Laid off and Laid

At four-twenty on a Friday afternoon Sara Kingston was called into the office of the Vice President of her company and told she no longer had a job. The Vice President was not an unkind man and he tried to give her hope by telling her that the economy could improve and a valued employee like her could be called back, but Sara knew there was little chance of that.

The company was already moving toward hiring part time consultants they didn't have to compensate with benefits packages and by the time the economy improved a lot of the work she did would already have been outsourced. At thirty-three years old, Sara had become redundant.

On the way home Sara nearly had an accident because her mind was not on her driving. She ran a red light and nearly broadsided a pickup truck that had right of way. The man in the truck gave her the finger, and Sara burst into tears.

Life sucked, she thought, and there didn't seem to be any signs of it improving.

She had managed to stop her tears and wipe her eyes by the time she reached the small grocery store in her community. She stopped because she knew there was no wine in the house she shared with her sister and she needed something to steady her nerves. She was tempted to go into the liquor store for something stronger, but the last thing she needed was gossip to start about her drinking habits. Living in a small town was good and bad, but part of the bad was the gossip. Everyone knew everything about everybody else, from their financial woes to their sex life. Not that Sara had to worry about her sex life. She didn't have one.

A part of Sara's depression was the knowledge her life could have been made easier if she'd been less choosy. Another Vice President at her company would have been willing to keep her on as his personal assistant if she'd been willing to give him some really personal assistance. Sara didn't think a job description should include afternoons of frolic at the nearby motel, or, as the Vice President hinted, a few frantic moments on the couch in his office.

At the grocery store Sara also made a few more purchases so it wouldn't look as if she just came in for the wine. There were times when Sara wished she were more like her sister and not really give a damn what people thought of her.

The boy who bagged her groceries gave her the once over. Sara knew men liked to look at her body even though lately she had been fighting a battle with her weight. She was a little plump but still in god shape with her full, high breasts long legs. And few men resisted taking another look at her from behind when she was walking away. But she knew she wasn't pretty. Her mousy brown hair was never manageable and her green eyes were set too close together and she thought her nose too sharp.

Her sister Becky was the pretty one, and the smart one. In school Becky was voted most popular and homecoming queen. She always made good grades without the effort that Sara put into study. After graduation Becky took a job as a secretary to a lawyer. Three months later she married the lawyer and a year after divorced him. There were two other marriages and two other divorces and Becky had come out of all of them with more money, more property, and more security. Becky lived well in a huge home and didn't have to work.

Sara had tried college but working as a waitress and trying to study was too much. She had tried business school and did well but there were no jobs available by the time she graduated. She went to work as a secretary in a small publishing firm. She had a brief affair with a co-worker who dumped her almost as soon as she had sex with him. Her virginity gone, she soon also lost her job and had to move in with her sister Becky.

Becky made her life hell. She listened to constant litany of how silly Sara was to do all that studying and work and all she really needed to do was find a man to take care of her. Becky always insisted that all Sara had to do was be less choosy, open her legs, and trap some man.

Sara had been looking forward to the day when she could move out of Becky's house but now it looked as if it wasn't going to happen until she found a new job, and she was also going to have to listen to all of Becky's crap again.

Knowing what she faced was another reason she needed the wine.

A red pick-up truck was parked in the drive when she got home and she felt even sicker inside. She was in no mood to see Eddie Harris. Eddie Harris was the son of one of the most powerful men in town. He was married but it didn't seem to stop him from chasing women. Becky was his current choice. Sara had no idea what his sister saw in him besides his money.

He was sitting on the couch drinking a beer when Sara opened the door. He gave her the once over and lifted his beer to her in a mock salute.

"Hello sweet cheeks," he said.

"Where is my sister?" Sara asked.

"She's taking a shower," Eddie answered. She's been busy this afternoon."

The tone of his voice left no doubt as to what she had been busy doing.

"Why don't you fetch me another beer?" Eddie said.

"Fetch it yourself,' Sara said.

Eddie shook his head sadly. "You should be nicer to me."

Sara could tell what he was thinking and she shook her head violently. "That will never happen."

"I've always wondered what it would be like with sisters," Eddie said.

"You sick bastard," Sara said.

She knew she couldn't kick him out of the house because the house belonged to her sister but she didn't have to stay in the same room with him. She hurried through the living room toward the bedroom but she heard his voice behind her.

"I don't think you'll get a better offer, sweet cheeks," he said, "unless some guy will put a bag over your head."

She slammed the door of her bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed. She quickly opened the bottle and poured the wine into a paper cup and finished it off in a couple of swallows. Now she definitely wished she had gotten something stronger as she poured another cup. She felt sick inside. It wasn't the first time she had heard the comment about the bag over her head, but she hadn't heard it in a while. How could boys and men be so crude and cruel?

When she had been a girl, she had dreamed of Prince Charming. She had dreamed of white picket fences and babies and living happily ever after.

She sipped her wine and felt the tears come again.

There was no fucking prince anywhere in sight.

She didn't get out of her clothes. Instead she cried for a while and then finished off the bottle of wine. A couple of times her sister knocked on her door but she didn't answer and later she thought she heard her sister and Eddie talking outside her room. She didn't really sleep well. Her mouth felt dry and she felt ill when she got up the next morning. She took a long, hot shower and dressed in jeans and a pullover sweater without bothering with a bra. She found her sister sitting at the breakfast table.

"You look like hell," Becky said.

"Thanks," Sara replied.

Sara couldn't face breakfast. She poured herself some coffee and piled it thick with sugar and sat at the table with Becky.

"So you don't have a job again," Becky said.

Sara sighed. She had hoped to avoid this conversation but news travelled fast in a small town. There was little sympathy in Becky's tone of voice.

"No, I got laid off again," she said.

"You've had three jobs in less than a year," Becky said.

"The economy is bad right now," Sara said lamely.

Becky laughed. "That wasn't why you were fired. I hear they have hired a college girl to take your place. She's tall and blonde and good looking. She doesn't have to have brains with a face and figure like she has. "

Sara didn't answer.

"So why are you going to do about paying me rent," Becky said.

"I'll find another job," Sara said.

"Sure you will. In the meantime the debt adds up. Do you have any idea how much you owe me now?"

"No," Sara said miserably.

"I can get you figures but it's a hell of a lot."

"I'm sorry," Sara said. "I'll pay you back. I will."

"You bet you will," Becky said. "In the meantime, you can start taking up some of the responsibilities around here."

"I can do cooking and cleaning," Sara said. "I don't mind. I told you before that we could get by without a maid coming."

"I like having a maid and I can afford it," Becky said. "Actually, I had something else in mind."

"I don't understand," Sara said.

"I want you to start being nice to Eddie. He's my boyfriend. I want you to start treating him special."

"He's a creep," Sara said.

"You hurt his feelings last night," Becky said. "You called him a sick bastard. He didn't like that. Now you are going to apologize to him."

"I won't do that," Sara said. "I can't stand him."

"You will apologize to him and treat him nice or you won't be living here anymore," Becky said.

There was a determination in Becky's voice Sara had never heard before. Her sister was serious. If it came to a choice between Sara and Eddie, it would be Sara who had to leave. Sara was fighting to stay out of deep depression and she knew if Becky kicked her out she would become even more depressed.

And where would she go? She had no savings and very little money. Even her car was in Becky's name. And there were creditors who still chased her.

"Okay, I'll apologize," Sara said.

"And you'll be nice to him," Becky insisted.

"I'll be nice to him," Sara said.

"Good." Becky smiled. "Tonight he's coming over and I promised him an evening to remember. I want you to wear something sexy. I want you to show Eddie what you have underneath all your old maid clothes."

"Are you crazy," Sara said. "I'd said I'd be nice to him. I don't know what you think I meant by that but I'm certainly not going to dress sexy for him."

"You will," Becky insisted. "You'll be very nice to him. In fact, if he wants to take you into your bedroom and fuck your brains out, you'll let him."

Sara sat in shock. She couldn't believe what her sister had just said. There was no way she was going to allow that to happen.

"No, I won't," Sara said.

"Then get out of my house," Becky said.

Sara could feel her face flushing. "I'll leave, all right. I'll leave this crummy little town and this crummy life but I promise you this. Before I get out of town, I'm going to drop by Eddie's house and tell his wife just what kind of creep she's married too."

"Get the fuck out of my house," Becky said.

Sara had never seen her sister so angry or so unreasonable. It didn't take her long to pack because Becky was helping, practically throwing things into her small suitcases. Becky was calling her names and she was crying again. She couldn't stop the tears as she went out of her house and got into her small car. She almost couldn't see to drive through her tears.

She drove three blocks and then pulled over and sat for a while to get her bearings back. She was still in shock. She couldn't believe her sister would demand her to do something like that. The world she knew was crumbling around her, but she wasn't going to leave town without fulfilling her promise. She might have to leave but Eddie was going to pay.

She knew where Eddie lived. It was one of the largest homes in town. It was only a ten minute drive but as she turned on the street, red lights began flashing behind her. She looked into her rear-view mirror and saw a police car. She was puzzled. She knew she hadn't been speeding. She pulled over and watched the policeman get out of the front seat of his patrol car and walk toward her.

She knew him. Actually, everyone in their small town knew Police Chief John Mays. He had been chief of police for as long as she'd been alive. He was tall and muscular, a former football player. His hair had once been thick and black but now it was showing streaks of white. His eyes were a peculiar colour of grey and it seemed they had the ability to see what somebody was thinking. Sara had always felt small and intimidated around him, although he had always been polite to her.

He was usually smiling but not this time.

"Get out of the car, Sara," he said abruptly.

His voice was hard and frightening. She didn't protest. She got out of the car and he grabbed her and turned her around and forced her hands down on the hood. It was an embarrassing, degrading position, like a criminal. He patted her down lightly. His hands were enormous. When one of his fingers rubbed across the swell of her breast, she tried to turn around in protest.

His hand gripped her by the back of her neck. "Shut the fuck up, car thief."

He twisted her hands around her back and handcuffed her. She was still trying to understand what he was talking about as he put her into the back of his patrol car. He got into the front and picked up the radio and talked softly for a moment. She couldn't hear what he said.

He drove her to the police station. She had only been inside once in her entire life. It had been an old building then and now it seemed as if it was about to fall apart. A heavy young woman was behind the counter, her uniform straining at the uplift of her large breasts.

"Take her in back, Lilly," the chief of police said. "Strip her and put her in one of the cells. I'll be there in a while."

"Yes sir, Chief," Lilly said.

"Wait a moment," Sara said. "I want to know what's going on. I want a lawyer."

The Chief of police smacked her softly across the cheek but even a soft slap rocked her. "I don't want to hurt you, Sara," he said. "You keep your mouth shut and do what you're told. No more talk about lawyers and crap. Just do what you're told."

Sara felt the tears on her cheeks. She couldn't stop crying lately. She couldn't seem to stop having one nightmare after another.

The young officer named Lilly took Sara down a long set of stairs into a basement area. There was nothing but a concrete floor and some shower stalls and a few lockers. Lilly removed the handcuffs and then demanded she strip. She started to protest again but Lilly gave her a look that made her close her mouth.

Sara had never felt as degraded as she slipped her clothes off. Lilly was smirking at her. When Sara was nude, Lilly made her get underneath one of the shower heads and she turned the water on. It was cold but fortunately it didn't last long. Then Lilly gave her a towel to dry herself off. After she was finished, Sara was not allowed to dress. She was once more put into handcuffs and shoved into one of the small cells nearby.

Surely, Sara thought, I'm not going to be left here naked.

But that seemed exactly what was going to happen. Lilly stood outside the cell smacking her lips and staring.

"You're not all that pretty in the face but you got a good body," Lilly said. "Nice firm tits. I guess the boys put a bag over your head when they fuck you, huh."

Lilly left her there. She flipped off a switch when she left and the basement room was left in complete darkness. Sara couldn't even see anything in her cell. She sat down on the cold concrete floor. She was miserable. She shivered with cold and the cell floor was hard and with her arms still handcuffed behind her, she couldn't find a comfortable way to sit.

She didn't know how long she was left there. It seemed like hours but she lost track of time. It could have only been a few minutes.

But the lights finally came back on and John Mays came down the steps. Sara tried to cover herself as he stood in front of her cell looking at her. There was no way she could hide from his eyes as he looked her over without smiling. He had on an immaculate uniform and he was sipping a cup of coffee.

"You've been arrested for being a car thief," John Mays said. "Your sister is upstairs swearing out a warrant."

"It's not true," Sara said.

John Mays shrugged. "It doesn't matter if it's true or not. Your sister swears out the warrant and I take you before the Judge. You can ask for a trial but it won't matter. A Jury of your peers will convict you. I promise you that. I figure about six months and you'll be on your way to the state prison. Hell, the Judge will probably give you ten years."

"Ten years," Sara said, as the full meaning of his words came home to her. "I'm going to prison."

He shook his head sadly. "I always liked you, Sara. You were a good kid. But you've lived here long enough. You should know how things work. This town is only in existence because of the Harris factory. And you were going to make things hard for Eddie by gossiping to his wife. You have to pay a price for that."

Sara finally understood what was going on. She was going to jail because she had pissed Eddie Harris off.

"Please don't do this to me," Sara said desperately. "I promise I'll just leave town and I'll never come back. I'll never say anything to Eddie's wife."

"How can we be sure you mean that," the police chief said.

"I mean it," Sara said. "I promise. Just let me go."

"I have to be sure," he said. He seemed to be considering it. He sipped his coffee and shook his head. "I said I always liked you, Sara. I guess I could give you a little test and see if you really know your place now."

"I do," Sara said. "I promise you I do."

Sara's heart was pounding as she felt hope for the first time since she had been thrown into the dank, small cell. She wasn't sure what the test would be but she thought she was ready for anything. She wasn't because John Mays casually reached down and unzipped his trousers and fished his meaty cock out and pressed against the cell so that it was between the bars.

"Consider this your key, Sara," he said. "It opens the cell door and lets you go free. Make sure you don't use any teeth and be careful of my balls. I don't want them to get hung up between the bars. Now let's see if you can use your mouth for something besides gossip."

Sara had seen only one cock in her life and it had been tiny compared to John's. Even as she looked at it, it grew even bigger, filling with blood as he became aroused. He seemed calm as he stood there, sipping at his coffee again, waiting for her to move across the hard concrete on her knees to service him.

She would not. She had not sunk so low. She shook her head.

"It's your choice," John Mays said.

He calmly moved away from the cell and tucked his cock back into his trousers.

"There's still a little window of opportunity for you to change your mind. I hope you do. I don't think you'll do well in prison."

He left her in darkness and Sara spent the most miserable day and night she had ever spent in her lifetime. A couple of times the lights came on and Lilly brought in food and water and took her to the bathroom but then she was again left in darkness. The second time Sara started begging the young woman to leave the lights on. Lilly wouldn't even talk to her.

In the morning the lights came back on and Police Chief John Mays came to stand in front of her cell again. Sara knew she could not spend another night in the horrible cell. She was curled in a ball on the cold floor and somehow she managed to get to her knees and she crawled across the floor to him.

"How are you feeling this morning, Sara," he said, as he sipped his coffee.

"Please," she said. "Please."

Her mouth was dry and parched. He smiled at her.

"Are you ready to turn the key?" he asked.

"Sara closed her eyes and opened them again."Anything."

"Now you're being smart, Sara."

He reached down and unzipped himself and casually let his cock dangle between the bars. It wasn't hard but the purplish head still seemed enormous to her.

"I've never done it before," she said.

Her only boyfriend had tried to get her to do it but she had refused in disgust.