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crossingthelinepart1 2

*This is an adult lesbian story, including extreme sexual

situations among women, including fetishes and mind

control. If such things offend you, please read no further.

Reading is a voluntary act. Parents, take responsibility

for your children.*

(c)2002 Sara H

*This story is posted by permission of the author. Do not

post elsewhere, in part or in whole, without the express

permission of Sara H.*

---- ---- ---- ----

Crossing the Line

by Sara H

Categories: FF,MC,NC,cons

---- ---- ---- ----

Adrienne crept down the stairs, worrying with each step

that a creaky board would give her away. She could hear two

muted, soft voices as they spoke, sounding as if they were

coming from a couple of rooms away.

She wasn't skilled in the art of stealth, at least not

more than she learned from the spy games of her childhood.

Rather, she was getting a quick lesson thanks to the sense

of danger that was surrounding her like a blanket. It

wasn't intrigue, but the embarrassment of being caught that

was sounding alarm bells in her head.

As she descended, the words became clearer. "... and why

do you think that?" It was the voice of Lydia Chalmers, the

woman and neighbor whose house she was invading.

"There is nothing else to think," came the second voice.

Adrienne stopped herself from gasping. She recognized the

voice, but even though she knew Susan, her best friend from

second grade and all through college, she was not ready for

the reality of her presence here.

She had seen Lydia stop Susan a few times to talk when she

came over to visit, and at first it had seemed like simple

neighborly conversation. Over time, though, Susan was

hanging out less and less. Even that wasn't strange until

she noticed Susan's blue Miata parked down the street.

More than once.

And now, here was Adrienne, acting like a jealous

girlfriend, angry that Susan had been stolen from her. It

was stupid. But it was undeniable that she missed their

evenings together. They'd both had boyfriends from time to

time, but this was different. This was closer to home,

somehow. This was like stealing a sister.

She had kept watch, hoping despite the evidence that she

was wrong, but tonight it had been confirmed. Susan,

looking over at Adrienne's as if to be sure she wouldn't be

seen, came walking quickly down the street, up to Lydia's

door and let herself in.

*Let herself in.*

After that, things were a blur for Adrienne. She'd paced

and sputtered as her mind raced, and before she knew it,

she was storming over to Lydia's. Now here she was in her

neighbor's basement, spying on the two women, feeling both

guilty and betrayed.

The conversation continued. Adrienne realized that while

she stood remembering, nothing had been said.

"Look inside you now, for the source of your every

thought, every feeling. Who are you?" asked Lydia.

"I am that which thinks," came Susan's calm voice.

"That is what you are. I asked who you are. Who is it that

is thinking?"

"I am the sum of my experiences."

"Did you experience eating today?"

"Yes."

"What did you eat?"

"A garden salad."

"So you experienced a garden salad?"

"Yes."

"So if you are your experiences, are you a garden salad?"

"No."

"Is a garden salad part of who you are?"

"It affects who I am."

"If it affects who you are, is an experience something you

have, or something you *are*?"

"It is something I have."

"Who is the 'I' that has that experience."

There was a hesitation. "I am my soul."

"You say 'my soul'. Think carefully. It is a possessive

statement. Are you your soul, or do you *have* a soul?"

"I have a soul."

"Who is the 'I' that has a soul? Tell me."

There was an even longer pause. "I don't know."

"Very good. You don't know, do you? It's okay to not know."

"I don't know."

Adrienne could swear she heard a tiny spark of wonder in

Susan's voice.

"Are you Susan?"

"Susan is a name my conscious mind has."

"What is the conscious mind called Susan doing?"

"She is saving the world."

"How?"

"She is keeping the lines from crossing."

"What lines?"

"The magical lines of existence. If they cross, the world

ends."

"Is she listening to us now?"

"No, the lines are too strong and it takes every last bit

of her attention to keep them from going astray."

"Why is she kneeling naked with her hands behind her head

and her chest jutting out?"

"It is the only way to align herself with the lines so

that she has the power to keep them from crossing."

"What else will she have to do?"

"She will have to be restrained so the lines do not pull

her away. She will have to wear and enjoy latex clothing so

that she is not damaged."

"So in the end, what is her deepest motivation for doing

these things?"

"To save the world."

"And saving the world will bring her pleasure, even sexual

pleasure, correct?"

"Yes."

"And the more things she has to do to save the world, no

matter how strange they appear at the outset, will bring

her pleasure beyond anything she can now imagine, yes?"

"Yes."

Adrienne crept closer as she listened to the bizarre words

until she was right beside the open door of the room where

the two women conversed.

Lydia continued. "How will she know an action will be part

of saving the world?"

"Lydia Chalmers will say, 'Obey,' and she will know."

"And how will Susan show Lydia she understands?"

"She will answer, 'Yes, Mistress,' and follow her

instructions."

"Will she be aware consciously that she is saving the

world?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because if she knows, the lines will be able to cross."

"So she will obey and feel the pleasure, have no choice,

have irresistible desire to obey Lydia and have no idea

why?"

"Yes."

"Very good. Are you your experiences?"

"I have experiences, they are not who I am."

"Are you your soul, your spirit?"

"I have a soul. I am not my soul."

"So how do you know you exist?"

"I think."

"You think, therefore you are?"

"Yes."

"Very good. When I tell you to begin, I want you to

concentrate on each breath you take. Do not think. Do not

think. Do not think. Then, when you hear me count to five,

you will not think, but listen. If you do not think, you do

not exist. My voice will give you existence. It is very

important that you listen. I will tell you who you are. You

already know what you are. Tell me what you are."

"I am that which lies beneath all that Susan is. I am the

core of Susan."

"What you are also will disappear if you do not think, do

not exist. I will tell you who and what you are in order

that you may continue to exist. Do you want to have the

puzzle of who and what you are solved? Do you want to

continue to exist?"

"Yes."

"Very good. Begin."

Adrienne stood listening to the strange conversation. She

was on the edge of screaming, but held her tongue. She felt

like a deer trapped in headlights, unable to move. She

didn't know what to think. Hypnosis? Some kind of strange

power? She couldn't keep her thoughts straight enough to

figure it out. She knew she should run, but she was also

fascinated. And something else, something she would never

have believed possible.

She was wet and aroused. It didn't feel like arousal, but

her panties were telling her something her mind would not.

"Five."

Had Lydia counted the other numbers? Adrienne wasn't sure.

"Core of Susan has ceased to exist. You are now known as

'Property of Mistress Lydia.' You go by the name 'slave'.

Who you are, as you have discovered, is beyond the ability

to know in any way other than just knowing that you exist.

It is therefore beyond the ability to change. You exist.

That leaves what you are.

"You are that which controls Susan. Susan does not know

you control her, but you do. And as my property, I control

*you*. You exist for my well being and for my pleasure.

When you please me, you will please Susan. You will open

her pleasure centers more and more each time she or you

obeys me, agrees with me, believes me, pleases me, submits

to me, protects me, or causes me to have sexual pleasure.

To do the opposite is quite impossible.

"Therefore, everything you control, which is Susan, exists

for my well-being and for my pleasure, whether she knows it

or not. It is basic to her existence, since it as the

totality of *your* existence, and you are the basis of

*her* existence. When I say the word 'ten,' you will be

able to think again. You will not notice any change. You

will still have all your opinions and beliefs.

"However, any belief that conflicts with what I, Mistress

Lydia, say, will be abandoned and forgotten immediately,

replaced by the thoughts, words and will of Mistress Lydia

as if it had always been there. The thoughts, words and

will of Mistress Lydia will be passed on to Susan, without

her needing to think or notice. You will not divulge

anything about your existence to anyone. You must protect

Mistress Lydia above all others, and protect yourself as

well, unless protecting yourself will harm Mistress Lydia.

In the same way, you will protect Susan unless protecting

her will harm Mistress Lydia or yourself. It is the way it

is for you.

"What you are is inseparable from who you are. Without

what you are, who you are will cease to exist.

"Ten. Now we continue with your training. Are you ready to

obey, slave?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"Oh, my! How well you have learned already! Now, first, we

need to work on how to pleasure your Mistress..."

Adrienne was shivering with shame and lust. Just the words

had done something to her -- something confusing and dirty

and awful. She also knew that if she stayed, she could get

caught. Every second was more dangerous.

She made her way back to the stairs and out the back door

without making a sound. She walked quickly back to her own

house, thoughts jumbled as she considered hundreds of

things she should do mixed with guilt, arousal and fear.

Who would believe her? How could she have nearly cum from

listening? Anger swept up inside her as she remembered that

Susan, now in the clutches of some psychotic woman, was her

best friend. She felt deflated, helpless.

Susan might possibly never admit what happened; that much

was clear. Lydia was untouchable.

Adrienne ran to her bed and fell on it, her tears hot as

she cried herself to sleep.

---- ---- ---- ----

Lydia closed her eyes and smiled. Her alarm system had

beeped when Adrienne came in, and again when she left. The

video camera would have captured the entire time she stood

outside the door to her basement parlor. It would be

delicious to watch. But that would come later.

She knew that it was a calculated risk to not go after her

young neighbor immediately, but she had talked to her

enough to know that she wasn't stupid. She would recognize

the futility of doing anything, and by the time she made up

her mind, it would be too late.

She had too much left to do now, anyway. Susan was ripe,

ready to be plucked and savored. Her mind was malleable

gelatin, and ready for the mold Lydia had prepared. She

turned to the kneeling woman who stared at the monitor. She

looked at the display, the vertical lines flowing past,

weaving and weaving, but never crossing. Susan, while still

in a light trance, had come to believe that she was

controlling their behavior herself. There was no reality in

it, of course.

In reality, Susan would never control anything again. And

it was time for a few things to change.

"Susan, the lines are stable for now. Come, have some tea."

Susan, her long black hair draped down over her shoulders,

visibly relaxed and stood. She walked over to the chair

across from Lydia and sat, picking up her tea.

After taking a sip, she said, "I've never been much on

video games, but that one is amazing, Lydia."

"Yes, I know. It's so simple, but you get involved so

quickly."

"No kidding!"

"You know, I've been wondering something, Susan."

"What's that?"

"I'm wondering if you have ever been attracted to women."

Susan looked a little uncomfortable as she answered.

"Well, do you mean friends? I've never had lesbian
leanings, if that's what you mean."

"Frankly, yes, that's exactly what I mean. That little

inner voice that says, 'I am a lesbian.' A voice you have

no choice but to obey."

"Yes, Mistress. I mean, yes, I know that voice. The voice

I have to obey that says I'm a lesbian."

"I thought so. So you have always been a lesbian? But you

said you never had any leanings." Lydia smiled with a

warmth Susan had not seen, or at least noticed before.

"Well, I never had leanings, because there was nowhere to

lean *from*. No need to lean towards something when it's

already what you are."

Lydia allowed herself a satisfied smile. The hours and

weeks of adding layer upon layer of logic had paid off.

Susan was able to easily integrate any new thought

seamlessly.

She gave Susan and earnest look. "That's so true, Susan.

I've sensed that you... okay, I'll tell you what I think. I

think you are deeply attracted to me. Even love me. I think

that is something you have to obey, too. That's why you're

here, isn't it?"

She watched as Susan's face shifted, her eyes dilated, and

her shoulders relaxed. Susan's knees shifted slightly

apart, still unaware that she was nude and covered in

scented oil. It was delicious, almost as if Lydia could

watch as the new information spread through her mind and

manifested in her body.

"Yes, Mistress," said Susan. Her voice was huskier now.

Lydia could feel the young woman's arousal electrifying the

air.

"You're wet, aren't you. Is the voice telling you to call

me Mistress? Do you have to obey? It is, isn't it."

"Yes, Mistress. It has all along. I should have been

listening." Susan squirmed as the intensity of her lust

increased.

"Mmmm, pet. That does please me so. It makes my pussy
twitch with pleasure."

Susan's eyes rolled up into her head, her head dropping

forward as she shook from the most intense orgasm she could

remember experiencing. Little mewls escaped her as she

dropped her teacup on the floor. Her entire body was

covered in spasms of pleasure as she sank deeper into the

spell of Lydia's control. There was no thought or question.

It was simply all that was happening.

"Oh, my precious pet," said Lydia. "You're so right. I'm

your Mistress. You are totally devoted to me. And the voice

inside you must obey is mine. You must *obey*."

As Susan continued to ride the waves of unrelenting

pleasure, her mouth opened and she responded.

"Y-y-yes, Muh-muh-mistresss," she sputtered.

"You may stop your orgasm now, Susan. You have more

important things to do. Obey." Lydia opened her legs wide,

her voice muted to an earthy whisper. "You love to lick my

sweet cunt, pet. It is such an honor. And you have no

choice but to obey. Lick me. It is your primary task right

now. You will feel my pleasure as your own. Make me cum
three times before you stop. *Obey*."

"Yes, Mistress!" The earthy lust had now been augmented by

unhesitating enthusiasm. Things were progressing just as

they should. Lydia teased her nipples as Susan crept over

to her, eyes filled with love and awe.

"So much to teach you, my love, my pet. Begin. Obey," said

Susan's Mistress, her eyes never leaving those of her newly

born slave.

"Yes, Mistress," said Susan, breathless as her tongue

touched Lydia's wet folds.

Lydia let her head roll back. It was *so* damned good.

Before she turned her attention completely to the tongue

that was teasing her into oblivion, she had one last

thought.

She thought how wonderful it would be to show Adrienne

Nelson the still-unknown purpose for which she had been

born.

---- ---- ---- ----

Part Two

Adrienne, despite her best attempts to the contrary, spent

her weekend worrying. She watched for Susan to leave

Lydia's house, but it didn't happen. It seemed too crazy to

be real... besides, hypnosis didn't work like that. She

knew enough to know that you can't make someone do

something they don't want to do.

An awful thought occurred to her. What if Susan wanted to

be made into a slave? But how could that be possible?

They'd known each other all their lives, and shared things

no one else knew... some of them really embarrassing.

Maybe it was just a game. Except why would Susan play

games like that? Weird clothing? lesbian sexual overtones?

Sadomasochistic implications? It didn't make sense no

matter how she looked at it. It didn't seem like Susan in

either reality or fantasy.

But there was no denying the heat it produced. Even now it

made her horny despite her revulsion. She pushed away the

question but it was too late to say she never had it.

"*Am I a lesbian? Is that why I'm so upset?*"

No. She didn't want sex with Susan, she just wanted Susan

back as her friend and "sister". She felt protective

despite feeling betrayed.

It went on and on like that, in circles, for the next two

days. Anger. Fear. Arousal. Guilt. And then, somehow, she

missed Susan's departure. She looked out on Sunday night,

and the little blue Miata was gone. She couldn't decide if

she should be worried or relieved, so she did both. The

night was a torture of infomercials, books that couldn't

hold her interest, and worry.

She called in to work on Monday, feigning a head cold.

Once she had awakened Friday night, sleep had been

something of a fantasy.

And she missed Susan's leaving. She missed the chance to

run after her and ask what the hell was going on. That

chance had been lost, and with her other responsibilities

pushed aside, she realized that she was well beyond simple

exhaustion. Her fatigue, which had been growing directly

with her worry after the horrific sound of Lydia's

corruption of Susan, made her feel like she was walking

through slow molasses.

She had to get some sleep. She pulled back the covers and

reached over for the light. She was gone almost before her

hand made it back to the bed.

She dreamed. She was at Mancini's Panini Cafe, having her

favorite -- a greek chicken panini with feta cheese and

artichokes. She hadn't been able to wait for Susan. She

only had an hour for lunch, after all.

"Started without me?" said Susan, from behind her.

Adrienne smiled. "Well, what am I *supposed* to say? No?"

"Only if you want to. You can always say no, but yes is

the truth."

Susan came around and sat down. "It's okay. I know I'm

late. I called in my order." As if on cue, the counter girl
brought out a garden salad and set it in front of her. "If

I keep eating these, I'm going to *be* a garden salad soon!"

Something about the salad and Susan's comment made

Adrienne very uncomfortable, suddenly. She tried to get up

from her chair and found that she couldn't move. Her breath

started coming faster as panic knocked on the door to her

mind.

Her pussy started itching -- no, tickling, like it wanted

her attention. Her hand flopped over to it, even as she

fought the impulse. Her clit was talking to her in a

language older than time, a language she could not resist.

It made her nipples hard. Ache. Her body began to writhe.

"Something wrong?" asked Susan, giving Adrienne an

innocent smile.

"No... no..." whispered Adrienne.

"That's right. It's not wrong. It's not wrong to be out of

your own control. It's good to let go. So, so good. Sex,

but better. Better than sex, isn't it?"

Adrienne was determined not to answer, but it only made

her response sound more desperate. "n... nuh... YES!" she

cried. With her word, the pleasure increased again, beyond

her ability to keep up with it. She was moving her hand

now, doing her body's bidding -- she couldn't stop --

didn't *want* to stop -- she could feel the point of no

return coming up to her and she was almost there -- almost

--

She woke up, covered in sweat, and came. Shimmering eddies

of lust and abandon filled her head. Her room. Her house.

She realized before she let go completely that guttural

moans of passion she heard were her own, echoing back to

her from the walls. It was unstoppable, beyond anything she

could hope to contain. With her next breath, gave up even

trying to hold back.

It was the most intense pleasure she'd ever felt.

As she came down, body floating in golden light and

warmth, she wondered if it was possible to resist the

temptation of feeling this good again, no matter where it

came from.

She stopped moving and thought. What was happening to her?

Was she really that repressed, that her mind and body were

finally rebelling against her more modest lifestyle? Or was

she jealous of Susan, or of Lydia? Or both of them?

Was it because she felt left out? She'd never thought that

sex between women seemed all that evil, but that was a lot

different than feeling the stirrings of lust. But there was

no denying that the image of Lydia's copper hair falling

down onto her shoulders was parading around her mind in a

dance of sex-laden seduction.

She continued to lie awake as her mind tried to process

this new information.

After trying to return to sleep for another hour, she got

up and went to the bathroom to take a shower. Somehow, she

thought, it might to the trick and help her clear her head.

She looked in the mirror and frowned. Her hair was matted

and tangled and her face looked a mess. She put her hands

on the vanity and leaned forward.

She felt the paper and the heard its gentle sift as it

touched the floor. She looked down and saw that it was a

note, folded over with one word written on the outside.

"Adrienne." Her heart fluttered. The handwriting was

Susan's.

She opened the small piece of paper and read it. Her face

shifted from emotion to emotion as she scanned the words.

It didn't give any answers, but promised that everything

would be explained soon, love, Susan.

Her anger and hurt at losing her best friend jumped into

focused rage as she tore up the paper. She'd had enough.

Something bizarre and twisted had been done to Susan, and

Adrienne was bound and determined that it would be undone.

Susan, at least the Susan that she'd always known, would

have done the same for her.

---- ---- ---- ----

As she knocked on Lydia's front door, Adrienne didn't feel

quite so strong. It wasn't that the pain had subsided, but

that she didn't know what she would say. She was overcome

with the sensation of saying something stupid, something

that would sound like utter nonsense.

It was too late to turn back now. The door was opening.

"Oh!" said Lydia. "Hi... Adrienne, right?"

"Yes," said Adrienne. She swallowed and focused on her

simmering rage. "I'm here to talk to you about Susan."

"I know."

The simple answer threw Adrienne off balance. "Know?"

"Susan told me you'd be worried. She'd been hoping to

surprise you, but thought you might get suspicious if you

figured out she was over here planning."

"Planning what? I don't understand." Adrienne had been

expecting Lydia to be more secretive, or to look at least

guilty, but instead she was just being cryptic. She decided

to let her next-door neighbor go on before she did anything

else.

"No, I would guess not. She's been planning your birthday

surprise. I'd rather not say what she has in store, but I

think you'll like it very much."

Embarrassment flooded into Adrienne. "I... I thought...

oh, never mind. I'm just so stupid."

Lydia gave her a little smile. "Look, the cat's sort of

out of the bag. Why don't you come in for a moment? I'm

sure I can explain."

Adrienne hesitated, but didn't have much choice. She was

the one doing the confronting, after all.

Lydia led Adrienne to what seemed to be a small office.

There was a computer on a desk, a file cabinet, several

packages of paper and a printer, all sitting on various

small tables.

Lydia sat down at her desk and turned sideways to face

Adrienne. "Please. Sit."

Adrienne did so without thinking.

"Like I said, you've sort of walked into the middle of

planning a surprise for you. I'm a writer," said Lydia. "I

gave Susan one of my cards one day when she was coming over

to visit you, and she ended up hiring me."

"Okay," said Adrienne. "Now I'm really getting confused.

Hired you to do what?"

"To plan a murder mystery party for you. It involves about

thirty people, all costumed and in character. It's usually

done at a hotel conference room or some kind of clubhouse,

but it's a lot of fun. It does, however, take a lot of

planning and scripting. But Susan wanted something special

for you. Something that you would both remember for years

to come.

"I was writing the script."

Adrienne felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from her

shoulders. She began to tear up, ashamed of having

suspected Susan of some kind of betrayal. Lydia handed her

a tissue and continued.

"This is going to be very provocative. I have to admit, I

did push it in certain directions. We are working on a

script about a cult of hypnotized love slaves. Quite

risque, but in the end, very innocent, really. We were

taking it farther and recording it so I could use it for

specific dialog later, even thought I would tone it down.

While it's mostly improvised by the participants, some

things have to be said exactly."

Adrienne felt terrible. It was all making her head spin.

All her worry and anger had been so unnecessary.

She wiped her eyes with the tissue. It seemed her tears

even stung a little. She wiped again, pressing harder. She

looked at Lydia again, who was blurred slightly thanks to

tears. "I don't know what to say."

"Nothing needs to be said, Adrienne. I'm sure you were

wondering why Susan had seemed so distant, but this is a

lot of work. It's very ornate. The evil woman who seduces

pretty young girls is going to use a computer game to

hypnotize her would-be slaves. But by the end of the

evening, with everyone trying to seduce everyone else, the

trick will be trying to decide who is the evil Dominatrix

and who are the enthralled victims. It won't be as easy to

tell as you might think."

Adrienne listened intently. It did sound like fun. The

stinging had stopped and she tried to blink. She gave a

start as she realized she couldn't.

She would have been afraid, but just as the emotion was

rising, a soft placid wave pushed through her conscious

mind, numbing her thoughts. Everything felt awfully good.

She got up out of her chair and almost was able to stand

before falling back.

"The spider who said 'Come into my parlor,' did it wrong,

you know, Adrienne," said Lydia. "The clever spider doesn't

ever let the fly know there even *is* a parlor until it's

already snared. The proper phrase would be, 'Welcome to my

parlor,' don't you think?

"You won't remember this later, and it won't matter even

if you do. You probably haven't had time to guess that your

tissue was laced with some interesting drugs. Not exotic,

really. They're all used regularly in various combinations -

- hypnotics, tranqs and motile inhibitors. Oh, and a few

little molecules designed to help reduce your normal

behavioral inhibitions. The only real innovation is the

delivery method. Through the eyes, into the nasal passages,

into the brain and then through the body. By now, I'm sure

your thoughts are having a hard time keeping up."

It didn't quite make sense to Adrienne. She knew Lydia was

telling her something important, but it was just so hard to

stay focused on something as abstract as words. The wood

grain on the wall seemed much more interesting. Swirling

and almost silky. It felt like it was sitting right on her

eyes.

The wood started moving. No, it was her. Something was

coming into her vision. It was the... thing. Yes. The

computer thing. Screen. It was dark blue and had yellow

lines that seemed to extend towards her, moving past, like

one of those games where you pretend you're driving. So

many lines. Five. Ten. Fifteen.

Lydia's voice just kept droning on and on. It was like a

gentle hum somewhere in her ears. Telling her things,

things too deep for her surface mind to understand.

Adrienne was very pleased with herself for figuring that

part out.

Something seemed so familiar about the lines on the

screen, but she could not quite get to what it was.

Something about lines crossing. Not crossing. Something

about... Susan. Yes. Susan and the magical lines of

existence. What she'd said. Adrienne couldn't again. Who

said what about what. It didn't matter.

Her head swam again. Lydia's voice was like a soft, blurry

blanket.

The lines began to swerve back and forth. Not in unison,

but like they were going to cross. They needed not to

cross. She concentrated. The lines straightened back out.

They began to waver again. She concentrated again. Again,

the lines straightened.

It *was* like existence, really. Things go smooth. Then

they don't. If you work hard, you can get them smooth

again. But as soon as you do, they start changing.

Inevitably, at some point, the lines would cross.

Sometimes, the result was just a bad hair day. Other times,

it was car wreck. Riots. Death. Armageddon. Crossing could

be the end of the world.

But without Susan in her life, and happy, the world could

go to hell for all she cared.

Adrienne's eyes felt like they were being pulled wide

open. As if a powerful light was now shining on recent

events, she saw it all so clearly. The lines were like her

friendship, her love for Susan. This latest issue with

Susan was natural, but dangerous to her well-being. She had

misjudged the entire episode.

She had thought that Lydia was trying to steal Susan, but

she had been trying to help with something perhaps beyond

normal knowledge. Susan's time with Lydia was a *good*

thing. Good because Lydia understood. Lydia would help make

it right. As the lines got closer to crossing, she and

Susan were more in conflict. As they moved farther apart,

things were more peaceful and happy. Adrienne needed to

keep Susan happy.

And now, with Lydia willing to guide and help her, the

task would be so much easier. Lydia wanted it more than she

did herself.

That's when Adrienne realized that she was looking at the

*actual* Lines of Existence. This was no game. This was

real. If the lines crossed, she and Susan would never be

close again. They would drift apart like castaways on an

ocean of unpredictable currents. She knew it. There was no

questioning. The lines must not cross. Adrienne would keep

them happy. Together. She would do this for as long as it

took.

No matter *what* it took.

No matter what was required by...

by...

"Poor thing, you drifted off. This whole misunderstanding

must have exhausted you," said Lydia.

"Yes it did," agreed Adrienne. "But I do feel better now.

I really don't know what I was thinking."

"And here I was just talking on and on about how good it

made me feel to have you visit. To lay your mind at rest.

Falling asleep was probably much better for you."

"I guess... there was something..."

"Sleeping, dressing, hunger, visiting here, all voices

that you have going on all the time. We really have so

little control, especially over the powerful ones. In the

end, we have to obey them, don't we."

"Oh. Yes, Mistress."

Something sticky and hot and scary tried to raise itself

from under her thoughts, but it was gone before she

realized it was happening. Those were the things to let go

or... or...

"So you'll come to dinner tomorrow night? With Susan?"

asked Lydia.

Adrienne hesitated. "Of course." There it was again.

Rebellion.

Lydia sensed it and laughed, obliterating Adrienne's

defenses. "You should obey your instincts and accept the

invitation, Adrienne."

"Yes, Mistress." Adrienne was laughing, too. Obeying

instincts. So silly, but fun, too. And it did make her feel

better about Susan to answer that way. Besides, it

seemed... fitting.

She could almost remember why. It was something very

important, but just out of reach. She gave up trying.

Everything would be fine.

"Now go shower, get dressed and go home. There's lots to

do between now and then. I'm sure you want tomorrow night

to be perfect."

"Perfect. Yes." Adrienne had forgotten that she was naked,

and got up off her knees. The scent of sex was still fresh

on her lips. Even as the realization came to her, it faded

into the backwash of unimportant nothings.

As she turned on the shower, she got in, and looked up to

at the shower head. The lines of water flowed onto and over

her and she nearly came from the powerful vision.

She felt like something had changed, but something had

stayed the same. Had always been. It was sort of like her

friendship with Susan, or her love for Lydia. It was

permanent and euphoric so long as certain truths were never

betrayed.

She stared at the water still.

The lines never crossed.

---- ---- ---- ----

*to be continued*