I entered the holographic chamber and entered my authorization code so that the computer would begin the prescribed fantasy that my counselor had decided would fulfill my special needs.
I wasn’t sure how the session would begin as the lights of the room dimmed. The staff psychologist had programmed the situation based on our interview sessions and what she thought would address my needs. In this way I would be entertained and surprised by whatever transpired; but, it would relieve me of the decision making process and allow me to react rather than create or propose a scripted fantasy of my own.
The lights continued to dim, the edges of the walls became blurred into one as the mist of darkness overtook reality. The room was instantly transfigured into a suburban setting, similar to that of the later twentieth century.
There were single family dwellings from one end of the street to the other, a street lamp every fourth dwelling and a side walk. I recognized the arrangement from my history orientation that was in the main computer library. It was hard to believe that such an inefficient society had existed; comparing it to the social order I was accustomed to where everyone lived in the Center and was issued a standard unit living quarters based on his/her relative level of usefulness. The idea that individuals would defend a piece of property stretched my liberal concepts to the limit.
I wondered how it would be to have something that was mine alone; mine to use as often as I desired, anytime for as long as my will to use it was there; something that had not been issued to me by the Center. Yet what such a thing would be was beyond me since my needs had been met; at least those that I was aware of.
I had no need for such things, my consumables were adequately supplied and my duties were assigned based on my ability to complete them. My personal needs, sleeping, bathing. social contacts and the like were all taken care of and there was nothing of immediate concern that had been neglected by the Center.
I say there was nothing; and yet, within the workings of my mind I wondered if even the use of the holographic relaxation chamber could satisfy the strange desires that had surfaced of late. I had worked at confiding my most sensitive thoughts; while still holding back those which I thought would be impossible to share, especially since my councilor was so attractive. For this reason I had been given permission to retire for a private session; to be alone with my thoughts and use the available technology here in this sensory interactive atmosphere.
I had been instructed to assume the role of a petty thief so that I might obtain items for myself by the use of stealth and cunning; which still seemed strange since all things are provided and I already had those things which were necessary. All the same I would comply with the session in the hope that I might find inner peace.
I walked down the street to observe the possibilities. Most of the dwellings had too much activity. I saw people moving about; their shadows landing on curtains and the noises of families enjoying the time together. There was one house that looked promising and I stayed to watch for a while. I saw a woman making what appeared to be last minute exiting motions; turning off lights from one end of the dwelling while steadily moving toward the structure’s exit.
Upon her exit, manually securing the hinged door with a metallic probe, I noticed that she wore a white nurses uniform that was starched and pressed in such a way as to make her look very attractive. I figured that after she had left that I could break in, take some things and be done with it.
While I waited I found myself gulping down the remains of a hamburger. I must have taken it with me into the holographic chamber; it tasted like cardboard and was wrapped in heat reflective wrap. Maybe when I got inside of the dwelling there would be some real food instead of the replicator generated soy slop that I was ingesting at the present; that would indeed be worth taking.
I worked to swallow the last of the hamburger as she turned on a small light above the transom. She placed a note on the bottom edge of the exit and then placed the metallic probe under a flexible mat that was directly in front of the exit.
She got into a wheeled transportation unit that looked very much like the ones I had seen while scanning the computer’s history section. She then backed out of the driveway and drove down the street.
As the last of my meal grumbled its way to my unsettled stomach her lights vanished around the corner. It was time to get started.
I approached the front of the dwelling and listened for signs of an alert beacon that may have detected my presence. I waited for a few more minutes to make sure that I had not drawn any attention from the neighbors.
The night air was still warm and the humidity made it feel sticky as I quietly made my way up to the house. The metallic probe that she left under the mat made gaining access easy as it turned in the lock. The note that she had left was for her sister who was to drop off something early in the morning. It went on to explain about a key that she was to use that was under the mat and to just lock up after herself. I guess she never thought that anyone other than the one intended, would read the note or know all about her comings and goings. I unlocked the door and went inside. Letting my eyes adjust to the limited amount of light took a few more minutes; it would be foolish to start turning on lights and risk alerting the neighbors. I stood in the food preparation area and looked around. I noticed that just by being inside the house without permission of the owner had caused my stomach to tighten unexpectedly. It was a feeling I had not had since I was a boy.
I remember going into my parents room while they were at work, I was looking for a toy that had been confiscated. I knew that I was not supposed to be in there; a kind of suspense existed that filled my throat with a lump that reached all the way down to my toes. I was aware of a similar feeling as I peered into the shadows that were around me. I opened the refrigerator and was glad to see a container of milk. There was not much else in there that looked good at the moment; that burger had not agreed with me. I covered it with a few gulps straight from the jug. I toured the rest of the house, taking note of an antique music reproduction unit and a small information screen. I turned some knobs and enjoyed watching the lightning that reacted to my movement. Maybe I could take the music making box and thereby accomplish the task that I was here to do. I looked around some more, surely there was more for me to gain from this experience.
I had only been there a few minutes of real time. There was a nice desk top computer, an antique; but nice. Stealing it would only deny access to its rightful owner and so I didn’t give it another thought. I wanted to pick up a few things and just get going; but since my stomach was all messed up, I decided to find the hygienic facilities and sit for a short while. The tension caused by being inside the dwelling and the bad food was rumbling away. I was relieved to see that even in such a primitive society that such personal hygienic needs could be taken care of in a familiar setting. There was a free standing basin for the elimination of bodily waste with a larger basin which appeared to be for decontamination purposes. They were not made of stainless steel or glass and yet they looked as if they would be suitable.
I could feel all the gas that had built up inside as it tried to find a way out. I sat there pushing, hoping that once it had escaped that I could finish up and get the heck out. In the dark of the small bathroom I could see only shadows at first; then as my eyes adjusted, I could make out each item in the room. There was a towel bar on either side of the decontamination unit with a towel on each one. Instead of the familiar glass partition there was a curtain of polycarbon sheeting that had a fabric border to accent the opening. It was like a picture window that was parted in the middle and was pulled off on both sides into a gather.
There were various small glass jars on the counter top off to my left which held perfume or something medicinal in nature. There was a toothbrush holder and some kind of figurine, like a porcelain elephant that was on top of some kind of jewelry box. The top part of the elephant was hollowed out and held some folded pieces of paper which were about an inch square, like a file box of some kind. As I sat there on the elimination basin waiting for some relief, my curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see what had been written on those tiny pieces of paper. I lifted out one and carefully unfolded it there in the dark. I held it up so that the light from outside the window would let me see the writing. I still could not see and was about to return it when I saw a beam of light enter the house from the drive way area. I heard the door open and then close as she came inside. It was too late to make a break for it so I decided to be as quiet as possible and hope that she would leave quickly.
I heard footsteps as she walked into the food preparation area and the metallic clinking as she placed something on the counter top. She walked into the relaxation area and turned on some music. The soft light from a table lamp trickled into the small bathroom as I sat there wondering why she had returned so early. I was too afraid to move; not even to pull my pants up. All I was supposed to do was take something and leave; now, it looked as if I was going to be involved in some sort of a confrontational situation. I was never any good at that so I held my breath and let it out slowly so that not even I could hear it.
“Who is there ?”She began asking out loud as she noticed that something was not quite right. “Who is there? I have a gun and will not hesitate to use it. Come out and let me see you.”
I did not move as her steps made their way closer and closer to where I was sitting. The lights came on in the bathroom, a blinding brightness in contrast to the darkness. I heard the distinctive noise of the hammer being pulled back as it clicked a sickening sound into my ears.
“I know that someone is in here. Come out or I’ll shoot.”
“Please don’t shoot.” I tried to sound half way between terror stricken and totally helpless; which, at the moment, was easy to do. I did not move as she followed my voice and made her way to a spot just out of my view and the other side of the entry way of the bathroom.
“Please don’t shoot. I’m on the elimination basin.” A poor choice of words no doubt. Her hand reached around the corner and I could see the barrel of a small revolver in it. She then jumped past the entry, landing in a crouched position with the gun aimed right at my chest.
“What the hell are you doing in my house?” She glared at me and continued to point the pistol at me.
“Please don’t shoot.” I went on to explain, “I was only here to appropriate some items of inconsequential value and then I was going to leave; but you came home sooner than I had expected you.” I had given her a totally honest answer and yet she still displayed an abundance of hostility towards me.
“Then what the hell are you doing here in my bathroom and on my toilet?” She asked as she pointed the pistol a little bit lower to where my pants lay on the floor around my ankles.
There I was trying to pull my pants up with her holding a gun on me. I put the little elephant down on the counter top as slowly as I could so that it would not alarm her. “Not so Fast!” she said. “Not so fast.”
I stopped moving entirely as she moved closer to me; the gun accenting each of her words with a small bobbing motion.” Have you been going through this?” She still had the gun aimed at me as she looked at the arranged pieces of paper inside the hollowed figurine.
“I was curious and would have returned the page; honest, I was only going to look at it.” As my fingers let the small folded piece of paper fall to the floor. “Please put the gun away, your making me nervous by the way your shaking it.”
“And why are you in my bathroom sitting on my toilet?” She was more angry about me being in her bathroom than for telling her that I was there to act as a thief.
“I had to go; you know, go.” What else could I say? She could see that I was telling the truth. I wanted to hide myself from her view and could not.
“Hand me that piece of paper.” Pointing with the end of the pistol to the white scrap that was on the floor next to my foot. I reached down and picked it up by the edge and began to hand it over to her when I noticed that she had a smile on her face and was beginning to laugh. For half a moment she lowered the pistol; then she stopped shaking and raised it back up, cool and collected.
“What did you call that? An elimination basin? Where the hell did you come from? Your sure not from around here?” Before I could answer she shook her head as if whatever I said would have made no difference anyway. She motioned for me to open the piece of paper. “Read it!”
“Huh, I mean, yea sure.” As I glanced to read the words while at the same time keeping my eye on the gun. It was hard to focus my thoughts.
“Read it, out loud.” She leaned on the edge of counter top while contemplating what to do next.
I began to read, “It says, FILL BULB ENEMA WITH SOAPY MIXTURE AND REFILL UNTIL NO MORE CAN BE TAKEN.”I looked back down at the paper to make sure that I had read it right; I had.
She laughed out loud, “I suppose that should work out just about right. You need to be taught a lesson and this way you even got to pick the punishment. I think that’s fair don’t you?”, as she looked over at me and took the piece of paper from my hand. She folded it and placed it back into the little white elephant.”. . . That is unless you want me to call the police and have you hauled off to jail.” She was very convincing; standing there in that uniform so I decided that I had no choice and would go along with it.
“So what do you want me to do?”, as I started to get up. I had no idea why she would want to pursue this particular form of action; although I suspected that this punishment would in some way settle us even for my having violated her property or space. I saw a sparkle in her eyes that led me to believe that even though she was still angry with me; that there was something else, some kind of passion backing her actions now.
“Stand up, turn around and put your hands behind your back so I can tie them up. I wouldn’t want you to think that you could just walk away the moment I put this pistol down.” She held the gun on me while I followed her instructions. I had totally forgotten that she was a holograph. She was as real as my fear of being shot; I did as I was told. I felt her touch my hand quickly and withdraw to see if I was going to make a move on her. I still didn’t know if she was going to shoot so I didn’t move at all when she wrapped the cloth belt around my wrists. She had me step out of my pants and stand there while she went through my pockets. I felt like a total idiot standing there in front of her half naked. I could have told her that there was nothing in my pockets.
“Do you have to tie that so tight?” I asked, for a small person she had ample strength. The rope like belt crossed and then recrossed as she made sure I was bound.
“A thief should get used to this; and anyway, this ought to be more comfortable than a pair of policeman’s hand cuffs.” She pulled up and tested to make sure of the binding. “Now, bend down and lean across the edge of the tub.”
“Do I have to. I really wasn’t sure that I wanted to go through with the punishment that she was intent on giving me.
“No, I suppose I can still call the police and have you hauled off; that is, if that’s what you want. You call it.” She laughed again as she finished her thought. I did as she told me and awkwardly leaned over the cold metal rim of the tub. I twisted my head as best I could to see what she was doing behind me at the counter. She took a small plastic storage unit that was under the cabinet and took the top off; pouring the clear fluid into the basin. She then refilled it with cold water nearly to the top. Then she took another canister that had a very thick amber fluid and squirted it into the same unit. It had a sweet peppermint aroma to it as the odor floated across the short distance. She then took a small wash cloth and let some warm water run across. Pouring a small amount of the amber fluid into the middle of the cloth, she then began to wash my rear end. I would have complained except that it felt very pleasing, almost as if she were caressing me.
“Doesn’t that smell invigorating?” Asking me and telling me at the same time as she then squirted some of the amber soap directly on me. Her hands pushed and twiddled it onto the tightly held ring of muscles back there. The wash cloth dropped to the floor and I thought for a moment that she was done. I then felt the tip of her finger entering me; the soap made it easy for it to just glide right in. She then pushed deeper and deeper into me, one finger and then two then three. It was a strange form of punishment, in fact it was more like some kind of reward in the way she was attending to me. When she stopped I noticed that I had an erection that was impossible to conceal.
“You had better save your energy for later, you will need it.” She joked as she reached for and got the plastic bulb that was on the counter. The tip entered me and she made a fist; pushing the cold contents inside of me. She withdrew it and took it back to the sink where she refilled it as she had before. I felt her insert the tip once more and again a stream of cool liquid shoot deep inside of me. This went on three more times, maybe four, until I felt a large wave of internal activity attempting to force its way back out of me.
“Not yet.” She noticed my quivering and placed her hand on my backside to steady me. “You still have at least one more to go.” She again filled the little bulb and pressed it into me. The soap was very strong and I felt a few drops leaking out in spite of my exerting all my efforts to hold it all in. I was afraid that I would not be able to hold on any longer. I was breathing more heavily now and a bead of sweat broke across my forehead. “I suppose that’s enough for now. You can go sit on the toilet now.” I carefully moved from my kneeling position and sat down on the resilient padded toilet seat. There was an uncontrollable release of my bowels the very moment that I relaxed to sit. Every muscle inside contracted at the same time and a steady stream of raw sewage made its way out of me. I was aware, painfully, that she was still watching my every move. I suppose that each culture has its own way of punishment as I sat there naked for her viewing.
“May I leave now ?” Thinking that I had completed my end of the bargain. I wanted to close my eyes and have it over but instead, when I opened my eyes she was still there with a funny kind of grin on her face.
“Leave? We were just starting. You still need to be rinsed out or that soap will bother you the rest of the day. She pulled the edge of the plastic sheeting back and motioned for me to get into the tub. I stepped over the edge and as I got in, noticed a large red bag that was swollen full to the top. A long white tube hung down and then looped gracefully back up in an arch until it disappeared into the open top of the bag. She turned the knobs and a spray of warm water beat down on me. I let it pour over me as I turned and bent myself over; the feeling was wonderful.
“Perfect, now hold that position.” She put her hand in between my legs and lifted up. I automatically spread my legs as she moved to widen my stance. She then pushed a thick probe inside of my anus, at least as thick as her finger. It was tapered so that it slid quickly past the opening. Then a stream of warm water filled me once more and since I was worn out from holding it before, I could only attempt to hold it now. It came out nearly as fast as it went in and yet she held her hand firmly against me the whole time.
“How should we work out the terms of your probation?” She let the words fall out one by one as she twisted the end of the probe that was inside of me. I felt myself rise up on the balls of my feet as I groaned for more. “I guess we can work something out.”
I opened my eyes and was surprised that I was standing, fully clothed, in the holographic chamber. I felt warm, sweat running down my face, and yet I was alone. How could it have been so real.
“Your session is over. Please exit and return to your duty station.”, a computerized voice broke the silence as the lights returned to full brightness. “Remember to enter your authorization code to facilitate your next appointment. Thank you.”
I exited the room and closed the door behind me. It was then that I noticed my private session psychologist was standing in the hall waiting for me. My eyes must have doubled in size when I saw that she was wearing a starched white nurses uniform.
“Did you enjoy the program that I entered for you?” She smiled and held my gaze to make sure that I understood exactly what she had said. It was then that I saw that she had a length of terry cloth belt that she was twisting in her hands. She let it swing down as she waited for my response.