Glimpses of the Island

A Private Room

The Facility had a dining room where all the meals were served. Mrs. Yates had been replaced by another staff member who explained the rules for mealtime. Standing in line Elise went over them again. While in line there was to be no idle conversation but after being seated she could talk to her table companions only. She could pick out her food from the buffet style serving trays, but a guard would take her to a table and assign a seat to her. Then she had to ask the guard for permission to begin eating. And when she was finished she had to raise her hand to signal the guard and ask for permission to take her tray back to the cleanup window. The whole procedure seemed overly elaborate. While waiting her turn she watched the protocol in action.

The guards were all men, and easily identified by their uniforms. They looked intimidating, an impression Mrs. Yates had been quick to reinforce. "Under island law you have no rights," Mrs. Yates had begun. "You are wards of the Facility, subject to the rules and regulations of the institution. You are legally obligated to obey the guards, no matter what their orders may be. Remember that. If you are disobedient or act inappropriately, you will be punished. If you try to run away the guards will bring you right back. And even if you can elude them, there's no way to get off the Island."

Elise didn't notice the mirrored glass windows high up on the wall at the rear of the dining room. Hidden behind it Clancy Yates leaned back in his chair, arms folded, watching the evening meal progress below. Siobhan Yates knelt on a cushion at his side while they watched the new arrivals lining up for dinner.

"That's her, the one who just came in and is standing at the end of the line." Siobhan was careful not to move as she spoke.

Clancy unfolded his arms and leaned forward. "You think she has some special potential? I read over her file again. You wouldn't be playing at being the matchmaker, would you now?" Idly he reached out and rubbed the back of her neck, his fingers tracing random patterns around the collar.

"Yes sir, I would. And you know the one I have in mind. She has the right attitude. Once she gets the training to bring out what's already inside her, and I don't think it will take long, she would be the perfect fit."

From experience Clancy knew Siobhan's first impressions almost always proved to be correct. Still, he had to make the final call. He preferred to back up Siobhan with his own observations. In the reflection from the window he could see her scrutinizing the new arrival. She was under strict orders not to move while she knelt at his side.

"Holidays are coming up Mrs. Yates, what would you say to a trip back to the old country? Does your brother still run that pub in Sligo? It's been more than a few years since we last called on him. We could start in Dublin and motor whichever way the wind blows. Wouldn't you like to see some of the old places?"

Siobhan spun around to look at him. "Clancy Yates, don't tell me you intend to cross the border to Armagh! It's too dangerous!"

"There's an amnesty, don't you know? Besides, my name never appeared on any official enquiry list." He grabbed her hair and jerked her head back to face the window. "I don't recall giving you permission to move. You know better, my dear Siobhan. Mind your position."

Swiftly she assumed her posture of submission again. "Please forgive me, sir. No excuse."

"See that it doesn't happen again. Don't worry; I intend to stay in the south. Remember that night we walked hand in hand along the river? The Liffy is still there, waiting for us. But that's a ways off, for now let's see why you think this Elise will stand out."

Down below Elise finally reached the head of the waiting line. A woman stood next to a stack of trays. As soon as a guard nodded to her she picked up the top tray and handed it to Elise. "The soufflé is pretty good tonight. I had some earlier."

"Thanks," Elise replied. She was hungry and the smell of the food was tantalizing. She picked out a salad, a plate of the soufflé, and a small slice of pie for dessert. She finished with a glass of milk and a slice of bread. Nervously she approached the guard, tray in hand.

Here goes , she thought. "Good evening, sir. May I be allowed to sit at a table?" That was the formula request they had been taught less than an hour ago.

She expected him to lead her to the next empty table but instead he stared at her. "New aren't you? I haven't seen you before. What's your name?"

"Elise, sir, I arrived today." She almost added her last name but caught herself just in time. Mrs. Yates object lesson from earlier in the day would ensure she never made that mistake again.

"Follow me, Elise." He turned and headed for a table where one woman was sitting alone. Elise trailed behind, careful to stay close but not on his heels. Not once did he look back to see if she was behind him. He doesn't have to check , she told herself, I better be there or else . He pulled out a chair across from the lone woman, who had stopped eating when she saw him approach. Elise noted how she sat very still, hands in her lap and eyes down. "This will be your place this evening." He pushed in the chair as she sat down.

"Thank you, sir." Elise straightened her tray but didn't pick up the fork. It was a requirement that the tray had to line up with the edge of the table. "Sir? May I have permission to eat?" If he said no she would go hungry tonight.

Mrs. Yates had told them never to assume an answer. "Sometimes they will tell you no, and not offer an explanation. If that happens you thank them and sit there. You do not touch the food. And don't think it won't happen. I went to bed without supper more than once. When you ask, be sincere. At the Facility asking for permission is never a rhetorical question."

This time she wouldn't go hungry. "Help yourself," he answered. "Just wave at me when you're done, or if you need to get up for something. And take your time. A meal should be a space in the day's routine to relax." He smiled at Elise and went back to his post by the serving line. She turned to watch him leave.

"Hi, my name is Jamie. Is this your first day? I've been here a few months and haven't seen you around before."

Elise turned back to her table companion for dinner. "I'm Elise. Yeah, I started today." She lowered her voice and gestured with her head at the guard who had escorted her. "Did I do okay? I'm really nervous. There's so much to remember."

"If you had made a mistake you'd have known in seconds. I wasn't paying attention before you approached but just now you did well. Don't worry; in time it becomes second nature. You won't even think about it." Jamie took a bite of her dinner.

Elise took a sip of her milk and began eating. Were there rules about talking to others like herself? There must be. She asked Jamie about it.

"Rules? Of course! There's a rule for anything you can think of. It's mostly common sense and courtesy. You can volunteer information about your past but don't ever ask about anyone else's history. Never use a last name, but you know that one already. Don't mention dates unless it's several years ago. Above all, stop whatever you are doing if one of the men looks like he's heading this way. They get your undivided attention." While Jamie was talking Elise noticed she looked away every so often. "I watch your back, you watch behind me. Put your fork down and put your hands in your lap, that's the signal. I'll do the same."

Elise nodded in agreement. "What do I look for?"

"If you see one of the guards heading directly toward the table, say within, umm, fifteen feet away? You get a feel for it. If you think he's headed for you, stop and wait. No harm if he goes on by. But if you ignore him," Jamie paused, "well, just don't do it."

Elise changed the subject. "What do you think of the Facility? Would you still come here, if you knew then what you know now? I must have changed my mind thirty times."

Jamie stopped, fork in midair, as she pondered the question. "Yes….I think I would. I lived on the Island before signing up with the Facility, so I had some idea of what it would be like." She stopped, looking at Elise. "Do you know much about the Island? Isla del Sur? If I'm being nosy say so."

Elise shook her head. "No, I came here from California. I've never been to the Island before. You mean where the ship docked, don't you?"

"That's the main island. The Facility is on a separate island, by itself. My boyfriend introduced me to the Island and its unique lifestyle. He was going to be my master. We went through the ownership program, and then decided to try the one year agreement." Jamie smiled in a wistful manner. "I was in heaven. I wore his collar; I belonged to him. And best of all everyone knew it."

The use of past tense wasn't lost on Elise. Something had gone wrong, or Jamie wouldn't be sitting across the table from her now. But as much as Elise wanted to ask, that would be prying. Jamie had to volunteer it. She cut off a corner of the soufflé and continued to eat, all the while listening attentively to Jamie. And she didn't forget to watch for nearby guards either.

Jamie took a sip of her tea and continued. "It was exactly the kind of life I wanted, but it wasn't for Jimmy. He left on a business trip to Europe. I got a letter a week later, telling me he couldn't be my master. The keys to my collar were inside. He never came back to the Island."

Elise put a hand to her mouth. "That must have been horrible! And you didn't have any idea?"

Jamie shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe there were signs, but I didn't see them. I fell apart when I got the letter. I must have cried all day. Then I got scared. I'm not supposed to ever have the keys to my collar. I didn't know what to do. The police might even arrest me if they found out."

Elise was puzzled at Jamie's comment about the police but didn't ask about it. The island must have some odd laws. "What did you do? How did you wind up here?"

"I finally got up enough courage to call my neighbor. We were friends, though not close. Her husband came right over and took charge. He contacted someone in the Island's administration who deals with situations like mine. He also took the keys for my collar. That night I slept on their couch. The next day a woman came out from an island agency and explained my options."

Jamie stopped when she saw Elise perk up. Immediately Jamie put her fork down. "Sorry," Elise said, "false alarm. He was seating someone else. What were your choices?"

"Don't sweat the false alarms. You'll develop an instinct for it. Given my status I had three ways to go. First, I could leave. Jimmy had posted a bond to pay travel costs for anywhere in the world. There was no guarantee I could ever come back to the Island.

"Second, I could stay and go to work for one of the local companies. There is an apprenticeship program. Basically you are supervised by the company until someone claims you. The program wasn't really what I wanted, but it sounded like the only way to stay.

"When I asked if there were any other options the woman hesitated but finally told me about the Facility. There was an opening available, though I'd have to apply and be accepted. Then she explained how the Facility worked. You know the conditions. Frankly it scared me. But I thought about it, and what a failure I'd been at picking my own master. Maybe someone else might do a better job. So here I am."

In the office Clancy switched off the audio. "You arranged for her to sit with Jamie?" he asked Siobhan, still kneeling next to him.

"Yes, sir. I checked the schedule. Mike was supervising dinner this evening so I stopped by and asked a favor before he started. Was that okay? "

Normally Clancy would have allowed her to stand up by now but he had decided to extend her time on the cushion in response to her breaking position earlier. "Yes, that's fine. I trust your discretion." He hit the button to close the blinds and cover the window. "I think that's enough for now. You may stand. Let's take a short stroll across the grounds." He stood up and held out a hand to her. Graceful as ever, she took hold of his hand as she stood.

"Clancy? You caught me off guard for a moment. I remember your story about crossing the border that night, dodging both the Gaurda and the British patrols. I don't want you going back there ever again. It's just that I don't want to lose you to the Troubles."

He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. "Not to worry, lass. Those days are gone. This is my home now, not Armagh." He looked down at her, suddenly drawing her up into a passionate kiss.

"What you should worry about is your complacency," he whispered in her ear while he held her tight. "I'll not stand for any disobedience. Just because you are the Director's wife doesn't earn you a special dispensation. Tomorrow you will demonstrate to my satisfaction you have not forgotten how to properly kneel in the presence of your master. Now, let's go watch the sun set."

In the dining room Elise and Jamie continued their meal, unaware they had been observed from above. Elise was probing Jamie about the Facility. "Do you have a hard time with all the restrictions and protocols, like the part about asking permission?"

Jamie paused for a moment, considering Elise's question. "I did at first. Ask to stand up, ask to sit down, ask to leave the room; I thought it was ridiculous. I'm an adult, not a small child. The island isn't like this place. The men there don't go to the extremes of the Facility. I couldn't understand the point of it all."

Elise nodded. "Exactly! What am I supposed to learn by asking a stranger if he approves of me eating a meal? I'm not going to be group property, at the beck and call of every guy in the place."

Jamie grimaced. "Well, technically you are at the beck and call of every man here, as you put it. The Facility is male domination carried to an extreme. It's not meant to represent what life will be like on the Island though. It has another purpose."

"So when I get to the main island I'm not going to be ordered around by every man on the street?"

Jamie laughed, nearly spilling her drink. "Oh no, it's not like that at all. You serve one master. There are certain standards for behavior, but nothing like what we go through here. No, the purpose of this place is to test your resolve as much as to teach you what it means to be submissive in a world where it's taken seriously."

Elise, finished with dessert, carefully placed her fork on the tray. In a moment she would signal for the guard, but before she left she wanted to ask Jamie about something that had piqued her curiosity. "My resolve? What do you mean?"

"You consider yourself a submissive female, someone who wants a relationship with a strong dominant male?" Elise nodded as Jamie continued. "Okay, that's obvious or you wouldn't be here. But, can you live the reality as well as the fantasy? Can you really turn over your life to some guy? Can you trust him when you have no idea if he's right or not? You're going to find out, because the Facility turns fantasy into fact. You don't have a choice, remember? They are going to make you confront what's really inside you, and there's nothing you can do to stop them. If you can make it here you'll have the answers to those questions."

No one had ever explained it in quite such blunt terms. Elise stared across the table, hesitant to ask the obvious question. "What about you, Jamie? Did you find the answers to those questions?"

Jamie didn't turn away. Instead she answered in a quiet but confident tone of voice. "Yes I have, Elise. I will sit here until a man tells me I can leave. I will go to sleep tonight when a man gives me permission to go to my room. In the morning I will put on the clothes a man orders me to wear, and carefully listen to what he wishes to teach me. And one day the right someone will tell me to come home with him. When it happens I'll go with him, happily, willingly, obediently, and I'll do my best to be his companion for a lifetime. That's what I've learned about myself."

Elise was quiet, deep in thought as she pondered Jamie's words. Would she too one day find that peace? Just what would the facility teach her about herself? She had the feeling that she would soon find out.