Echo

blushed, so giddy with excitement that she didn’t even feel the pinprick of the needle as Kelly, who had been hiding in the dark basement shadows, plunged a disabling chemical into her bloodstream.
    As she woke, she found she couldn’t move. She felt groggy and her vision fought in vain to focus. Where the heck was she? She didn’t recognize the ceiling tiles over her head. Or the exposed pipes that ran under the tiles. Huh? She ran her tongue around her mouth, feeling the gummy dryness catch in her throat, preventing her from swallowing. Gagging, she tried to identify the strange taste in her mouth. It tasted like she imagined a bad oyster would taste. Like dog shit. Slowly, the realization that she was restrained sank in. Straining her eyes, she tried harder to focus, softy calling for Tomas. Was he tied up too?
    Little by little her vision started to clear. An image appeared at the end of the table near her feet. She tried, but couldn’t make it out. Pushing her bleary eyes to focus, she realized her restraints were actually chains, spreading her feet wide. She couldn’t look down but it felt like she no longer wore her skirt and panties. Her bottom felt exposed from underneath, as if positioned over a cutout in the hard table, edges cutting into the substantial flesh of her wide bottom.
    “Well, hello there.” A voice … hard and rasping, trying at sweetness. Her bleary eyes identified a figure at the end of the table; an oddly shaped man. She couldn’t see his lower body but she could easily ascertain his diminutive stature and large head. He leered at her with stained ugly teeth, moving closer to her head. Close enough for her to smell a heavy stench of body odor rolling off him.
    “My name is Lover. We’re all here ta play a game; a game that you’ll come ta love. After we’ve finished the game, Kelly will take ya home, right Kelly?”
    “Yes, Lover,” Kelly said, emerging from the shadows of the basement. As she approached the table, Katie spotted a knife in her hands. Kelly languidly caressed the knife, her attention focused on Katie. Katie’s heart thumped wildly.
    “What the hell is going on here? Let me up, right now. Where’s Tomas?” She felt the panic rising in her throat. Her voice cracked, her lips looking for moisture.
    “Here ya are, babe.” The man inched closer, a bottle of water held in his hand. She eyed it gratefully, her hands straining in her chains, trying to reach out for the water.
    “Not so fast, babe, let me.” Slipping his hands under her neck he poured water into her mouth. She choked and gagged. The odor of the man overwhelmed her, yet she needed the water. Gasping for breath, she glanced at Kelly who stood unmoving, seemingly riveted to the scene playing out in front of her.
    “Ok, little girl, it’s time to reward me for my generosity.” She looked at the little man, noticing his inordinately large muscular arms. Kelly stepped forward, handing the shiny knife to the little man. Her adrenalin shot through her head, paralyzing her with fear. The man took the knife and delicately slit the front of her shirt down the front, exposing her bra. He next slit the front of her bra, the ends folding to the side, exposing her flat breasts.
    “Please, I need to go home now,” she managed to squeak out. “Kelly, can you take me home?” Kelly let out a tinny laugh that froze Katie to her core. Suddenly, the room crackled with silence. Breaking the ominous quietude, she clearly heard the sound of a zipper slowly moving down its track, followed by the sound of pants dropping to the floor. She glanced again at Kelly, her face beseeching her for help. Her voice died meekly on her cracked lips as Kelly’s eager look, eyes glassy with anticipation, left her with little hope.
    Events happened quickly. The little man straddled her with his stubby hairy legs, his penis erect and angry, forcing its way into her tender virgin flesh. She screamed in shock and pain. Kelly reached over, slapping her face. The little man pumped up and down, his face contorted with pleasure, his cock a devouring branding iron on her innocent flesh.
    “Call my name, little girl. Call my name.” He was shouting in ecstasy. Kelly slapped her again.
    “Call his name you stupid bitch,” she said.
    “His name … I don’t know his name,” she screamed, her childish voice breaking, tears flowing down her flushed cheeks. “Lover, yes Lover,” she suddenly remembered.
    “That’s my girl. You