“Almost there. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”
“I’m so glad you decided to come with me. It’s a first. Here, I’ll get the door. Come.”
“Are you excited as well? Oh, nervousness can be expected, but you’ll be fine. See, there’s that smile.”
“Let’s say hi to everyone. By that, I mean me.”
“See? They all like you. Let’s find a place where we can sit.”
“Oh sorry, couldn’t see you. I think this was a fun idea, but we can’t see anything. Yes, the lights come back on at midnight, and then the fireworks.”
“Good, we can sit here. Ah, I can’t wait. Your heels.”
“We’ve been here, what, half an hour? It’s funny how the clock is the only light in here and it’s not enough to let us see anything else. Your jacket.”
“I’ll be right back. This beer is running straight through me. You can choose what’s next.”
“Found you! So, what… oh, interesting choice.”
“You must be itching to talk to some of our friends. Soon. There’s not much left, is there? Something above the waist.”
“Just fifteen minutes left. I do hope they turn up the lights slowly to let us adjust. I leave it as your choice.”
“Three minutes, last item, hurry.”
“Two minutes. I feel you trembling, but you’re okay, right? Squeeze my hand. Yes, okay.”
“It’s so hot here, I almost envy you. Here comes the countdown, let’s stand up.”
“I can’t wait. Ten, nine…”
“We’ll kiss on three, two, one.”
“Happy new year, my love. Is it nice to hear my voice again?”
“Everyone is cheering in the new year. Is it okay if I just quickly go… No? You’re just loving this, aren’t you?!?”
“Oh, sure, just lift me up and spin me around. Showing my nudity to everyone… Will you really stay quiet the rest of the evening? Ah! Put me down, someone noticed me.”
“Wow, look at you. Happy new year indeed.”
“Thank you. We met before, haven’t we? It looks like I’m the only one like this.”
“There are some shirtless guys and a few women down to their bras and panties, but hey… you can speak. Yes, we’ve met before, but I’ve never heard your voice. What’s up with him? Is he the silent one now?”
“Yes, I can speak when I’m nude. I can’t maintain eye contact like this. Hope you don’t mind.”
“But now he can’t?”
“He can, but it would take away from the attention directed at me. He likes it when I get all flustered. Oh, where did all of you suddenly come from?”
“Honey, can we go now? This is getting a bit too much. Ten what, ten more minutes? I don’t know if I can.”
“Hey guys, give her a bit of room.”
“Thank you, you’re one of his friends, right? Right. Much more helpful than he is, dragging me to this party when he knows I have to be naked at midnight.”
“I’ve heard about that. How does that work exactly?”
“My guess… a prankster, or someone who just enjoys seeing my naked embarrassment. All I know is I need to be naked for one day – the first day – and I have my voice for one whole year.”
It took me a few passes to figure everything out, but once I did… wow! This one was designed to be a fun puzzler, and the reward is big if you can figure it all out. It’s a hot scene and very cool to figure out exactly what’s going on.
Bonus points for cleverness and creativity!
Don’t know what’s happening here to be honest. Is it a nude girl in a New Year’s party? All the dialogue without any context is just confusing, I’m afraid.Thanks for writing and sharing.
I was a little worried upon my first read through as well. But Cave was being experimental with the medium. Rebelliously tossing aside conventions and instead creating a puzzle-present that needs to be (deciphered) unwrapped. The missing context is by design. This my friends, is a carefully constructed puzzle, and it’s a challenge to figure it out what is happening, who these people are and what’s going on. But all the clues are carefully placed, just right. The answers are all there. Exactly who’s speaking, what the situation is, what’s going on. Even the line in the middle has a great significance (that’s a hint). I’ll wait a few days and then start dropping clues as we get closer to Christmas. On my 5th pass I think I managed to figure out pretty much everything (I suspect Blair will figure it out on is third try). If nobody can figure it out by Christmas then I will unwrap this present for everyone to enjoy. Feel free to post your discoveries as you gradually figure it out.
Yes, this was a writing experiment. I hope people enjoy reading it, but I expect not everyone will, since tastes differ. It is a bit of a puzzle to figure out, and there’s some room for interpretation and speculation, but that is intended. You’d have to enjoy that kind of thing to enjoy the story.
That’s a nice trick to make me read your story a couple of times. LOL
I really enjoyed this riddle. I think I figured out some of it, but I think I missed one point – probably the most important one. Does the situation refer to a saying or something like that? Or am I completely missing the point here. (The last two sentences probably don’t make any sense.) Obviously, I am confused.
So, I am afraid I have to wait for the “official” unwrapping.
I mean, my last two sentences don’t make any sense.
Nope, no sayings. First thing to figure out is who is saying what.
To figure out who is speaking (or not) wasn’t so difficult. Also, I got the meaning of the line and its influence who is speaking. My first thought about this sentence
was, that it is some kind of curse. But this theory doesn’t really fit together with this line:
That’s the thing I am not clear; and I think that’s the major point of the story.
I think the shirtless guys – line – is just to describe the party. And that it wasn’t a nude party, as was expected. The last line in the story threw me at first too. I think a clue is about the previous mention of silence – elsewhere. I think you need to think about them both to begin to paint a picture about what is happening and what kind of relationship we are talking about here.
Hi Cave,
I skimmed a few of the early comments to get a feel for what others are saying. My opinions are right in there somewhere. I’ve now read it three times (some lines a few more times).
By the way, how did you manage to get that line across the page, right at midnight I believe? If I’m understanding correctly, all the dialogue before that point, is just one person??? The other person regains his/her voice after that point, so there is now a second voice. (or are there more?)
While I find this technically interesting, I’m of the opinion (at least I think I am) that leaving out all the dialogue tags, is not doing your story justice. I’m never sure who is speaking. and a bit of description might be niice. I also don’t know if this is a man and a woman. Maybe if names entered the story, that would help (elven names — just kidding). Like if one of them says, “Hey, Ellen.” Then we’d know there is a girl. And if the response was, “Thanks, Jim.” You do mention ‘heels’ so I imagine that a woman is involved (even though some mean wear heels). Some lines just left me confused.
But I’m not telling you to make changes. You are the artist. Making it more conventional — that would be easy. It just comes down to what you are shooting for. It seems like there is a good story here, the idea of having to earn the ability to speak (for one year), the price being nudity (but just 24 hours of it). So the idea is interesting.
So, that’s what I think. Maybe this isn’t the review you were hoping for, but possibly it is about what you were expecting. Maybe we could get together and discuss this. What are you doing at midnight on New Year’s Eve?
Blair
Haha… yes, perhaps a little demo is in order. Around midnight? Good one Blair. And I hear what you are saying. This is certainly different and daring, but I like the experimental creativity here. We are in the dark, much like she was, it adds to the unknown atmosphere.
And her partner, I believe there is a mention of a ‘he’. So if we know the first half is him speaking, and the second half is her… and some friends. The only question remaining is what’s up with this couple? What kind of couple would have such high steaks regarding her personal freedom around clothing and speaking? Whatever it is, I see a lot of trust between these two. And so I feel this is her choice.
So I kind of suspect either a romantic bdsm couple. Perhaps she enjoys being a nudity slave or they just like to play dom/sub games around high stakes or large bets.
It seems like the previous year she met some friends but was unable to speak (that means she was dressed, since she was only allowed to speak when naked). I’m wondering if she went a year with those rules. Can only speak when naked. And this time she’s earning the right to speak (when naked) for another year, but only if she goes naked for a full day. Since she will be at the party for 10 more min or so (after the lights went on, he was silent so he was probably showing fingers) we get some ENF action as she’s the OON and embarrassed. It seems like this is her first exposure with others. He likes that, her embarrassed. So it sounds like a very fun relationship, that is escalating.
But what I don’t know is if the one year of no speaking when dressed, is a repeat of the same rules? That she can speak only when naked? Or if she is getting a break for a year, and she can speak normally while clothed. Whatever the case, she has to earn it with a full day of nudity. But what, public nudity? It must be since only that would be daring and different that her usual naked at home.
So I gather that she is always naked at home, likely works from home (if she works). Maybe because of the pandemic? Anyways, that’s pretty much all I got so far.
Also if she doesn’t pass the 24 hours of nudity, then what? She can’t speak for a year no matter how she’s dressed? I doubt it. It seems like a fun relationship, so likely if she wants to have another year of the same rules. She has to ‘earn’ the right to play the game for another year. That’s my best guess. If she fails, then she goes back to being a normal person. Which, for her, wouldn’t be any fun at all!
Hi everyone, thank you for your comments.
It is a little surprising that this writing experiment got this many reactions already. Of course, the missing conversation tags make it more difficult to read, but I tried to hint at who said each sentence by setting a tone.
It’s clear that the story leaves a lot of room for speculation, but I don’t plan on changing anything. However, I might be pursuaded to ‘spoil’ the writer’s intent for the story in the comments, if people want me to.
In any case, if you want to know something specific, or want to know exactly what I meant as the writer, feel free to send me an email at cavethewriter@gmail.com.
Blair, the divider line is something I noticed in the story editor. It’s the 2nd button on the 2nd row.
I am not so sure about the BDSM relationship and its mutual agreement on its rules. I have more the feeling there is a third party involved.
She doesn’t say he makes her to be naked at the party, she only says that he knows she has to be naked. And when the other person asks how this works exactly, she doesn’t explain that her partner sets the rules.
She only guesses, she doesn’t know, that there is a “prankster” involved, someone who enjoys seeing her naked embarrassment. She only knows she has to be naked for the first day of the year to have her voice for one whole year. If it was her partner, she wouldn’t have to guess.
Now I am coming back to my original theory, it is some kind of curse. Where she loses her voice for a year if she is not naked on the first day of this year. I think she lost her voice completely, no matter naked or not, because right after midnight she asks him if it is nice to hear her voice again. As if he hadn’t heard her voice for a long time.
But what about the others at the party? Without shirt or only in bra and panties? Are they under the same curse, but weren’t brave enough to be completely naked?
Any other ideas? It would be nice if more people comment and speculate as well and have new ideas. The more the better.
Cave wrote:
Of course I want to know exactly what you meant as the writer. Not just right now; for the moment let us speculate a bit more. Maybe later as a Christmas present to your readers you could solve the riddle in the comments.
I agree with Arthwys. This is a good idea. See who can speculate the closest before Christmas.
I don’t feel it’s a curse. I could be wrong, but I think this is just a Dom/Sub relationship.
It starts with the couple entering the party. She’s dressed and can’t speak, because of the rule. He finds a place for them to sit and the lights go out. She probably thinks that at midnight some of the females have to be naked. So she slowly undress in the dark. She is scared.
After the line, he doesn’t speak anymore. It’s all her.
She wants to get dressed and leave. She notices him loving her being naked here. He lifts her up and someone notices her. I think she was only quiet while dressed on the way here. So asking about hearing her voice again, is just part of the dialog structure to help us understand whats’ going on. It’s not that she’s been silent for a year. The rule is, she can speak when naked and I suspect that is the usually way she dresses at home. So she speaks all the time. Except when they go out and meet friends or shopping. She is quite serious about their bdsm lifestyle. She follows the rules, for an entire year.
She chats with him, noticing that she’s the only one naked. He mentions meeting her before, but she didn’t speak, so she must have been under that rule for the full year – my guess. It might get refreshed this year again. It’s confirmed that the guy that started this, who brought us here… isn’t speaking. She explains the rules.
So when she CAN speak she must not maintain eye contact, like a mailgirl actually. My guess, is this is some kind of submissive naked slave play that this couple enjoys. They must be pretty serious about it as she commits for an entire year at a time.
She continues the conversation with her man’s friend. He asks why he’s not speaking now. She explains while others gather around her.
It’s a bit much, this is her first time doing this in a party or in front of others, so this means he got her to escalate. I think he tricked her, or someone tricked them, by saying that she wouldn’t be the only one and she reluctantly agreed.
Oh… I just realized. That the condition of her renewal, is that she has to be naked at midnight and stay that way for 24 hours. He must have mentioned that they could finally go to a party because she might not be the only one naked. So regardless of party or not, she has to be naked at midnight. That’s the rule.
This is the tricky part. Someone asked, so she explained. She suspects that either someone gave her man false info about the party, a prank, or her guy just enjoys to see her naked embarrassment (so it might be her guy faking the info).
My final guess here is that last New Years, she was dared to go naked for 24 hours starting New Years, or she has to be a nudity slave for a year (with a repeating test for life perhaps). It was too hard for her and she failed the 24 hour test last year. And thus became a nudity slave for a year. And now that the year is up, I guess she liked it (the year long punishment) because now she wants to try (or has to because it’s a repeating challenge) the dare again. Stay naked for 24 hours, and then she can have her voice for a full year. Be normal again. But note, it’s just a year that she earns the right to speak normally when clothed. So it means she has to do this every New Year.
The only question is, will she fail the 24 hours test again? I suspect that she is planning to fail it again, because she only agreed to stay 10 more minutes. She likes the rule. A year of only speaking when she is fully naked. She loves being a submissive nudity slave with a strong incentive to be naked as much as possible. It’s fully consensual, and she is living the life she loves. She could quit anytime, but she chooses to take all this very seriously. Because it’s her fantasy come true.
Also she likes it privately with just her guy. This year is different, they went to this party. He knows she can’t handle it in public very long. They both know it. They both love this and I suspect she will fail again, but it’s cool to see her pushing her boundaries with some of this in public, if only 10 minutes at a time. And it’s cool that they both want her to fail. Because then it’s an another enjoyable year.
This could also be a more serious BDSM relationship with higher stakes where she can’t speak at all and is a slave. But I highly doubt it, knowing how our author writes. Likely this is a fun, relatively light situation and fully consensual.
This will be a comment about my own idea behind the story, so if you have not yet ready it, and would like to try to figure it out for yourself, I suggest not to read this.
In short, the following is my idea as I was writing, though it’s become obvious to me that there is enough wiggle room for multiple interpretations.
This short story was about a couple in their early to mid twenties – a man and a woman – going to a new years eve party together. It is a ‘dark party’, where the light are out and it’s fully dark in the main party room. In the first half of the story, the man is speaking and I’ve tried to make clear that he cares a lot about the woman. The woman has no voice, and hasn’t had her voice for the entire year (not even when nude). He wants her to get her voice back.
There’s a higher power that has set the requirement for the woman for how to retain or regain her voice. Some people are affected by this in different ways. I left open the possibility that the requirements can be different for the others, which is why some are only partially undressed. Hence the last line of the story, where she explains that ‘a prankster, or someone’ (which may even be the writer) set her up for naked embarrassment. That someone knows her well enough that she would try it. Her partner doesn’t control the requirement, but is a happy participant by bringing her to the party, where neither knows whether there may be others nude after midnight.
At midnight (new year) the lights come on and now there are indeed different speakers. The woman has her voice back, and one of his friends notices her and starts to talk with them. The man remains silent by choice, partially out of respect for her by letting her dominate the conversation for a (temporary) change. The price for her voice is to remain nude at the party. As she mentions, letting her do all the talking embarrasses her only more, which is his intention. Not out of cruelty, but because he knows she likes it at some level (well, both of them do).
However, he doesn’t make her stay till the party ends, just 10 more minutes and then they can go. Where to is not specified, but in any case she’ll need to stay nude for a while.
As I mentioned before, I did not expect much from this story, as it was just an experiment in writing, but am happy at least some of the readers enjoyed the puzzle. It seemed to me that Art was very close in his interpretation from early on, but I also like ReaderMan’s interpretation of them being a rather serious BDSM couple. In any case, there’s a strong dom-sub relationship, which I tried to hint at in the story.
Thank you for reading, and best wishes for 2022.
Very cool! Thanks for sharing Cave. Arthwys wins! (That clever guy!)
This was a fun present to unwrap during the holidays. I’m pleasantly surprised that the story was so serious – higher power and a full year of no speaking (even when naked). I think I speculated that last part, but didn’t think it was the case. So… close!
But I totally never would have guessed the third party. That sounds like it could be anything from mystical to something like an indentured slave or just another partner who has some kind of hold over her. I suspect our writer wants to keep that one a mystery and so I can respect that.
hmm… I wonder if it’s a Mistress who is letting her enjoy a boyfriend for a while.
Thank you Cave. Merry Christmas!
Hi Cave,
This one was for me, the most difficult to approach, and even if it’s now easier with all of your comments, I could feel the strong dom-sub relationship you described.
Thank you for this story.
Helen.