Allison’s Inheritance, chapter 1 by Seahawk

Allison’s Inheritance
by Seahawk

Chapter 1
A cool spring breeze blew over the congregation of people surrounding the open grave. It was an elaborate funeral and the gravestone was one befitting a man of means, but the crowd was not particularly large. It was composed primarily of men in expensive suits with wives in designer dresses, perfectly styled hair, and manicured fingernails. No tears were shed and there seemed to be an air of impatience to get the whole affair over with. The mood was about obligation rather than mourning. This was the funeral of a wealthy man, not a beloved man.
Near the open grave stood a small family composed of husband, wife, and daughter. They seemed out of place here and their attire revealed to the others that they were a working class family even though they had worn their best clothes. As the gathering listened to the preacher’s fumbling oratory about someone he’d never met, furtive glances were directed toward the young woman standing with her parents. Even in this crowd of businessmen with their trophy wives she stood out. She was a dark-haired, dark-eyed beauty with a strangely innocent sensuality. The girl was wearing a modest black dress, sleeveless, but with the top reaching to a curve just below her neckline. Her earrings and necklace were tasteful and showed no signs of vanity or extravagance. The eyes of the men drifted toward her, darted away, then drifted back again. Her presence didn't go unnoticed by the women either. The girl seemed oblivious to the stares and it was difficult to gauge her emotions toward the coffin now being lowered into the ground. When her turn came she dutifully scooped up a handful of loose dirt and, without tears, tossed it onto the coffin.
The Lawyer's Office
The downtown office complex known as The Compton Building was a typical large modern office building, devoid of any particular architectural personality or charm. It was the headquarters for Compton Enterprises and was now being used as the setting for the reading of the will of its namesake, Arthur Compton. The meeting took place several days after the funeral in an expensively furnished office on the 12th floor belonging to Compton's personal attorney, Mariana Perez, a striking 38-year old Cuban, who was rumored to have been Compton's long-time mistress. Compton’s immediate family were all present: a small group consisting of Arthur Compton's son Anthony and daughter Sarah, her husband Tom Davis, and their daughter Allison…the young beauty from the funeral. Anthony, better known as Tony, was 40-years old and wore a finely tailored suit which helped hide the extra pounds that middle age and excess living were adding to his frame. He also wore the smug look of a man about to become very wealthy. Alongside him sat his attorney. The Davis' had brought their attorney along as well, a long-time family friend named Bill Henderson, but they expected nothing from the old man.
Mariana Perez leaned back against the front edge of her mahogany desk and began to speak. Although born and raised in Havana, her English was flawless and had just a trace of an accent.
"First of all, I want to say that I’m sorry for your loss. I worked for Mr. Compton for many years and respected him. He helped build this company from nothing into what it is today and I know he will be missed very much around here.”
“But let’s get to the matter at hand, shall we? Mr. Compton has left a video which he asked be used as his last will and testament in regards to immediate family members. There are also some documents providing additional information and instructions and I'll be distributing those after the viewing of the video." The attorney walked to a large cabinet and opened it revealing a television set as those present slid their chairs around for a better view. "Now I know there will be some things that will cause a reaction but please try to refrain from talking until it's finished. There will be plenty of time for discussion afterwards."
Mariana punched the Play button on the remote control and Arthur Compton appeared on-screen sitting uncomfortably in a leather chair. Allison was shocked at her grandfather's appearance and barely recognized him. The last time she’d seen him had been over two years ago and he’d still been a healthy and vigorous man then. But that was before the cancer had ravaged his body. The man now appearing on the screen was a frail, sickly old man who was a shadow of his former self. The two of them had never been close and they’d had a falling out, but she still felt pangs of guilt about not visiting her grandfather during his illness.
Arthur Compton began to speak.
"Hello Tony, Sarah, Tom, and Allison. Welcome to a day that I'm sure you've been looking forward to for a very long time." The old man coughed into a handkerchief, but as he spoke his voice was surprisingly strong. "I hope you won't mind if I spare you the emotional expressions of regret or teary remembrances because I'm sure you'd find that as annoying as I do. So let’s dispense with the formalities and get to the business at hand and talk about my money, my company and who gets what."
Compton began hacking again and took a small drink of water. Allison sat uneasily but was strangely fascinated by the sight of a man speaking to them from beyond the grave.
“I want to start with you, Anthony. Son, you're a selfish, self-centered, immature, greedy, spoiled, boozing, skirt-chasing son-of-a-bitch. None of those things are showstoppers as far as I'm concerned during a man’s youth. Hell, I had most of those qualities when I was young and still have some of them. But I outgrew the habits that held me back and kept me from prospering. You haven't."
Tony seemed taken aback by the words and shifted nervously in his seat. Compton paused to take a drink and then continued. "Still, you're my son and I'm going to leave you a wealthy man."
Tony made a nearly inaudible sigh of relief as Andrew Compton started listing the inheritance being passed down to his son: real estate, stock portfolios, a beach house, and various other assets. Tony relaxed and began to smile; he would be a very wealthy man. "I'm sure that will be enough to keep you in whores and booze for awhile, son," Compton said as he finished.
This time Tony sneered back at the screen. "You got that right, Dad."
"What I'm not sure about, Tony, is whether you’re capable of running my company. For now I'm naming you interim chairman of the firm."
"Interim!" Tony exploded.
"Yes, I said interim, Tony. Now shut the fuck up and let me finish what I have to say," Arthur Compton barked from the screen. Tony sat back startled and Mariana Perez laughed quietly as she saw how Arthur had anticipated this reaction from his son. His body may have betrayed him but his mind had remained intact. Tom, Sarah, and Allison also couldn't help but smile at the exchange. Tony glared at Perez for a moment then turned his attention back to the TV.
"I’ll get back to you later, Tony, but for now I’d like to talk to my daughter, Sarah." Allison's mom stared anxiously at the screen at her estranged father. "I know we've barely spoken since you ran off over 20 years ago against my will and married the loser you’re with and I told you I'd disown you for it, but I guess time has softened this old heart. Since your husband hasn’t provided you much I’m not going to leave you penniless. You’re going to get five million dollars in cash." Tom, Sarah, and Allison looked at each other in surprise and then began screaming and hugging each other. A surge of joy went through Allison as the continual financial struggles her family had gone through for most of her life seemed to be over. Arthur Compton paused for a few moments, once again anticipating this reaction, then said, "Before Tom Davis runs out and buys a bowling alley I should tell you that there are conditions involved. Conditions which I will get to momentarily."
The Davis family looked at each other and then at Mariana Perez. "Conditions?" Sarah asked suspiciously and Mariana simply put a finger to her lips motioning them to be silent. They turned their attention back to the old man on the screen.
"Now for my lovely granddaughter, Allison." Another coughing fit overtook the old man and it was several moments before he could continue. "Yes, Allison, I remember very well our last conversation several years ago. It was the one where you called me a 'sad and unloved old man who put money and profits over people and the environment.' I believe those were your words.” Allison shifted uncomfortably in her chair, remembering the encounter very well herself. "Now the reason I'm not angry about that now is because you were right and I have no problem with being called anything as long as it's the truth. You displayed backbone and an honesty that few around me have ever shown and I admire that." Compton paused for a moment before dropping his bombshell. "For that reason I'm going to give you an opportunity to take over my company."
"What!" Tony shouted, angrily knocking over his chair as he sprung to his feet. Mariana hit the Pause button on the remote. "That's bullshit! I've been working for that senile old bastard for years getting myself ready to run his company. He can't turn it over to some little college girl who doesn't know about a god damn thing except spreading her legs for frat boys!"
Tom Davis exploded out of his chair going after Tony Compton with a fury. Davis's attorney, Bill Henderson, quickly grabbed him in an effort to hold him back as Tony's own lawyer also jumped in between them. Tony, seeing the anger in Tom's face, knew he was outmatched and quickly backed down. "I'm sorry, Tom, I didn't mean that," he muttered. "I was just shocked by what the old man said." He turned to Allison. "I'm sorry, Allison, that was a nasty thing to say." Allison just nodded at him, still angry but not wanting her father to fight the man.
"It's okay, Dad. He's apologized. Please sit down."
Tom Davis, still seething, began moving back to his seat. "Don't ever let me catch you talking to my daughter like that again, you piece of shit."
"Dad, enough!" Allison hugged her father and his anger began melting away.
Mariana watched the whole scene unfold with amusement. This time it was she who had anticipated this moment and had been ready to pause the video. "Gentlemen, do you think we can continue now? Or should I get some boxing gloves?" Everyone settled back into their seats and Arthur Compton's ghostly presence began speaking again.
"Is everyone settled back down again? No casualties? Tony, I imagine that you're wondering very loudly why I would consider putting an untested college girl in charge." Mariana smiled again at his foresight. "I’ll tell you why. I sense that there's an inner toughness and a drive in her that I don't sense in you. So I'm going to put her to the test to find out. Allison, if you can comply with the terms I’m about to lay out to you then I will give you my controlling stock in Compton Enterprises."
The Davis family looked at each other again in shock. This was like a dream. Compton’s stock was worth millions. Many millions. Allison’s head was spinning at what she was hearing. The thought of Compton turning over a company that was one of the state’s worst environmental abusers to a staunch environmentalist like her was shocking. A rush of adrenaline went through her body as she thought about the power and wealth she would have. This was incredible!
"Before you all get too excited you should probably know exactly what the conditions of the inheritance will be. I imagine they will temper your enthusiasm a bit." The old man chuckled then paused for a moment for another drink of water before continuing.
"Allison, if you want to save your Mother Gaia from what you imagine my company is doing to her then you’ll be able to do so. But first you're going to have to earn it, as well as the five million for your parents. I’m going to test you to see just what you’re willing to do for your parents and for the environment for which you’ve so passionately crusaded. We’re going to find out just how badly you want what you claim you want." Allison felt a chill running down her spine and it seemed as if the old man on the TV was now looking into her eyes and searching her soul.
"Here are the conditions of the inheritance, Allison: You will finish college and get your degree and you must attend your graduation. You will be allowed a one week break, then you’ll go to work full-time for Compton Enterprises in this building. You’ll be given an office and will learn all there is to learn about the company. I've assigned someone to make sure that you’re trained properly and you will be given regular assignments by him and by Mariana Perez that you’ll be expected to complete. One year from today, if you've done all that has been asked of you, Ms. Perez has been instructed to sign over all of my holdings in Compton Enterprises to you and release the five million dollars for your parents. If you fail to live up to this agreement then the company stock holdings will be given to my son Anthony and the five million dollars will be donated to the Hale Foundation." Compton paused for a moment. "If you fail, you and your parents will get nothing."
Allison winced when she heard the name Hale Foundation. It was a well known conservative "think tank" whose main purpose was to lobby Congress in an effort to gut environmental laws which "crippled" businesses. They were the enemy to environmentalist groups and to Allison. The idea of five million dollars going to that organization rather than to her parents stung. Well, that's just incentive to follow through with what he's asking, she thought. It didn't sound all that difficult.
Arthur Compton wasn't finished. "Now, my lovely young Allison, there is just one more little condition. A 'catch' you might say." He chuckled again and Allison felt a chill from the cold laugh. "One of the things you said to me was that you prefer that things remain in their 'natural state'. Well I think now is the time to find out just how strongly you hold to your convictions, granddaughter. Thus we come to my final condition." A thin smile came across the old man's face. "My final condition for gaining control of my company and the money is a simple one. I expect you to spend the next year in your own natural state."
A puzzled look came over Allison's face and she quickly looked at her mother and father who also seemed confused by the statement.
"Allison Davis, in order to gain this inheritance you will spend the next year in the nude."
The Discussion
Tom Davis paced the room clenching and unclenching his fists, muttering obscenities about the accursed old man who was even more wretched in death than he had been in life. The Davis's and their attorney had been given a private office to discuss the terms of the will and Bill Henderson pored over the legal paperwork that had been given him by Mariana Perez. Allison sat numbly staring at the wall as her mother Sarah wept softly.
The meeting had erupted into chaos after Arthur Compton had mentioned the little "catch" to the inheritance he was offering to the Davis's. Tom Davis had begun cursing and shouting, first at the TV screen, then at Tony Compton, and finally at Mariana Perez. Tony hadn’t been silent about the whole affair either and for a time it looked like the two men might come to blows again. It had taken awhile for Sarah to calm her husband down enough for the meeting to continue. Allison had simply sat through all of it in a state of shock. What the old man had asked her to do was simply unimaginable.
When order had finally been restored there were many questions from the two attorneys present and finally the Davis' were allowed to adjourn to a private office to discuss the terms of the will.
"Remember, a decision must be reached today before you leave these offices," Mariana Perez had said as they left the room.
Bill Henderson finished reading the documents and finally spoke. "Well, I can't see any loopholes in it offhand."
"You've got to be joking," said Tom Davis. "How in the hell can this be legal?"
"Well, technically he's not asking Allison to do anything illegal."
Allison broke out of her trance and spoke up. "Not illegal? I can't just go around naked. I'll get arrested."
"Not in this state, Allison. Public nudity is not illegal here," Henderson responded.
"It's not?" Allison was surprised by this answer.
The attorney shook his head. "A few years ago a nightclub owner took a case to the state Supreme Court challenging state regulations against nude dancing. It was argued that freedom of expression provisions in our state constitution allows for nudity as a form of expression. The state Supreme Court ruled in favor of the nightclub owner and as a result public nudity is protected as a legitimate form of expression which cannot be restricted unless it's accompanied by lewd behavior or sexual acts. That's why you now see nude dancing bars on every other block and a couple of popular beaches have designated areas as 'clothing optional'."
"Yes, I know there are strip clubs and nude beaches but no one just walks around town naked, though,” Allison said.
"That's true, but not because it's illegal. It's just that societal conventions against nudity in public places are so strong that even nudists normally don't do it."
"So you're saying he can actually force me to do this?"
Henderson shook his head. "Force you? No, he can't force you to do anything, Allison. But he can make it a condition of his will, yes. It would be your decision whether to comply with it or not."
"But if I don't then we get nothing, right?" Allison was desperately hoping the lawyer would give her something positive to hope for. The momentary joy upon originally hearing about the inheritance made the crushing blow of the "condition" even more devastating.
"Well, we can fight this in court and I'll certainly do that if you wish. But Compton was a smart man with a whole platoon of lawyers at his disposal, so I have to be honest with you and tell you that the odds are probably against us. If we lose in court then you do lose everything unless you have complied with the conditions of the will in the meantime."
"You mean go naked until we get to court? How long will that take?"
"It could take months. Hell, it could take the full year if they stall, which they're sure to do." The lawyer looked at the beautiful young woman sympathetically. "Allison, I'm not going to recommend that you do this. I think it's outrageous. But I'm not going to lie to you either. If you want to insure getting the inheritance then it's my job to tell you that complying with the terms of the will is your best option."
Allison's father had heard enough. "This is bullshit. Allison isn't going to do this for any amount of money. We've gotten by without that bastard's money until now and we'll survive without it."
Allison looked at her father. He was still a healthy and strong man but the signs of aging and stress were beginning to show up in the lines in his face and the gray sprouting in his hair. He had aged a lot in the last year. He was a construction contractor and business had been slow lately. Their family had always gone through ups and downs financially but the past year had been especially hard and the money worries were escalating and making him old before his time. It was also putting a strain on the relationship between her father and her mother. Her mother had grown up with wealth and had never complained since voluntarily leaving it behind to marry Tom, but she had also never forgotten what it had been like to be wealthy.
Allison stood up, walked over to her father and gave him a hug. "It's my decision, Dad," she said quietly.
"No, it's not, Allie. I won't allow this. There's no way."
"She's right, Tom," her mother said sharply. "She's 21 years old now and about to graduate from college. This is her decision. She's a grown woman now."
Tom was about to speak when he saw the fierce glare in his wife's eyes and thought better of it. He stood silently and wrestled for a few moments with a decision. Then he turned to Allison.
"Alright, honey. It's your call. I'll support you in whatever you decide."
Sarah walked over and hugged her daughter. "You don't have to do this you know, dear. We'll be fine." She smiled weakly but Allison knew that the problems between her mother and father had been escalating as the bills piled up. She didn't believe for a moment that everything would be fine.
"Can I have a few minutes alone to think about this, please?"
Bill Henderson stood up and took control. "Let's head back to Mariana's office and let Allison have some air." He put his arm around Tom and Sarah and began herding them toward the door. "Take your time, Allison, and join us when you're ready."
The door closed and Allison was left alone with her thoughts. Images of being nude around strangers, friends, and family overwhelmed her. Although she was an environmentalist, she was no nature girl when it came to nudity. Her one experience with public nudity had come about a year ago at the beach. She had been sunbathing with two of her girlfriends and they had taken their tops off and teased her relentlessly until she gave in and took her top off also. But she had lasted only about ten minutes before embarrassment at having her breasts exposed to the world forced her to put it back on. And now she was expected to spend a year in the nude? How in the hell could she possibly do that? She knew she was attractive, even beautiful, but she had never been one to flaunt her body or her sexuality.
As these thoughts tumbled through her mind the tears came and she cried as she hadn't cried for years. Her body shook with the sobs but the outpouring of emotion had the effect of clearing her mind. After a few minutes the tears subsided and as she moved past her initial shock she was able to examine the situation with a clearer mind. As she pondered everything a new understanding started growing inside her…the realization that the cruel bastard had never intended for a second to give her control of his company or her family the money! This was just a cruel game from beyond the grave meant to humiliate them; to give them a brief desperate hope only to crush them again. The old man probably had hoped that she’d strip naked for a few days but didn't really believe that she would ever be able to carry out the conditions of the will for a full year. As Allison thought about her grandfather, her anger grew and along with it a new feeling of determination…the determination to beat the son-of-a-bitch at his own game. As the realization came to her that she was actually considering doing this a shiver of excitement pulsed through her body and the undeniable feelings of arousal began to wash over her.
The Decision
“I have just a few questions to ask before I make my decision.”
Allison had returned to Mariana Perez’s office and the group was now all gathered again. On the opposite side of the room was Tony Compton, smirking and openly moving his eyes up and down Allison’s body. His attitude betrayed his thoughts: he hoped that Allison would strip herself naked, at least for now.
“Certainly, Ms. Davis,” Mariana replied. “I’ll answer them if I can.”
Allison tried to get some hint of the lawyer’s feelings about all of this. Was she a reluctant participant or gleefully taking part in this farce? It was difficult to see through her cool professional exterior.
“First of all, I can’t imagine my college allowing me to attend school naked. What happens if they won’t let me?”
“That’s been taken care of, Ms. Davis. A generous donation has been made to your school and another will be made upon your graduation. The Board of Trustees has already approved it, as long as you’re complying with state law.” Allison was more than a little taken aback by the idea that the Board of Trustees had been voting on allowing her to attend school naked.
“Um…okay. Then maybe you can define exactly what is meant by being nude for the next year? I mean, can I wear shoes? Or a coat when it’s cold?”
“I’m sorry, Allison, but the answer is no. I’ve been given instructions by Mr. Compton on this and nude means nude. No shoes, clothes, coats, hats, jewelry, or even makeup. That also means no blankets, towels, sheets, body paint, or anything else that can be used to cover your body. You can have a pillow and a sheet on your mattress but no sheets or blankets on the bed to cover yourself with, so I suggest you make sure your bedroom heater is in good working order. You can towel yourself off briefly after a shower but cannot wrap it around your body. You’re allowed to wear sun block to protect your skin but other than that you must remain in your ‘natural state’ at all times.”
“But I’ll freeze to death in the winter, won’t I?”
Mariana Perez shook her head. “No. You’ll be given a house and a car after your graduation that will be yours to keep as long as you comply with the terms of the will. The car will have a good heater and you can use the employee parking garage next to the building here. You won’t be asked to carry out any work assignments outdoors in cold weather and your exposure to the elements will be kept brief. It’s not Mr. Compton’s desire that you develop hypothermia.”
“What kind of ‘assignments’ are you talking about anyway?”
“They’re tasks that may take you anywhere within this building or the city or the state. They will be errands or projects expected to be carried out on behalf of the company and are assignments that any normally clothed person would be able to complete, although they’ll certainly be more difficult for a nude woman. But there won’t be anything asked of you that will be illegal or outside of your abilities if you have sufficient motivation and determination. If you believe that anything you’re asked to do is illegal, improper, or dangerous then you can come to me and I’ll make the determination as to whether it needs to be completed or not. You can bring your attorney along if you like to insure that you’re being treated fairly and within the law.” Mariana paused for a moment then drove home the next point with emphasis. “Allison, you need to understand, though, that modesty won’t be considered a legitimate excuse for refusing an assignment.”
Allison gulped as she heard this description of what her life would be like and could feel her heart pounding in her chest. “Are there any more questions, Ms. Davis?” Mariana asked?
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Then I think it’s time for your decision.”
The determination that Allison had felt earlier to beat her grandfather at his own sick game had melted away. Now that the time had come to decide, the idea of living life in the nude seemed totally unimaginable. This was just insane! And once she made the decision, in either direction, she couldn’t go back. Either choice she made now would have long-term consequences that she might regret forever. And once she was in, she couldn’t back down. Playing Arthur Compton’s game for awhile only to quit with nothing to show for it would be the ultimate failure.
“I-I’ll do it,” Allison heard herself say and was a little surprised by the suddenness of her response. She wasn’t really the least bit sure about it but something inside her just seemed to take over. And as the words tumbled out of her mouth she felt a rush of fear, adrenaline, and, to her dismay, arousal coursing through her body as the impact of what she’d just agreed to hit her. Allison’s face blushed brightly as she tried to get her feelings under control and from somewhere in the distance she heard Mariana speaking.
“Very well. If you’ll please remove your clothing I’ll see that they are locked up and kept safe for you.”
“R-right now? Can’t I wait until I get home?”
Mariana shook her head. “I’m afraid not, Ms. Davis. The will specifically states that the decision must be reached in these offices today and the year begins at the point you remove your clothing. If you leave this building wearing anything you’ll forfeit the inheritance.”
Allison turned and looked at her parents. Her father was about to speak when a look from his wife warned him to keep his mouth shut.
“Honey, we’ve agreed to support whatever decision you made and now that you have we’ll be there to help you in any way possible,” her mom said. Her father stared at the floor, a look of shame and defeat on his face.
In the corner a smirking Tony Compton leered at her. The anger over what was being done to her and her family came back over Allison. She glared at her uncle and spoke. “Tony, a year from now you’ll be out of a job, I promise you that.” A look of anger came over Tony’s face but she ignored it and turned toward Mariana and began removing her earrings. For the first time Compton’s personal attorney momentarily let her guard down as she flashed a brief smile at Allison. It was clear that Mariana Perez didn’t like Tony Compton either.
Allison's hands shook slightly as she fumbled with the buttons on the front of the white floral cotton dress she was wearing. She pulled the dress over her head revealing a simple white bra and panties. They weren't her best but she hadn't been expecting to reveal them to anyone today. She placed the dress and then her shoes on Mariana's desk. Allison hesitated for a moment, looked around the room nervously, and wondered if she could actually continue. Her parents hadn't seen her naked since she was a little girl and no male except her boyfriend - now ex-boyfriend actually - had ever seen her completely nude. The feelings of embarrassment and arousal came over her again and she prayed they would stop. The shaking in her hands increased as she reached behind and unsnapped her bra. Nervously she let it slip off of her shoulders and placed it on the desk. She then quickly slid her panties down to the floor and stepped out of them, not hesitating for fear she would chicken out if she did.
For a moment everyone in the room stared at Allison’s nude body. It was a work of art. Her breasts were not too large but were perfectly proportioned to the rest of her body and were highlighted by light brown nipples that were even now beginning to harden. Her silky raven hair cascaded over her left shoulder onto her left breast covering it to just above the areola. Her skin was flawless with only slightly visible tan lines where the spring sun had touched her body. Her long legs rose up to a perfect bottom and a triangle of dark, neatly trimmed pubic hair left just a glimpse of the pink lips beneath. Allison could feel the eyes roving over her body as she stood shaking with her arms folded beneath her breasts.
Mariana finally broke the spell. "It’s now 2:35 p.m. At precisely this time next year we'll meet back here and sign the final paperwork, providing Allison has complied with the terms of the will. If you don't mind I'll lock these clothes up here so you'll have something to wear out of here next year." Allison nodded numbly. Next year! It sounded like a lifetime. Mariana placed the clothing in a small satchel and locked it up in a cabinet.
"Allison, I'll be in touch in a few weeks as you near the completion of your schooling and give you the details of your employment here,” Mariana said. “I strongly recommend that you don't try to cheat because I'm sure there will be eyes watching to make sure you comply at all times."
Allison glanced over at Tony who simply nodded and silently mouthed the words, "twenty-four/seven”.
Escape from the Compton Building
A naked and shaken Allison sat in a bathroom stall on the 12th floor of the Compton Building. At the conclusion of the meeting Mariana Perez had hustled everyone out of her office and locked it behind her as she headed for the elevator. Her mother had whispered "be strong" in her ear and then had gone with her father to bring the car from the parking lot several blocks away to the front of the building in order to save her an embarrassing walk down the street. Allison scampered down the hall to hide out in the women's restroom and thankfully it had been empty. As she hid in the stall the unreality of the whole absurd situation hit her with full force. She was naked in a downtown office building with no access to any clothes! The determination she had felt earlier was gone and the whole thing now seemed completely insane. Thoughts of completing an entire year in the nude gave way to prayers to make it through the present. "God, just give me the strength to make it out of here and I promise to forget this whole stupid thing."
Allison began to wish that she had just gone down with her parents because now she didn't know if she could summon up the courage to do it on her own. The idea of just hiding out there until her mother came looking for her crossed her mind but that still wouldn't keep her from having to exit the building in the nude. "Just get it over with, Allie," she told herself and pushed open the stall door. As she crossed the tiled bathroom floor a glimpse of her bare breasts in the bathroom mirror caught her eye and she stopped for a moment to look. Staring back at her was a beautiful naked girl standing in a strange bathroom in a strange building. A shiver of excitement suddenly pulsed through her and she could once again feel the stirrings of arousal. She felt her hands inching slowly up her stomach, reaching her breasts, then begin to slowly caress her hardening nipples. Allison let out a gasp as the pleasure began to intensify and she suddenly snapped back to reality. What in the hell am I doing? A blush rose to her cheeks at the thought that someone could walk in at any time and catch her.
The naked girl pulled the restroom door open and carefully looked both ways down the hall. There was no one in the hallway and she stepped out and began creeping toward the elevator. She had almost reached it when a ding rang out announcing that the elevator had just reached her floor. She panicked and began sprinting for the door marked "Stairs" at the end of the hall. Behind her the elevator doors slid open as she shoved the door open and quickly entered the stairwell. Allison didn't hesitate and scampered quickly down the cement stairs to the next landing before stopping. She stopped there and grasped the iron rail listening for the sound of the door opening above. She could hear nothing but the sound of her own heavy breathing.
After catching her breath Allison began her journey down the stairs, moving quietly in order to listen for the presence of others and stopping briefly at each landing to peer down to the next level. As she reached the lower levels of the building she heard the door opening just below and the sound of male voices. She caught a quick glimpse of two men in business attire walking into the stairwell. Allison turned quickly and bolted back up the steps to the next level and waited for a moment to see if the men were climbing up. As the voices got closer she nervously opened the door and, not knowing what was beyond, stepped inside.
Allison found herself in a corridor with offices on each side. Down the hall was a woman walking away, not noticing there was a naked girl on the floor. Outside she could hear the voices of the men approaching and as quickly and quietly as possible she moved down the hallway desperately looking for a bathroom to hide in. Behind her the door began to open and she grabbed the door handle of one of the offices fearing it would be locked, or worse, that there would be someone inside. The knob turned and the door opened and she stepped inside closing the door behind her. She found herself in a small empty office standing next to a cluttered desk. She moved to the side of the door and listened for the men. Had they seen her? She didn't know and her fears were compounded when the men seemed to stop right outside the door. What would they do if they came in and found a naked girl there? Had others in the building been told about Old Man Compton's inheritance plan for her? Allison was able to catch parts of the conversation and it was obviously some type of business conversation about budgets. She decided that the conversation probably would have turned to other things if they had caught sight of a naked girl in the building. At that moment the door opened and the men walked into the office.
"I've got the report right here, Bob. Grab a chair," she heard one of them say as he walked to a nearby file cabinet. She was hidden from most of the office behind the open door but the man now stood in clear sight of her only a couple of feet away as he rifled through his files looking for his report. If he looked in her direction he couldn't miss her and she felt the terror and humiliation of the situation overcoming her. Incredibly the man turned away from her with his report in hand without noticing her. She sighed silently as she heard the man taking a seat at his desk and the conversation with the other man continued.
Minutes ticked by as Allison stood hidden behind the open office door. Please go away, she kept thinking and she knew by now her parents must be wondering where the hell she was. They won't leave me behind will they? Of course not, she told herself. That's silly. But her unease kept increasing as the minutes went by without any sign of the men leaving. Why in the world did I do this? I should have just told them all to go to hell!
Finally Allison knew she had to do something; she just couldn't wait any longer. The nude girl stepped out from behind the door, paused briefly as the stunned men turned toward her, then fled out into the hallway where she nearly knocked a woman passing by to the floor. "I'm sorry," she muttered as she turned and ran toward the stairwell. Flinging the door open she ran down the stairs without giving any more thought to stealth or caution. She quickly reached the bottom and stopped momentarily to listen for the sound of anyone following her. Hearing nothing but her heart thumping in her chest she opened the door and stepped through.
Allison had expected to see a crowded lobby but was surprised to see an empty corridor. She was confused for a moment but then realized that the ground floor must be below the lobby. Deciding that this might be a better way out than the lobby Allison decided to explore to see where the corridor led. It was narrow for the first 20 feet but then widened into a small open area. At the far end she could see a glass door exiting the building and sunlight beyond. She walked slowly down the hallway and peeked around the corner. On the left was a small deli with some chairs and tables outside of it. It was well past lunchtime and it was empty except for a customer standing at the register ordering from the clerk while another sat at the counter eating. The two customers had their back to her and the clerk was busy writing down the order. Allison dashed quickly past the door of the deli toward the exit of the building.
Reaching the exit door the nude girl paused for a moment to survey the outside. Through the glass she could see a small plaza which was shared by the Compton Building and another office building across the way. On the right side of the plaza was a large health club and Allison could see people working out on exercise machines through its windows. To her left was a set of wide stairs leading up to the main road in front of the building. That's where her parents would be waiting with the car. In the plaza itself were a number of tables and chairs and she could see about a half dozen people sitting and smoking with a few more sitting on the steps. This was obviously where the building's smokers came to indulge their habits. Allison was completely exposed where she was standing and with the deli behind her and the plaza before her it was only a matter of time before someone saw her standing there. Oh God, I've just got to make a run for it, she thought and pushed the door open stepping out into the open air beyond.
Trying not to look at any of the people in the plaza Allison began running toward the steps leading to the street, consciously aware of her bouncing breasts as she jogged past the surprised onlookers. She could feel the sun on her skin and the cool breeze felt like a thousand fingers on her body. The sensation of being naked outdoors in a public place was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Allison could feel the adrenaline surging through her as she sprinted up the steps toward the sound of the traffic above. Reaching street level she turned and began walking quickly down the sidewalk that ran past the building in full view of the cars passing by. Cars began honking at the sight of the nude woman and she tried to block it out.
Where were her parents? She began to panic as she reached the front of the building with no sign of them. She looked around desperately for the car that she had expected to see parked out front but it was nowhere to be found! Panic stricken, Allison looked for a place to hide but there was nothing. She was surrounded by office buildings and cars and pedestrians. There was nowhere to go except back inside the building. But where would she go in the building? Mariana Perez's office was locked and she would still be in the same predicament she was in now... naked in a public place with no access to any clothing. Allison had never felt so vulnerable and alone in her life. Uncertain what to do she did nothing. She buried her head in her hands and began to sob.
It was only during a break in the traffic that she heard the voice. "Allison!" Across the street she could see her mother waving her arms. Relief swept through her body as she ran toward the crosswalk on the corner. The light was red and the cars continued to race past, many with horns blaring. It was only when she reached the corner that she noticed her scummy Uncle Tony standing there with his attorney. "Nice to see you again, Allison." he sneered. "Lovely day for a stroll, huh?" How long had they been watching her? Allison wiped the tears from her eyes trying to put on a brave face but there was no hiding how distressed she was. As the signal finally turned green she forced herself to walk across in front of the stopped traffic, not giving her uncle the satisfaction of seeing her run.
"The car's just down the block, honey," her mom said as they walked quickly down the sidewalk. "I'm sorry but we parked as long as we could in the no parking zone in front of the building but a security guard chased us off. We've been circling the block until this parking space over here opened up." Allison just nodded her head and muttered "okay" knowing that nothing was okay. They reached the car and Allison crawled into the back seat and curled up into a ball. Her father turned from the driver's seat. "Are you alright, Allie?"
"Just get me out of here please, Dad" and the sobs began again. As the car pulled out into the street Allison had only one thought in mind: getting home and putting on some clothes.
End of Chapter 1