Chapter 5

I stepped out of the frame into another small room. It was now Monday morning. Everyone at my office would now be receiving my "out of office" E-mail messages, claiming to be on vacation for the next two weeks.

Stuck.

The room was dark except for a single spotlight shining from above. It shone onto a pedestal which stood in the very center of the room.

I walked over to the pedestal. On top of it was a hearing aid.

Curious, I picked up the hearing aid and put it into my ear.

"|| TRAINING ENGAGED, BEGIN LEVEL 5: OBEDIENCE ||" said a voice in my ear.

Uh-oh. I looked around. Why use an earpiece? Why not use speakers in the ceiling like before?

As if it had heard me, the voice said "|| Thank you. You will receive all instruction through your earpiece from now on. You must wear it at all times. ||"

"What?" I asked, out loud, "forever?" But the computer wasn't listening, or it was listening but not responding.

"|| I will tell you exactly what to do and what to say. You must complete all your tasks quickly and without question. Do you understand? If you do, say 'Yes' ||"

"Yes."

"|| Thank you ||"

I looked around, eyes wildly searching. It can hear me! It is asking me questions! There must be a microphone around somewhere.

"|| What is your name? ||"

"Jonathan McDonald"

"||What is your home phone number? ||"

"810-555-4342"

"|| Thank you. Accessing ... Are you Jonathan McDonald of 413 Pine Orchard Way? ||"

"Yes" I looked up, alarmed. It must have used my phone number to look up my address! Was it going to call the police? What was going on here?

"|| Thank you. When you hear this tone, (ting), it indicates words which I wish for you to repeat. For example, when you hear: (ting) 'My name is Jennifer' you are to repeat the words: 'My name is Jennifer'. Do you understand? ||"

"Yes," I was starting to become alarmed.

"|| (ting) My name is Jennifer. ||"

I hesitated for a second, looking around, as if trying to find the computer which was controlling me. It made no sense, I realize, but I couldn't help myself.

"|| (ting) MY NAME IS JENNIFER. ||" The computer said, more forcefully.

I jumped to obey. "Your name is Jennifer," I said to the ceiling.

"|| INCORRECT RESPONSE. SAY THE EXACT WORDS. (ting) MY name is Jennifer. ||"

I began to have a queasy feeling in my stomach. "Umm ... OK. If you say so. My name is Jennifer." I said, hesitatingly.

"|| (ting) I want to be a woman. ||"

"I want to be a woman," I didn't say it with very much conviction. Where was this headed?

"|| (ting) I like to suck cock. ||"

"OK, that's it!" I shouted. "No! Hear me? Fuck you! OH SHIT!" I had reached to pull the earpiece out of my ear, but it was stuck! I frantically pulled at it, trying to work it off.