Chapter 24: A New Record

The dinner plates were cleared away. The men sipped their wine, puffed cigars, and listened to the pianist who was serenading the dining room. Christi was deeply entranced in what Kathy called her "torture mouse" space: the normally vibrant brunette was absolutely still with eyes lowered as if in a secret dream, her unbound hand outstretched to catch ashes from the supervisor's cigar.

Kathy was a different story. Although above the table she seemed totally at ease as she sipped her soda, underneath her stockinged foot had reached the secretary's crotch and was now encouraging growth within his pinstriped pants.

The supervisor flicked an ash into Christi's upturned palm, put down his empty glass and broken the silence. "I think it's time we had our dance." He called the steward to untie Christi, who seemed to come back to earth when her bonds were released.

"Wow, I must have really been out there," Christi apologized. "Did someone say something about dancing?"

"Yup, it's time for you two to kick up your heels," the supervisor helped Christi to her feet. She was wobbly from being restrained for so long and almost toppled when he bent her across the table and -- pop -- removed her twin plugs.

"Let's join 'em, Kathy," the secretary slipped free of her nylon toes, rose and held her chair. "It's dance time."

"Do you mind if I 'powder my nose' first?" Kathy asked demurely. All those fluids at dinner had left her needing fast relief.

"Me, too," Christi added.

"Now, now, you can freshen up later," the supervisor took the two startled girls by their arms and whisked them quickly into a back room. "After all, you're got to have some way to tell us you're ready to stop."

"Huh?" Kathy blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dark space.

The tile-floored room wasn't a dance club. Kathy gulped when she saw two nooses dangling from the rafters.

"Welcome to the Black Heart of the Noose," a hooded attendant said as he quickly bound Kathy's hands behind her back and slipped a rope around her neck. Another attendant secured Christi and helped her onto a wobbly wooden box.

"Now here's the plan," the supervisor smiled as he unzipped his pants and sat down for the show. "Principal Krok says you girls are a couple of gaspers so this shouldn't be a big deal," he paused, "except we're going to keep you up for ten minutes if you can keep kicking that long."

"But, but, we never go more than three minutes," Kathy pleaded from atop her perch. "What if we don't make it?"