Prologue

A sunny mid morning day, in early September. The temperature already increasing, countering the previous night’s cool. A gentle breeze comes in from the Lake, barely enough to move flags drooping limply on their masts. It’s going to become a sultry day, as the last dregs of an “el Scorchio” Summer starting to merge into Fall.

The rush hour finished barely 45 minutes ago, with worker drones now cocooned within their office cubicles blasted with A/C, Baristas wiping down Coffee machines, serving counters after the mad early rush of commuters demanding their wake up elixir. In the middle of the city, a large open civic square, surrounded on all sides by old historic buildings, full of people from all walks of life milling around doing whatever: a Tour Guide marshalling Tourists around local points of interest, Buskers start their daily ritual of butchering the latest hits from the Radio, among the many other Street performers attempting to get passer-bys to part with their money.

Downtown, a few miles over. A young woman, no older than her early 20s waits for a bus, there are also a few other folk waiting. She keeps herself to herself, head phones on, head down, a few beads of sweat roll slowly down her forehead. She wipes them away.

Eventually a bus stops, the Number 17 arriving 12 minutes late. She’s the last to get on, not on purpose, but fear weighing her down. She forces herself to get on, paying the correct fare and sitting near the back. As the bus moves off, reaching inside her Back Pack, she retrieves and opens a red envelope that had been delivered to her Dorm mailbox the day before.

It’s hard not to notice a red envelope amongst the various bulk mail advertisement leaflets clogging up the mailbox. It’s even harder to explain to friends as to who kept sending these perfumed scented red envelopes over the past year. Being honest, she didn’t know herself but she knew what they contained. All she could her tell her friends was that it was a secret admirer. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t true either.

Her train of thought came back to the present with a jolt, as the bus stopped suddenly. The bus driver blared the horn, leaned out of his window, shouted obscenities and a few hand movements towards a careless bike courier.

Soon the excitement was over and the bus continued its journey into the City center. Holding the red envelope, she took out its contents, to re-read. Inside the red envelope was a letter, rephrase that… instructions, that were to be followed exactly and where to find a particular locker at the Bus Terminal. Re-reading the instructions and checking to make sure there was nothing else in her bag, fear and anxiety was beginning to be build. The lack of cool air coming into the bus wasn’t helping her to cope either.

After a 25 minute journey or so, of feeling sweaty and anxious. The bus arrives at it’s Terminal, a stones throw from the City center. Slowly and absent mindedly rising from her seat, shuffling along the aisle of the bus with the rest of the bus’ passenger cargo. Knowing that each shuffled step is bringing her closer to the start of her travails, which may occur in the next few days or so.

Realising that in her daze of worry and trying to ignore what is to come, she’d left her bag on the seat. Rushing back to collect it, eventually sighing a breathe of relief tainted with irony.

Off the bus, making her way through the crowds of people rushing to get to where ever. She was only going to a place she didn’t want to be heading for. The Bus Terminal was cavernous, providing cool refreshing shade from the warming temperature outside, sounds generated by the throng of the crowd echoed and deafened all at once.

Feeling the coolness of the shade, she could feel her clothes slightly soaked from her sweaty bus ride, as she walked. Her pink halter top, clung to her body, her body trying to cool her down from the outside temperature and also from her increasing anxiety. The loose Summer skirt at least allowed her legs to be aired. She continued walking.

Eventually, locating the locker she needed. She realised why she hadn’t been given a key to the locker, it had a Number Combination lock. That explained the 4 digits, after the Locker number that had been written on the instructions.

Feeling nervous, her hands held the Combination lock in her hand and slowly started to turn the number wheels to the correct Number code. Eventually, the lock clicked, the locker door swung slightly ajar. She carefully opened the locker door due to past experiences. However, this time there was nothing to worry about.

Looking inside, there was a small to medium sized box along with another red envelope laying on top of it. The envelope only had “Open me first, Rachel” written on it.

Opening the envelope, Rachel finds a Post Card, the kind Tourists buy on vacations and a further set of instructions. The picture on the front of the Post Card was of a fountain, she knew the one as did everyone else in the City. It was the old “St. Peter’s”, a fountain that according to local legend would bring wishes to come true, if you closed your eyes, made a wish and threw a piece of silver in, or 50 cents in modern day parlance.

Turning the Post Card over, Rachel sees the words, “Be here by no later that 11.30am today, make a Wish and follow all given instructions.” Rachel knew what she wished for. All this to be over, finally. In the past she’d have had time to prepare mentally, but not today, no time to work it all out in her mind; her thoughts, emotions, feelings. All she could muster was a slow and silently mouthed “shit”. This *WAS* new!

Looking at the clock on her Cellphone, it was 10.48am. It was no more than 15 minute walk, between here and there. Sorted!

Taking the instructions, she begins to read nervously, biting her top lip, “How was your Summer vacation? Relaxing, I hope.” Snorting to herself, “Yeah… relaxing all Summer as in not wanting to return here”.

She continued reading, “Well, enough of the pleasantries and back to business 🙂 Well, if you’re reading this, you’re showing your commitment again which is great. Last year, was like High School. Now you’re graduating to College.

“So, here’s what you have to do:

1. Before leaving the Bus Terminal, you must only wear what is in the box and also bring what ever else is in the box with you.
2. Leave all your clothes you are currently wearing, your shoes and your Cellphone if you’ve brought it, in your Back Pack. You can change in the female Bathroom near the Information booth on the concourse.
3. Place your Back Pack and the box back into this locker.
4. Close the locker.
5. Make your way to the location on the Post Card by the time given.
6. When you arrive, sit down by the Fountain and wait for further instructions. Don’t worry the instructions will be delivered to you, you’ll be easy to find.
7. Whilst waiting, if people come up to you, be nice and pleasant and enjoy the day.
8. Follow, any further instructions you may find either in the box or given to you at the location.
9. Failure to comply with any of the instructions or fail to be at the Location by the given time, well….. you know the rest”.

Oh, she knew the rest alright!

From the locker, looking back towards the concourse and she could see the Information booth. OK.

Looking at the box, still inside the locker, Rachel pulls it out, it was feeling heavier than she expected. Opening the box, revealing the contents. “Oh Jesuussss!”, softly exclaiming to herself, but which was a little louder than she realised, as it echoed around the Lockers. Hearing her own words bouncing around the Locker area, Rachel looked around to see if anyone else had reacted by looking in her direction. Luckily, there wasn’t anyone who was paying attention. As in most Public Transport terminals, not that many people would notice, as they try to get from A to B with the minimum of fuss as possible.

Inside the box was a pair of red Stilettos. She didn’t question whether they would fit, she knew they would, as from past experience, her ‘Saviour turned Tormentor’ knew many things about her. When taking the Stilettos out of the box, she noticed a latex mask at the bottom, covering something. Picking the latex mask up and unfolding it, looking at it at arms length, thinking to herself, “WTF?!”. Hidden beneath the latex mask, was a small portable Boom-box, with further instructions taped to it. Pulling the Boom-box out to read the instructions: “Play me as soon as you leave the Bus Terminal and hold me above your head all the time, until you receive new instructions at the location. I will be watching.” Whoever this person is, they have some strange ideas, she thought.

Then searching the box again, for other items….

Nothing….

Nope….

Nada…..

Nothing else at all!

“You motherf….”, breaking off before looking around the Lockers again. “Nothing to wear, really!?! Not even something small and slutty. No, no, no, no, noooo, this can’t be right! I can’t go outside naked.” She began to feel the stuffy coolness of the Terminal air and the Goosebumps as she thought about what she was being forced to do.

Rachel looked at the clock on her Cellphone. Mother of God, it was coming up to 11am. Rachel was beginning to panic, compounding her panic attack was when she realised the walk would be like 20-25 minutes in those Stilettos. Calming herself down a little, she only just figured out that the journey to and from getting changed in the female Bathroom would eat into the remaining time left before the deadline.

The usual feelings of nervousness in the pit of her stomach when she started her given tasks, were today overtaken and added on top by feeling weak in her legs, racing heart beat, dry throat, began to emerge as Rachel looked around for a place to undress from prying eyes. Inside she was a mess, not really contemplating the actions she must do.

Rachel, knowing that time was against her, quickly scouted that she could remain partly hidden by the row of Lockers against the wall. She hoped she wouldn’t be seen by others, yet!

She began undressing starting with her Sandals, nerves frayed, her fingers struggling to undo the straps……