Objectifed

(story continues from The Investigative Reporter 12: Little Fugitive) story continues from part 12 Part 13: The Rest Of The Story At The Ranch (As told by J.M. Smith) As the owner of J.M. Smith ranch I must and do take full responsibility for the mess that was to develop, but in my defense several things had happened that were well beyond my control. After first examining the sketches from Grandview and reading Beth’s rough draft though I knew this was a story that had to be told no matter what, I fully prepared to tell the tale in her place should it become necessary. One must bear in mind at the same time that Beth had volunteered not once, but three separate times to be harnessed and used as a pretty beast of burden, and one can only assume that she got something from the experience other than to simply gather information for our book. ...

(story continues from The Investigative Reporter 9: Finding A Winning Mount) Part 10: Training the Imperfect Mount When Beth had finished eating she found herself hitched once again to the cart, but this time by the hand of the well dressed author that she had yet to be introduced to as the editor looked on passively. Her editor had handed the woman the ring of keys that opened all of the barn’s doors as Beth looked on, placing them in her outstretched hand in acquiescence to her silent demand for them. To Beth the action seemed ceremonial, like reluctantly handing a teenager the keys to the family car and telling her to be careful and come right back home after the library. The keys in that case implied trust and freedom, and even a certain form of empowerment, but the exact opposite for Beth. ...

(story continues from The Investigative Reporter 10: Training the Imperfect Mount) Part 11: Contract Negotiations “I think ten will do for now, I hardly think this will be a onetime occurrence” J.M. told Beth. “I am yours to command ma’am.” Beth offered both knowing, and not knowing what was to come. She had to reluctantly admit to herself that it was at least a thrill to be once again under the control of a worthy taskmaster, the editor falling short in several ways, the fool apparently not knowing what potentially lay within his grasp. ...

(story continues from The Investigative Reporter 11: Contract Negotiations) Part 12: Little Fugitive Beth was once again put up in her stall, and the hired help dismissed for the day with pay long before J.M. used the editor’s telephone to call her driver back at her ranch for a pickup. Ordinarily new ponygirls were acquired as walk ins, and the truck and trailer not needed to transport them initially to the ranch. The I.P.R.L. however was rather specific in it’s rules on transportation of racing stock, and this could be a gray area that could run her afoul of the committee if it were questioned. Beth was technically already “in harness”, and to transport her in a passenger car like an ordinary human just wouldn’t do for several reasons, the least of which was that it would set a dangerous precedent and could negate her previous training. There was also the consideration that Beth technically was an escaped convict, and if transported in the back of a livestock trailer there would likely be little scrutiny of the truck’s cargo on it’s return trip. ...

(story continues from The Investigative Reporter 6: The Price Of Freedom, part 1) Part 7: The Price Of Freedom, part 2 Beth knew she wouldn’t be able to easily open the trunk lid from the inside in the dark, if at all, and that if she needed to escape it would have to be right past the stranger staring at her. That was at best a near impossibility, but even if she did escape this stranger she would be stranded nearly naked in an unknown place with no food, water, or even money to buy her freedom. She knew she could be easily grabbed by some opportunistic men who could take extreme advantage of her, (if they could catch her), only to return her to Grandview where she belonged when they were eventually done with her. ...

(story continues from The Investigative Reporter 7: The Price Of Freedom, part 2) Part 8: Destiny Strikes Again “There can be no going back to your apartment in the city, your two reporter friends and I cleaned it out and boxed up your things for storage.” the editor stated roughly. “You’re a fugitive from justice in that town now, and the authorities will look for you, or at least the you that matches your mug shot and fingerprints. You have embarrassing information that they will wish to keep out of the public eye, how exactly they have managed to keep all this hidden from those outside of Grandview is possibly the biggest part of the story, but the part you can’t tell because you had to escape before you found out for yourself.” the editor summarized in irritated fashion. ...

(story continues from The Investigative Reporter 8: Destiny Strikes Again) Part 9: Finding A Winning Mount Beth continued to write during the day, and then pull the editor in his heavy wagon during the early evening, the man at least learning how to hitch her properly to it himself. Her hands were cuffed to the staves of the cart not because it duplicated her earlier efforts at Grandview, but simply because the man driving her liked the way her cuffs looked on her. ...