good Calliope, but don't you need more need more than..." She knew her mom meant well and they loved each other dearly, but Calli had learned how to answer certain questions without giving too much away. Besides, she was fine with the way her life was going. More than fine actually. A year ago she'd re-located to a new city; loved her job; had found a spacious apartment with quiet neighbors, and had Sam to curl up with at night. What more did she need right now? Calli put the receiver back in its cradle and headed to her bed. Light from the candle on her nightstand caused the silhouette of her slim shoulders and curly hair to dance in rhythm with the flickering flame. She sat on the edge of her bed, while digging into her usual Friday night dinner of Cherry Garcia. Patting the pillow next to hers, she called for Sam when all she felt was a cool empty space. Her laptop lay closed on her pillow right where she'd left it and after opening it, the warm glow from the screen gave her enough light to see that Sam wasn't there. Knowing Sam's habits , "Probably moved to the couch again." she thought. Calli turned her attention back to the screen and double clicked on her favorite site. She'd discovered it one night while surfing for erotic literature, which had been her first secret passion. Now she enjoyed nights like this; delving into a virtual world, totally anonymous. She'd lie in her room feeling the night air on her skin from the open window and visit all sorts of places. At least she could answer 'yes' to one of her mom's questions. She had met new friends. She just chose not to tell her Mother, or anyone else, where. She typed in her password and waited for her profile page to appear. Calli held her breath and listen for any noise from the hallway. Hearing nothing except the usual weekend sounds of city streets far below, reassured her that Sam was not going to interrupt her journey into Otherworld. She relaxed, smiling over the avatar she'd chosen for herself because it really did look a lot like her. 'Chained_Maiden is now online', flashed at the bottom of her screen. After four months she still enjoyed seeing that. "Has it only been four months? " she said to herself. After four months, unlike most members, Calli's interest in being a social butterfly had waned . She was well liked and welcomed into this world by many. The dance clubs were fun and she quickly gained a reputation among her new friends as being good at trivia and damn lucky at raffle drawings. This being an 'adult only' virtual world, had given her freedom to indulge in a few sexual encounters as well. "When in Rome!", she'd muttered and laughed out loud to herself. By nature's design, Calli found herself seeking solitude in yet another world full of people. Her comforts in this virtual world mirrored that in real life. Her Otherworld apartment was spacious with a never-ending fire in the fireplace. She'd equipped it with a kick-ass stereo that covered all genres; and she had a cat named Samantha for her only roommate. Anxiously, she clicked on what had become her favorite place here for weeks. Immediately she was surrounded by gardens with flowers so real she could almost smell their scent. Small candles lit pathways that led to unexplored places in every direction. Here she'd discovered fountains surrounded by stone benches and beautifully carved statues. She'd walked over bridges, hearing the river that roared down from a snow-capped mountain. This was her dream place in any world; where the stars (her stars) always shined. She had found "The Virtual Nighttime Sky". Calli was mesmerized by this place where night did not equal darkness. The starlit sky was a constant source of light. Although open to anyone, she had rarely seen other members here. It was perfectly designed for privacy and solitude for those who had fallen in love with the stars. Calli's best friends were here; made up in constellations. She favored the northern sky where she could see Orion the hunter; his belt bejeweled by the Gods. The rarely noticed Hercules, kneeling. While Perseus and Pegasus represented 'all things magical'. She knew and recognized too many to count. However, one stood out on a more personal level. The constellation whose story she actually dreamed about was the mythical princess Andromeda. Also known as 'The Chained Maiden'. She wanted to get as close as her avatar would carry her to the northern constellations. Last week she'd attempted to climbed to the top of the tallest mountain but half way up had looked down. She'd panicked over how high above ground she was and in typical newbie fashion didn't just freeze, or let go, but hit the back arrow instead. Suddenly she was back in her virtual living room beside her virtual fireplace, staring at her virtual cat while her real life heart was virtually beating out of her chest! Tonight though, she was determined! She was taking Chained_Maiden to that mountain top. It was the only way to be as close to Andromeda as she'd ever dream of being. She had to finish the climb. "Lucky for us both," she muttered, "we're guaranteed to survive." Calli had covered what had to be miles and was just past the half way point when Sam decided to make her not so graceful leap onto the bed. She was aiming for Calli's lap but hit the computer instead. It fell to the floor, and landed lid side down. Calli closed her eyes in attempt to shield herself from the shock of sudden darkness after light from the screen went out. "Damn it! Why didn't I light another candle?" Calli muttered to herself. Samantha, meanwhile, had made herself comfortable on her lap and was purring.Calli rubbed underneath her cat's chin, while counting to ten before opening her eyes. She expected darkness until she found the light switch to the bedside lamp but was amazed at what she saw. Light!! Not just any light: starlight filled her room! A silhouette of her slim shoulders and curly hair appeared on the wall similar to what the candle had made before. Only this time, of course, there were two pointy ears and whiskers along with it. "I must be dreaming. There's no way! With city lights! I haven't seen starlight this bright in over a year!" Afraid to go to the open window alone, she scooped up Sam and crept from her bed. As if on cue, a soft breeze picked up the sheer curtains; parting them as she made her way to look outside. From her eighth floor window, she stared out into the abyss of a city with no lights. Sam lept from her arms and meandered back to the bed as Calli sat on the narrow sill and looked up. She'd often wondered why she had chosen this city. Even felt as if this city had chosen her. Now, she knew exactly why she was here. This was her mountaintop! She knew it wasn't a dream but pinched herself just in case. Her dream rose above, in the northern sky. "Andromeda!" she whispered. "Oh! My! God!" " Andromeda!!", she shouted. Forgetting she was teetering on an eighth story window sill, she reached up towards the constellation with both hands. Such a natural response for her; to reach towards the heavens and bask in the beauty of this miracle. This once in many lifetimes' chance to be in the perfect location and circumstance to see what no one had seen from here in a century. She wondered, "when did people stop looking up?" Something told her it was long before electric lights. She sensed it wasn't just the cities' lights that were to blame. People should yearn to look at the stars she thought; and weep - not in sorrow but from their beauty and their history. She asked the universe to forgive all before her who had neglected or forgotten to look up. She prayed for those who are blind because they don't look up to see. She had never felt so sad before; yet never felt so blessed. Then she heard a voice from inside her head screaming, "Calliope, you are falling." "Ah," yes I am falling; in love with the stars". Again she heard the voice screaming at her only this time she knew she was in trouble. Feeling the tip of her toes desperately trying to dig in to the carpet brought Calli out of her trance. As her mind and body were trying to out-maneuver gravity to keep her safe she thought, "Think, Calli, think!" Adrenalin kicked in as chill bumps ran up and down of her body. "The neighbors!" "Next door; the apartment; has a balcony!" While facing emanate death, she found herself wondering, "Why the hell didn't I get a balcony apartment?" "If I had, I would be out here sitting in a comfy chair with a telescope! Looking up!" "Instead, here I am......no balcony, no chair, no cast iron railing!" "Railing!" her inner voice screamed. "Reach for the railing!!" As her thoughts tried to catch up with her momentum towards the street below, Calli grabbed for the railing. The tips of her fingers brushed a cold iron bar but she knew there was no hope for a second chance. The proverbial other shoe was about to drop; and so was she. Still looking up, she saw life with clarity. She felt peace; quickly made peace with the universe and her destiny. She'd just been given a gift from God. Now, her wish, her dream, her hope of one day seeing Andromeda was her history. She knew she would never experience true love like Andromeda and Perseus felt when he unchained her. She had however seen their love in the northern sky. "I can live, or die, with that!" was her last thought as she screamed, "Perseus!" Calli felt a hand grab hold of hers. Had Perseus somehow reached down from the universe to free her from the chains of death? Had her wish of becoming the Unchained Maiden been granted? As she yelled "Perseus, I am your Unchained Maiden!" her last words echoed through the city streets below. "omg", "ftw", Calli's thoughts were scrambled. "Lol, I'm reverting back to my virtual world language." she murmured while drifting in and out of consciousness. Then she heard a deep almost musical male voice respond. "I have no idea what language you're speaking, but it's a good thing you yelled my name . It's not a common name either. In any language. Still trying to figure out how the hell you know it; considering it's my first night here! You are one lucky Lady." Calli wondered how a celestial being like Perseus could sound so, American. "My company bought this apartment months ago after we merged with New World Designs. Lucky for you I flew in a day early." "I may not have found that balcony for a week if it weren't for hearing you screaming my name. You are aware of the fact that your place does not have a balcony, right?" Calli knew she was hearing a man's voice while his fingers brushed tears from her cheeks. She felt the floor underneath her aching body: and heat. Burning heat from his body so close to hers. She had no idea, however, who he was or how she'd gotten here. "Ok, then, the only logical reason I can think of for you to be hanging out your window like that was to see the stars", he continued. "Probably moved here from out west and missed them, like I do after living in the city too long. I almost did the same damn thing first week I lived in Seattle." " Then I found a place with a balcony and bought a telescope. You might want to invest in one of those; or both of those; if you plan on living." "Here, living here I mean." "Can you tell me your name?" he asked. He touched her face and felt electric heat pass between them. "Could it be?" he thought to himself. "Was this beautiful Goddess with golden curls sent to him by the Gods?" 'Living!' Calli had heard the man say 'living'. "Alive", she murmured. "I'm alive!?" "I'm not in Hades, I'm not in Heaven!?" The man with the baritone voice answered, "Well, you should be in one or the other, lucky Lady. If you hadn't yelled for the Gods, or had the luck of the Gods , you would be." "Now, how did you know my name?" Looking up, Calli found herself lost in the most beautiful green eyes she'd ever seen. Maybe she had died and this was her new world's dream. She couldn't help herself; couldn't contain the giggles that were bubbling from deep inside her until bursting into laughter out loud. When she tried to regain some sense of composure, and dignity, she heard him ask again, "How did you know my name? Hell, my friends don't even know my birth name." Calli took a deep breath before answering. "First, I must thank you for saving my life, Sir, before telling you that I was calling for Perseus, the mythical Greek hero to save me. "Next, rest assured , I will be investing in a balcony apartment and a telescope." "Finally, my name is Calli. Calliope Sinclair, actually; but my mom's the only one who calls me by my given name. In a virtual world, I'm known as the Chained_Maiden. I know the beauty of looking up and I'm pretty sure you were sent by the Gods to unchain, I mean save me." She held her breath. Every second seemed like an hour while she waited to hear his voice again. "You do have the luck of the Gods, Calli", he said. "I'm Percy McClain." "My birth name, lucky Lady, is Perseus. Leaning closer, Percy was consumed by celestial, sea colored eyes. As his lips met hers he whispered, "I look forward to seeing you unchained!" Epilogue: Atop the highest mountain in "The Virtual Night Time Sky" two avatars, UnchainedMaiden_PR and PegasusRises, hold hands while looking up. Occasionally they both look down and smile at a plaque which reads: Created and designed by: Percy McClain Executive Vice President Otherworld Inc. Unchained Fantasy Author's note: This story could probably fit into more than one category. I ended up choosing E&V. Hope I didn't mislead anyone. As always, constructive comments, suggestions, and criticisms are appreciated. *** Sleet and freezing rain had been lashing at our windows and skylights since early evening and the storm showed no signs of abating. Brooke and I were snuggled up under a blanket near the fire enjoying a martini or two with no plans to do otherwise until bedtime. The last thing we expected was the doorbell. Our house sits in the middle of several acres that are bordered on three sides by state forest. Even in winter, the house is not visible from the road. The driveway is more than a quarter of a mile long and is gated for security. Whoever was on our doorstep did not come in by car. Because of our isolation, we are heavily armed. Firearms are accessible from several places in the house. At the second doorbell ring, I slipped a handgun into my waistband at the small of my back and went to answer the door. The small woman standing on the porch was a miserable sight. The scarf over her head was encrusted with ice. She was clutching her purse to her chest, one broken strap dangling, and she was grossly underdressed for the weather. Her light jacket, jeans, and shoes were soaked through. She was shivering uncontrollably and her teeth were chattering so hard I could barely understand her when she said "Please. I need help." "Come inside right now," I ordered. "Brooke," I shouted, "I need your help out here. And bring the blanket." Seconds later, Brooke arrived. "Oh, you poor thing," she exclaimed as she wrapped the woman in the blanket and led her down the hallway to our guest suite. "Let's get you into some dry clothes." Several minutes later, Brooke returned. "She says her name is Karyn. She is scared to death about something. I convinced her to get into a hot shower and I laid out some of my clothing for her. She's pretty small so she'll have to roll up the cuffs and sleeves a bit, but at least she'll be warm and dry. I asked her to join us when she's ready. I have her clothes in the washer now." I added some logs to the fire while we waited. "Where do you think she came from? Did she say anything at all? Obviously she has traveled a long way on foot in really rotten weather." "She could barely talk," Brooke replied. "She's pretty much out of it. If she doesn't join us soon, I'll look in on her. If she hasn't warmed up, I think we should take her to the hospital." Ten minutes later, Karyn walked into the room. The change in her appearance was dramatic. Most startling was the long blond hair that had not been visible under her frozen scarf. She was wearing a set of Brooke's sweats, some slippers and a bathrobe. Brooke is five seven and this woman probably topped out at five two or so. As expected, sleeves and cuffs were turned up. Brooke stood and guided her to an overstuffed chair near the fire where she pulled her legs up into the chair and tucked her feet under the hem of the robe. I can't thank you enough," Karyn said. "I am so sorry to trouble you but I need help." "Tell us what's wrong and how we can help you," prompted Brooke. "My name is Karyn Martin. I escaped from my husband a couple of hours ago. His name is Ron. We have been married for eight years and I have been scared spitless of him for the past six. He came home from work today and was worse than usual. I don't know if he got fired, or if he got into some kind of trouble, or whatever. He was nearly out of control. He told me to pack a bag because we were leaving and never coming back. I didn't want to do it but I was afraid he'd hit me if I didn't obey him. He's done it before. We threw our things in the car and took off. The longer we drove, the more enraged he became. When I asked him what was wrong, he just screamed at me to shut up. Finally he said he was going to ram the car into a tree or a bridge abutment and kill us both. I was petrified. I think the only thing that saved me was the deer." "How did a deer manage to save you?" I asked. "A deer jumped out onto the road in front of the car and Ron had to jam on the brakes. When the car slowed enough, I threw myself out the door and ran into the woods. It was dark and I found a good place to hide some distance into the woods. Ron searched for twenty minutes or so, screaming at me the whole time, and then he gave up. I was so relieved when he drove off but I had no idea where I was. I didn't want to go back out to the road in case he came back so I just started walking deeper into the woods. I must have walked for at least an hour before I saw a light which turned out to be your house." "Apparently you didn't come up the drive, so you had to have come in from State Route Four which is at least two miles away," I said. "You could have died out there in this weather." "I didn't have a choice anymore," Karyn said. "I had to get away from him. I stayed with him years longer than I should have. I kept hoping he'd change." "Karyn, they never do," offered Brooke. "People don't change much over time." "I know that now. If I'd figured that out years ago, I wouldn't be troubling you now. Thank you so much for taking me in. If you'd be so kind as to drive me to a bus station when my clothes are dry, I'll be out of your hair." "It's really pretty late," said Brooke. "Why don't you spend the night and you can think things through in the morning. You obviously have a lot of decisions to make and a plan to put together. We have plenty of room and you won't be a bother to us at all. Karyn paused for a few seconds and then nodded her head. "I'd like that very much. I am really tired. If I can get some sleep, I'll be able to function better tomorrow. This is so kind of you both." "The guest suite is all yours," said Brooke. "Everything you might need is in the bathroom. We know you're exhausted, so if you would like to turn in now, we won't be offended. When your clothes are dry, I'll put them outside your door. Sleep as late as you like and we'll have breakfast when you wake up." "I think I do need to lie down now. Thank you so much. Goodnight to you both." "We'll see you in the morning Karyn," said Brooke. "Sleep well. You're safe here." Brooke and I watched her move down the hall, a little unsteady on her feet. From the back, with cuffs and sleeves rolled up, she looked like a kid. *** Brooke and I were having coffee when Karyn came into the kitchen the next morning. Once again I was startled at her appearance. She looked like anything but a kid this time around. The facial puffiness of the night before was gone and her hair was carefully brushed and pulled back into a casual ponytail. She was a very pretty woman. Her clothing, washed, dried, and pressed, accentuated her slim, athletic figure. If she weighed more than a hundred pounds, I'd have been surprised. I had to wonder how her husband could have been so abusive to her. Brooke raised her cup. "Coffee?" "I'd love some," said Karyn. "I feel so much better this morning. I got the best night's sleep I've had in a long time and I can't remember the last time I felt this safe. Thank you both again." She joined us at the table and we chatted for a while. "Well, ladies, I have to go into the office today. Karyn, please stay as long as it takes for you to figure out what you want to do next. You are well hidden, so if your husband is still looking for you he won't find you here." Brooke walked me to the door. "I'll help her however I can today. I'll call you if anything comes up. I don't feel right dumping her at the bus station so we'll try to come up with a better alternative." We kissed goodbye and I walked out into weather that was much better than last night's storm. My phone rang a couple of hours later. "It's me," said Brooke. "She's a mess right now. The only thing she can think about in terms of a plan is to put as many miles between her and her husband as possible. I suggested we call the police but she refused. She says all she'll get from that is a restraining order and a piece of paper doesn't offer much protection. I agree with her. We took an inventory of her resources and that got her attention. She has a driver's license, about thirty dollars in cash, and the clothes she's wearing. She has a credit card but she can't use it. It is a joint account with her husband and she knows how easy it is to track card usage. She doesn't have a cell phone. Apparently she has no family to help. I convinced her to stay a couple more days while we sort through this mess. I was able to pry her clothing sizes out of her so I'm in town now picking up a few things. I didn't want her to come with me and she's too frightened to leave the property anyway. It's a small town and she's too conspicuous. When she does leave, she has to be on the move quickly. And it's not going be on a bus either. Just the idea of loading her onto a bus creeps me out. We'll have to help her financially. Do you have a problem with any of this?" "Of course not," I replied. "Do what you need to do. We certainly can afford to help her out. While you're in town, get her a throwaway phone with a lot of minutes on it. She may not have anyone to call right now, but knowing she has the ability to communicate might make her feel better. We can work out an escape plan a little later. Basically, she needs to figure out where she wants to go. Then we can get her an airline ticket and give her some cash to hold her until she gets settled." "Thank you. I knew you'd agree but I wanted to check with you anyway. I love you. See you at home." "Love you too. Bye." *** A couple of days expanded into three or four. Brooke and Karyn worked on the plan each day while I was at work. At night they would brief me on their efforts and solicit my thoughts. Karyn was a delight to have around. She was intelligent, funny, and vivacious. It was apparent to me that both women got along well with each other. We would both be sorry to see her go but knew it was necessary. Karyn needed to get away from her husband and get on with her life. The escape plan was as simple as I thought it would be. The hard part was figuring out where she wanted to go. We live near Portland so the east coast held a lot of appeal for Karyn. Three thousand miles was a comforting distance to her. She ended up choosing North Carolina after discovering she had an acquaintance or two in the Raleigh-Durham area when Brooke showed her how to use Facebook. The rest was easy. She had clothing and a carry-on bag to carry her meager possessions, thanks to Brooke. When the time came, we'd buy her an airline ticket, give her some cash and drive her to the airport. When her plane left the ground, we knew she would be okay. *** One night after Karyn had been with as for about a week, I returned home from work to find both women waiting for me but behaving a little differently than on previous nights. They were seated side by side on the family room sofa. I already knew that everything was in place and we were going to implement Karyn's escape plan the following morning. What I didn't know was the reason for their change in demeanor. It turned out to be a colossal surprise. "Aaron, we'd like to talk to you for a few minutes before dinner," announced Brooke. "Sure," I replied, settling into the arm chair. "What's up?" Brooke and Karyn exchanged glances and then Brooke pulled the rug out from under my feet. "For the past few days, Karyn and I have been having sex together while you were at work." I was stunned, to say the least. It took a few moments for me to collect my thoughts. "Well, I have to tell you that I'm surprised. Very surprised. But I don't feel threatened in any way. Men see that sort of thing between women differently. Brooke, I've known you for a lot of years so I know you're not gay" "Me neither," Karyn announced. "I also know that Brooke has mentioned her curiosity about sex with another woman from time to time. This sounds like an opportunity presented itself and you both seized it. I hope it was everything you expected it to be." "It was that and more. I'll tell you all about it sometime." Brooke said. "It started out as just girl-talk and the conversation drifted to sexual fantasies. Karyn admitted that she'd always wondered what it would be like to make love with another woman. I confessed to the same curiosity. The time was right so we went upstairs to bed. The outcome surprised us both, so we had sex a few more times over the next couple of days." Karyn spoke up. "After that, it seemed like it had run its course so we stopped. But then Brooke told me she'd had an intriguing fantasy for years. She wanted to watch you have sex with another woman. Without any hesitation, I volunteered to be that woman. It's something I want to do before I leave tomorrow. I want to do it for her, for you, and for me." Now I was really floored. It had never occurred to me that Brooke had any intention of bringing her fantasy to reality. "I don't know what to say," I croaked. "Don't say anything right now," said Brooke. "We've had a couple of days to talk about this but we've caught you by surprise. Obviously it can't happen without your cooperation. If you refuse, we'll both be disappointed but it's not the end of the world. Why don't you think about it while Karyn and I go prepare dinner? You can give us your answer later." And think about it I did. I tried to come up with a good reason to decline without sounding like a prude. Assuming they were both serious, it seemed like nothing more than a rare opportunity to have everyone get what they wanted. I knew what Brooke wanted. I wasn't exactly sure what was motivating Karyn, but I had to admit that the mental pictures racing through my head were extremely arousing -- which surprised me. I had never wanted any woman other than Brooke. There was no need to stray. She met all of my needs. And yet here I sat anticipating what might happen later in the evening. Dinner seemed surreal. The two women chatted away, including me in the conversation at reasonable intervals. Neither one seemed the slightest bit ill at ease. I couldn't say the same for me. I knew they would press me for an answer soon. And sure enough...... "Well Aaron," began Brooke. "What have you decided?" I took a deep breath or two. "I think this is a situation that will never occur again. Both of you seem to have thought this through so I have to assume it's something you really want to happen. Given all that, I would be honored to participate." Both women smiled excitedly. I half expected them to give each other a high five. Brooke said, "Go take a shower while we clean up here. Wear one of the spare robes. Use the downstairs bathroom and stay here until I come get you. It'll take a while for us to get ready, so you'll have to amuse yourself." Yeah right, amuse myself. I wasn't going to do anything but think about what was now rolling forward with startling speed. *** It seemed like a week, but it was probably only an hour or so when Brooke appeared. I stood as she entered the room. She was wearing an emerald green wrap-around dress I had not seen before. I was certainly familiar with the concept. She had several dresses of similar design and all had figured prominently in our sex life. Their most endearing quality was the easy access to her body that they permitted. Her legs and feet were bare and I could tell she was braless. The sight of her caused me to think a three-way might be in the offing, which was certainly okay with me. "You look beautiful," I told her. "But you might freeze to death wearing that dress at this time of year." "Thank you sir," said Brooke as she laced her fingers behind my neck, "We are ready for you now. As for the dress, you'll see why it won't be a problem. But before we go upstairs, I want to thank you for doing this. It is something I've always wanted. Karyn wants it too. She is thrilled to be the woman I chose. I want you to fuck her in all the ways you've fucked me over the years. I want you to do everything to her and I want you to do it the same way you do it to me. As I found out, she is very responsive so I think you will be pleased and excited at her reactions to you. She likes you and is genuinely looking forward to the night ahead. There is no threat in this to us. When she leaves tomorrow, we'll probably never see her again. If we do, there won't be a repeat performance. So, when we enter the bedroom, I want you to ignore me completely and give all your attention to Karyn." Then, taking my hand, she led me toward the stairs, my heart pounding all the way. *** Our bedroom has two prominent features, a California king bed and a fireplace with an attractive seating arrangement. The two women had taken pains to prepare the room. A fire was blazing and they had turned up the heat to make the room much warmer than normal, which explained why Brooke's summer dress was now more than adequate. One of the chairs now faced the bed rather than the fireplace. The bed had been stripped of all linens except for a fitted sheet and two pillows. I understood the reason for this; the bed would be a performance stage and needed to provide an unobstructed view. Illumination was a subtle combination of recessed lighting and strategically placed candles that provided sufficient light for Brooke's purposes and a soft, intimate environment for Karyn and me. We entered the room and, without a word, Brooke crossed to the chair. Karyn was perched on the edge of the bed. She was beautiful. Gone was the customary ponytail. A mass of soft shiny blonde hair cascaded below her shoulders. She was wearing a diaphanous little ensemble that left little to the imagination. The top dropped to a point just below her breasts and was secured by a ribbon tied into a bow at her throat. Her panties were almost non-existent. Clearly, Brooke had done a little shopping at Victoria's Secret. Karyn stood and walked toward me as soon as Brooke was seated. I was sure the two of them had carefully orchestrated the beginning of the performance. Brooke would have told Karyn that I would be a little hesitant about how to begin. And she was right. Standing on tiptoes, Karyn put her arms around my neck and kissed me lightly. This was the crucial point. Any hesitation on my part now would put a strain on everything that followed. I decided to honor my wife's request without reservations, pulled Karyn tightly to me, and deepened the kiss. Instantaneously, my body began to respond as she pressed herself against me. Breaking off the kiss, Karyn took my hand and led me to the bed where she reached up to undo the tie that held her top together. Intercepting her hand, I said, "I'll do that a little later. Lie down on the bed." Karyn did as I directed. When she was arranged beautifully in the center of the bed, I removed my robe and tossed it aside to reveal a growing erection. I glanced briefly at Brooke and received a small smile and a nod in return. Given final permission to proceed, I joined Karyn on the bed, gathered her into my arms, and kissed her. She moaned softly with pleasure as she molded her body to mine. As the kiss deepened, I began to stroke her shoulders and arms. Taking my time, I shifted my attention to her waist and stomach, deliberately avoiding her breasts. She was touching me gently in return. After several minutes, Karyn began to writhe gently against me. Taking this as a sign that she was ready for more, I slid my hand up under her top and gently caressed her breast. She sighed in contentment. I brushed my thumb across her nipple which immediately grew erect. I began to kiss her neck and shoulder as I concentrated on the wonderful firmness beneath my hand. Finally, I reached up and pulled the tie to open her top and reveal both of her beautiful breasts. Rolling her over onto her back, I spent several more minutes caressing her with my hands and teasing her nipples with my lips and tongue. She responded with soft moans and murmurs. I stole a glance at Brooke just to see how she was reacting; and got caught doing it. She had not moved since taking her seat. She looked relaxed and beautiful sitting there with her legs elegantly crossed and her wrists draped over the armrests. She gave a slight smile and slowly shook her head from side to side. I got the message. 'I want you to ignore me completely and give all your attention to Karyn.' Unchained Fantasy Message understood once and for all, I returned my focus to Karyn. I slowly began to move my hand down from Karyn's breast toward her panties, taking my time along the way. When I felt the wispy fabric under my fingertips, she opened her legs in encouragement. Now highly aroused, I gently moved my hand over her pussy and found her panties to be pleasantly wet. Karyn let out a soft sound of pleasure. I was unable to prolong things further so I eased my hand down inside her panties to run my fingers lightly through her soft hair. She immediately brought her knees back slightly and tilted her hips, sending me an unmistakable signal. I began to massage her pussy, carefully avoiding her clitoris, until I could easily insert one finger deep inside her. Karyn cried out softly. Intensifying my efforts, I inserted a second finger and started to stroke her G-spot. She became more vocal and started thrusting her pussy against my hand. She was lubricating heavily so I was able to massage her clitoris with the palm of my hand and continue finger fucking her at the same time. She was now clutching me tightly, thrusting hard against my hand, and crying out continuously. I realized she was going to come soon and chose to steal another glance at Brooke. I knew I wouldn't get caught this time. Brooke would be focused entirely on what was happening between Karyn's legs. Brooke was no longer motionless in the chair. Her breathing had accelerated and I could see her breasts rising and falling in cadence. She was squirming slightly in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs as I brought Karyn closer to an orgasm. Satisfied that Brooke appeared to be getting what she wanted, I returned my attention to Karyn. A few more seconds of vigorous finger fucking pushed her over the edge. She let out several sharp cries and began to shudder in release. I could feel her pussy contracting around my fingers as I slowed and softened my hand movements. Finally, she sighed deeply and began to relax in my arms. I wanted to fuck her right then, but I knew we had one more act to complete before I could enter her. Rising to my knees, I gently raised Karyn to a sitting position, peeled off her gauzy top, and tossed it on the floor. Laying her back down, I grasped her panties and eased them down over her knees and off her legs. She eagerly raised her hips to assist me. I looked down at her beautiful, naked body with admiration. Realizing how much I appreciated what I was seeing, she responded with a wide smile. There was little doubt in my mind that Brooke had told Karyn the details of her fantasy, if for no other reason than to give Karyn an opportunity to decline any sexual activity she felt uncomfortable with. Brooke had told me to 'fuck her in all the ways you've fucked me over the years. I want you to do everything to her and I want you to do it the same way you do it to me,' so I suspected Karyn knew what I was going to do next. I reversed my position on the bed to lie alongside Karyn, offering my erection to her mouth. She had been careful to avoid touching my cock earlier so our encounter could last as long as possible. Now she eagerly began to lick and suck me as I opened her legs and lowered my mouth to her pussy. I began to move my tongue around her swollen clitoris and received a long low moan from her in response. I drew her clitoris into my mouth and began to suck on it lightly, rolling it around with my tongue. Karyn quickly lost track of what she was supposed to be doing to me and let go of my cock. I was very grateful. We had a while to go before the night was over and I couldn't handle too much more of what she was doing. I sensed Karyn would come more quickly this time so I intensified my efforts. She was now rocketing toward her second orgasm within twenty minutes. She began to cry out repeatedly and started thrusting her pussy rhythmically against my mouth. Within a minute or two she let out a high-pitched cry as I felt her thighs quivering against my cheeks. I kept tonguing her clitoris, holding her in a highly orgasmic state for several intense seconds before easing off to let her down gently. Not daring to look at Brooke, I reclaimed my original position in the bed and returned my attention to Karyn's breasts, intending to let her rest for a few moments. "I think you should fuck me now, Aaron." The first words I'd heard from Karyn since dinner. I heard Brooke make a slight throaty sound. Her arousal was palpable. This was going to be the apex of her fantasy, the moment when I began to do what she really wanted to watch me do; fuck another woman. Wasting no time, I parted Karyn's legs and knelt between her thighs. Looking directly into her eyes, I grasped my cock and began to ease it into her pussy. She was hot, wet, and accommodating. Two people can have sex in a lot of different positions, but I like the missionary position best. It is the most intimate and it gives me a great deal of control just by varying the amount of body weight I place on my partner. I spent the next ten minutes fucking Karyn with as much variety as I could manage. Much of the time supporting most of my weight on outstretched arms so I could have a clear view of the beautiful, responsive Karyn, and Brooke could have a clear view of my cock sliding in and out of Karyn's pussy. I started slowly with deep penetration but Karyn immediately began to respond, sending the unmistakable message that she wanted more. Increasing the speed and force of my thrusts, I was soon pounding into her pussy with all my strength. Karyn answered by rocking her hips in perfect timing, all the while staring up into my eyes and crying out each time my body slammed into hers. "Oh God!" she cried over and over as she came in a rush, her contractions gripping my cock for what seemed like an eternity. It was all I could do to keep from coming and causing everything to end right then. I had to hold on and fuck Karyn in one more position before Brooke's fantasy could be fully realized. I eased my thrusting as Karyn came down slowly, finally pulling my cock free. "Where are you going?" Karyn asked with a small frown. "I'm not going anywhere. We're not finished yet," I said with a smile. "Now, I want you to lie on your stomach facing Brooke and spread your legs." Karyn complied and once again I knelt between her thighs. In this position I could finally look at Brooke without being admonished. She was very aroused. Her face was flushed and she was hyperventilating. Her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. She gave me a small smile and nodded her head in approval of our performance so far. I smiled back at her and grasped Karyn by the hips. Pulling her to her knees, I folded both pillows in half and placed them under her hips. When they were in position, I gently pushed her back down onto the bed. Her ass was now elevated and angled nicely up at me. I grasped my cock and eased it into her pussy from behind. A sharp intake of breath from Brooke and a soft moan from Karyn were my reward. I supported my weight with outstretched arms on each side of Karyn's waist and begin a slow, deep cadence. In this position, the head of my cock prodded her G-spot at the end of each stroke. Karyn clearly felt the impact and began to respond with louder moans and cries. Unable to move because I had her pinned down against the pillows, she could only lie there gripping the sheet with her small hands while I fucked her for several more minutes. I knew this last act would be the end of Brooke's fantasy. I wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. Hoping to give Karyn one more orgasm, I began to thrust with greater purpose as I watched Brooke's reaction. It turned out to be quite dramatic. With trembling hands, Brooke untied the wrap that held her dress together and pulled everything aside to reveal her beautiful body. She then lifted her legs to drape them over the arms of the chair. From some hiding place close by, she produced her favorite sex toy. We used a variety of them, but her all- time favorite is a pair of battery operated vibrating eggs. One egg is inserted into her pussy while the other is used to stimulate her clitoris. Brooke has had countless, intensely powerful orgasms with this device. Karyn became more vocal as I continued to pound my cock into her pussy and her arousal soared. Even with her face buried in the mattress, her cries still filled the room. She began to claw fiercely at the sheet with her fingernails. I watched, fascinated as Brooke pushed one of the eggs deep into her pussy, started the vibrations, and began moving the remaining egg around her clitoris. I knew she would quickly find the spot that provided the most intense results and then press the egg into place with her hand until she came. Karyn was nearing orgasm and so was I. I sensed that Brooke wanted to come simultaneously with me. My challenge was to hold off long enough for Brooke to catch up. I didn't have to wait long. With her eyes locked onto mine, her arousal spiraled upward very quickly. Her legs began to quiver and she started rocking her pussy against her hand. Finally, she clamped her free hand over her mouth, probably to avoid distracting Karyn, who was now coming with violent contractions that triggered my own response. I exploded into Karyn just as Brooke screamed into her palm and then fell back gasping into the chair. The room grew quiet. I slowly withdrew my dripping cock from Karyn's pussy and rolled onto my back. She remained draped across the pillows, her eyes closed, breathing softly. I could hear nothing from Brooke's direction. Soon, as is often my habit after sex, I drifted off into a light sleep. *** Sometime later, I felt the bed shifting under Karyn's weight and realized she was leaving the bed. Barely awake, I didn't open my eyes and soon dozed off again. More shifting awakened me a second time and I felt a hand gently coaxing my cock into another erection. Opening my eyes this time, I saw that Brooke was now beside me, naked, on the mattress. Taking me into her mouth, she completed her mission. I was now fully erect. "Don't move," she commanded as she swung a leg over my body to position her pussy directly above my cock. "Karyn went back to her room a couple of hours ago. You've had enough time to recover so I am going to fuck you now." Reaching down, she guided me into her as she lowered her body onto mine. Brooke is an expert at this and soon had both of us in a fever pitch. We came within seconds of each other and Brooke collapsed onto my chest. After a while, I rolled her onto her side held her next to me spoon-fashion for the rest of the night. *** The trip to the airport the next morning was uneventful. Karyn was a little nervous about being recognized because this was her first excursion off our property since the night of her arrival. Other than that, everyone was in high spirits. We had spent a spectacular evening together and each of us was highly satisfied with the results. I parked as close to the entrance as I could and we quickly escorted Karyn to security. "I can't thank both of enough," exclaimed Karyn. "I know you saved my life; maybe in more ways than one. I'll never forget you, but I will repay your kindness someday. We'll probably never see each other again but you will get a check in the mail sometime in the future when my new life pays off." After a quick exchange of hugs, Karyn grabbed her bag and entered the security line, tears in her eyes. Brooke was tearing up as well. With a quick wave, Karyn stepped through the metal detector and disappeared from our lives forever.