Rue was still deciding whether she preferred the company of women. She had a strong nature, and had never met a man who she considered to be even an equal. Sometimes, she thought it was better to just take control and be the leading partner with a woman. Even then, something seemed to be missing. It was also more difficult for her to approach another woman, and most of the time it was someone like her… someone who needed to be in charge. That did not work for Rue either, so usually it was easier to let a man convince her that he could cure her itch.
She tried opening both eyes, and the bright sun sliced across her room between the alternating thin shadows of the opened mini-blinds, making her wince. When she rolled onto her back, it left her at an angle on the bed with one leg hanging off the side. Rue’s mind wandered towards fantasizing about Betts again or trying to summon the courage to rise. Her head ached, so she made her decision and let one hand lower to her pussy and begin to slowly stroke.
After waking from the erotic dream, she was not surprised to feel herself slippery and prepared. Rue closed her eyes, and Betts’ face swam into focus while she dipped her fingers through her wetness and stoked her spread lips. As her arousal deepened, the visage of Betts faded, transforming into the barbaric looking savage from her dream. Soon, she found herself trying to mimic the feel of his hand on her pussy, and her finger barely brushed her clit before she trembled and tightened with her climax.
As usual, Rue was naked, and she grabbed irritably at the bedclothes that had managed to wrap around her neck. Instead, her fingers touched metal, and she nervously scanned the room searching for the man who must have come home with her and left the inch and a half collar around her throat. There was no sign of him. “What the hell?” The fuzzyheaded hangover headache made her groan when she rose, and she dragged herself to the bathroom.
She studied the curious silver choker in the mirror, and her eyes drifted to her face. Oh, god, I’m a mess. Washing off the remnants of her smeared makeup, she splashed her face with cool water until she felt more awake, and then she downed two aspirin. The bathroom showed no signs of anyone else coming home with her, and as hard as she tried she could not remember when she had acquired the necklace.
The lack of evidence between her thighs meant nothing, because in the past some of the men involved in her impulsive ‘one night stands’ had followed her home only to leave when they found her passed out as soon as she hit the bed. The choker was proof though, and she searched her blurred thoughts trying to remember the end of last night. She tried to clear her pained head, but no face came to mind and she was sure that she had come home alone.
Her fingers absently combed through her hair, and she finally reached for her brush and worked through the worst of the knots. Rue gathered her blonde waves into a ponytail, and with a less impeded view of her neck she returned to studying the necklace. She picked up the hand mirror and held it in front of her with her back to the vanity. There did not seem to be any sign of an opening or catch to the metal choker, and Rue squeezed a finger under the edge and ran it around the inside. It appeared to be a single band of metal. What the hell? Where did this come from?
Her thoughts were interrupted when her cell phone jingled from another room, and she began the ‘Marco Polo’ search for where she had dropped it. With only three rooms in her small apartment, and she located it in the living room on the divider to the kitchen underneath a half eaten hamburger. “Hello?”
“Rue, it’s Betts. I just wanted to make sure you got back to your apartment okay. You were pretty wasted last night.”
“I’m home.” Rue’s fingers continued to explore the unusual choker. “Hey, Betts, who was I hanging around with last night? I mean, I remember shooting pool with you and Gary, but what did I do after that?”
“Nothing. We were playing three ball for shots and a couple of guys busted in on the game early, but they left when they kept losing and had to keep buying. Geeze girl, you were trashed. Gary and I wanted to give you a ride, but you know how you get. When we got out to the parking lot, you insisted you couldn’t leave your car. I offered to drive it and have Gary follow, but the next thing we knew, you jumped in and took off. I tried to call last night, but you didn’t answer… and then I got distracted with Gary.” There was an uncomfortable pause. “Anyway, I’m glad you made it home,” Betts finished weakly. She and Rue had dated for a year, exploring alternatives. Betts had drifted back to a straight life with Gary, and Rue struggled to turn her love back into a friendship.
Rue’s hand stroked the metal choker, and she persisted with her questions. “Did I say I was going anywhere else?”
“Rue, it was two-thirty. No place else was open. You sure as hell didn’t go to breakfast. Gary and I were there.” Betts hesitated, sensing something was bothering her friend. “Rue, what’s wrong?”
“Shit, Betts. I woke up this morning with a silver collar around my neck. I have no idea where it came from and I can’t figure out how to get the damn thing off.” Rue slipped her fingers under the metal and gave a frustrated jerk.
“Okay, now you’re freaking me out. I’ll be there in five.” Betts grabbed her keys and drove the two blocks to Rue’s apartment, and the girls spent an hour trying to figure out how to remove the collar. When they decided they could not decode the mystery of the choker, Betts called Gary and convinced him to leave work and help them. He said he could be at the apartment in about fifteen minutes.
After washing week old stains and grounds out of the coffee maker, Betts made another pot and turned on the television to catch the news while Rue got dressed. The red banner of ‘Special News Break’ appeared on the screen, and Betts’ eyes widened while she listened to the reporter. “Rue, you need to come out here,” she called nervously, and she realized her skin had goose bumps as she stared at the screen.
Rue had changed into a white tank top and cut-offs. “What?”
“Listen to this.” Betts turned up the sound.
“…and there is no need to panic.” The reporter’s smile did not reach her eyes. “Anyone who woke this morning with the device is urged to call this number.” Betts jotted down the long distance phone number splashed across the bottom of the screen, while the reporter assured them it would also be listed on the network’s website. A picture on the screen showed a neck from chin to shoulders, with a collar identical to Rue’s circling it.
“Holy shit,” Rue whispered.
The newscaster continued, “Officials state there is no danger, and they have informed us that they have the means to remove the collars. We have asked for clarification on the device, and we have been informed there will be a statement issued within the next few hours. Again, the number to call is…” Betts thumbed the remote to mute.
“The government? What the hell would the government have to do with this?” Rue asked, nervously stroking the choker.
“Okay, now I’m officially beyond freaked out.” Betts jumped to her feet when she heard Gary’s motorcycle out front.
She filled Gary in on the newscast, and they spent the morning discussing options after Gary had studied the collar and came up with no answers. He was a welder and said he had never seen metal like it before. “If the government is interested, maybe we should try calling,” he suggested.
“No, I want to wait to hear the statement they’re supposed to be giving. Call me paranoid, but something’s not right here. I don’t want to end up stuck in some facility where no one ever hears from me again.” Rue was twisting the end of her long ponytail around her fingers. “Betts, if they can get the damn things off, why didn’t they just show the choker? The picture they broadcast still showed it locked around a person’s neck.”
“This whole thing is messed up, but I think she’s right, Gary. It doesn’t seem to be doing anything to her and they haven’t really given us much information. Maybe we should just wait.” Betts glanced at the television. “Shh.” She turned up the sound when a man dressed in a military uniform approached a microphone.
“Since early this morning, hospitals and law enforcement agencies have reported numerous incidences of people waking with these devices. Apparently, the collars have appeared randomly on young adults in their twenties and none of those affected can remember how the device was placed on them. As yet, we have no way to remove them, but our scientists and engineers are working to find out what the collar is made of and they have assured us they will have an answer for us shortly.” The man shuffled through his notes.
“We are urging people with the device to contact us because it will help if we can find a common link between the affected citizens. At this time, reports have come in from seven states.” The man stared into the camera, failing at an attempt to look in control and sincere. Rue thought he looked scared shitless. “We are here to help you, but if you don’t contact us it will make our job immeasurably more difficult. As we learn more about the device, we will issue further statements.”
Betts turned the sound down again. “Rue, this is creepy. What are you going to do?”
“That military guy looked like he was freaked out to me and didn’t know shit. Really, I don’t think they know a damn thing about them.” She gripped the choker, willing it to open. “I’m sure as hell not going to volunteer to be a lab rat. Remember earlier, when the reporter said they knew how to get them off? They’re lying, and something is really messed up. I guess I’m just going to wait it out and see what else they come up with.” Rue suspected the churning in her stomach was not due solely to the tequila shots she had downed the previous night.
After settling excuses at work, the three of them spent the day glued to the television for updates. By four o’clock they had learned nothing new, other than the government officials were gradually changing their position from ‘urging’ people to call, to ‘demanding’. At five o’clock, the military man appeared on the screen again.
“If you know someone harboring one of these devices, it is imperative you inform local authorities as soon as possible. Citizens who have been affected must be turned in. This is no longer a voluntary situation, and an order will be signed and issued shortly stating that it will be illegal to withhold any information concerning these individuals.” The nervous man left the microphone with no further explanation.
Betts paled. “Oh, crap. Now what?”
Rue sat, curling her long tan legs on her rattan chair. She was scared, but mostly pissed off that the man did not explain why the government’s interest in the choker had changed. “Now, nothing. You guys don’t know a thing, okay? I’m still holding to find out more about what’s going on. Whatever it is doesn’t seem to be hurting me, so we’ll just hang out, same as usual, until we learn more.”
“So, what?” Gary asked nervously. “Are we just supposed to show up and shoot pool tonight?” It was Thursday, and the three of them were on the same pool team. He sure was uncomfortable with the thought of breaking the law, but if he turned Rue in, Betts would kill him.
“I think we have to show up. If we don’t, people are gonna’ want to know why,” Rue reasoned.
“Rue, don’t you think someone might notice your new jewelry?” Gary asked.
“I have a sleeveless turtleneck that will hide it, so it’ll be cool. Guys, I just don’t want to deal with this until I know more,” Rue pleaded.
“Gary, I agree with her. So far, they aren’t saying these things are dangerous. They just seem to be collecting the people who have them. I think Rue’s right. Let’s wait.” Betts gave Rue a tentative smile of encouragement.
Gary ran his fingers through his hair. “Okay, I’ll go along with it.” He looked suspiciously at the collar. “Rue, you don’t feel anything, do you?”
“No, Gary. Not a thing,” Rue replied. “I’ve just been asking myself all day, why me?”
Betts put her coffee cup in the sink. “Well, I guess we’ll see you later at ‘Swindlers’.”
“You got it. Hey you guys, thanks.” Rue walked them to the door where she received a hug from both of them. “See you later.”
When she got to the bar, patrons were watching the televisions. Rue noticed that they were set on different news channels instead of the usual sports’ fair. “Hey Marshall, what’s up?” Rue asked.
“I was just talking with Tommy. Rue, you remember my brother Eddie, don’t you?” Marshall’s brows furrowed when he noticed Rue’s turtleneck. The cute blonde usually wore ‘barely there’ halters that accentuated her bodacious tits and tiny waist.
“Isn’t he the one that joined the service after high school?” Rue asked.
Marshall nodded. “Well, anyway, he works with someone who says these collars everyone’s talking about are made out of something that can’t be found here.”
Rue laughed. “What do you mean it can’t be found here? You mean like, woooo woooo, outer space or something?”
“Exactly,” Marshall said seriously. “That’s why the government is involved and ordering people to turn themselves in.”
“That’s a bunch of bull, Marshall,” Tommy slurred. He swooped his head in Rue’s direction. “I heard it was just some kid on the Internet got hold of people across the country to start a hoax.”
Marshall turned to the drunken man. “Right, Tommy. That’s why it’s on all the channels and the military’s stepped in. Hell, they even signed an order making it a felony to withhold information if you know someone who has one.”
Marshall glanced at Rue’s uncharacteristic top again, and she quickly paid for her beer and headed towards Betts and Gary. “I’m so nervous.” Rue felt like half the bar could see the choker through her shirt, and she glanced around to see if anyone was using their cell phone to report her. “There’s no fuckin’ way I’m going to be able to shoot tonight.”
Shoot they did, until the third round, and then the jukebox went dead in the middle of a song and static screamed from the televisions. Players in the league stood up from their pool shots and looked over towards the bar. Poor Stan was jabbing the remote, trying without success to turn the power off to the sets. Suddenly, the static stopped, and there was absolute silence in the busy tavern.
Rue felt a tingling feeling like when her foot fell asleep, but this was all through her body. “Betts, something’s happening to me.” She panicked and reached for her friend’s arm, clutching at air as her hand passed right through it.
Betts screamed as Rue began disintegrating, splitting into particles that resembled the snowy static on the television screens. “Rue, oh my god,” she shrieked. “Gary, do something.”
The patrons’ shocked glances turned from the televisions to where Rue was dissolving. Her arms were flailing wildly while she tried to grab onto Betts or the table behind her… and then, she was gone.
* * * * *
North Carolina
Dawn’s alarm had gone off at six o’clock sharp, and she stretched and walked out to the kitchen to make coffee. The collar on her pajamas felt tight, and when she reached up to loosen it she felt metal. What the heck is that? Pushing the start button on the coffee maker, she shuffled to the bathroom, yawning.
Her wide blue eyes stared back at her from the mirror in confusion while she pushed her brown hair over her shoulders and examined the choker on her throat. When she searched for the catch to get it off and could not find one, Dawn felt a slight twinge of fear in her belly. Her eyes dropped to the watch on the counter, and she realized she had been staring at the necklace for several minutes. Now she was running late.
The logical course of action seemed to be stopping by her boyfriend’s house on the way home from work and have him see what he could make of it. Living alone and with no family left, she could not afford to lose her job by taking the time off to figure out the choker, and it did not seem to be hurting her.
Dawn had come to the conclusion that Danny must have come over and slipped it on her while she was sleeping. He did that with a bracelet on her birthday because he got in late from a business trip and had missed having dinner with
her. Dawn ran her fingers around it one more time, searching for the catch.
She glanced at the time again and quickly slipped her arms into her uniform top. Dawn barely managed to get the button hooked on the shirt’s high collar, and she was pleased to see the necktie hid the ridge from the choker when she twisted her dark hair into a bun. The restaurant was strict about the uniform.
Dawn ended up working a double, and she listened nervously while patrons discussed the chokers. She almost dropped a full platter when she learned that the people who had them could be arrested for hiding. No way was she going to tell anyone until she had a chance to talk to Danny. At the end of her shift, she caught the bus to her boyfriend’s house and ran up the walk fighting tears. The stress of hiding her secret all day had shattered her nerves.
“Dawn, I didn’t think you were coming over until eight. Didn’t you say you were doing laundry or something?” Danny scooted his thick glasses up his nose with his finger and he frowned when his timid girlfriend pushed by him.
“Have you been watching the television today, Danny? Do you know what’s going on?” Dawn picked up the remote to the flat screen and powered it up. She chose a spot on the leather sofa and Danny slowly lowered beside her.
“No, I’ve been working on the bank’s security encryption software all day.” His magnified stare gazed at her, and he noticed she was pale and there was a light sheen of sweat over her lip. “Dawn, what’s wrong?” His attention was diverted to the reporter on the screen.
“From what we have been told, seventeen people have been located with the chokers but the government is convinced there are more individuals in hiding. They aren’t issuing any statements concerning the implications resulting from the collars, but an order was signed earlier today making it a felony to withhold information concerning the location of more of these devices.”
Harvesting Rue Page 3
