Chapter #17The Devil Passes Judgment by: Nostrum   Once again, you wake up out of the blue, but this time, something feels different. The ropes have been adjusted differently – they feel looser, to an extent – but it’s everything else that seems wrong.
For one, you feel like your hair has grown. You can’t touch it, of course, but it reaches up to your neck. The rope feels harsher, and you could swear your arms are smaller and thinner. But it’s your legs that feel the most different. You rub them, and you don’t feel the thin carpet of hair wrapping them. They feel... soft?
As you look down, you are clued as to why. Two mounds of soft flesh, squished by gravity, are interrupting your sight. (Your sight seems to have improved faster compared to other times.) As you lift your leg, you notice it’s thick and bare, and your ass is soft and round.
It’s at that moment when you hear her taunting you. “Like what you see?”
You look around, only to notice a naked Tessa enjoying your equally naked body. “Ma’am? What have you done?”
“I want to test something.” She mounts atop to see you closer. “I wanted to see who would wake up if I placed your skin inside hers. Turns out, you did.”
You recall what Barbara told you. Tessa sees everything in terms of business. Barbara handles the drug business. Your dad will do accounting for her, whether he (or well, “she”) likes it or not. And you?
“Am I going to become a slut?”
You shocked her, as she couldn’t hide her gasp. “Young lady, what a disgusting word! Is that what your parents have taught you?”
“I had a talk with Barbara.” (And also with Cassie, but you don’t want to talk about that.) “She says you see everything in terms of business. You’re probably planning on selling me to people, don’t you?”
She sits beside you, rubbing your legs. “My dear daughter misinterprets me. She’s not wrong in that I see business opportunities, but I also see life opportunities. And I want to see if this one suits you.”
“Not like I have any other choice.”
“I beg to differ.” Your mindless comment has infuriated her; you can hear it in her voice. “Like I said, this is an opportunity. A way to make money; to earn your freedom. But if you feel better inside these four walls...”
“Look - I know you’re trying to sugarcoat it, but I’d prefer you were more honest. Like Barbara.”
Tessa tilts her head; you’ve caught her attention. “May I ask how?”
“She laid everything straight to me. What you plan to do with my dad and with me. Or at least, what she thinks you’ll do.”
“You prefer I come clean about my plans for you, then?” Her tone grows calmer, though still amused. “Very well. I want to see if you can make my girls feel more alive.”
“How come?”
She takes a deep breath, looking at you with her green eyes. “I have a group of girls that work for me. They don’t know, but they do.”
“As... uh, that word you don’t want me to mention.”
“As purveyors of pleasure and entertainment, I would say. They entertain businessmen by providing them with carnal pleasures, but also companionship. And those men are grateful enough to compensate them.”
“In other words; sex for money.”
“Yes, if you want to be that blunt. My girls have sex, and in exchange they get paid.”
“How did you convince them? How haven’t they realized they’re basically pros--”
“That’s the fun part. When I found the pen you used to turn my daughter Ashley into a skin, I tested it with certain women I found.”
“And I bet they were actual, um...”
“Ladies of the night, yes. I learned a valuable lesson back then – these ladies know a lot of information about businessmen.”
You nod and smirk. “So you’re basically using them as spies – so you can blackmail them.”
“Blackmail is such a disgusting word, don’t you think? I prefer ‘keeping tabs on business partners’. Except that they’re not the most efficient spies.”
“May I ask why?” you question warily.
“Ah...” She grins and nods. “I knew you had good manners, my dear. Yes, you may.”
“Maybe if you didn’t treat them as slaves, they’d cooperate.”
“Oh, but they’re not slaves!” The way she tells it – with complete security – baffles you. “You may recall I mentioned they’re unaware of their situation. Well, the ones I caught later, that is.”
“Should I ask what are you talking about, or am I gonna--?”
“Yes, you may. In fact, it’s why I’m telling you this. The first women taught me a valuable lesson, but didn’t like being ‘stored’ for too long. And I needed variety, of course. So I sought some of the hottest women in all Tyneside and... let’s say I captured their essence.”
“And that’s supposed to mean?”
She cackles. “Given that you prefer bluntness...” She draws a pen – a green one that you’ve never seen before – and observes it with awe. “As I experimented with the pens, I found this one had a most unusual quality. It allows me to replicate the skin of anyone.”
“Anyone?” You recall Barbara mentioned something along those lines. “So that’s what you use to clone people.”
“Where did you hear that?” She gives you no time to answer. “Nevermind - it must have been Barbara or Cassandra.”
“Don’t blame them. I wonder why you’re showing me this.”
“Because I know you disbelieve me.” You’re sure you don’t, but once again, she gives you no time to debate it. She clicks the pen, and you see her skin inflate, as if having an allergy, You see her rip the nape of her neck and pull out her outer layer of skin, revealing an exact copy of herself within. (Or, should you say that she pulled out a copy out of her skin?)
As she rubs her own skin, slowly losing its pinkish hue, she throws the other atop you. You feel it frighteningly flesh-like, as if she had deflated and fell atop you. You look at her, puzzled. “Alright. I wasn’t doubting you.”
“Oh, but have you gotten the subtle message this implies?”
Her smile baffles you further. “You... intend me to wear it?”
“Why would I allow you to? Tell me.”
She gives you plenty of time to think, and only a couple things come to mind. “You’re either taunting me or suggesting I could cozy up to you and maybe earn it.”
“Interesting thought.” She sits aside, touching her own skin. You see longing in her eyes as she does, and amusement when she sees you. “SI assume you haven’t forgotten that you still owe me for poor Trevor. Why would I suggest a reward like that if what you deserve is punishment?”
You defuse your growing anger with a deep breath, pondering your question. “What do you get from this? Being so elusive? Because I already told you I prefer when people tell me things straight away.”
She caresses your cheek, grinning. “Because you look adorable when you’re puzzled. Has no one told you that?”
“No, but that wasn’t the question I asked.”
“You asked what do I get from taunting you. That is the answer. Now – if your question was ‘what do I get from dangling a reward in front of you, and then talk about punishment’, it’s because I found a fitting one for you, and because you could turn it into a magnificent reward.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Then you should’ve listened to yourself earlier.” She straightens up, adopting a domineering pose. “As I was saying before the interruption, I made clones of beautiful women in Tyneside, and made them my own army of ladies of the night. Unfortunately, while they excel on that task, they fail on the one I really want them for.”
“Keeping tabs on your business partners,” you echo.
“Indeed. They’re good following orders, but they are a little... wooden, I’d say. They lack creativity. Almost as if they had no soul, I’d say.”
That tells you enough. “You want me to pose as some of them. And because I don’t want to, that’s my punishment.”
“You’re right on the first. But not on the second. See – I do want you to pose as some of them, but I want you to be my personal spy. Think of the Mission: Impossible movies, where the agents disguise to fulfill their objectives. In fact, I may even ask you to do more than spying.”
“But you can’t have me as a loose cannon,” you ponder.
“Indeed. That can be solved easily, though – I hold your family’s well-being in my hands. You do what I ask of you, and I’ll promise they’ll be safe.” Her tone chills as she threatens you. “Fail me, and the last thing you may see is your dear mother ending your life.”
You gulp and squirm – you don’t doubt she’ll be able to do it. (Or worse.) “However,” she continues, “I don’t want to seem cruel to you. That would be the punishment for failure. If you succeed, you deserve a reward greater than your freedom. If you serve me dutifully – if you obey me and remain loyal – I may even consider making you my double.”
“But that would involve--”
“Like I said – if you prove your loyalty to me. Think of it as your ultimate reward. Your freedom, and the well-being of your family is the immediate one.”
“And if that’s so... What’s my immediate punishment?”
“Glad you asked...” Tessa takes the copy of her skin away, then pulls a wicked leather whip from the vanity. She pulls it, grinning. “You’ll have to be tested. I won’t let you leave just yet. There are many degenerates in this town who would like to fulfill their darkest fantasies. Why shouldn’t I tap into that market?”
“You want me to suffer.”
“No. I mean, you will suffer. But only to expiate your sin. Have you heard of the word ‘flagellation’?” That quickly chills your spine. “It was meant to purify the sinner by turning their sin into physical pain.”
She lifts the whip, and you see a devilish grin forming in her face. “Suffer for me. Embrace that pain. Please them. And maybe one day I may free you so you may serve me.”  You have the following choice: 1. Continue |
| Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author