PENAL COLONY NINE (Velvetglove)

(BOOK TWO: THE FACTORY)

 

EXCERPT

 

 

Josh had never seen anything like it.

The factory was in one of several huge aircraft hanger type buildings. The one he'd been allocated to was the 'North Point Sex Toys Plant'. It comprised a dozen manufacturing and packing lines; lots of hissing and clanking machinery. There was also a large treadmill that naked men and women were rotating in order to generate power.

"Here. Position 42E. Remember it." A young female supervisor with a nametag on her uniform snapped.

Josh nodded at his new colleagues. There were males to his left and opposite, but there was also one woman on his immediate right. Like him, everybody was naked except for what was laughably called a 'loincloth'. It was actually a toweling diaper worn around the waist and fastened on with a big safety pin. A large overhead clock displayed 05.59 hrs.

"What do I have to do?" he asked.

The supervisor slapped his cheek. The name on her tag was Viola. Her breath smelt strongly of cigarettes.

"Don't be fucking stupid, moron. When the belt starts up, it will be obvious. This is a packaging line."

At that moment an electronic bell rang loudly and there was a grinding sound. The conveyor belt started to move. Soon enough, Josh could see items approaching; garish pink and white cellophane boxes alongside plastic items in various colors.

He watched the workers before him grab a piece of plastic and shove it into a box. He realized what they were. Sex toys. Vibrators. Dildos.

"Don't go getting any ideas." The girl laughed. "They're not for you."

Josh grabbed a pink vibrator and a gaudy box and pushed it inside as fast as he could. Then he carefully stacked the box in the basket beside him.

"Four a minute." She said. "That's your minimum productivity. 240 an hour, 1,560 per shift, 3,120 per day. Any shortfall ..." she slapped his bottom, "well ... you don't want to find out what happens if you're short."

After that, Josh barely had time to think. The toys and boxes came tumbling down the belt relentlessly. There were people packing them as far as he could see down both sides. But slowly he got into a rhythm with the task.

"Hi." He murmured to the man opposite.

"Ssh." The guy replied. "No talking allowed."

"Really?"

"Just make sure nobody sees you."

"Okay, thanks." Josh glanced around as he popped the next box into his basket. "I'm Josh."

"Simon, but call me Si." The man hissed. "And that's Gem, my wife."

Josh glanced at the woman on his right. She was working topless, with large unsupported tits. Her hair was buzz cut and she had a faded black eye but despite that Josh could see she was reasonably attractive.

"Hi Gem." He whispered.

She gave him a weak smile but didn't speak, just kept doing her job.

"Married?" Si asked him.

"Yes. But my wife's ... I don't know where she is."

"Mmm ... well I'm not sure what's wh ...." Si half-replied, before snapping his mouth shut.

At that moment, the female guard named Viola reappeared, patrolling the line, idly swishing her crop. She was very punk-like with a pink Mohican hairstyle and numerous rings in her eyebrows, nostrils and all the way down her ears. She was smoking too. She looked barely adult.

She exhaled, peered into Josh's basket and nodded in approval, before continuing down the aisle.

"She always like that?" Josh asked.

"Hah, this is Viola in a good mood. Wait until she has an excuse to thrash you."

Time passed in silence and Josh was soon weary from concentrating, and bored because of the monotony. A bell sounded.

07.00 hrs.

Nobody stopped working. They'd only completed one hour. Even the morning shift still had five and a half more hours to go.

 

END OF EXTRACT