Secrets in the Stable Ch. 01

Lou grunted as pain shot through his chest. He had been trying to call Barbara ever since he got home but she hadn't picked up. She wasn't there to greet him like she usually did either. He swiped his thumb across the phone to get back to the clock on his home screen to double check. She should be home by now, he thought to himself as he looked up the stairs.

"Barbie," he yelled, cupping his hand around his mouth. "You home?"

The house remained silent. He ran a hand through his curly brunette locks but winced when he stretched a bit too far.

"Shit," he said.

He moved to the stairs and sat down on the third step, making sure he eased himself down with help from the wooden railing. He thumbed his phone as he sat, skimming through his apps to see if he had missed any notifications relating to her. He found nothing, and that concerned him. Barbara was far from the type of person to go out and do things without letting him know. Hell, if it wasn't for him, she'd be a shut-in at college who only left her room to go to class.

Her parents would still be paying for the dorms, too, he thought to himself. The pain he felt in his chest was separate from his worry for her whereabouts. It also wasn't exactly guilt at being the cause of her getting disowned by her parents, either. It was hard to feel guilt when it was her asshole of a father that broke his ribs. They couldn't have taken her back without me knowing, he thought as he leaned back. He still checked his phone again.

Barbara really fought to get permission from her parents to go to college. They weren't Amish, but they were damn well close enough. At least as far as it allowed her dad to be able to work a factory and get drunk at the bar with his friends. Her mom and siblings all worked on their farm at home, but Barbara was just too smart for that life. It was thanks to her dad's drinking habits that she convinced them to let her go, under the condition that she didn't go too crazy.

Lou didn't think that their dating was all that crazy. Sure, he tried taking her out to clubs and parties on occasion, but she never jived with that crowd. She was as simple and plain a country girl could be, and he was happy with her being that way. But her parents didn't seem to agree when she finally built up the courage to introduce him to them.

Her parents weren't thoroughbreds, but they definitely preferred to be purebred. The anthro equines were shocked and appalled to see their daughter coming home with a human. It was a short reunion, mostly filled with shouting from her family, demanding why she would be tricked into having relations with a human while Barbara cried. Lou had done his fair share of yelling too, ultimately leading to them getting kicked off their land.

It was when they were leaving that her father got violent, chasing after the human male and threw out a punch. Lou was lucky to have dodged it, having slipped back enough to avoid his head from getting caved in. He was less lucky when he threw his own punch in retaliation, his knuckles bruising under the force of striking the older equine's chest. Her father just laughed at that while making snide remarks. Her family was a close equivalent to feral Irish Cobs. Not the biggest breed of equine, but still mighty, sturdy, and easily 3 feet taller.

Barbara said at the hospital that her father must have been impressed that Lou even tried to fight so he held back on the hook that went into his side. Lou said nothing as he was too hopped up on morphine. Even months later he still felt pain. He was happy he didn't end up with a pill addiction, and even more happy when the bruise in the shape of her father's fist cleared up. He massaged the aching side as he scrolled through his contacts, stopping at G.

Ms. Grace was one of the cleaners that Lou's father had employed at the estate he and Barbara now lived in. There used to be others, but once Lou's parents vanished and were presumed dead, they all ended up leaving. Except for Ms. Grace, who seemed to have been given a postmortem payroll in the will. Everything about it was weird to Lou, his whole life his father had been very strange and distant. But he had a well paying job, even if he didn't know what it was, and his family had plenty of money thanks to his great grandfather.

It was his great grandfather that originally built the house, but his family never did any sort of farming or ranching that he could find. At most someone may have kept some animals, but even that he wasn't sure. There weren't any family photos of someone riding any horses or shearing any sheep, but they did have a large barn not far from the house.

Lou took losing his family well, never having been too close and it was only his father that he really knew. His mother had died when he was young, and his dad tended to have a few women on cycle to play the role of wife. Lou never even spent his childhood at the farm, only recently exploring it as it was left in his father's will. Convenient, as made for a free place for the pair to live together while he worked, and she got her degree. He had grown up self-sufficient, having had to learn how to cook with a caretaker until his dad visited him on the weekend in the apartment he owned. His unique upbringing had something to do with his father not wanting Lou to grow up having to move frequently, but it came at the cost of any sort of familial bond.

He didn't care too much, he filled up his life with friends and loved ones, and currently the whereabouts of Barbara were more important to him. He had the finger next to his ear as he listened to the dial tone. Ms. Grace usually left before he got home, but he knew she was around when his girlfriend got back. He hadn't even realized he was holding his breath until he heard the maid pick up.

"Hello? This is Grace speaking."

He gasped.

"Oh, Ms. Grace? This is Lou, Gordon's son," Lou said.

"Oh, hello dear," she responded. He could hear what sounded like wind rushing through the mic. "I'm sorry but I can't really talk right now, had to leave a bit early."

"That's okay, Ms. Grace. I just wanted to-"

"Just Grace is fine," she interrupted. "I know I left in the middle of cleaning, I just got done with your father's office and was about to get his study cleaned up when I got a call that my boy needed to be picked up."

Lou's voice caught in his throat. He wasn't very familiar with the farmhouse, only recently having gone through every room, but his father didn't have a study. He had an office, but not a study. She continued.

"I'm sorry if I left the passage open, I usually make sure it's closed but I was in such a rush! I hope you don't chew me out like your father would. Anyways, I have to get going, I'll call back when I'm home!"

The phone went silent as the call ended. Lou looked up the stairs towards the hallway where his dad's office was. Any frustration he might have had was nothing compared to knowing that his father had a secret room. A secret study! And what did she mean by passage, he thought to himself as he bolted up the stairs. He ignored the pain swelling in his side as he stomped up the steps, he stopped for a moment at the top to stare down the hallway to the right. At the end of the hallway was the door to his father's old office. He took a breath and then walked towards it.

The bronze knob had been wiped cleaned and polished, Ms. Grace's doing, he figured. It was cold in his hand as he turned it slowly, peeking his head into the room with a held breath. It was organized and dusted, just as he expected. It felt almost too normal now, as if the anticipation of finding the passage changed perception of the mundane. All the bookshelves were where they were supposed to be, the cabinets all closed and in order. He entered the room, trying to get a better look. It just looks normal, he thought to himself with frustration. Could Barbie have come in and gotten locked inside?

"Barbie?"

No response. The house was made from sturdy, thick wood, but it wasn't soundproof. The excitement of finding something incredible began to wane. Lou rubbed the back of his neck to ease down the hairs that had stuck up as the door to the office began to sing shut behind him, closing fully with a soft click. And then a second click. The man spun around, looking at the wall behind him. He didn't really give this part much thought. The only thing on this wall was the door, a dresser, a small table with a lamp, and a big painting of feral horses running through the field.

But the painting wasn't lying flat against the wall. The bottom was jutting out.

"Jesus," he gasped. "Barbie?"

He crept over to the door again, twisting the knob again and pulling slowly. As the door began to open nothing happened. Lou raised an eyebrow. What was that second noise? He pushed the door closed, keeping his eye on the painting. When the door closed, the painting moved just slightly. He opened it again, this time fanning in the direction of the painting, watching the frame bounce against the wall, making a clicking noise as something in the wall failed to lock. He let the door close completely again, satisfied that there wasn't something that tied the hidden passage entrance to the door. He wouldn't want to get himself trapped too.

The painting was wider than it was tall. He placed his hand on the dresser below it. It seemed strong, more than strong enough to hold his weight. He knew that the dresser was empty, more so meant for decoration. When he first came to the house, he checked through every cabinet and dresser, and this one was the only one meant for looks rather than function. He opened the floor to waist high dresser to reveal it was just a solid block of wood, no space for any items to be put in. Oh my god, he thought as he pulled open the other ones, each one opening less and less far than the last.

"They're steps," he said to himself.

He checked his phone once more. He had signal, but no new notifications. I hope it stays that way, he thought as he began to climb up the dresser, lifting the painting up as he approached. He had to bend down under the painting to look inside, but behind the frame was lying an open portal that was only half the size. Instead of being a large, wide rectangle like he assumed, it was a much thinner entrance cut into the wall. Still the same solid wood as the rest of the house, it didn't look like it had been cut out post the building of the home or renovated at any point.

This was always here, he thought. This was built here from the start. Lifting up the painting, he started climbing inside. It wasn't a long tunnel, more like a dividing space between a front door and living room. It was almost comfortable, minus having to bend his head down a little to avoid rubbing against the ceiling. It was definitely only meant for one person at a time, but easy for one to get in and out. At the end of the passage, there was a black curtain that kept out nearly all light. The fabric was heavy as he pushed against it, a line of light only barely visible at his feet as he began to pull it away.

Lou wasn't sure what he was expecting. The old style cabinets with folders and folios stacked on top? That was normal. The bookshelves packed with folders, files, cd cases and video tapes of all kinds? A little concerning. The massive desk that was lined edge to edge with monitors with wires running into a huge computer system?

The man was speechless as he explored the room that was lit only by two lamps opposite corners, taking quick glances at the scattered folders. Dates going all the way back to the 1800s, old folios with names written on them, names that he didn't recognize anywhere on his family tree. This couldn't have just been my dad's work. He rounded the corner of the desk, looking at the front. The screens were currently off, but the slight whirring hum of the system beneath the desk made it clear that it was on. There was an old, plush leather seat. Almost like a throne on wheels and a swivel. Lou pulled it back to make room and sat in it, feeling oddly at peace in it.

Scooting forward, he placed his hands on the keyboard and mouse. Both looked like they came straight out of the 90s. He moved the mouse side to side while he pressed on the down arrow key, hoping that one of them would cause a reaction. His guess was rewarded by a blinding light that flashed from the screens, making him squint as the old monitors began to buzz to life. Blue filled out each view, with only the middle one having any sort of options.

He moved the mouse, watching the overly sized mouse cursor on screen as it mimicked his motions. He had never seen an operating system like this, instead of a login screen, he had two options. One box had a folder icon that was listed "Archive," while the other was a camera labeled "Live Feed." Lou gulped as he clicked on the live feed icon. All the screens shut off for a moment before they returned to life, revealing a 2 by 2 grid of square video feeds of every part of the estate.

Footage from every room in the house, the road leading onto the farmland, outside the stable and home, even inside the stable. Lou deflated in his seat as he tried to take it all in. What the fuck, he thought to himself as he tried to imagine just why his dad would have all of this. Only dad? What about Grandpa? Great Granddad? He tried not to think about it, now finding himself more and more worried that his family held a darker secret than he thought. He glanced over to the VHS tapes on one of the bookshelves. The label on it was old, but still very easy to read even from the desk.

Linda Final: 2/15/1973

He didn't want to dwell on what 'Final,' could mean. Instead, he refocused on the video feeds. If this were truly live, and by the camera aimed at his car parked outside it was, he figured it might be what he needed to find Barbara. He skimmed over the monitor screens, checking each box for any signs of the equine. When he got to the last few screens, he paused. The third to last monitor showed the stable, but one of the screens showed a trapdoor that he had never noticed before. He turned to the last monitor and froze.

He jolted up from the chair, slamming his feet into the floor. His jaw dropped as he stared at the image, checking through all the angles that the screen offered to confirm. Lou's stomach twisted with worry now as he scrambled for the passage, pushing through the curtain not wanting to waste another second.

Oh god, Barbie, he thought in a panic as he raced down the stairs. Please be safe, I'm coming!

________________________________________

Barbara moaned as the aching in her muscles worsened. She tried to move her arms again, but the twisted position they were in now was not going to change anytime soon. She huffed, sending spittle around the edge of the gag in her mouth and running down her upper lip and towards the space between her nostrils. They flared in reaction to feeling the cold and wet liquid as it creeped closer and closer to the earth. What little mobility her head had was useless as she couldn't see past her blindfold. Suspended and restrained, there was nothing she could do. She wanted to cry out for help. Look for something that could help her. Reach for her bonds and unlock them. But mostly-

Oh no, she thought. I'm going to cum!

Much like the other times, the mare wasn't ready for it. Her body quaked, desperately wanting to move yet so restricted. She could feel pain and shame being driven through her body as her orgasm tore through her. There was so much pain as her calves pressed into the spreader bar keeping them apart. How much her arms ached as they were stretched further behind her back. Her head throbbed to near agony. And all this did was make her reach heights she didn't know possible.

She had no way of keeping track of how long she'd been hanging. She knew there was a clock down in the barn's secret basement, she had used it to time herself when she first started playing down here. She told herself it was to ensure her safety. Never stressing too far past her limits. It was all so new to her, in multiple ways. She had been happy and sad the entire time Lou had helped her move here. They both explored it together, little by little. But then work picked back up for him, and she was left alone a lot more. They had planned to move in during the summer semester, which she decided to take off after the fallout of her family meeting Lou.

So she had plenty of free time to search even further beyond the house. She was hoping that Lou would be happy to live here even after she finished college. She knew it was a distance away from his job, so it was selfish of her to desire, but she couldn't help herself. It was comfortable for her, having grew up on a farm. She felt much safer in the middle of nowhere than in the busy city where she went to school. Barbara had wanted to leave, but just so she could prove it to herself, to show that she was smarter than just being a country bumpkin. That she could get a degree and a career to sustain herself.

Having been away from so long, she had felt homesick, and this place showed her why she missed it. It helped that Lou was here instead of her family, too. She had been suffocated living with so many of her siblings crammed together, and even more so under her ma and pa. They didn't understand her at all. She didn't even understand herself, truly. She sucked in a shaky breath, feeling as her core untightened as warm slime continued pouring out of her swollen lips. Her pussy winked in and out as she rode the last wave, riding the euphoric blend of satisfaction and numbness, imbued with the sensations of pain, shame, and the blood pooling in her brain.

I'm so disgusting, she thought to herself, but she hardly felt bad about it. Sure, she knew what she was doing was wrong. That if her mother or father caught her, she'd be mortified and unable to keep living with herself. Yet it just made everything feel so much more heightened! She was drooling from both lips at the thought. Coming out here, leaving with Lou, it was all so freeing. Even after getting herself tied up in this mess, she still felt so open and as close to being herself, more than the nights of being under the covers with Lou. And the fact she kept it hidden from him was the only thing that actually, truly hurt.

She had spent many nights wondering how to tell him about this place. It had been on a rainy day while she searched the barn. She had already set up mental zones of where she'd like to expand on the land, setting up gardens and what not. The barn seemed like it could be perfectly adapted into a large shed to store tools and tractors, or perhaps into a greenhouse for the winter. It was when she was clearing out the old hay out of the stalls that she found the trap door. It was well hidden, strange for a cellar. She knew her father had friends who talked about this kind of thing. 'End of the world Bunkers,' or something like that.

Lou didn't really tell her much about her dad beyond that he was secretive. She figured he was just another loon with a plan for when things went bad. It took a lot of strength to pull the door open, even for an equine of her size. The opening revealed a stairwell that curved downwards, which surprised her. She wasn't really sure what she expected, but she imagined that the majority of things would consist of food and water storage. A few beds, maybe a book collection. When she opened the door at the bottom and the automatic lights flashed on, she hadn't expected to see an extensively packed BDSM sex dungeon.

The veritable den of depravity left Barbara completely stunned. It had taken a year for her to be willing to give her virginity up to Lou. She had never even seen a sex toy before. The most experience she ever had with bondage was when she stumbled past a group of women in the dorms that had put on a showing of Fifty Shades of Grey! Her family never approved of sex stuff, outside of what she could hear her parents doing through the walls. The mare ignored the other girls' calls to join them, far too ashamed and mortified to indulge in perverted film like that.