Lilly Anderson had drawn an unpleasant assignment that week, but she was glad it was only part time work.  Paul Anderson's youngest child was seventeen and in her last year of general schooling.  She and the other seniors were going through a transitional period, where their future positions in the community were being shaped and decided.

Each week the seven students that made up her graduating class would be assigned a place to work in the community, a place they may or may not have chosen themselves if given the chance.  Slowly throughout the year, they would work through practically every type of job the Compound had to offer.  From clothes making to hunting, from glass blowing to mucking out the pigs.  The purpose being to see where the student's interests and talents led them, so they could better fit in as adults.

There was a little job discrimination though, following the nature of the Compound's attitude toward women's and men's roles.  For instance, Lilly would not get a chance to work in any of the fabrication shops, building being part of the men's world.  Her male classmates didn't take part in kitchen duty or laundry, although learning how to cook the things you caught on the mountain was a necessary part of everyone's education.

But most jobs were handled by both genders, and the successful completion of all the different options available was a required part of graduation and "Adult" status in the community.

Lilly wasn't worried about that part.  Since she was thirteen, she had helped her mother in the Great Hall's kitchen, and fully expected to keep on working there, although lately she had been thinking about following Rhianna's example by teaching.  Rhianna had made a big impression on young Lilly, and time hadn't dimmed it any.  To Lilly, Rhianna was the big sister she had never had.

What Lilly WAS worried about was her survival test next summer.  It was the final requirement and to fail meant being considered a "Child" for another year for you only got to try it once a year.  The survival test was simple, spend a week alone on the mountain taking nothing with you at all, not even clothing.

Everything a person needed to survive and indeed prosper was available on the mountain to those trained how to find it.  All children had to take and pass the test before being allowed to move on with their lives; it was everything.

Even those that planned on leaving were required to pass the test first, and Lilly knew of one her classmates that did want to go, although the girl had not told her parents yet.

No one was prevented from leaving the Compound once they passed the test; and while it was sad to see people go, they were always welcome to return.  Some did, visiting from time to time.  Others went then came back to stay, bringing new wives or husbands like Matthew did with Rhianna.  Others were never heard from again.

Lilly had never considered leaving the Compound, but her brother had.  He left last winter, after they had caught the man who had murdered his fiancée.  Sol had been depressed for a long time, and a falling out with his father had only deepened the wedge Sol was placing between himself and the rest of the world.

So, one afternoon when the sky was clear and the snow hard packed, he collected his things and with barely a goodbye, he left.

No one had heard from him since.

Lilly often thought of him, especially when she was bored.

Her current assignment was boring, but it was also rather unpleasant.  She had drawn the evening shift of watching the stocks.  That meant for a few hours each evening, she would have to look after whoever was taking punishment in the stocks, making sure they came to no harm.

This was a transitory job assignment for the students, only given out if the stocks were occupied, which was rare.  Since they might only be used three or four times a year, when the opportunity arose a couple of students were always assigned; one for the evening shift and one for the late night shift.  The rest of the duty time was taken by Paul's deputies or other volunteers.

This night, as Lilly sat on her little stool in the corner, the new woman, Shawna, was brought in by Grady and Paul.  Lilly had been told that Shawna was due, and it would be her job to watch her, as well as John the adulterer, as he stood in a set of stocks at the other end of the line.

At least Lilly didn't have to lock Shawna in herself; that was always done by Paul or one of his deputies.

Shawna looked pale and tired to Lilly's eyes, and Lilly wondered if the woman was up to it.  Lilly had listened as her father and mother argued about Shawna's case.  Elizabeth, her mother, felt that the elders had no right giving Shawna punishment time in the stocks, as sick as she was, while her father argued that great allowances had already been made for Shawna's addictions.

So Shawna only got two hours a day, which wasn't that bad at all.  Lilly had spent an hour in the stocks herself when she first got the job a couple of days ago; it was her lesson in just what kinds of discomfort can occur to someone trapped in them.

Paul and Grady talked quietly while Grady untied Shawna's hands.  Shawna was under discipline, so it wasn't unusual for her to be tied.  Then Lilly watched as Shawna was asked to strip, before being led over to one of the shorter stocks and locked in.

Shawna looked very uncomfortable being naked, which reminded Lilly of when Rhianna and Estelle were new here.  Shawna started to blush furiously once she was bent over and locked in place.

"Lilly, come here, please," said Paul.

"Yes, Dad," Lilly replied, and she got up from her stool and hurried over.

"Shawna," Paul said to the now trapped woman, "this is my daughter Lilly; she will be watching over you this evening, and someone is always here when the stocks are occupied.  She will take care of any needs you have: cramps, itches, water, whatever.  What she cannot do is let you out of the stocks, so don't even ask.  But she can help you get through this more comfortably.  Okay?"

"Yes, Sir," said Shawna, nodding slightly.  She looked over at Lilly and gave out a tired smile.

"We're going to leave you ungagged," Paul continued, "so you can ask for water if you need to, but you aren't allowed to talk to Lilly, or anyone else beyond that."

"I understand," Shawna said.

"Good.  Grady, you have anything you want to say?" Paul asked.

Grady shook his head, then paused.  "It'll be tough for you, but I know you can do it.  I'll see you at home when you're done."

Shawna was surprised.  It was the first time that day that he had offered her any encouragement.  "Okay," was all she could manage to say back to him.

Paul took Lilly to one side.

"I'll be back for her in a couple of hours; she shouldn't be a problem.  How are YOU holding up?"

"Fine, Dad.  But this is a depressing job," the teenager answered honestly.

"I know, Hon, but a necessary one.  I just hope you never end up here standing in one of these things."

"Don't worry about me, Dad."  Lilly smiled at her father, aware that the man lavished more attention on her now that Sol was gone.  It was as if he was trying not to lose a second child.  Lilly knew that, despite the falling out that precipitated Sol's leaving, her father missed him terribly.

Paul gave his daughter a warm smile and then nodded in the direction of John the adulterer in the far corner.  "Is he giving you any trouble?"

"He had some cramps a little while ago, and he's dead tired.  Dad, he needs more sleep than we're giving him.  I don't think he can handle the pace you're setting."

Paul raised an eyebrow.  "Is that your professional opinion?"

"No, but my Daddy didn't raise a fool, did he?"  Lilly said with a grin.

Paul chuckled.  "I'll have the Doc look at him, but others have done time like this without injury.  You just keep a careful eye on both of them.  Who's relieving you later?"

"Carlo."

"Good.  He's a good lad.  How come you haven't brought him around to supper lately?  When you two were little, you were inseparable!"

"DAD!" whined Lilly, looking around in that typical embarrassed teenage way.

Paul chuckled again.  "I'll be back in a couple of hours, and Vicky Miller will be here as well.  Good luck."

Grady had already left, so when Paul walked away, Lilly was again alone.  She went over to Shawna, who was trying to find a comfortable way to stand.  She was bent almost at ninety degrees, her breasts hanging free, swinging beneath her.  Shawna did not like this at all; she felt more exposed now than at any time since she came to the Compound.  She eyed Lilly's approach carefully.

"If you need anything, just call out.  I'll come running!"  Lilly said with a smile, and she went back to her stool.  From where Lilly sat, she could not see the faces of the prisoners, and they could not see her.  It was by design; she was not to be their focal point.

Shawna was not trying to focus on Lilly, she was trying to find a comfortable way to spend her time.  Already her back was beginning to ache and she was constantly aware of how her naked breasts swayed in the breeze.  Also the thick wood planks around her neck seemed tight, while the holes her wrists were in seemed almost too loose.  Shawna felt that if she had to, she could pull a hand free, but didn't think it would be well received.  Somewhere behind her was the girl, watching her, and being Paul Anderson's daughter was sure to be the type who would tell all!

So Shawna suffered in silence, the perfect end to the perfect day.

Her day started with Grady, hung over and smelling like a brewery, untying her from her very  uncomfortable bondage.

Finally able to speak, Shawna began to give him a piece of her mind for what had happened to her, but Grady didn't appear to listen to her.  Instead, he left the apartment, leaving Shawna somewhat confused about what she was to do next.

She soon found out.

After breakfast eaten in the Great Hall with her hands bound behind her, she was released in just her loincloth to go deal with all of Grady's laundry.

With no instructions beyond "Go do it, I'll be at the stables!" Shawna tried to cover her bare upper half with the laundry sack she had filled the night before while wandering around looking for the Laundromat.

A kind soul directed her outside and out of the Compound to where the river passed somewhat close by.  There a large washing area had been set up by the women, and Shawna was cautiously invited to join them.  All were either nude or in loincloths, and while for a time Shawna tried to maintain a bit more modesty; in the end she gave up and began not to worry about it.  After all, no men approached the group at all!

Shawna's efforts at scrubbing clothes on old-fashioned washboards were a shambles.  She just didn't have the stamina for it, and the more she worked, the more she felt her need for a drink or a hit of something.  She was transferred to hanging out clothes to dry, an easier activity, and was able to last the rest of the morning.

She lost track of the clothes she had brought, it all having gone into a community pile, but she was shown that people put their names in their clothing, and that a crew delivered the clean and dry clothes later in the day.

Grady came for her at lunchtime, bound her hands, and took her to eat again in the Great Hall.

Shawna was not amused, but Grady barely said anything to her and wouldn't listen to her requests to put something on first.  She felt very exposed, but after a short while sitting with lots of other men and women with not much more on than she had, she calmed down.

After they ate, Grady left her with Gabe at the clinic, who gave her another examination.

"How are you doing?" he asked her as he checked her blood pressure.

"Tired, Doc," she said, meaning it, "and I've been feeling the need really bad.  Are you sure I can't just have a little something to take the edge off?"

Gabe shook his head.  "It's going to take a little while yet for the toxins to completely leave your body.  I don't want to add any more to them."

"What about that green gunk you smeared all over me before, can't we do that again?"

"We could, but I don't want to do that again just yet.  This is just something you have to get through.  I'll help you anyway I can, you know that," said Gabe with a smile.

Shawna nodded and sighed.  "I know, it's just been a tough day."

"Grady been working you hard?"  Gabe asked, concerned.

"Had me doing laundry all morning," grumbled Shawna.

"Well, that's not so bad," said the doctor, who once had to watch the women clean clothes but that was as close as he got.

Shawna shrugged.  "He also ties me up for every meal, and look at how he dressed me today, or undressed me, that is!"

"Shawna, most of us go around like that every day, you'll get used to it.  I know it's tough for you being new, it's not what you're used to, but it's really nothing to be concerned about."

"Yeah, right.  Well, should I be concerned about Grady's drinking?"

"I know he stayed at the bar when I left, and that he stopped by for an aspirin this morning, but was he bad last night?"

"You have a bar here?"  Shawna asked, perking up.

"For men only, you wouldn't make it in the door.  Now what about Grady?"

"Oh, him.  A couple of guys brought him home last night, then they tied me up before they left; some bullshit about protecting our reputations."

Grady shook his head.  "Damn, I hoped he wouldn't react that way."

Shawna noted that Gabe didn't seem at all disturbed by her story of being tied up all night.  She decided to skip the subject and talk about Grady.  "What's up with him, Doc?"  Shawna asked.

Gabe finished putting away his instruments before answering.

"Vicky told me she told you about him being a recent widower?"

"Yes, she did."

"His wife...was a popular girl, well liked by all, and Grady was very proud to have been the one to finally win her heart.  Those two were very much in love and were inseparable.  No one quite knows what she was doing alone along that stretch of river when she drowned, but it hit Grady so hard that for a while we had him on an unofficial suicide watch.  He didn't know, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him, but we kept an eye on him for several weeks almost constantly.

"He changed a lot after she died.  He used to be our chief blacksmith, but stopped working.  Said he couldn't bear to be around all the people.  So he went to work in the stables.

"He became a lonely, bitter man, but Father Logan began to work on him, and it looked like maybe Grady would be back eventually."  Gabe looked at Shawna for a moment.  "You know, I'm not in favor of him looking after you, and I wish I knew why the elders set it up that way; they have to be able to see what some of us see."

"What's that?"  Shawna asked, nervous under Gabe's stare.

"You.  You look a little like Cheryl, his wife.  Grady sees it, I can tell by the way he looks a you.  Staring at you must be hell for him.  Then he goes and saves you from the river, something he couldn't do for his wife.  And now he's being forced to live with you!

"I was brought up to respect the wisdom of our elders, but I really have to question it this time."

Shawna was shocked.  "I had no idea!"

"It makes me wonder who is really being punished," said Gabe.

Shawna shook her head and slid off the examining table.  Her legs faltered for a second and she began to fall, but Gabe was right there and held her up.

For a moment longer than he had to, he held her; and the couple glanced into each other's eyes, then he let her go.

"You sure you're okay?" Gabe asked.

"Nothing a good stiff drink won't fix!" Shawna replied, not sure about the look in Gabe's eyes.

Gabe frowned.  "You know, comments like that won't help you recover.  I suggest you keep liquor out of your vocabulary as well as your body."

"Sorry, Doc," said Shawna, a little taken aback.

Gabe crossed the examining room and yelled for Vicky before turning back to Shawna.

"Where are you due now?" he asked her.

"Grady said go to the stables."

"Okay."

Vicky turned up with a smile on her face and a warm greeting for Shawna.  Gabe gave her some orders while he bound Shawna's wrists once more.

"Take her to the stables and tell Grady you will collect her right after she gets done with her time on the stocks tonight.  I want her bathed and given a massage before being taken to Grady's; Doctor's orders!"

"Yes, Gabe," said Vicky.

"You also tell him that if I hear of him drinking again like he did last night, it's his ass!"

Vicky giggled and said she would pass on the message.

Shawna's time in the stables was not very taxing.  When she arrived and Vicky left after giving Grady Gabe's messages, Grady laid Shawna down on a bale of hay and tied her feet.

Bound hand and foot, she watched as Grady spent the afternoon with Patch, shifting a wagonload of feed into a storeroom and then taking care of the horses that had pulled the load up from town.

At first, Shawna tried a little conversation, but Grady ignored her, Patch couldn't talk much anyway although he smiled at her a lot, and Ruthy, who was never far from Patch, never said a word.

From time to time, Ruthy would bring water to everyone, including Shawna; and a couple of times the young woman would massage Shawna's shoulders.  Shawna was surprised by this the first time, but Ruthy's talented hands magically seemed to take a lot of the pain out of her bound arms, and Shawna was all in favor of that.

As she lay there, she thought about what Gabe had told her about Grady, and saw why he wanted to work here.  It was peaceful, with no demands for unwanted conversation.  Grady could be alone here in his own way, confident that Patch and Ruthy wouldn't intrude on his grief.

It seemed to be the perfect set up for him.

For supper, Grady let Shawna dress.  She was grateful for that, but not too excited about wearing the same dress yet again.  She had seen that Grady had kept all his wife's clothing, and wished she could ask Grady for one of those outfits instead, but thought better of it.  Warned by what Gabe had told her, Shawna didn't stir those waters.

Dinner was outside again with the entire community, and again Paul made a speech, this time praising the artwork by the Kindergarten class.

Grady and Shawna sat with Patch and Ruthy.  They were quickly joined by several other, noisier couples.  Grady was pleasant to them all; and they were in turn polite to Shawna who again had to eat with her hands bound.  This was the most public display she had yet to bear, being fed by Grady's hand; but looking around she saw she wasn't the only one.  Several women were bound as she was; and most of them were having fun with it, chasing the food offered to them; and in some cases sensuously taking it from their man's fingers.

Again, not being alone helped, and she was actually able to enjoy the meal.

It was as the meal ended though, that the butterflies returned.  Now it was time for her first visit to the stocks.  Paul joined them, and she was led to her punishment.

Now she stood trying to be comfortable as people walked past.  Some slowed and stared, others hurried by without looking; but as each person passed by, Shawna wondered how she would look at those people in the morning.  She felt shame, and wished she could have a drink to dull the feeling and the pain.

Lilly gave her some water at one point, but otherwise said nothing, and the two hours crawled by.

When Vicky came by, Shawna was happy until she remembered that only Paul could release her.  She thought Vicky might come talk to her, but instead Vicky went and whispered with Lilly.

Finally, after what seemed more like two days than two hours, Paul showed up and Shawna could be officially released.  As she stood up, she shuddered at the idea of three more days of this.  Then she looked over at the adulterer and thought herself lucky.

"You have to be bound until you get home," Paul said sadly as he watched Shawna dress.

Shawna almost cried; she was very sore.  "Oh please, Paul.  What can I do?  I ache all over!"

"Sorry," Paul said, and he quickly bound her wrists in the standard position, hands back to back.

Her shoulders groaning in protest, Shawna sighed.

"Come on, Shawna," said Vicky, "a soak in a hot tub will work out the kinks and a massage will ease the pain even more!"

It was hard not to smile at Vicky's enthusiasm, and Shawna again wondered what had possessed her to hit this girl over the head.

"Sure, let's go," Shawna replied with a soft smile.

It was a short walk to the bathhouse, and in the changing room outside Vicky untied Shawna so she could undress, then rebound her.

Now, without even a loincloth to protect her, Shawna felt very nervous entering the bathhouse.  The two girls had to walk through a lot of people to find a tub and Shawna shuddered each time she bumped into someone.

Walking naked with her hands bound behind her was something her father had forced her to do one time as a girl.  The family was visiting relatives at the time, and a thirteen-year-old Shawna couldn't help lording it over her poorer cousins.  When her superior attitude got too much for the other kids, a fight started.  Of course, when the adults broke up the fight, young Shawna started mouthing off about how common her cousins were, picking fights.  She had expected her father to back her up, for in private he had talked about much the same thing concerning the adult relatives.  But instead he told Shawna that she shouldn't look down on her cousins that way and that she needed a little humbling.

She was humbled all right, stripped naked, her hands bound behind her.  She spent an hour like that in front of all her cousins, who were allowed to laugh and taunt her but not touch.

The other parents were horrified, but did nothing to stop what was happening for they all depended on the family money, which Shawna's father controlled.

Shawna was never able to hold her head up around her cousins again.

Now walking through the crowd like this brought those memories back and she hated it.

"There's no empty tubs, we'll share this one," Vicky said, stepping into a tub with a family already in it.

Shawna wondered if she would ever stop being shocked by how casual people were about their nudity here.  The tub Vicky chose had a couple of parents in it with their three children, all under eight.  The parents were busy scrubbing the two youngest, while the oldest, a boy washed himself.

The couple smiled and welcomed Vicky and Shawna, and Vicky returned their greeting while Shawna managed a smile.  Not feeling at all neighborly, Shawna stood and let Vicky wash her down before washing herself.  While the water may have been hot and relaxing, Shawna was far from relaxed.  She wanted to be someplace else, someplace private where she could have a drink and calm down.

"Come on," Vicky said after a while, "you're very tense.  Gabe said to give you a massage, and I think that's a good idea."

"Can't you just take me home?" Shawna asked her, wondering when she started thinking of Grady's place as home.

"Doctor's Orders!" Vicky said with a smile, and helped her charge out of the tub.

Shawna was led over to one end of the bathhouse where a number of benches were laid out.  At some of them, people sat, but most were occupied by men and women lying down.

There was an empty one close to one side and Vicky had Shawna lie down on it.  The wood bench felt very smooth to Shawna's naked skin, and surprisingly comfortable.  She was even more surprised when Vicky untied her.  She was getting very sick of the thin cords they used here.

She stretched and flexed her tired arms, glad to be able to move them, but their freedom was short lived.  Vicky allowed her a few minutes to work some of the kinks out, then took hold of Shawna's wrists, pulling them down on either side of the bench to the legs under Shawna's head.

"What are you doing?" Shawna asked.

"I can't let you lie here free," was Vicky's answer, and in moments Shawna was once more tied down, but this time face down on a bench.

Shawna thought about protesting, but decided to give it up for now.  She was too tired, too sick, and too sore to argue.  And to be honest, this was the most comfortable she had been all day.

Vicky skipped away for a few minutes in search of massage oil, and Shawna lay there watching the couples around her.  Many of the massages being given, she saw, were simply therapeutic, given in a business-like manner to relieve the aches and pains of mountain life.  But there were others that Shawna could see were given for more personal reasons.  There were a number of women, and a couple of men, whose massages were being given very slowly indeed.  All, Shawna saw, were wearing the leather wrist bands that showed they were married, and no one around them appeared to be concerned about such public displays of affection.

Shawna wondered just how much public affection could be shown here when one of the couples got up to leave, obviously for some place more private if HIS reaction was anything to go by.

What caught Shawna's eye though, apart from their apparent arousal, was that before they left, the husband had untied his wife from the bench.  She had been bound just as Shawna was.

Shawna checked around, and saw that maybe half the women, most of those getting sensual massages, and none of the men, were also bound to the benches.

Clearly one of those times when bondage was used for fun rather than for punishment.

Shawna had never experienced bondage for fun; not fun for her, anyway.  She wondered what it was like.

"You're in luck, I found Johan!" said Vicky, who suddenly appeared beside her.

Shawna twisted her head to see Vicky standing with the big man from her first dinner here at the Compound.  The one Paul warned to stay away from her.  He had on a huge smile and nothing else, and despite her nervousness, Shawna couldn't help smiling back.

"Ah," he said in a booming voice, "at last we meet!  I am happy to see you again!"

"Hi, nice to meet you too," replied Shawna.  "I'd get up, but..." she pulled at her bound wrists and Johan laughed.

"Discipline is terrible, I know.  But soon you will be done with it and you will be bound no longer," he said with a smile.

"Shawna," said Vicky, "Johan is going to give you your massage if you don't mind.  You need a better rub down than I can give you."

Shawna looked with concern at the large naked man, then shrugged.  It was not as if she could do anything about it anyway.

"Okay."

Johan nodded and took a bottle from Vicky, pouring oil onto Shawna's naked back.

The oil felt warm to Shawna, and when Johan's large hands began rubbing it into her skin it felt marvelous.

Vicky knelt on the floor nearby and watched as Johan expertly kneaded every muscle group Shawna had.  Well, almost every group.  He was very much the gentleman and didn't touch Shawna in any way that she could have called inappropriate, even though he had pretty much complete control of her body.  He even untied her, flipped her over at one point, and massaged her front, but Shawna was so relaxed at that point, she didn't mind at all.  She found herself trusting the big man, and it was a good feeling to have.

When all was done, she was allowed to stand.  She felt like a lump of well-pummeled clay, but it was a good feeling.

"Thank you," she said, giving Johan a smile.

"My pleasure.  Any time you need me, for anything at all, you come find me.  Okay?"

"I will!" Shawna replied.

Vicky waited until both were dressed again, before binding Shawna once more for the trip back to Grady's.

"Thank YOU!" Shawna told Vicky as they walked.

"Are you okay?" Vicky asked softly.

Shawna wasn't sure how to answer that.  "Maybe.  I'm not looking forward to another night with Grady, that's for sure."

"You'll be fine," Vicky said.  "He's a good guy really.  He'll warm up to you, I know it."

"Maybe," said Shawna, hoping it was true.

They arrived at Grady's door and Vicky knocked.

Grady, dressed in just a pair of leather pants, seemed surprised to see them.

"Here she is, Grady," Vicky said.  "Take care of her now, she had a busy day and not much sleep the night before."

Grady flushed a little.  "Yeah, I know.  Don't worry, Shawna.  You'll get to sleep tonight."

Shawna said nothing, so Grady took her arm and led her inside.  As the door closed, Vicky saw Shawna give her a look of appeal.
 
 
 

 End of Part 8