The Compound

Part 8

The Compound Part 8


   Lilly Anderson had drawn an unpleasant assignment that week, but she was
glad it was only part time work.  Paul Anderson's youngest child was
seventeen and in her last year of general schooling.  She and the other
seniors were going through a transitional period, where their future
positions in the community were being shaped and decided.

   Each week the seven students that made up her graduating class would be
assigned a place to work in the community, a place they may or may not have
chosen themselves if given the chance.  Slowly throughout the year, they
would work through practically every type of job the Compound had to offer.
From clothes making to hunting, from glass blowing to mucking out the pigs.
The purpose being to see where the student's interests and talents led
them, so they could better fit in as adults.

   There was a little job discrimination though, following the nature of
the Compound's attitude toward women's and men's roles.  For instance,
Lilly would not get a chance to work in any of the fabrication shops,
building being part of the men's world.  Her male classmates didn't take
part in kitchen duty or laundry, although learning how to cook the things
you caught on the mountain was a necessary part of everyone's education.

   But most jobs were handled by both genders, and the successful
completion of all the different options available was a required part of
graduation and "Adult" status in the community.

   Lilly wasn't worried about that part.  Since she was thirteen, she had
helped her mother in the Great Hall's kitchen, and fully expected to keep
on working there, although lately she had been thinking about following
Rhianna's example by teaching.  Rhianna had made a big impression on young
Lilly, and time hadn't dimmed it any.  To Lilly, Rhianna was the big sister
she had never had.

   What Lilly WAS worried about was her survival test next summer.  It was
the final requirement and to fail meant being considered a "Child" for
another year for you only got to try it once a year.  The survival test was
simple, spend a week alone on the mountain taking nothing with you at all,
not even clothing.

   Everything a person needed to survive and indeed prosper was available
on the mountain to those trained how to find it.  All children had to take
and pass the test before being allowed to move on with their lives; it was
everything.

   Even those that planned on leaving were required to pass the test first,
and Lilly knew of one her classmates that did want to go, although the girl
had not told her parents yet.

   No one was prevented from leaving the Compound once they passed the
test; and while it was sad to see people go, they were always welcome to
return.  Some did, visiting from time to time.  Others went then came back
to stay, bringing new wives or husbands like Matthew did with Rhianna. 
Others were never heard from again.

   Lilly had never considered leaving the Compound, but her brother had. 
He left last winter, after they had caught the man who had murdered his
fianc e.  Sol had been depressed for a long time, and a falling out with
his father had only deepened the wedge Sol was placing between himself and
the rest of the world.

   So, one afternoon when the sky was clear and the snow hard packed, he
collected his things and with barely a goodbye, he left.

   No one had heard from him since.

   Lilly often thought of him, especially when she was bored.

   Her current assignment was boring, but it was also rather unpleasant. 
She had drawn the evening shift of watching the stocks.  That meant for a
few hours each evening, she would have to look after whoever was taking
punishment in the stocks, making sure they came to no harm.

   This was a transitory job assignment for the students, only given out if
the stocks were occupied, which was rare.  Since they might only be used
three or four times a year, when the opportunity arose a couple of students
were always assigned; one for the evening shift and one for the late night
shift.  The rest of the duty time was taken by Paul's deputies or other
volunteers.

   This night, as Lilly sat on her little stool in the corner, the new
woman, Shawna, was brought in by Grady and Paul.  Lilly had been told that
Shawna was due, and it would be her job to watch her, as well as John the
adulterer, as he stood in a set of stocks at the other end of the line.

   At least Lilly didn't have to lock Shawna in herself; that was always
done by Paul or one of his deputies.

   Shawna looked pale and tired to Lilly's eyes, and Lilly wondered if the
woman was up to it.  Lilly had listened as her father and mother argued
about Shawna's case.  Elizabeth, her mother, felt that the elders had no
right giving Shawna punishment time in the stocks, as sick as she was,
while her father argued that great allowances had already been made for
Shawna's addictions.

   So Shawna only got two hours a day, which wasn't that bad at all.  Lilly
had spent an hour in the stocks herself when she first got the job a couple
of days ago; it was her lesson in just what kinds of discomfort can occur
to someone trapped in them.

   Paul and Grady talked quietly while Grady untied Shawna's hands.  Shawna
was under discipline, so it wasn't unusual for her to be tied.  Then Lilly
watched as Shawna was asked to strip, before being led over to one of the
shorter stocks and locked in.

   Shawna looked very uncomfortable being naked, which reminded Lilly of
when Rhianna and Estelle were new here.  Shawna started to blush furiously
once she was bent over and locked in place.

   "Lilly, come here, please," said Paul.

   "Yes, Dad," Lilly replied, and she got up from her stool and hurried
over.

   "Shawna," Paul said to the now trapped woman, "this is my daughter
Lilly; she will be watching over you this evening, and someone is always
here when the stocks are occupied.  She will take care of any needs you
have: cramps, itches, water, whatever.  What she cannot do is let you out
of the stocks, so don't even ask.  But she can help you get through this
more comfortably.  Okay?"

   "Yes, Sir," said Shawna, nodding slightly.  She looked over at Lilly and
gave out a tired smile.

   "We're going to leave you ungagged," Paul continued, "so you can ask for
water if you need to, but you aren't allowed to talk to Lilly, or anyone
else beyond that."

   "I understand," Shawna said.

   "Good.  Grady, you have anything you want to say?" Paul asked.

   Grady shook his head, then paused.  "It'll be tough for you, but I know
you can do it.  I'll see you at home when you're done."

   Shawna was surprised.  It was the first time that day that he had
offered her any encouragement.  "Okay," was all she could manage to say
back to him.

   Paul took Lilly to one side.

   "I'll be back for her in a couple of hours; she shouldn't be a problem.
How are YOU holding up?"

   "Fine, Dad.  But this is a depressing job," the teenager answered
honestly.

   "I know, Hon, but a necessary one.  I just hope you never end up here
standing in one of these things."

   "Don't worry about me, Dad." Lilly smiled at her father, aware that the
man lavished more attention on her now that Sol was gone.  It was as if he
was trying not to lose a second child.  Lilly knew that, despite the
falling out that precipitated Sol's leaving, her father missed him
terribly.

   Paul gave his daughter a warm smile and then nodded in the direction of
John the adulterer in the far corner.  "Is he giving you any trouble?"

   "He had some cramps a little while ago, and he's dead tired.  Dad, he
needs more sleep than we're giving him.  I don't think he can handle the
pace you're setting."

   Paul raised an eyebrow.  "Is that your professional opinion?"

   "No, but my Daddy didn't raise a fool, did he?" Lilly said with a grin.

   Paul chuckled.  "I'll have the Doc look at him, but others have done
time like this without injury.  You just keep a careful eye on both of
them. Who's relieving you later?"

   "Carlo."

   "Good.  He's a good lad.  How come you haven't brought him around to
supper lately?  When you two were little, you were inseparable!"

   "DAD!" whined Lilly, looking around in that typical embarrassed teenage
way.

   Paul chuckled again.  "I'll be back in a couple of hours, and Vicky
Miller will be here as well.  Good luck."

   Grady had already left, so when Paul walked away, Lilly was again alone.
She went over to Shawna, who was trying to find a comfortable way to stand.
She was bent almost at ninety degrees, her breasts hanging free, swinging
beneath her.  Shawna did not like this at all; she felt more exposed now
than at any time since she came to the Compound.  She eyed Lilly's approach
carefully.

   "If you need anything, just call out.  I'll come running!" Lilly said
with a smile, and she went back to her stool.  From where Lilly sat, she
could not see the faces of the prisoners, and they could not see her.  It
was by design; she was not to be their focal point.

   Shawna was not trying to focus on Lilly, she was trying to find a
comfortable way to spend her time.  Already her back was beginning to ache
and she was constantly aware of how her naked breasts swayed in the breeze.
Also the thick wood planks around her neck seemed tight, while the holes
her wrists were in seemed almost too loose.  Shawna felt that if she had
to, she could pull a hand free, but didn't think it would be well received.
Somewhere behind her was the girl, watching her, and being Paul Anderson's
daughter was sure to be the type who would tell all!

   So Shawna suffered in silence, the perfect end to the perfect day.

   Her day started with Grady, hung over and smelling like a brewery,
untying her from her very uncomfortable bondage.

   Finally able to speak, Shawna began to give him a piece of her mind for
what had happened to her, but Grady didn't appear to listen to her. 
Instead, he left the apartment, leaving Shawna somewhat confused about what
she was to do next.

   She soon found out.

   After breakfast eaten in the Great Hall with her hands bound behind her,
she was released in just her loincloth to go deal with all of Grady's
laundry.

   With no instructions beyond "Go do it, I'll be at the stables!" Shawna
tried to cover her bare upper half with the laundry sack she had filled the
night before while wandering around looking for the Laundromat.

   A kind soul directed her outside and out of the Compound to where the
river passed somewhat close by.  There a large washing area had been set up
by the women, and Shawna was cautiously invited to join them.  All were
either nude or in loincloths, and while for a time Shawna tried to maintain
a bit more modesty; in the end she gave up and began not to worry about it.
After all, no men approached the group at all!

   Shawna's efforts at scrubbing clothes on old-fashioned washboards were a
shambles.  She just didn't have the stamina for it, and the more she
worked, the more she felt her need for a drink or a hit of something.  She
was transferred to hanging out clothes to dry, an easier activity, and was
able to last the rest of the morning.

   She lost track of the clothes she had brought, it all having gone into a
community pile, but she was shown that people put their names in their
clothing, and that a crew delivered the clean and dry clothes later in the
day.

   Grady came for her at lunchtime, bound her hands, and took her to eat
again in the Great Hall.

   Shawna was not amused, but Grady barely said anything to her and
wouldn't listen to her requests to put something on first.  She felt very
exposed, but after a short while sitting with lots of other men and women
with not much more on than she had, she calmed down.

   After they ate, Grady left her with Gabe at the clinic, who gave her
another examination.

   "How are you doing?" he asked her as he checked her blood pressure.

   "Tired, Doc," she said, meaning it, "and I've been feeling the need
really bad.  Are you sure I can't just have a little something to take the
edge off?"

   Gabe shook his head.  "It's going to take a little while yet for the
toxins to completely leave your body.  I don't want to add any more to
them."

   "What about that green gunk you smeared all over me before, can't we do
that again?"

   "We could, but I don't want to do that again just yet.  This is just
something you have to get through.  I'll help you anyway I can, you know
that," said Gabe with a smile.

   Shawna nodded and sighed.  "I know, it's just been a tough day."

   "Grady been working you hard?" Gabe asked, concerned.

   "Had me doing laundry all morning," grumbled Shawna.

   "Well, that's not so bad," said the doctor, who once had to watch the
women clean clothes but that was as close as he got.

   Shawna shrugged.  "He also ties me up for every meal, and look at how he
dressed me today, or undressed me, that is!"

   "Shawna, most of us go around like that every day, you'll get used to
it. I know it's tough for you being new, it's not what you're used to, but
it's really nothing to be concerned about."

   "Yeah, right.  Well, should I be concerned about Grady's drinking?"

   "I know he stayed at the bar when I left, and that he stopped by for an
aspirin this morning, but was he bad last night?"

   "You have a bar here?" Shawna asked, perking up.

   "For men only, you wouldn't make it in the door.  Now what about Grady?"

   "Oh, him.  A couple of guys brought him home last night, then they tied
me up before they left; some bullshit about protecting our reputations."

   Grady shook his head.  "Damn, I hoped he wouldn't react that way."

   Shawna noted that Gabe didn't seem at all disturbed by her story of
being tied up all night.  She decided to skip the subject and talk about
Grady.  "What's up with him, Doc?" Shawna asked.

   Gabe finished putting away his instruments before answering.

   "Vicky told me she told you about him being a recent widower?"

   "Yes, she did."

   "His wife...was a popular girl, well liked by all, and Grady was very
proud to have been the one to finally win her heart.  Those two were very
much in love and were inseparable.  No one quite knows what she was doing
alone along that stretch of river when she drowned, but it hit Grady so
hard that for a while we had him on an unofficial suicide watch.  He didn't
know, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him, but we kept an eye on
him for several weeks almost constantly.

   "He changed a lot after she died.  He used to be our chief blacksmith,
but stopped working.  Said he couldn't bear to be around all the people. 
So he went to work in the stables.

   "He became a lonely, bitter man, but Father Logan began to work on him,
and it looked like maybe Grady would be back eventually." Gabe looked at
Shawna for a moment.  "You know, I'm not in favor of him looking after you,
and I wish I knew why the elders set it up that way; they have to be able
to see what some of us see."

   "What's that?" Shawna asked, nervous under Gabe's stare.

   "You.  You look a little like Cheryl, his wife.  Grady sees it, I can
tell by the way he looks a you.  Staring at you must be hell for him.  Then
he goes and saves you from the river, something he couldn't do for his
wife. And now he's being forced to live with you!

   "I was brought up to respect the wisdom of our elders, but I really have
to question it this time."

   Shawna was shocked.  "I had no idea!"

   "It makes me wonder who is really being punished," said Gabe.

   Shawna shook her head and slid off the examining table.  Her legs
faltered for a second and she began to fall, but Gabe was right there and
held her up.

   For a moment longer than he had to, he held her; and the couple glanced
into each other's eyes, then he let her go.

   "You sure you're okay?" Gabe asked.

   "Nothing a good stiff drink won't fix!" Shawna replied, not sure about
the look in Gabe's eyes.

   Gabe frowned.  "You know, comments like that won't help you recover.  I
suggest you keep liquor out of your vocabulary as well as your body."

   "Sorry, Doc," said Shawna, a little taken aback.

   Gabe crossed the examining room and yelled for Vicky before turning back
to Shawna.

   "Where are you due now?" he asked her.

   "Grady said go to the stables."

   "Okay."

   Vicky turned up with a smile on her face and a warm greeting for Shawna.
Gabe gave her some orders while he bound Shawna's wrists once more.

   "Take her to the stables and tell Grady you will collect her right after
she gets done with her time on the stocks tonight.  I want her bathed and
given a massage before being taken to Grady's; Doctor's orders!"

   "Yes, Gabe," said Vicky.

   "You also tell him that if I hear of him drinking again like he did last
night, it's his ass!"

   Vicky giggled and said she would pass on the message.

   Shawna's time in the stables was not very taxing.  When she arrived and
Vicky left after giving Grady Gabe's messages, Grady laid Shawna down on a
bale of hay and tied her feet.

   Bound hand and foot, she watched as Grady spent the afternoon with
Patch, shifting a wagonload of feed into a storeroom and then taking care
of the horses that had pulled the load up from town.

   At first, Shawna tried a little conversation, but Grady ignored her,
Patch couldn't talk much anyway although he smiled at her a lot, and Ruthy,
who was never far from Patch, never said a word.

   From time to time, Ruthy would bring water to everyone, including
Shawna; and a couple of times the young woman would massage Shawna's
shoulders.  Shawna was surprised by this the first time, but Ruthy's
talented hands magically seemed to take a lot of the pain out of her bound
arms, and Shawna was all in favor of that.

   As she lay there, she thought about what Gabe had told her about Grady,
and saw why he wanted to work here.  It was peaceful, with no demands for
unwanted conversation.  Grady could be alone here in his own way, confident
that Patch and Ruthy wouldn't intrude on his grief.

   It seemed to be the perfect set up for him.

   For supper, Grady let Shawna dress.  She was grateful for that, but not
too excited about wearing the same dress yet again.  She had seen that
Grady had kept all his wife's clothing, and wished she could ask Grady for
one of those outfits instead, but thought better of it.  Warned by what
Gabe had told her, Shawna didn't stir those waters.

   Dinner was outside again with the entire community, and again Paul made
a speech, this time praising the artwork by the Kindergarten class.

   Grady and Shawna sat with Patch and Ruthy.  They were quickly joined by
several other, noisier couples.  Grady was pleasant to them all; and they
were in turn polite to Shawna who again had to eat with her hands bound. 
This was the most public display she had yet to bear, being fed by Grady's
hand; but looking around she saw she wasn't the only one.  Several women
were bound as she was; and most of them were having fun with it, chasing
the food offered to them; and in some cases sensuously taking it from their
man's fingers.

   Again, not being alone helped, and she was actually able to enjoy the
meal.

   It was as the meal ended though, that the butterflies returned.  Now it
was time for her first visit to the stocks.  Paul joined them, and she was
led to her punishment.

   Now she stood trying to be comfortable as people walked past.  Some
slowed and stared, others hurried by without looking; but as each person
passed by, Shawna wondered how she would look at those people in the
morning.  She felt shame, and wished she could have a drink to dull the
feeling and the pain.

   Lilly gave her some water at one point, but otherwise said nothing, and
the two hours crawled by.

   When Vicky came by, Shawna was happy until she remembered that only Paul
could release her.  She thought Vicky might come talk to her, but instead
Vicky went and whispered with Lilly.

   Finally, after what seemed more like two days than two hours, Paul
showed up and Shawna could be officially released.  As she stood up, she
shuddered at the idea of three more days of this.  Then she looked over at
the adulterer and thought herself lucky.

   "You have to be bound until you get home," Paul said sadly as he watched
Shawna dress.

   Shawna almost cried; she was very sore.  "Oh please, Paul.  What can I
do?  I ache all over!"

   "Sorry," Paul said, and he quickly bound her wrists in the standard
position, hands back to back.

   Her shoulders groaning in protest, Shawna sighed.

   "Come on, Shawna," said Vicky, "a soak in a hot tub will work out the
kinks and a massage will ease the pain even more!"

   It was hard not to smile at Vicky's enthusiasm, and Shawna again
wondered what had possessed her to hit this girl over the head.

   "Sure, let's go," Shawna replied with a soft smile.

   It was a short walk to the bathhouse, and in the changing room outside
Vicky untied Shawna so she could undress, then rebound her.

   Now, without even a loincloth to protect her, Shawna felt very nervous
entering the bathhouse.  The two girls had to walk through a lot of people
to find a tub and Shawna shuddered each time she bumped into someone.

   Walking naked with her hands bound behind her was something her father
had forced her to do one time as a girl.  The family was visiting relatives
at the time, and a thirteen-year-old Shawna couldn't help lording it over
her poorer cousins.  When her superior attitude got too much for the other
kids, a fight started.  Of course, when the adults broke up the fight,
young Shawna started mouthing off about how common her cousins were,
picking fights.  She had expected her father to back her up, for in private
he had talked about much the same thing concerning the adult relatives. 
But instead he told Shawna that she shouldn't look down on her cousins that
way and that she needed a little humbling.

   She was humbled all right, stripped naked, her hands bound behind her.
She spent an hour like that in front of all her cousins, who were allowed
to laugh and taunt her but not touch.

   The other parents were horrified, but did nothing to stop what was
happening for they all depended on the family money, which Shawna's father
controlled.

   Shawna was never able to hold her head up around her cousins again.

   Now walking through the crowd like this brought those memories back and
she hated it.

   "There's no empty tubs, we'll share this one," Vicky said, stepping into
a tub with a family already in it.

   Shawna wondered if she would ever stop being shocked by how casual
people were about their nudity here.  The tub Vicky chose had a couple of
parents in it with their three children, all under eight.  The parents were
busy scrubbing the two youngest, while the oldest, a boy washed himself.

   The couple smiled and welcomed Vicky and Shawna, and Vicky returned
their greeting while Shawna managed a smile.  Not feeling at all
neighborly, Shawna stood and let Vicky wash her down before washing
herself. While the water may have been hot and relaxing, Shawna was far
from relaxed.  She wanted to be someplace else, someplace private where she
could have a drink and calm down.

   "Come on," Vicky said after a while, "you're very tense.  Gabe said to
give you a massage, and I think that's a good idea."

   "Can't you just take me home?" Shawna asked her, wondering when she
started thinking of Grady's place as home.

   "Doctor's Orders!" Vicky said with a smile, and helped her charge out of
the tub.

   Shawna was led over to one end of the bathhouse where a number of
benches were laid out.  At some of them, people sat, but most were occupied
by men and women lying down.

   There was an empty one close to one side and Vicky had Shawna lie down
on it.  The wood bench felt very smooth to Shawna's naked skin, and
surprisingly comfortable.  She was even more surprised when Vicky untied
her.  She was getting very sick of the thin cords they used here.

   She stretched and flexed her tired arms, glad to be able to move them,
but their freedom was short lived.  Vicky allowed her a few minutes to work
some of the kinks out, then took hold of Shawna's wrists, pulling them down
on either side of the bench to the legs under Shawna's head.

   "What are you doing?" Shawna asked.

   "I can't let you lie here free," was Vicky's answer, and in moments
Shawna was once more tied down, but this time face down on a bench.

   Shawna thought about protesting, but decided to give it up for now.  She
was too tired, too sick, and too sore to argue.  And to be honest, this was
the most comfortable she had been all day.

   Vicky skipped away for a few minutes in search of massage oil, and
Shawna lay there watching the couples around her.  Many of the massages
being given, she saw, were simply therapeutic, given in a business-like
manner to relieve the aches and pains of mountain life.  But there were
others that Shawna could see were given for more personal reasons.  There
were a number of women, and a couple of men, whose massages were being
given very slowly indeed.  All, Shawna saw, were wearing the leather wrist
bands that showed they were married, and no one around them appeared to be
concerned about such public displays of affection.

   Shawna wondered just how much public affection could be shown here when
one of the couples got up to leave, obviously for some place more private
if HIS reaction was anything to go by.

   What caught Shawna's eye though, apart from their apparent arousal, was
that before they left, the husband had untied his wife from the bench.  She
had been bound just as Shawna was.

   Shawna checked around, and saw that maybe half the women, most of those
getting sensual massages, and none of the men, were also bound to the
benches.

   Clearly one of those times when bondage was used for fun rather than for
punishment.

   Shawna had never experienced bondage for fun; not fun for her, anyway.
She wondered what it was like.

   "You're in luck, I found Johan!" said Vicky, who suddenly appeared
beside her.

   Shawna twisted her head to see Vicky standing with the big man from her
first dinner here at the Compound.  The one Paul warned to stay away from
her.  He had on a huge smile and nothing else, and despite her nervousness,
Shawna couldn't help smiling back.

   "Ah," he said in a booming voice, "at last we meet!  I am happy to see
you again!"

   "Hi, nice to meet you too," replied Shawna.  "I'd get up, but..." she
pulled at her bound wrists and Johan laughed.

   "Discipline is terrible, I know.  But soon you will be done with it and
you will be bound no longer," he said with a smile.

   "Shawna," said Vicky, "Johan is going to give you your massage if you
don't mind.  You need a better rub down than I can give you."

   Shawna looked with concern at the large naked man, then shrugged.  It
was not as if she could do anything about it anyway.

   "Okay."

   Johan nodded and took a bottle from Vicky, pouring oil onto Shawna's
naked back.

   The oil felt warm to Shawna, and when Johan's large hands began rubbing
it into her skin it felt marvelous.

   Vicky knelt on the floor nearby and watched as Johan expertly kneaded
every muscle group Shawna had.  Well, almost every group.  He was very much
the gentleman and didn't touch Shawna in any way that she could have called
inappropriate, even though he had pretty much complete control of her body.
He even untied her, flipped her over at one point, and massaged her front,
but Shawna was so relaxed at that point, she didn't mind at all.  She found
herself trusting the big man, and it was a good feeling to have.

   When all was done, she was allowed to stand.  She felt like a lump of
well-pummeled clay, but it was a good feeling.

   "Thank you," she said, giving Johan a smile.

   "My pleasure.  Any time you need me, for anything at all, you come find
me.  Okay?"

   "I will!" Shawna replied.

   Vicky waited until both were dressed again, before binding Shawna once
more for the trip back to Grady's.

   "Thank YOU!" Shawna told Vicky as they walked.

   "Are you okay?" Vicky asked softly.

   Shawna wasn't sure how to answer that.  "Maybe.  I'm not looking forward
to another night with Grady, that's for sure."

   "You'll be fine," Vicky said.  "He's a good guy really.  He'll warm up
to you, I know it."

   "Maybe," said Shawna, hoping it was true.

   They arrived at Grady's door and Vicky knocked.

   Grady, dressed in just a pair of leather pants, seemed surprised to see
them.

   "Here she is, Grady," Vicky said.  "Take care of her now, she had a busy
day and not much sleep the night before."

   Grady flushed a little.  "Yeah, I know.  Don't worry, Shawna.  You'll
get to sleep tonight."

   Shawna said nothing, so Grady took her arm and led her inside.  As the
door closed, Vicky saw Shawna give her a look of appeal.


   End of Part 8