Glimpses of the Island

An Afternoon Drive

Cathy was waiting at her front door when the car pulled up. John, always the gentleman, got out and opened the car door for her. Inside she could see Anna sitting in the back seat, hands folded in her lap as usual. It wasn't until Cathy sat down next to Anna that she noticed why Anna's hands were so carefully placed. Around each wrist was a gleaming steel bracelet, linked to a chain around Anna's waist. Cathy couldn't see a lock but it was obvious the chain was tightly fastened above her hips, holding Anna's wrists close to her side. Her hands were resting in her lap because that was the limit imposed by the short lengths of chain between the cuffs and her waist chain. She looked at Anna with an expression that asked the unspoken question as to what was happening.

Anna gave a shrug of her shoulders but said nothing. John started the car and pulled out into the road. Today was supposed to be a sightseeing trip and old-fashioned picnic to help Cathy relax. Mark was due to arrive tomorrow on the next boat in. Cathy had been frantic getting everything ready for his arrival. John had called earlier that morning and suggested she come with them on a drive to the interior of the Island, more as a distraction to help her get through the day rather than a real trip. Cathy had started to decline, but then realized he was right. She needed a change of scenery.

Anna moved her legs slightly. The motion caught Cathy's attention when she realized there was a matching pair of cuffs around Anna's ankles linking them together. Anna was effectively immobilized, bound hand and foot. She might be able to stand, but walking would be very slow and difficult. Cathy couldn't help but stare at the bonds; it was something she had never seen in public before. Anna smiled, seeing Cathy's fascination at her predicament, but still said nothing.

John broke the silence with an explanation. "I'm sure you noticed Anna is a bit, umm, restrained today. She's not being punished or anything like that. It's just a whim of mine. At times I like to remind her who is in charge. As you can see, she has little option but to do as I wish. For the moment she does not have permission to speak, which is why she didn't say hello. This is part of living on the Island too. No one would give a second thought to seeing Anna dressed in chains, because she has that collar around her neck. And of course Anna does not have the option of removing the cuffs. She doesn't get the spare key." John laughed. Anna rolled her eyes then shook her head.

"Sir, may I ask how long you will keep her this way?" Cathy ventured a question. Anna didn't look uncomfortable at the moment but that could change if it was going to be all day long.

"No, Cathy, that you cannot ask. She will remain silent until I tell her otherwise, and she will wear the restraints until I remove them. But I'll let her explain it to you while I drive. Anna, you have permission to speak." John turned his attention to the road as the traffic picked up.

"Yes sir. Hi Cathy, glad you decided to come along." Anna continued, "I'm not sure what you might think of this, but it's not quite what it seems." She lifted up her hands and tugged on the handcuffs on each side of her waist. "Contrary to what you might think, I find wearing these to be very exciting. I like that helpless feeling, knowing I'm controlled by my master. And best of all, here on the Island we can do it in public." Anna laughed. "Maybe it's a latent streak of exhibitionism. Anyway, people aren't going to stare, not much anyway, and the police aren't going to stop and question us."

Cathy shook her head, frowning in confusion. "But…aren't you worried about what people will think, seeing you like that?"

"Anywhere but here, yes. Everyone on the Island knows that bondage doesn't mean I'm being arrested, or I'm a criminal. Instead, it shows that I am being controlled by the man who owns me, in a very real and visible way. I am vulnerable, defenseless, unable to fend for myself. But I trust John to protect me. And beyond that, it's something of an unwritten law here that when we are, hmm, call it restrained, everyone is extra helpful and patient. If I can't open a door, someone will open it for me. If I have to walk very slowly, people will be patient and wait for me to go by. Master is always with me though, so I never have to worry.

"And remember Cathy, where I now sit you may well be in a short period of time." Anna lifted her chin. "Once you have chosen to wear a collar, you cannot refuse if your master decides he wants to see you like this. Or worse. I am grateful that master allowed me to wear clothes today."

Cathy was taken aback at Anna's last comment. It did make sense once she thought about it. Clothing was as much a privilege as speaking, to be granted or withdrawn solely at his discretion. Besides, once trussed up in chains there would be little she could do if he suddenly produced a pair of scissors and began removing garments piece by piece. Would Mark ever do that to her, parading her striped and shackled through public streets in the middle of the day? She didn't think so, but then again there was nothing to stop him.

"One more thing Cathy," Anna interrupted her train of thought. "The question you asked about how long master will keep me in restraints? There was no way you would know, but it's considered impolite to ask those kinds of questions here. Unless there are exceptional circumstances no one questions how a master treats his property. If John had answered your question then I would have known when he intended to release me. It's not my place to know such things in advance, unless he wants to tell me. That's why he didn't answer, or so I assume."

Cathy turned to the front of the car. "Oh, my apologies, sir. I didn't mean to interfere."

"No problem, you had no way of knowing," John answered. "Usually I make sure Anna knows what I have in mind for her, but today is different. Today she doesn't know what will be happening from one moment to the next. Uncertainty is a pinch of spice to add to her feelings of being powerless and controlled. And Anna? You were only given permission to wear clothes when we left the house. I said nothing about the rest of the day."

A brief look of panic crossed Anna's face, as her hands jerked against the handcuffs. Then as Cathy watched she carefully folded her hands in her lap once more and lowered her eyes, facing straight ahead. "Yes sir," Anna said in a low voice. Clearly Anna did not like the idea of being forced to strip in public either, but Cathy saw her resignation. Was John bluffing, merely to tease her? His wording had been very carefully contrived to imply everything and nothing. Cathy started to ask him then realized he wouldn't answer, but if he felt challenged to prove something Anna would be the one to suffer for it. Cathy now understood why such questions were considered impolite; one day she might be in a similar situation where she would pay for a careless question from someone else.

The conversation lulled, as the two women were lost in thought. Anna remembered the last time she had thoughtlessly called her master's bluff, and the night she had spent locked in the car trunk as a result; nude, gagged, and tied hand and foot. She had learned that lesson well; never again would she dare him to carry out a threat.

Cathy's thoughts were focused on Anna, and what it might be like if Mark were the one driving and she were the one sitting in the back seat, locked in shackles. What would he do? And the real question, what would he make her do? Anna was right; Cathy could be in exactly the same place in little more than a month from now. Could she sit there as calmly as Anna, knowing she would be so completely dependent on Mark?

Some of her concern must have shown on her face, for Anna spoke up. "Don't worry, you'll be able to handle it. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to let go, place all your trust in him, to sit back and wait to see what will happen. Think of it this way: if there is nothing you can do, then there is nothing you have to do.

"Look at me. He can do just about anything he wants. Tomorrow morning he could wake up and tell me I am forbidden to talk to anyone or to leave the house for the next three months. I would be trapped, no way out, but I would obey. I wouldn't like it, but when he took possession of me I knew the worst could happen, and if it did I would have to accept it. But I'm not worried. If he decides this afternoon he wants to see me dressed in nothing more than steel chains, then I will strip on the street corner and hold out my wrists to him. I trust he has a reason for what he does, and even if it's for no other basis than he wants to look at me, that's enough."

"Anyone want something cold to drink?" John interrupted. "There's a convenience store up ahead, and I'm thirsty. Cathy, Anna?"

Engrossed in her discussion Cathy had forgotten about John, still driving in the front seat. She answered first. "Yes, sir, that sounds good."

Anna added a "yes, sir" in agreement. John pulled off the road and parked in front of the small store. He opened his door and got out, then turned to ask the two women what they would like. He went into the store, leaving Cathy to watch over Anna. As soon as he was inside she turned back to Anna to ask a question in private.

"Anna, tell me and be honest, what do you really think about wearing those chains? I'll never repeat to anyone what you tell me."

"Honestly? Cathy, I really do enjoy this, except for being a little uncomfortable. The truth is it's a real turn on sexually for me. I guess I am a bit of a showoff too because I love doing this in public. I want people to know I belong to him, that he has this power over me.

"I like the way he looks at me when he has me restrained. You know that look? Lust, desire, the gleam in his eyes, the dominating expression? He enjoys it as much as I do, maybe more. I've watched him at home, me sitting on the couch fixed up like this, him sitting next to me with the keys in his hand, playing with them. We might sit there for hours, watching a movie or talking, but all the while he plays with those keys, a reminder I'm completely within his power. It can be scary, in the sense that I never know when, or if, he might let me go. But I get all the attention I could ever want. It's as if the chains actually tie him to me. The more vulnerable I am, the more I need him, the closer I draw him to me.

"However, all that aside, I sure wish I could scratch my nose." Cathy laughed as Anna leaned forward to rub her nose against the front seat. "I try not to let him see me do that, he gets these ideas, you know?"

John came out of the store, carrying drinks for everyone. He opened Anna's door and reached across to hand the first cup to Cathy. He put the other two on the car top before he took a set of keys out of a pocket. He unlocked the handcuffs holding Anna's wrists, closing them after releasing her wrists. The cuffs still dangled from the chain around her waist. He stood up, handed Anna her drink and closed the door. He got back in the front and took a sip from his cup while looking into the back seat. Anna sat with the cup in her hands but did not take a drink.

"You may drink, Anna. Go ahead and stretch, I'm going to leave the handcuffs off for a while. We don't have too far to go. I have a spot in mind that's usually not too crowded and it has a magnificent view. We can have our picnic there and walk around for a little while." He turned back to the front and started the car.

Anna took a drink while alternately holding the cup in one hand and exercising the other. She tried to straighten out her legs as best she could but the cuffs around her ankles still held her feet close together. Cathy took a moment to examine how her legs were confined with the oversize cuffs. She had never seen anything quite like them, enlarged versions of regular handcuffs so they would fit ankles, but rigidly linked by hinges instead of a chain. Anna was forced to keep her feet and legs close together and in line. She could probably stand up with some help, but she couldn't walk, much less try to run or kick. Even with her hands free Anna was still essentially helpless, able to do little more than stand or crawl.

"Could you hold my drink for a moment?" Anna asked. While Cathy held her cup Anna raised up in the car seat and pulled out her dress where it had gathered underneath her. "Thanks, that was bothering me. I don't know about you, but I can't stand a wrinkled or bunched up dress. It's hard to sit down properly when you can't use your hands." She took her cup back. With Anna's arms out of the way Cathy could see the handcuffs were permanently attached to the each side of the waist chain. That chain fit snugly above her hips, fastened behind her back with a lock.

Anna touched the chain belt. "These are popular on the Island. Originally they were made for transporting violent criminals to prison. As you can see they are very effective. You have little freedom of movement, even less if your hands are covered. And if master decides to reverse position by crossing your arms you have no movement at all, especially if it's behind your back. It's hard on your shoulders though, holding your arms behind your back for very long. Hurts if you have to sit that way too, unless you are in one of the specially designed seats with space for your hands.

"If master allows me to keep my hands in front and not crossed I can wear this for hours. My shoulders get stiff from not moving around but that's about it. Oh yeah, and you have to move your wrists around so the cuffs don't leave marks. The only real drawback you can see for yourself, you can't reach anything."

"That's why I chose the waist design," John added. "It doesn't put a strain on her arms or wrists like regular handcuffs would. It's supposed to confine, not hurt."

Anna continued when John finished. "You noticed the ankles? Those aren't as common. When he wants me to sit still, or stand in one place, he uses these oversized hinged handcuffs. He tells me they were made for large men with big wrists, but by coincidence they are just the right size for a woman's ankle. One time I made the mistake of trying to walk with them on. John warned me, but I wanted to see for myself. Best I managed was something slower than a crawl, plus I got bruises. I won't try that again."

Cathy leaned over to take a closer look. The leg shackles weren't on tight, but neither could they be slipped off. She could see it would be virtually impossible to walk; there wasn't any slack or flexibility of movement.

"You probably wonder why I make her wear the steel jewelry," John said, joining in the conversation. "I make no excuses for it. I like to see Anna in them. To me it makes her look attractive and very sexy. Here on the Island there's no law or society taboo to stop me, and, unlike the outside world, bondage isn't considered to be humiliating. A stranger passing by would pay no more attention to Anna in handcuffs than he would if she had a miniskirt on. She might get a few leers but that's it. I'm sure some people don't approve, but it's a matter of personal choice.

"My choice, not Anna's. I'm sure she'd rather do without the extra decorations but in this particular case I don't allow her the option. Our first year in an ownership agreement I didn't tell her in advance what I intended. I'm sure she didn't expect it, but she has adapted well. Feel free to talk to Anna about it, Cathy."

The conversation drifted on to other topics, while John drove up into the hills that dotted the central part of the Island. They had been on the road for about thirty minutes when he pulled onto a side road. A few moments later Cathy gasped in surprise as a beautiful lake setting came into view. Dense trees came almost to the shoreline.

"This is a reservoir, not a natural lake." John pointed toward an earthen dam at one end. "It's a natural basin. One end was closed off to hold the lake. It's supplied by a combination of rainfall, runoff, and desalinated water from the Island's facilities. The power plants have to be kept running at night when demand is low, so we process additional seawater and pump the fresh water up here. Most people like to go to the beaches on the coast, but I miss the Canadian Rockies. This is as close as we get."

They parked at a visitor's picnic area, dotted with tables and barbeque grills. John and Cathy opened their doors to get out, but Anna remained seated, hands in her lap. Cathy started to ask if something was wrong, then remembered Anna's ankles were still locked together. John opened Anna's door and bent down to release her legs from the restraints before helping her out of the car.

I have to remember not to stare , Cathy told herself, I may be in the same position myself one day . She still didn't know how she would react to that. Mark could surprise her with something unexpected, and she would have to obey. Still, Anna seemed to do well, even when trussed up the way John seemed to like. The more she saw of Anna and John, the more she wanted the same for herself. Even if it meant she had to sit in the car bound hand and foot.

John opened the trunk of the car. Inside were several baskets. Anna reached in and picked up one. "Cathy, can you give me a hand setting up the food? Sir, if you'd like to take your pole down to the water we'll get lunch ready." John took out the heavy cooler and set it on a nearby table.

"That sounds like a good plan." John came back to the car to get his fishing pole and tackle box. "There are a few fish, trout and some species from Africa. I'm not much of a fisherman but I like to try it out now and then. Yell when lunch is ready." He headed down to the shoreline.

"I'm not big on fishing at all, and truth to tell he rarely catches anything. Sometimes I suspect there really aren't any fish in the lake. I think it's just a momentary flashback to his childhood, fishing in the Rockies. Can you get the tablecloth out of there?" Anna pointed to the basket Cathy was carrying.

The two women unpacked the picnic lunch, setting it out onto the table. In a few minutes they had everything ready. Anna glanced toward the lake. John was casting a line out into the water. "Let's sit down for a while. He likes to go through the motions, but in about half an hour he'll be done. We can leave the food covered for a few more minutes. Do you like fishing?" Anna asked.

Cathy made a face. "No, not at all. Smelly disgusting creatures, and cleaning them, yuck. I like a nice salmon steak all wrapped up from the store and ready to go on the grill. That's as close as I want to be to fish."

Anna laughed. "I feel the same way. Cleaning fish is a man's job. I can batter and fry a fillet, but that's all I want to know about it. No fish for us today; it's traditional North American picnic food, fried chicken and potato salad." Cathy noticed how Anna pronounced the word fillet with the "t" on the end, a distinctive Canadian accent.

They sat at the table talking, with Anna facing the lake to watch John. "Anna, I'd like to ask you about something John said. He didn't tell you in advance about those?" Cathy pointed to the handcuffs dangling from the chain around Anna's waist. "Didn't that bother you? I know he's the master and all that, but don't you feel better if he gives you a chance to talk over what he's going to do first?"

Anna thought for a moment before answering. "It didn't bother me. I was surprised, but not upset that he didn't warn me. It is scary, looking down at your hands, seeing those things and knowing you can't take them off. It does something to you. All the talk in the world about obedience and obligation is fine, but then it hits you when that last illusory bit of choice is abruptly yanked away.

"That first time I will never forget. He told me to close my eyes and hold out my hands. I had no idea what he was doing, but of course I obeyed. Suddenly I felt something on my wrists, cold and heavy. I opened my eyes just as he finished closing the handcuffs. Before I could say anything he was behind me, pulling the chain tight around my waist. He was so fast and strong, I never had a chance. I started to say something but he spun me around and forced a gag into my mouth. I couldn't even talk. Then he made me kneel down on the floor and put shackles around my ankles. Not the kind in the car, these had a short connecting chain."

Cathy sat at the table listening to Anna, fascinated by her description. "Weren't you scared? Did you have any idea what he was going to do next?" She nibbled on a carrot stick, eager to hear more.

"So afraid I was paralyzed. I couldn't move a muscle. Not that it made any difference; he had done a thorough job. I've never felt so helpless in my life, before or since. I didn't have a clue what was coming next. I couldn't even think straight. He pulled me to my feet, but stayed behind me so I couldn't see him. I remember looking down, dimly seeing my own hands and feet, locked in those cuffs. There was nothing I could do.

"Then he pushed me up against the wall. I almost stumbled and fell when my ankles pulled the chain taut, but John held me up. He pinned me by holding his own body against me. I felt his hand stroking my hair, then I realized he was talking to me. Whispering in my ear. Hearing his quiet soothing voice the panic started to go down. He was telling me how much he loved me, how important and special I was. How no one else would ever give herself to him as I had done.

"His fingers caressed my neck, lightly touching the collar. I had forgotten all about it, even though it had only been a few days. That's the moment it hit me. I did belong to him, not in some abstract sense but truly owned. I couldn't say no, but that didn't matter. I didn't want to say no, I wanted him to keep going. I wanted him to use me, any way he liked. It sounds crude, but at that moment and ever since, I get a thrill when he, umm, I guess you could say when he chooses to take advantage of me. I suppose I shouldn't admit to this but it's true, I like him to force me. Not ask, but take. Does that make sense?"

Cathy nodded in understanding. "I haven't really talked to Mark about it, but the way you describe it that's what I've been battling with inside me. Coming to the Island, this ownership agreement, now I know why it sounded so perfect. I want to encourage Mark to be more aggressive, less inhibited, and I think this will do it. My concern is how Mark will be affected in other ways. I don't want to be a source of constant worry and stress for him. That's my big unknown."

Seeing John had finished, Anna waved to him, signaling that lunch was ready. He started back up the path from the lake. "You can count on him losing his reticence. He'll need some time to get past what he's been taught from childhood. Trust me on this though. From personal experience I can assure you he will lose those inhibitions, as you can see for yourself. You be sure you're ready for it."

John went to the car first, to put his fishing pole away before he joined the two women at the picnic table. With his nod of permission Anna handed him a paper plate and began uncovering the dishes. She handed Cathy a plate and they all began dishing out the fried chicken, potato salad, and corn on the cob. John opened the cooler and got out drinks for everyone. "Eating outdoors adds something to the taste of the food." He wrapped an arm around Anna and hugged her. "So does a pair of lovely ladies for company."

The three of them sat eating and talking for over an hour. As the conversation eventually slowed John stood up and invited the two women to take a short walk with him on the path that an around the lake. "With all that good food we need a little exercise. Anna?"

Cathy immediately realized that for Anna the lakeside stroll wasn't optional. She watched as John took each of Anna's hands and closed a cuff around the wrist. Anna stood quietly, offering no resistance. Gripping her arm he started to lead her down to the shoreline. "How about we start by going part way around the lake, then come back on the path that runs through the woods?"

Could I do that, in public? Cathy knew it was a question she had to answer for her own peace of mind. She could ask Mark if he would ever parade her around in chains, but that wasn't the point and she knew it. Whether or not John and Anna had deliberately intended to bring up the issue she had learned one more fact about Island life. If, more likely when, Mark chose to do something similar she would have to obey him . No picking and choosing, either I accept it all or tell Mark now it was a mistake.