by Alta Hensley
“Lighting?” Joseph asked, pulling our attention back to the vision.
“Other than the flickering in the beginning, I’m not sure yet. I still have to work on that a bit,” I said as I considered the different options. “But you need to start working with the dolls right away. I know you are still working on Milan, but Japan needs to begin as well. It’s going to be a lot of hard work. That, and we have to get the new doll up to speed.”
7
Ivy
I stood staring out the window, the sheer-white curtain dancing around my body in the breeze. I had been up for over an hour waiting for Victor’s return. Lunch had already been brought to me, and now I had nothing to do but anxiously await Victor’s return. I decided to remain nude since that was how he’d wanted me earlier and hadn’t given me permission to get dressed. Plus, looking around, all I saw was the nightgown I had worn the night before.
Looking through the window, it amazed me how it was impossible to see any signs that I was in Louisiana from where I stood. The groundskeepers did an impeccable job of creating a lush and green landscape, but it could be anywhere in the world had I not known where I was. An array of birds chirping fascinated me. Some were low in pitch, others called out in a rapid staccato—songs of love, whistles that beckoned one mate to the other. How many varieties existed here? From just listening, it sounded like hundreds.
A firm knock, followed by Victor entering the room, snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned, greeting him with a welcoming smile.
“Hello again. I hope you slept well,” he said as he walked to where I stood.
“I did. I don’t usually nap, so it was nice.” Surprised that I had no embarrassment standing nude before him, I stiffened my spine a little more in pride.
“I apologize for being late. I had some issues with my gallery in London I had to address.” He stood beside me and looked out the window. He remained there a moment, silent, as he stared out. “Do you have any questions now that you have had time to think?”
“When will I be in one of your art exhibits?”
Victor merely glanced over his shoulder. “When you are ready. There are some dolls in The Dollhouse who have yet to perform in one. In the meantime, you’ll be trained and prepared, so if you are cast in one, you’ll be ready.”
Victor seemed different than before. His thoughts seemed far off. As he stared out the window, it appeared as if deep contemplation washed over his face.
After a long moment of silence, I whispered, “Mr. Drayton? Is everything all right?”
He snapped out of his lost thoughts instantly. “Yes.” He blinked clarity back into his eyes and said, “Just visualizing my next show is all. Did you eat all of your lunch?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
Victor glanced over my shoulder to the unfinished plate of food. “How is that? I still see half of your meal on the plate.” His distant glare was soon replaced with authority.
I followed his gaze to the lunch dish and knew I needed to clarify. “I meant that I was finished eating lunch. I guess I’m not used to the large amount of food.”
Victor gave a quick nod. “I understand that. But when I told you to eat all of your meal, I was not asking. I was telling.” He walked over to the table, pulled out the chair, and sat.
I wrung my hands in front of my nude body. “I’m sorry. I’ll make sure not to waste again.”
Victor gave another quick nod. “Yes, you will. But this is as good an opportunity as any to introduce you to a large aspect of being a doll. Discipline.” He patted his lap. “Come over here and lay across my knee.”
I almost gasped. My heart beat so hard it actually hurt. I didn’t hesitate, but every step seemed as if I were walking through quicksand. I had a pretty good idea what he intended to do. A spanking? Was he actually going to spank me?
I stood before him and did as he asked without being told again. I would never question Victor, for he held my future in his hands. The cotton of his pants, the firmness of his thighs, the short distance from my nose to the ground, all reminded me of the precarious position I was in.
“Once again, you surprise me, Ivy. You didn’t resist my order. Because of that, I won’t spank you for as long, or as hard as I was intending. But I do want you to get a taste of what discipline is like.”
Before I could reply, a stinging swat to my behind took me by surprise. I couldn’t help but gasp. Another swat, then another, and another.
“We are strict with The Dollhouse, or the dolls will come off as women rather than inanimate objects. It’s all about the mindset when you are performing. Everything about The Dollhouse is about stepping out from normal society and the life you once knew. It’s about structure, discipline, accepting a level of twisted reality, and releasing the woman so you can become the doll. When I tell you to do something, whether it is a command or a request, you are to do exactly as I say. I expect an almost robotic nature in response to everything.”
My whole body jumped when his palm cracked across my bottom. I could feel the breadth of his palm, the stretch of his fingers—his hand was so large it nearly covered both my cheeks entirely and imparted such a sting that try though I did to hold myself obedient and still, there was just no way I could.
“You left everything to become a world famous Drayton Doll.”
His spanking as ruthless as his scolding, he slapped my bottom again and my legs kicked, an involuntary jerk that snapped my feet up off the floor and sent shockwaves radiating through my flanks.
“You tried to destroy your life and your body with drugs.”
As the spanking continued, heat bloomed under my skin, inflaming everywhere his hard and capable hand met my flesh. “I do not want you spending your first few days in bed and exhausted. It is important that you take your health seriously. Especially as we work to get that garbage out of your system.”
He continued to pepper my backside rapidly. I did my best to squeeze my eyes shut, clench my teeth, and take the punishment like a good doll would do—or I assumed would do. But after the twentieth or so spank, I couldn’t help but yelp and wiggle with each continued slap. My backside reminded me of the hot sands of the desert.
Just as I thought I couldn’t take it any longer, and was about to scream for mercy, he stopped the spanking.
“Stand up. The discipline is done.”
I quickly stood, feeling a little dizzy at first. I wanted to rub my bottom, but thought better of it. Victor’s expression made it clear he meant business.
He stood up and gently placed a fingertip between the folds of my pussy. Removing his moist finger, he smiled in satisfaction. “Your arousal pleases me.”
The heat burning my face almost matched the heat on my ass. I couldn’t resist looking down at my feet. I could hear him walk over to one of the ornately carved dressers. I glanced up in curiosity. He pulled out a doll dress the color of the sky, followed by some white bloomers with lace ruffles at the hem. He then walked over to a closet and pulled out a pair of black shiny shoes that looked like a pair I had worn once when I was a little girl.
“Go ahead and put this pretty dress on. At times, you’ll be expected to be nude, and at times you will not. For now, you may get dressed and become a doll.”
8
Ivy
Dressed in lovely shades of silks and satins, the women of The Dollhouse stood as Victor and I walked into the room. Intricate hanging chandeliers casting prisms of light in all directions were scattered along the twelve-foot-arched ceilings. Crystals hung between each, creating an illusion of enchantment and mysticism. Colors, beauty, grandeur, and luxury were only a few ways I could think to describe this room. Lush, floral pillows were scattered about on oversized chairs and couches. Tapestries meshed with the woven rugs that blanketed the white marble flooring. A metal chime near the open window tinkled a captivating melody.
“Dolls, I would like to introduce our newest addition to The Dollhouse, Ivy Adams. I have no doubt that you’ll welcome her
and make her feel at home.” The end of Victor’s statement came out as a warning rather than a statement.
I wanted to hide behind Victor. I didn’t want to be stared at by everyone. What would they think? Would they welcome me? I knew how bitchy women could be, and entering a room full of women could be considered the same as entering a room full of hungry lions. I just prayed the dolls would be understanding of how terrified I was to be doing this.
I scanned the beautiful women and noticed that all seemed interested. A young woman, with beautiful blonde hair, stared at me with huge blue eyes. The massive black eyelashes only intensified the color in them. She smiled and nodded the minute I made eye contact with her. The reassurance wasn’t something I thought I needed until now, but the tiny sign of acceptance did wonders for my confidence.
“Perfect timing, we were just about to begin today’s choreography for the Milan show. We have a lot to cover today,” a tall slender man in black pants and a black tank top stated flatly. He was lean, and by my guess of his body type, a dancer as well as one of the choreographers Victor had mentioned.
I watched the pretty blonde wince at the statement, and wondered if I myself should be concerned. All I could think about was how I was awful at dancing and hoped I wouldn’t make a complete fool of myself on my first day.
“That’s Mr. Allen Blake. He’s one of the choreographers you’ll be working with,” Victor said to me. I glanced over my shoulder and met Victor’s steely gaze. “It’s expected that you follow everything the choreographers say. They are your direct supervisors and have the power to end your run as a Drayton Doll if they deem fit. So, I advise you to work your ass off for them. They aren’t easy to please. Allen can be a real asshole.”
“That’s what you pay me to be,” Allen said with a proud smile.
Victor walked closer to Allen, leaving me standing alone and feeling vulnerable in my costume. Every other woman in the room was dressed as a doll, and I knew I shouldn’t feel like I stood out from the rest of them, but I truly felt like a circus clown in my getup. Dolls and clowns were just about the same level of freaky in my book.
I went and stood beside the pretty blonde when Victor motioned for me to do so.
“Did you get my notes about the changes I want in the show?” Victor asked Allen.
“Yes, and I already incorporated them into the routine. We’ve got it handled,” Allen answered.
“You’re really pretty. Blue is a good color on you,” the blonde girl whispered. “My name’s Janie.”
From behind, Allen issued a warning with a steady, quiet tone. “Quiet, Janie.”
“Sorry, Mr. Blake,” the girl stammered as she shuffled her pink ballet-shoed feet.
“I’m going to let you get started,” Victor said as he walked over to me. “Ivy, being a doll requires a lot of hard work. No one truly understands the discipline, dedication and the mental and physical conditioning it takes.” Victor’s hand touched my lower back with a firm warning. “I have extremely high standards.” He pressed my lower back a little firmer and turned to walk out of the room. He paused and looked over his shoulder. “Ivy isn’t familiar with the rules of The Dollhouse. I expect you seasoned dolls to offer your advice and guidance. For the first week Ivy’s here, if she gets in trouble, you all get in trouble.” Closing the door behind him, I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders.
“Janie,” Allen began, “I think we can start the first position training off with you. The rest of you dolls can introduce yourselves to Ivy.”
Visibly bashful, Janie’s round cheeks blushed even more than the circle pink make-up that had already been applied. She followed Allen to a raised cherry-wood platform. It reminded me of what someone would stand on if they were doing a fitting for a dress or a suit. Without being asked, she lifted her pink polka-dotted dress in a curtsey, and froze in position—her eyes wide, mouth slightly parted, her neck angled to the side, her toes pointed inward. She was so still that it didn’t even appear as if she were breathing. Right before my eyes, Janie the woman, became Janie the doll.
“I’m Amber,” another pretty doll dressed in yellow said, snapping my attention away from watching Janie pose for Allen who was adjusting the lighting above where she stood to cast shadows down on her face, giving an eerie and haunting look to the woman’s features. Amber smiled warmly. “Don’t worry. By the end of the week you’ll feel right at home. It takes a few days, but you’ll love it. It’s an odd job, but honestly, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Not with all the perks you get.”
Still staring at Janie, I asked, “You don’t think this whole doll thing is weird?”
“No,” she answered quickly. “I mean, maybe at first. But not when you start to see the art in it. When you get to be part of the actual art exhibit, you can feel the energy in the room. Mr. Drayton is truly gifted in his vision. You’ll see eventually.”
Watching Janie get manipulated by having Allen raise an arm, and tilt her head more, then taking photos of her creepy position, I couldn’t fathom how posed dolls could ever be considered art, but I wasn’t going to argue with Amber either. That definitely wouldn’t be the best way to kick start my stay in The Dollhouse.
The next few moments were a blur of introductions from the other dolls. I did my best to memorize all the names, but the flurry of female attention overwhelmed me. The hushed chatter of women buzzed in my ears, and my damn eyelashes were fluttering non-stop with all the people vying for my attention. I had never wanted to just close my eyes to simply rest my eyelids before.
“Quiet down over there, dolls,” Allen said. “Or you may put me in the mood to use the size up for anal training.”
The groans in the room replaced all the idle chatter.
I leaned in and whispered to Amber, “What’s anal training?”
She shrugged. “It’s different for each person. But basically, it’s getting your anus ready for the glass dildos used for the exhibits. All of us have them inside of us during the shows. It’s part of the act. To help keep us stiff and in position at all times. Hours with the dildos in us, and sometimes they are uncomfortably large.”
My mouth dropped in shock. Glass dildos the entire time? Uncomfortably large?
“Don’t look so shocked.” Amber giggled. “You better get over being inhibited real quick here. There’s no privacy and no secrets in this dollhouse. Even if you tried. And if you’re worried about having something stuck up your butt,” Amber’s giggle turned into a full laugh followed by a snort, “you better get over that real quick too.”
I looked around embarrassed to see if anyone heard what Amber and I were talking about. The rest of the women, however, had gone back to their business and hushed conversations as if I was already ancient news. Amber remained standing beside me, trying her best to control her laughter.
A loud slap, followed by a squeal, pulled my attention back to Janie bent over, still holding her doll pose. Allen was spanking her with a wooden paddle like one you would see used in a fraternity or something of that sort.
“Is that part of the training? Being hit with a paddle while standing in position?” I asked, trepidation causing my voice to crack.
Amber glanced over my shoulder with little concern. Apparently seeing another woman get paddled was of no surprise to her. “Oh, Janie’s moving. As a doll, you are expected to remain motionless unless it’s choreographed for you to move. You sometimes have to hold the same position for hours. So, part of training is discipline if you move.”
“Discipline?” I had no idea how Amber could say the words she did as if they were absolutely normal.
“Janie is being trained right now and watched closely by Mr. Blake. He has certain expectations, and you better comply or your ass will be on fire by the time your turn is over.”
I watched as the paddle cracked against Janie’s behind over and over. The pretty woman cried out as she struggled to stay in position. I didn’t want to watch any longer—feeling as if I were invading Janie�
��s privacy somehow—but like a gruesome accident on the side of the road, I couldn’t resist.
I took a deep breath, attempting to extinguish the electricity buzzing in my veins. “Does Mr. Blake do all the training and discipline?” I glanced over my shoulder and watched as Allen continued to spank Jane without mercy. Watching the act made my stomach flip and, surprisingly, my sex pulse.
“I wish. Mr. Blake is the easiest. There is one more, Mr. Joseph Crane,” Amber replied.
“What about Victor?” Just saying his name caused me to miss his presence. For some reason, him leaving the room gave me a void that I felt his absence caused.
Amber shook her head. “You do not want Victor to train you at all. Trust me. The worst thing is when he’s the one putting us in the position and watching how long we can or can’t hold it.”
“Why?”
Amber gave a wicked smiled. “You’ll see for yourself. But I’d much rather have anyone but Victor.”
Allen requested another doll to come join him at the podium as Janie made her way back to where I stood with Amber.
Amber shook her head. “You did this to yourself. You should have been able to remain still a hell of a lot longer than that. If Victor starts seeing you can’t hold the basic position, he’s going to pull you off Milan.”
“I wasn’t asking for your opinion,” Janie said as she gave a dirty look.
Amber chuckled with another shake of her head.
“So not fair!” Janie whispered. “The plug is two sizes larger than the one I wore yesterday. How the fuck am I supposed to stay still in that position with something so heavy and wide inside of me?”
I looked at Amber for explanation. Plug? “As in butt plug? Different sizes?”
Amber smiled. “You’ll see what size plug you get in a few moments.” She looked at Janie. “Well, try to ignore it. You make it harder on yourself. Milan pays really good, and you are about to wiggle yourself right out of a spot in the show.”
