Subterranean Sally 4
story continued from part three Part Four I lay there for ages crying into the mask. Feeling betrayed like her in the story, but knowing it was my fault just made it worse. Bob was obviously scared that I’d placed myself in danger again and maybe this ‘extra’ time might snap me out of it. Repeatedly I replayed that moment upstairs, swishing happily around and grabbing the locket, one of two that I’d kept of Donna’s… this one white, the other black… “OH BLAST!” I screamed into the gag, now remembering the safe key WAS IN THE OTHER ONE! Weeping now at my carelessness, I’d kept the key in there because I’d worn that one with a dark blue dress for the night at the hotel with my girlfriends! So ‘all I had to do’ was wait for Bob’ to re-establish my text capabilty… so I settled down. Worked hard at doing my exercises and prayed like heck it’d only be the first week… It took nearly a month! The screen startled me and I’d almost forgotten how the keyboard worked when I saw communications were up. Bob and Mary standing there and it was mum who was tapping. ‘Dearest Sally. We’re sorry to have kept you down there honey, but felt…’ They stopped as a flow of gibberish came across. I cursed and backspaced, tapping quickly in case he switched me off again. ‘Hi guys, welcome back. But dad, I feel so stupud. My safe key is in the OTHER locket… can you go and chekc’ he read, ignoring the spelling mistakes and I saw his head resting against Mary’s shoulders for a moment. He quickly left the room and I nervously waited, my eyes struggling to focus as I’d been in virtual darkness for so long. Muscle-wise I felt really bad, the cramps just permenantly painful now and I swore this was going to be the LAST time I’d be ever down here. He returned waving the key and the ring full of padlock ones. Mary leapt up and embraced him, both bursting into tears and I was crying too, hoping he’d whip the wardrobe doors open and start up the jackhammer… ‘OK sweetheart. We really should have checked ourselves. I’m gonna kick myself for ages. So I’ll start freeing you tomorrow morning. It’s Sunday night and a bit late to start drilling now…’ I cursed unladylike but knew he wouldn’t budge. ‘Fair enough, and again I’m sorry. I’ve been exercising but still feel shi… Sorry rotten’ I tapped, grinning when Mary waggled a mocking finger. We ‘chatted’ a lot more and eventually an hour later they signed off with virtual hugs, Bob switching my movies and music back on. ‘You’ll need them to drown out the drill eh?’ He was right and I suffered horribly next afternoon as the thundering grew louder. At one point I started tapping out for him to STOP and cover me up again! Thankfully that got backspaced before he saw it. The pair worked SO hard and I screamed with delight when a big chunk of concrete was levered away and I saw the bars of my cage. Now the real delicate work started as they chiselled and dug deeper using manual tools as they worked more out from inside the cage bars. One thump made the coffin creak and I saw Mary gesturing, Bob now realising he’d go through the wood if he wasn’t careful. The sight of Bob unlocking the cage reduced me to tears of joy. Each one was waved to the camera and I squealed when the last came off and was crying when the top bars were removed. But after hours of labour I sensed they were exhausted just as I could see the full length of the lid. If they carried on they’d be here a long time til I could get up from the casket. Then be taken upstairs and so on. ‘Hey guys, I know you’re close but if you’re getting tired then carry on tomorrow, yes? I don’t want you knackered and the bit getting me out of here will take a long time. Bob I can see you flexing that wrist. Have breaks… before you do some mischief.’ They cuddled and I saw Mary talking and agreement was reached. ‘OK sweetie, glad you understand and thanks for that, look forward to seeing you in the morning.’ I never slept that night, constantly flicking between cameras and movies heart leaping when I finally saw them reappearing. ‘Hi darling, hope you’re OK. We’re a lot better today so be patient. Think of that lovely bath waiting for you’ Mary wrote and I grinned, trying to ignore the fact that my body odour was starting to affect my nasal passages. Not a real stink but noticeable all the same. The hoist was brought in to lift me out. Mary warning the power was about to go out briefly. I held my breath obviously and sighed on feeling the coffin lurching upwards… stopping soon afterwards and everything returning, air and light, enabling me to watch as they swung me over onto the carpet. My eyes were streaming with tears as I heard the popping of the covers then the magical wrrring. “Brace yourself Sally, eyes closed please darling. We’re opening you up now.” Mary shouted and I did. CRAAACK! I was shuddering like anything as fresh air assaulted my nostrils. A hand touched mine and I clasped it… hairy, must be Bob’s and I cautiously tried to open one eye. “Ahhh… lights down please…” I squealed through the gag. Closing it again as the shock battered me, thankfully they understood and I heard Mary run for the wall and banging something. “OK honey, just a few torches aglow now. Try again.” This time was more successful and I was crying as I saw the two vague figures alongside me. They too were in tears and we held hands again. “There’s nothing left of you girl…” he exclaimed, stroking my torso and despite the fact I wanted out, just to be TOUCHED by a human again was enough. Listening as my restraints were unlocked one by one, pressure on my limbs relaxing but I dared not move just yet as it hurt so much. Now the important one and Bob placed fingers on the mask and slowly lifted it up. “Urrgghh…” I squealed as the gag slid out. Despite the fact I’d recently had a drink I was as dry as a bone. My tongue relieved to be able to stick it out! “Bloody hell… you look a mess!” I was told and somehow I grinned. A straw was shoved into me and I drained the whole lot in a couple of slurps. Remembering one of the stories I so slooowly tried to lift my head up… and failed! Mary massaging my arms and gradually I was able to lift my hands up. Wincing as the pain tore through me. “This isn’t going to work,” Bob said half an hour later as I wailed again on trying to sit up. For a moment I thought… and stared at him in shock. “Don’t be daft Sally, you’re not going back down OK?” he joked, reaching in and patting my trembling hands. I smiled wryly and Mary grinned as I got a kiss. We discussed what they would do and Bob left and returned with another drink, this time apparently laced with painkillers. I paused then knocked it back; soon feeling nothing, as my limbs just seemed to lose any sensation, this followed by the rest of me fading away. Bob having said it was the best way to get me out. What happened next was the thundering headache to beat all migraines I’d ever endured. Waking up in a bed in darkness as I realised my eyes were blindfolded. Wrists lightly bound in padded cuffs, these connected to a waist belt and for a moment I nearly panicked. “It’s OK sweetheart, I’m here hon,” Mary said as I called out that I was awake. Muscles screaming in pain and she quickly undid my arms. “I’ll turn the lights down before you finish,” she said next so I waited. Wriggling slightly, luxuriating in silk and I assumed she’d done this for me. Finally I slipped it off and looked up to see mum properly and it felt good as she leaned in to kiss me. Questions followed and Mary sat down and told me how they’d carried me upstairs where I’d been stripped and washed by mum alone then put to bed… two days ago! I’d slept solidly for thirty-six hours… wow! “Yeah, no wonder I feel shi… Oops, need to remember my manners now,” I chuckled and that got me a hug. Mary acknowledged this and allowed me to sit up, well she helped me, as I couldn’t quite manage that on my own. From here I could see my face in the dressing table mirror and I was appalled. Running both hands over my torso and I was concerned. “Wow, too skinny… not good.” I said and she agreed, saying once I could eat proper food that I needed to get back up to a healthier weight for my height. “Another week or so down there and you’d have been in REAL trouble young lady. I hope… this’ll be the last time you… it’s SO silly for you to keep hiding away like this. Please darling, don’t go down there again…” Taking my hands and kissing them. I knew she meant well but I sighed, trying not to look upset. “Yeah, I know, but it’s just the way I am Mary. Been like it my whole life as Bob’s probably said, yes?” She replied that they’d spent many hours discussing me, worried that I could need proper psychiatric care if this went too far, but hearing that I was adamant it’d not be happening. “No way, not gonna have someone poking round my head love… period. If you want I’ll talk to Milly or one of my other friends but please… just accept me for what I am. I’ll try to improve I promise.” She looked at me and finally nodded. “OK, I had to ask Sal, just to see what you’d say. I’ll hold you to your word though. Now it’s nearly lunchtime, fancy trying to get up?” I grinned and she fetched the kimono as I tried to swing my legs out, somehow succeeding and before long I was upright. Felt horrendous and Mary had to support me for a while as I was walked up and down the room but I was pleased to eventually get in and out of the bathroom unaided. We lurched downstairs and I nearly tripped over my nightie hem, Mary catching me well. Into the kitchen I went, mum behind me and Bob turned, a smile on his face. “Hiya sweetheart, welcome back,” he grinned and we came close for a hug and kiss. Then I headed for the table and just made it. Flopping into the seat as my head started spinning. Coffee was served into a beaker with straw and it went down a treat. They left me alone in there for a while with a newspaper, the pair obviously talking somewhere else but they did come back an hour later and Bob made lunch for us all. That was the start of my rehabilitation, a great omelette dinner following, I didn’t even know dad could cook one! “All this time you’ve kept that quiet…” I joked and they both chuckled and gradually they debriefed me as to what had gone on, both their honeymoon, and I remembered to ask Bob how his wrist was. “It’s OK Sally. But now you’re our most important worry. Need to get you fit and healthy again. I know what you and Mary discussed upstairs… and despite my best thoughts I’m not going to close the room up. Looks like we’re going to have to accept you as things are. We’ll let you use your coffin for trialing stuff or the odd weekend. But young lady, if you want to go down and be caged too there then the minimum burial time will be a month… no less. Sorry but it’s bloody exhausting digging you out each time. We ached as bad as you did yesterday…” I bridled at that and he waited for the explosion, which never came as I suspected he was testing me. I surrendered and gave them both hugs before asking to go back upstairs before I fell asleep again. Mary took me and after looking through their trip photos I was put to bed again, this time unbound. Over the next few months I was good as gold as I recovered, thankfully with little side effects. “Even your head is getting better,” Bob quipped one day. My friends were glad I was back, Milly especially and we Skype each other at least twice a week. Her relationship with the fellow Californian hasn’t lasted, he got busted for something serious and she was very upset. Least I was able to understand that, Mary saw us talking that night for hours but Mil at least was able to smile by the end of it. “Thanks love, glad to be a help, just wish I could meet you over there sometime.” I replied, hoping that I could have another holiday in the States out of it. They finally allowed me to get a part-time volunteer job at the local library and that did wonders for my self-esteem, way better than they imagined. Mind you it’s probably the noisiest place of learning in our town as I chat to other ladies. We giggle watching blokes furtively going into the ‘adult’ section… if only they knew that the primly dressed twenty-something manning the desk has ‘appeared in Vegas!’ Didn’t even need to go into the coffin room though I knew Bob was tidying it up. Smoothing out concrete edging, saying that ‘if’ there was a next time it’d just be soil. Eventually curiosity won the battle and I persuaded him to let me in one afternoon while Mary was out for a reason I didn’t know. The carpet and a load of wooden planks were pulled back to reveal his labours. Looking down I was pleased the cage was still there, noticing it WAS anchored after all, heavy bolts at each corner. The sides sloped up from the plinth, a proper staircase at the opposite end from the pipe channel. Bob led me down and I patted the cage, smiling at an old friend and he grinned at me. “Fancy a quick go?” he asked and I paused. “Well… quick is a month yes?” he nodded and I pouted royally. “Not fair, you teasing me…” but I was smiling and went to climb out. “It’s a month IF you’re in the coffin Sally, but just in the cage, well that is different.” I stared at him and he flipped up the latches then opened the top and peered in then pointed. “I’ll let you have an hour inside Sally before tea.” That got him a hug and I hurried upstairs to use my bathroom. Arriving back to see he was down there with a box of restraints, locks and so on. Blankets and pillow laid there for ‘comfort’ as he attached some manacles to each corner. ...