Page 101 of Owned By Two

The figure that stepped in front of me was not human but close to it.

She appeared to be middle-aged with notches in the bridge of her nose and a square face that had grown a little round with age.

She had shoulder-length blonde hair and was a little shorter than me.

It was her expression and countenance that most surprised me though.

She had kind brown eyes and a smile that never seemed to be far from her lips.

She had wrinkles around her eyes that pointed up rather than down — something my Mom had always told me was the sign of a good person who liked to laugh more than frown.

She might be my captor but I was pleased to find I was dealing with a humanoid species.

At least she could understand what was going through my mind at that moment.

“Can you let me out of this chair?” I said. “There’s no need to strap me down. I’m not dangerous.”

“I’m afraid we can’t,” she said, that smile not leaving her lips. “The procedure is not yet complete and your actions are much too unpredictable.”

“Procedure?” I said. “What procedure?”

Her expression seemed to perk up, as if I had pressed the magic button. “Why, the procedure to make you free.”

I just stared at her. “Free? I’m already free.”

She shook her head as if she were speaking with a child. “No. You onlythinkyou are free. The freedom you’ve experienced up until now has been nothing but an illusion. True freedom is on its way and you will soon savor its fruit.”

The smile still hadn’t left her lips and when I looked into her eyes, I realized the wrinkles at the corner of her eyes might as well have been painted on for all the warmth they bestowed.

Her words might have been delivered by computer.

And I realized that maybe things weren’t as hopeful as I had thought they were.

I lowered my voice and said:

“Look, let me out of here and I’ll give you whatever you want. I’m coming into some money soon and I’m happy to share it with you. I don’t know where I am or what I’m doing here but if you help me escape, I can promise that you’ll never want for anything your entire life.”

Her response was instantaneous and sounded canned:

“We already have everything we desire. There is nothing you can give us that we do not already have. In fact, we are here to giveyoua gift.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted any “gift” she wanted to give me.

“Please untie me,” I said. “There’s no need for this. No need foranyof this. I won’t make trouble. I’ll do whatever you ask.”

“Yes,” the blonde said. “We know you will.”

A shiver ran the length of my spine and I suddenly felt very cold.

There was that terrifying dead tone of voice again, with no real inflection or emotion in it at all.

“Why… Why are you doing this?”I said, shaking so hard my voice quivered.

“We’re not doing anything.”

“You kidnapped me. You tied me to this chair. And now you want to give me a… gift. That’s not doing anything?”

The blonde just looked at me. “Of course not. What is happening is a blessing. And soon, when you join us, you will understand what such a blessing it truly is. You never need to feel lonely again. We will be with you. Always.”

---