Page 42 of Milk
“The biggest one. This will be a very special day.”
“Dare I ask?”
“You’ll know soon enough,” he said, barely containing his enthusiasm.
The last surprise Carter had gotten for me was a nice romantic dinner. Despite the awkward, non-sexual bondage that ended the night, dinner had been quite something. Maybe I was starting to trust his surprises.
Once the jacket was off, I went to the bathroom naked. I used the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and took care of myself as much as I dared. By the time I came back, my dress was gone. Carter offered me his hand, planning to march me out naked.
I sighed. I should’ve expected that.
He took me to the elevator and down towards the lower floors. I was worried, thinking he would take me back to the stalls. But I was surprised. The elevator opened into a nice, wide open underground floor. The high ceilings were painted like the sky. The walls were painted like a farm field, UV lamps simulating a diffuse sun. There were ‘houses’ within the hallway, red roofs, white walls, and picket fences. It was a fever dream of idyllic farming Americana as drawn by a savant eight-year-old; realistic, but over the top.
“Carter?” I asked.
“You’ll see, in a moment,” he said, pulling my arm into his as we walked down the small road between the fake rural suburbia. “There she is!”
She? I looked ahead and saw Susan and another woman, with dark hair and almond-shaped eyes. I clenched. Susan had been the herald of some of my most painful moments in Sunshine Sanctuary. Carter just tapped my forearm encouragingly as we approached.
“Tell me you have good news. I promised her a special day,” Carter instructed.
“We do,” Susan said.
“The tests are perfect. All her numbers are right where we want them. She’s ready to start. Immediately.”
“Ready to start? Test?” I asked, “Carter, what’s going on?”
He turned to me, taking both my hands and kissing my knuckles, one hand at a time. “Today, my little calf, is the day you become … complete.”
I blushed, despite the ominous situation. He was so courteous all the time. How could a woman not blush?
“Complete? What are you saying?”
The woman next to Susan set down a briefcase and opened it, crouching next to it to show a series of injectors and glass vials aligned within the medical-grade blue foam.
“It won’t hurt much, I promise,” the woman said.
“What won’t hurt?” I asked, stepping back.
“The injections,” Susan explained.
I lost it. I was done with this weird science experiment. I thought Carter had pulled me out of it. I shook my head and stepped back.
“I don’t want any drugs!” I shouted as my bell jingled.
“Tiffany, you-” Carter started.
“No! I saw what you guys did! I saw what you did with Wren! I don’t want that!”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Susan sighed.
“Shut up, bitch!” I yelled at her.
“Watch it,” she cautioned me, hand moving to the little remote control that activated my shock collar.
“No!” I tried to slap it out of her hand, “I’m done with you! With this! I won’t take any drugs!”
“Tiffany, listen-” Carter tried again, but I stepped back from him as he tried to touch my shoulder.
