The Game

Ever since Danielle had agreed to participate in the game a couple of weeks earlier she second-guessed her decision. What was she getting into? Had she drank too much wine with dinner that night? Would she be able to make it through without being scared to death? What if this wasn't for her? She had always considered herself to be a very strong person but she felt like putty in his hands. He could talk her into anything by saying just the right things. No one knew her better than Jack. Lately, she was becoming more dependent upon him and ached for him when he went away on business trips. She didn't know whether it was true love or just infatuation. Whatever it was, he had almost taken complete control of her senses when they were together. His domination over her seemed to continue even when he was away. He had even helped her to grow to love the erotic pain and pleasure to which he had introduced her. Regarding the game, he promised to get back to her with more detail later after he worked out a few things.

The official letter arrived at her house on a Wednesday by registered mail. The plan for the mystery game was set and she received just the most basic instructions. The letter stated that sometime, and it could be anytime, a phone call would come to her cell giving her instructions to follow in order to start her erotic mystery fantasy. Of utmost importance, she had to trust Jack and do exactly what she was told by other people along the way. She was reminded that failure to follow the directions could result in complications. Furthermore, she had agreed that she would follow the instruction to the "T. " A chill ran up her spine when she was reminded that she had bought into the notion of playing the game. This now sounded way more serious than a mere game. She had no idea where she might be when the call came or where she might end up. She knew basically nothing about what might happen.

There wasn't even a designated time period in which the initiating phone call would come although she expected that it would be sooner rather than later knowing his impatience. From her understanding, it would probably continue for days or even weeks as she tried to live her normal life. She was free to decline only at the start when the phone call came if she still had reservations. If she said yes to the caller however, then the game was on. The wheels would start turning and it would be nearly impossible to stop the game once set in motion. There were too many people involved to stop the machine so to speak. There was a safe phrase if she really needed to call it off but that was highly discouraged. Normally she trusted her master implicitly but this commitment into the unknown was more than a bit scary to Danielle. She really wondered whether she would accept when the call came.

First there was the interview with the therapist who was somehow involved with the game. The therapist seemed focused on how well she dealt with stress and ambiguity. The therapist kept digging into examples from the past to gain insight into Danielle's emotional fortitude. There had been two sessions then nothing more was said. Danielle had just received a letter from the therapists that she was sending the appropriate paperwork "on." She wondered what that meant although she took it as a letter of acceptance. According to the credentials Danielle found at the therapist's office and on the internet, she seemed legitimate - a specialist in crisis management, career planning and the usual depression and anxiety disorder things that fell into the realm of many therapists. Danielle had filled out a lengthy questionnaire that included many extremely personal questions. The questions had included many aspects about her upbringing, interests, preferences, dislikes, fears and fantasies. Many of the questions had caused her to stop and think because they involved things she had never really thought about before. On several occasions she found herself blushing as she told things to the therapist that she thought she would never divulge. The whole concept was rather murky but they had assured her that this all was necessary for maximum effect so that the mystery fantasy could be tailored to fit her perfectly. The net outcome was promised to be well worth the effort that was required.

The whole thing had been arranged by her best friend, lover and possibly informal master, Jack. This man had some rather "spicy" erotic ideas once in a while and loved to role play with her. Once he had introduced her to his dominant yet caring way, she found it difficult to go back to just vanilla sex. Knowing his vivid creativity, the very thought of a mystery fantasy orchestrated by him sent chills up her spine. This idea excited her in a good sort of way in spite of the inherent risk and dangers of opening up her innermost thoughts and secrets for the purpose of this adventure. Based on the time they had spent together she did trust him completely. On the other hand, she had no idea who or how many other people might be in on the plan. He didn't really explain too much about how involved the experience might become. She wasn't sure whether she would be free to leave at will and he had reassured her with the safe phrase. He had promised her that saying the word "Red" should stop the experience and she would be taken home immediately. SHOULD? Simple enough but would she remember that under stress?

The game was on her mind constantly for the next week. Every time the phone rang she froze in anticipation. When the caller was just one of her usual contacts she almost felt disappointed. She found herself keeping the phone nearby no matter what she was doing or where she was. She had the phone nearby her bed at night, just in case. She even brought it into meetings at work with the ringer set to vibrate. After a couple of weeks she had gotten used to the disappointment and generally found herself not expecting the call. She still kept the phone nearby but didn't think as much about it being "the call" whenever it rang.

One bright Saturday in May, Danielle was just sitting on the front steps, still in her pajamas, sipping a fresh cup of coffee. It was shaping up to be one of the nicest weekends of the year so far. She was looking over at the garden where she was planning to clear out last year's dead leaves and stems to plant new flowers. The sun was shining and the birds were singing and she was enjoying the setting. All of a sudden, her telephone rang inside the house. She scrambled in through the front door to dig her phone out of her purse. She caught the call just before it rolled over to the answering machine. The caller ID just said, "Out of area."

"Hello?" She answered in anticipation.

An unfamiliar voice spoke in a deep monotone, "Be ready to begin your mystery fantasy in ten minutes. Don't bother to change clothes, just wait at the front door and someone will come to pick you up. Do you accept?"

She sheepishly replied, "Yes" on impulse and before she could think any more about it the caller hung up. "Oh my gosh, I did it!" she said to herself feeling the fear and excitement as she hung up the phone.

She wanted to get dressed but she was specifically told not to. "Was anyone watching?". She decided to at least wash her face and brush her teeth in the time she had. She made sure that the coffee pot was unplugged and the house was ready to lock. She stood in the living room watching out through the picture window. Within ten minutes, an unfamiliar large, black car was moving slowly down the street and turned sharply into her driveway. The side windows were darkly tinted but she could see that there was a man driving the car and a woman on the passenger side. They both stepped out and the man opened the back door of the sedan. He said nothing but waited for her to join them. Even though she was expecting them, her stomach instantly tightened into a knot.

Somehow she was drawn to them. She could feel her heart racing as she felt her feet begin to walk involuntarily out the door and toward the car. Both the man and woman were wearing dark clothing with sun glasses with frozen stares on their faces. This was the most terrifying thing she had ever done but at the same time the excitement was intense. Trust, she thought to herself. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind as she felt the cold leather on her bottom through her pajamas when she slid into the back seat. Her mind went blank as she struggled to remember what that phrase was that would instantly stop this whole thing if it got too intense (she trusted). Not a word was uttered. The car sped away as she continued to wrack her brain to recall that phrase.

The two people in the front seats said nothing as the car raced down interstate 75. She was paying close attention to the surroundings to see if she could figure out where they were going. The woman in front turned around and handed her a folded strip of black satin and a large pair of sun glasses..

"Tie this around your eyes and put the glasses on," she instructed.

"So much for seeing where we're going," she murmured under your breath.

The couple in the front seat said nothing else as leaned back in the car seat. At least they didn't make her get in the trunk!

After a high-speed drive of about 45 minutes, the car slowed and left the freeway. After sitting at a light it went to the right then turned left onto an unknown road. Shortly after the driver turned and drove onto a gravel driveway. Her heart began to race again when the car came to a stop and her escorts stepped out. Opening both back doors they both reached in to help her unbuckle the seatbelt and get out.

The woman removed the sunglasses and blindfold after Danielle was steady on her feet in the parking lot. She could see that they were at a small medical clinic that stood by itself on a corner. She felt self-conscious standing there wearing pajamas. Once inside the entrance she was met with a woman in a white smock holding a wheelchair.

"Take a seat," the man said.

Danielle did as he said and carefully seated herself in the chair. The woman from the clinic adjusted the foot rests and released the brake before whisking her to a waiting room in back. The escorts followed as they bypassed the reception area. Danielle's imagination began to run wild as she sat in the back waiting area, surrounded by strangers. Medical personnel whisked by her from several directions with barely a glance in her direction. After a few minutes a nurse acknowledged that she was expecting Danielle and led the three of them into a room. The nurse presented a hospital gown and instructed her to change into it, opening at the back. The two escorts left the room but the nurse began to prepare a tray of medical instruments.

"They must be playing on my deep fears of doctors and all things medical," she thought with renewed panic. If someone wanted to scare her, a doctor's office was a great place.

She contemplated whether it was already time to stop this game but her curiosity was stronger than her fear and her good judgment so she decided to go along for a bit more. It didn't take long to slip out of her pajamas. She picked up the gown to decipher which end was up. It fit loosely and was hard to tie in the back. She shuddered at the thought of being probed or whatever they were about to do. The adventure had barely begun and already she was feeling tinges of terror. She never went to the doctor exactly for this reason! How could she go on for much longer? The nurse handed her a paper cup holding two capsules and a cup of water.

"Here," she said, "this will settle your nerves a bit."

The look on Danielle's face must have showed alarm. The nurse assured her that no one was going to hurt her. "This is just routine for nervous patients. It's just Xanax - our little secret."

"But..."

The nurse recommended that she save any questions until the doctor arrived. The nurse helped her tie the gown in back and positioned her onto the exam table with a warm blanket, then left her alone in the room.

Before Danielle got too wound up, an elderly man in a white coat appeared with the nurse. The man introduced himself as "Doc" and explained that he needed to check a few things before she could begin her adventure.

"We need to be careful and responsible after all," he said with a grin that felt sarcastic and not too soothing.

She could tell the pills had dulled her senses. The doctor had her sit up. He did the typical exam procedures - listened her heart and lungs, reflex checks, etc. A phlebotomist stopped in to draw some blood. Yikes, needles were the worst!

The doctor and the escorts conferred in a corner of the room. When they returned the doctor was holding a box with the cover removed and a leather strap hanging over one side. It resembled an obedience collar for a dog.

"We're going to place this collar around your neck now, Danielle," he explained. "I want to show you the basics of what it is and how it works. He took the device out of the box. "These prongs will rest against your skin. It works pretty much like a dog collar. They will keep the collar centered with the prongs on either side of your throat. They will be able to shock you at varying intensities depending upon the need. At full power it will knock you on your butt. This device also contains a GPS tracking device so they can monitor your whereabouts.

He lifted it to her neck and inserted one end into the other.

"Oh, and it takes a special tool to remove it. Any attempt to cut it off will likely result in a continuous shock to your neck. They might just warm you first with a small jolt but it's up to them when you leave here."

It all happened so fast that Danielle didn't know what she had just allowed them to do to her. She felt trapped now. The collar served as a conspicuous reminder that she was under someone's control.

"What if I decide that I want to quit right now?" she asked feeling panicked.

"You definitely have that option," the doctor calmly replied. "Do you want to think about it for a while first? I understand that they've already got a lot of adventures planned for you. This is just a precaution to protect you as much as to protect themselves."

"Would you remove the collar if I said I don't want it?"

"Of course, but then the game would end as well. You just need to use your safe word."

Danielle was torn. Damn him! He knew how she would be drawn into the mysterious game but it seemed that things just kept getting scarier and more sinister.

"Is this thing waterproof for showering?" she inquired as she thought about the more practical aspects.

"You and it should be fine," the doctor reassured her.

"They're here to take her to the starting point," the nurse interjected. "Are you ready Danielle?"

. A fresh set of clothes with jeans, a pair of panties, a black T-shirt and light jacket were handed to Danielle. They also handed her a pair of modest heeled shoes.

"No bra?" she asked because she was always self conscious when her nipples showed through her blouse.

"No, he specifically told us not to include one."

Danielle knew he did that just to make her feel more self conscious. At least she had the jacket.

"Get dressed," the nurse said as she handed the clothes to her.

"Before you go, we need to check it to make sure the electronics are working," the doctor said. "I'm going to give you the smallest shock as a test."

Before she could prepare she felt a substantial jolt in her neck. Danielle nearly fell over the table.

"I guess it's working," the doctor said with a small grin. "Remember, you don't have the same hide as a dog so the jolts will be much more intense for a person. That was a one on a scale of one to ten. A ten leaves burn marks and will knock you out after five seconds. Being wrapped around your spine near your head, it starts to short circuit your entire central nervous system. Be a good girl and you won't have to worry."

With that they left Danielle alone to get dressed.

She looked in the mirror as she slipped the new panties on. The collar was surprisingly compact yet quite visible. The black leather had a Goth look to it. The adventure was really getting intense with this obedience/torture device but she decided that she wanted to press on to see what Jack had in mind for her. It occurred to her from everything that had already happened on the first day that he had put a lot of preparation into this adventure. The new clothes fit perfectly. The tee shirt and jacket did a pretty good job of making the collar less noticeable. She was already wondering with anticipation what would happen next. She noticed the two escorts standing at the door, waiting for her to reemerge from the exam room. Danielle took a deep breath and opened the door to leave. They joined her, walking out with one on each side. They ushered her into the back seat once again. This time they didn't require her to wear the blindfold. They drove back to the interstate and proceeded south. She wondered if these people had the transmitter to zap her. It wasn't something she was eager to check at that particular time.

The car sped along the highway and she could see that they were nearing Sanibel Island. The car headed West across the bridge until it arrived at a boat marina on the island. The car came to a stop at a marina where many cabin cruisers and yachts were docked. The man and woman once again took her in tow and led her up the gangplank into a nicely appointed yacht.

"Watch your step," he warned. It can be a bit tricky if the boat moves.

Once inside the cabin area, the blindfold was once again placed over her eyes. She stood motionless as no one made any attempt to take her anywhere. After a long period of silence she had the feeling that she was standing alone in the cabin. Reaching up to peek from behind the blindfold her head snapped back in pain as a sharp stinging sensation stung the front of her neck.

A vaguely familiar voice spoke softly, "Uh Danielle, you're not allowed to peek".

Was that Jack? She wondered if that was her but she didn't let on that she knew. She felt a little better knowing that he might be with her again. She immediately took her fingers away from the blindfold and lowered them away from her face. She then did her best to rearrange the cloth over her eyes. When she had moved the cloth back up over her eyes she winced at how her neck still stung. She reached behind her head to pull the ends of the cloth tight again. "

That had to be more than a "one" She thought to herself.

"That was a "two" on a scale of ten," the voice explained. "I was being gentle with you this time. We're not here together to punish you though, luv. Please relax and let me show you a good time on my boat."

He took her by the hand and escorted her blindly to a room on the main deck where he helped her sit in a deck chair. As she eased down into the chair she could feel soft plush cushions and felt a little more comfortable although still not at ease. She could still feel her heart racing with excitement from the anticipation and fear of the unknown. He offered her a drink - a mimosa perhaps or maybe wine or soft drink? She accepted the offer for the mimosa thinking maybe a few drinks would help her relax. The question of when to call this whole thing off was ever-present in her mind but things seemed under control for the moment. The reassurances that she had received so far made her believe that she really had some control over what happened.

He took her right hand and placed the cold drink in it. She took a sip and settled back in the chair.

"Care to let me in on the plan?" she asked with sudden courage. "That sun feels good. It would be even nicer if I could see it."

"Good idea," he replied. "There's really no reason for you to be kept in the dark at this point."