“I did nothing wrong.” Kimberly said each word slowly and with emphasis.
“Oh, I’m sure you think you’re innocent. But the truth is that it doesn’t matter.
You’re here and you’ll stay here.” He reached out and touched her long, shining black
hair gently. She pulled her head away.
“I was never on trial. I was arrested by some security types in plain clothes and then
keep a prisoner. My hands and feet were shackled and a hood was kept over my head. This
is not fair. I’m entitled to a fair trial.”
“Tut, tut, my dear. That’s the story I’ve heard from everyone who has been brought to
me. No trials, no juries, no publicity. You did something that you shouldn’t have. Or
you know something that is dangerous - to someone in power.”
He paused as if leaving an unasked question in the air. Kimberly tensed. Yes, that was
it! Something she knew. And suddenly she knew exactly who had ordered her to
“disappear”. But how much should she say out loud? “Do you know why I’m here?” she
asked.
“No. There is never any paperwork. And, besides, it really doesn’t matter,” he chuckled
again. “You’re here, and here you will stay.” His voice softened a bit, and he made an
attempt at a friendly smile. It failed. “Actually,” he told her, “you’re lucky. In
other times you would simply have been killed and your body dumped in the ocean. Or
something along those lines.” He paused for a moment before adding, “Of course, after a
while here you may wish you have simply been eliminated the old fashioned way.”
“If this place is so escape-proof, why am I tied to this chair?” she asked, eager to
change the subject.
She was still wearing the dull gray prison jumpsuit they had given her when her clothes
had been taken away. And she was sitting in a metal chair, her ankles tied to the front
legs and her hands tied behind the back with the wrists crossed. It felt as if the chair
was bolted to the floor.
“I said this is maximum security. That means that you will always be secured in some
manner. Always.” He sounded as though he was coming now to the more enjoyable part of
his lecture. “You will always wear shackles at the very least. And other restraints at
other times.” He smiled evilly. “There is one other aspect of this facility that I
should make you acquainted with.”
He waddled a step forward and with surprising speed swung his hand at her. The slap was
loud. “Oh….!” She cried out at the unexpected shock.
“This is your first lesson. I have just caused you some pain. If you were not dressed
in that jumpsuit, I would have done something else, but this will serve. Those assigned
to this facility have more to their sentence than mere incarceration. You are to be
punished. On a daily basis. Your stay with us is to be made uncomfortable, not a
vacation. You will be whipped, suspended and other tortures to assure that you are in
pain. Myself and the staff here have free rein in the selection and administration of
your punishments.”
“You can’t be serious!” Kimberly cried. “Our government doesn’t do that!”
He only grinned.
“No! This can’t be right. We don’t torture prisoners. That went out with the Spanish
Inquisition!”
“Welcome to the Lunar Inquisition!” His laugh was both evil and depraved. “You look
like you have a pretty nice body under those clothes. I’m going to enjoy administering
many of your punishments myself.”
There was no mistaking the promise of sexual abuse in his leer. Kimberly jerked at the
ropes holding her but they were tight. She shook her head. This could not be happening!
It had to all be a bad nightmare. But the bite of the ropes and the hard chair under her
spoke of reality.
“You’ll learn about the punishments as they happen. As to the rules of the Pit, they are
simple. One, you obey any order given you by any personnel. Two, you do not attempt to
escape. Three, you do not strike or attempt to harm any of the personnel here. Extra
punishments will be given for failures and insubordination. And very severe punishments
will be given for escape attempts or attempts to harm anyone of the staff. Do you
understand?”
Kimberly shook her head as if to negate the whole horrible scene. This just could not be
happening to her.
Conrad reached out and pulled on the zipper by her neck. The front of the jumpsuit
peeled open down to her waist. He pulled the fabric off one shoulder to expose a breast.
“Very nice,” he muttered. “Very nice, indeed.” Then he took the already rigid nipple in
between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed.
Kimberly howled. It was a vicious squeeze with the thumbnail digging into her flesh, and
it hurt very much.
“I asked you a question. Do you understand the rules?”
“Yes, yes, yes,” she cried quickly.
“Very good. I’m going to leave you here for a while, but tonight… Ah, tonight! I’ll see
to giving you some private punishment.” There was no mistaking the sadistic leer on his
pudgy features. Kimberly felt sick inside.
For a few seconds, he flicked the sore nipple, delighting in the discomfort it caused the
tied down woman. Then he sighed and left her alone in the cone of light but otherwise
surrounded by darkness.
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