Sallas 2: The Gilded Cage

Chapter Description: Whilst Ryan is at work, Anna is trying to complete a difficult task of her own. In the afternoon she receives a visitor and doesn't have Ryan to help with what happens next.

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“Come on… I know you know this.” Anna said as she sat on the floor in front of Jane repeatedly prodding a children’s schoolbook.

Jane shrugged her shoulders. She was barely even looking at the book Anna was so insistently trying to draw her attention to.

“I know they made this hard for you but think really hard.” Anna almost pleaded.

It was a simple sum. Something any woman no matter how meagre their education would know. Jane looked down at it as if she was concentrating really hard. Anna watched and hoped that somewhere in that brainwashed head a spark would ignite, and she’d get the answer. Her shoulders slumped and she sighed as Jane shook her head.

“Can I go clean now?” Jane asked.

Anna slowly nodded her head. Jane had been very fidgety and clearly didn’t want to be trying to do the basic math, now she jumped up excitedly and hurried away seemingly excited to do her chores. Anna closed the workbook and slowly stood up, something made difficult due to the hated diaper between her legs and the puffy dress.

After trying to teach Jane for the best part of a week she was pretty sure no progress was being made. It wasn’t just that Jane didn’t know the answers to these things, it was as if she didn’t WANT to know the answers. There seemed to be a part of her brain that rebelled at the very concept of answering the questions Anna was giving her. The knowledge must’ve still been in there, but it was locked behind a door neither Jane nor Anna had the key for. It didn’t seem like Jane even knew where the door was, let alone the key.

There was an ulterior motive for giving up the attempt at teaching Jane when she did. Anna waddled out of the living room and up the stairs towards “her” nursery. As she reached the top of the stairs she let go of her bladder and immediately started soaking her diaper. It was distressing how easily she’d slipped back into using the dreaded underwear, but she comforted herself with the thought that she really didn’t have a choice.

Anna went to the nursery she only spent time in to change herself and got the supplies out. She pulled her dress off; there was no way she was going to be able to do this with so many frills in the way and then got to work.

As soon as Anna was in a fresh diaper and re-dressed, she looked over to the chest of drawers on the opposite side of the room. She walked over with all the expected crinkles and swishes before pulling open the top drawer. At the back, still in its envelope and hidden underneath some crisply folded diapers was the package she had retrieved at the mall. She bit her lip knowing how risky it was. She had no way of knowing for sure it had really come from Thorn, it may well have been a test from the government and do nothing or possibly even harm Jane.

Anna opened the lumpy envelope and inside found a little wooden box engraved with a rose on the top of its lid. She shifted the small metal clasp on the case and opened it to reveal several syringes filled with pink liquid. There was a note on the underside of the lid.

“Give Jane one a day.”

Anna took one of the syringes and held it up. She really didn’t know if she could do this. If it did something to harm Jane, she wasn’t sure she would ever forgive herself. The logical side of her knew the risks but the emotional side, the one that often won out in these internal battles, said she had to get Jane back. Anna remembered how scared Jane was about being sent away, there was no way her friend would want to be like this. If the old Jane was still inside her somewhere Anna felt like she had a duty as a friend to try and help it out.

Keeping one of the syringes, Anna put the rest in the box and buried them at the back of the drawer again. She walked back downstairs feeling nervous. Jane was in the kitchen bent over and scrubbing the oven. She had donned her short maid dress which did very little to hide the wet diaper underneath. Anna stood at the entrance to the room with the syringe behind her.

“Jane?” Anna said.

Jane didn’t seem to hear Anna as she continued to scrub the cooker. Anna wondered again if she shouldn’t just forget the whole idea. She had always been told the effects of Finishing School were permanent, that there was nothing anyone could do to a mind that had been broken in that way but now she was trusting someone she had never met who said the opposite. It was exactly what she wanted to hear though. If she could get Jane back it almost felt like any risk was worth it. Surely, no matter how bad the Sallasian government were, they wouldn’t set this up for Anna to hurt her only friend… would they?

“Jane… Can I have a word?” Anna asked.

“But I’m cleaning!” Jane whined without taking her head out of the oven. She spoke like a child desperate not to be taken home from their friend’s house. After all the attempts to teach Jane earlier Anna guessed the regressed woman was scared she would try to do that again.

“It’ll only take a second.” Anna replied.

Jane walked backwards until her head was free of the oven then she turned to face Anna with an impatient frown. She walked across the room and waited. Anna’s fingers clenched around the shot as she bit her lip, she still didn’t know what she wanted to do.

“Jane, do you like being like that?” Anna asked.

“Like what?” Jane replied.

“Like a baby.” Anna said, “Doing all the cooking and cleaning. Don’t you want to do other things in life?”

“Like what?” Jane said again. Her head tilted to one side. It was like she couldn’t think of anything she would be than exactly as she was.

“I don’t know…” Anna shrugged her shoulders, “Get a job, have hobbies, travel…”

“Silly!” Jane giggled, “We can’t do any of that stuff! That’s for men!”

Anna couldn’t say for sure if that was just the regression speaking. Women in Sallas had it drilled into them that they were worth less than men and before her regression Jane hadn’t known any better. It made Anna angry all over again. She couldn’t let Jane continue to live this pathetic life, not when she could be so much more. Anna brought her arms around to her front and looked at the pink liquid again.

“Turn around.” Anna said quietly.

Ever the obedient servant Jane did as she was told without question. Anna walked forwards and bent Jane over causing the regressed woman to giggle and shake her padded butt. Anna brought the syringe forwards with a trembling hand.

“This might sting a little bit.” Anna said.

“Huh? OW!” Jane exclaimed.

Anna pressed down on the plunger and watched the pink liquid disappear into Jane. She had chosen a spot on the side of her leg just next to her diaper. The woman on the other end immediately jumped and as soon as the needle came out of her, she reached around to the injection site as her lip trembled. She looked at Anna as if she had been betrayed.

“Look, Jane, it’s for…” Anna started.

“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Jane exclaimed as she broke into loud sobs that wracked her whole body.

“What’s wrong?” Anna asked. She suddenly felt very scared that her worst fears were confirmed. That the syringe had been a trick and she had just caused her friend great pain.

Jane practically screamed as she hopped from one foot to the other. Anna looked down at the injection and wondered what she had done. She started thinking she had just killed her friend. What should she do? Could she phone for an ambulance? Jane was bawling and looked to be in great pain. Anna dropped the syringe and put her hands to her head. She was starting to hyperventilate.

“You hurt me!” Jane cried out between great sobs.

“W-What?” Anna replied with a face twisted by concern.

Jane turned around and pointed to where the injection had been made. There was a tiny red blot of blood where the needle had gone in. She looked from the blood to Anna and back.

“Owwie!” Jane exclaimed.

“That’s it?” Anna asked. Relief was washing over her like a cold shower, “It’s… It’s just the shot?”

Jane nodded her head tearfully. Anna took a deep shaky breath and leant against the counter feeling equal parts ecstatic and angry at being made to think she had done something to really hurt her friend. She couldn’t help but let out a little laugh as she covered her face with her hands for a second.

“Alright, let’s get you a Band-Aid.” Anna said as she opened the drawer next to the sink that contained their medical stuff.

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Anna watched Jane carefully. She had been watching her closely for any signs of recovery but so far nothing had happened. Jane seemed as obedient and subservient as ever much to Anna’s frustration.

It had been two days and with each one Anna had given Jane another shot. She hadn’t told Ryan what she was doing just because she was worried about what he would say. He had been left very distracted from work. Despite Ryan saying everything was fine and that there was no problem, Anna knew him enough to know he was lying. As soon as he came home from work each day, he went straight up to bed saying he was tired. It meant Anna was left trying to deal with everything at home but that wasn’t too bad, it gave her more time to observe Jane.

It was just after Ryan had left for work on that particular morning and just after Anna had administered another injection on Jane that the doorbell rang. Anna was confused; they didn’t get visitors and were still ignored by all of the neighbours. Anna looked through the spyhole and gasped as she saw Mr. Sawyer standing outside with the usual fleet of cars. She slowly and cautiously opened the door.

“Ryan isn’t here…” Anna said immediately.

“Hello to you too.” Mr. Sawyer replied, “I know he isn’t here, but it is time for you to earn your keep. Get Jane and bring her out here. You have five minutes to get ready.”

“But…” Anna said.

“Time is ticking.” Mr. Sawyer tapped his watch dramatically.

Anna glared at Mr. Sawyer before closing the front door in his face. She turned around and hurried into the kitchen where she found Jane polishing some already near-perfect surfaces. Taking her hand, she hurriedly pulled Jane upstairs to get her ready.

Four minutes and forty seconds later an out of breath Anna opened the front door again. Mr. Sawyer was still waiting, and he smiled as he saw the two women dressed in their best dresses with thick diapers underneath. Anna was sweating slightly from the speed she had been forced to move at but also because she didn’t like not having Ryan there to protect her. Anna and Jane stepped out of the house and followed Mr. Sawyer to the car.

“Where are we going?” Jane asked.

“For a fun day out.” Mr. Sawyer replied as if he were talking to an actual child.

“But my chores…” Jane said as she turned her head back towards the house.

“They’ll be there for you when you get back.” Mr. Sawyer said.

Anna didn’t say anything because she had noticed something that hadn’t been picked up by anyone else. Jane had just spoken up of her own free will. She wasn’t going to say Jane never spoke without being spoken to, but it was a rare thing, and Anna was sure she would never have been so forward to a man like Mr. Sawyer. Was it her imagination just trying to see improvements in her best friend or something else?

Anna and Jane were both strapped into car seats before the vehicles pulled away from the curb. As they left the gated community Jane started asking more questions whilst Anna just stared in surprise.

“Is Ryan coming?” Jane asked.

“No, he’s working today.” Mr. Sawyer replied, “He has a very important job.”

“Doing what?” Jane was like a small child who needed answers to everything.

“I’m sure Anna can tell you.” Mr. Sawyer said as he turned in the front passenger seat to look back at the women.

Faces turned to Anna, but she had no answers. She didn’t know what Ryan did, he hadn’t told her anything. She shook her head to indicate she didn’t know, and Mr. Sawyer’s face broke into a wide smile.

“Oh dear.” Mr. Sawyer said with humour in his voice, “Well, I can’t say I blame him.”

“What does he do?” Anna asked quietly.

“It’s not my place to say.” Mr. Sawyer replied, “And it’s not your place to know.”

The car carried on driving and Anna stared out the window lost in thought. She saw all the familiar sights of Sallas. Women being pushed in strollers, pulled along on leashes or otherwise made to look foolish. She knew that compared to ninety-nine per-cent of women out there she was well off. Not for the first time she wondered if she wasn’t being ungrateful or expecting too much when she complained.

They stopped at a red light and Anna saw a homeless man sitting in front of a shop window and begging for change. Most people that walked past just quickened their step and ignored him. Compared to him, Anna had it made. She lived in a spacious house and really wanted for nothing; everything could be provided for her. Wasn’t that enough?

“Here we are.” Mr. Sawyer said as the car turned into a small car park on the edge of a large green park.

Mr. Sawyer and his employees all started to leave their cars whilst Anna and Jane waited to be let out of their seats. The men seemed to be discussing something which was giving the women a little bit of alone time. Anna looked over to Jane to see she was wincing. Her hand went up to her forehead and she looked like she was in some pain.

“Jane?” Anna said with concern, “Are you alright?”

“I… I don’t know…” Jane grunted.

As fast as whatever headache seemed to come on it passed. Jane brought her hands down from her face and looked around for a second before the rear doors opened and the two women were let out of their child seats.

The two women were put in their harnesses and attached to their toddler leashes. It was horrendously demeaning to Anna but something she was becoming horribly familiar with. She was distracted by Jane though, the sudden pain she had experienced worried her and now she looked a little out of it and confused.

“Alright, I want footage of the girls walking over to the picnic area.” Mr. Sawyer said as he started directing the camera crews.

The morning was taken up with this set-piece picnic. Everything was closely directed from the girls walking over to the blanket hand-in-hand to the very public diaper changes they were forced to receive. Anna was prepared to be there the whole day so when the picnic was packed up at lunchtime, she was pleasantly surprised. Compared to previous outings it hadn’t even been particularly humiliating. At least, she was until they got back to the cars.

“OK, reset and get ready to go again.” Mr. Sawyer called out, “Fifteen-minute break.”

“Again?” Anna asked, “But… why?”

“That was for the international audience.” Mr. Sawyer explained as if it was obvious, “Now we need to film a version for domestic consumption.”

“What’s the difference?” Anna asked warily.

“You’ll see.” Mr. Sawyer smiled, “Don’t worry your pretty little head, you’ll be home in time to welcome Ryan back.”

Anna glared at Mr. Sawyer as he turned away. At least she and Jane were left mostly alone for their lunches. Jane required Anna to help feed her because she absolutely refused to do it herself but otherwise it was a fairly pleasant little break in the back of an otherwise empty car.

“Are you feeling alright?” Anna asked as they finished up.

“Uh huh.” Jane said.

“Not had any more headaches or anything?” Anna continued.

“Headaches?” Jane repeated with confusion.

“Yeah, you had one when we first got here…” Anna said slowly.

Jane looked confused again. She had a far off look in her eyes as if trying to remember something that happened years ago. She frowned but didn’t otherwise respond.

“Alright, everyone ready?” Mr. Sawyer called out causing everyone to look his way, “Let’s get to work.”

Anna and Jane were hurried out of the car and the difference between the international and domestic versions of this trip were immediately apparent. There were no harnesses or leashes, in their stead was the large twin stroller that Anna had experienced before. She was still processing what she was saying when a pacifier was pushed into her mouth by an intern.

“Mr. Sawyer’s orders.” The intern said as he gave Jane a similar pacifier, “He says to keep them in or else.”

Anna glared at the young man as her cheeks blushed. Jane accepted the pacifier with a lot more cheer. It was quickly becoming apparent that the government wanted to provide the citizens of Sallas with a much more infantilised picture of women than the international audiences got. The two women were instructed to get into the stroller and were tightly strapped in as the cameras got into position.

“For someone who assures me they aren’t a baby you sure do pout a lot.” Mr. Sawyer muttered smugly as he tightened the straps that held Anna down.

“’uck you.” Anna said around the pacifier. Her speech muffled and distorted by the mouth-filling teat.

“Careful.” Mr. Sawyer’s voice dropped, and the warning was clear, “Believe me I would be happy to take you straight to Finishing School and making you compliant permanently.”

Anna contented herself with just glaring as Mr. Sawyer strapped her in extra hard. The two women were then pushed away from the cars and filmed yet again. This time they didn’t go to the place they had their picnic but instead to the playground. Anna groaned but having experienced this all once before it wasn’t like she didn’t know what was coming.

Indeed, despite the afternoon being humiliating it was virtually a repeat of what had happened before it didn’t feel any easier. Anna spent the whole time worrying about Jane who was looking increasingly confused and anxious. By the time they were taken back to the car Anna was soaked, and she was sure Jane was the same way, it didn’t seem like the men wanted to deal with that though, they were going to leave it to Ryan.

“You girls have been so good I think we’ll stop for ice cream.” Mr. Sawyer said as he closed the door on the two women in their child seats.

Anna spat the pacifier out and let it tumble to the floor of the car. She’d been forced to have it in her mouth all afternoon and now her jaw was aching. She would’ve much preferred to head straight home.

“Ah, my head…” Jane grimaced in pain again.

“Jane!” Anna tried to reach over but she was too far away, “What’s wrong?”

“I… I remember…” Jane was muttering in between groans of pain, “We were… at college?”

Anna’s eyes grew wide, and she wasn’t sure how to react. She wanted to encourage these memories but with the driver coming over she didn’t want anyone to find out something strange was going on. Jane’s headache seemed to pass as she looked up again. Her face was as white as a sheet and was looking around like she had no idea where she was.

“Jane… Stay calm.” Anna said as seriously as she could, “You’re OK. We can talk about this at home.”

“But… Paul…” Jane swallowed as she said her ex-husband’s name, “He… We…”

“It’ll be OK, Jane. I promise.” Anna hurriedly said. She looked out the window and saw the driver just feet away from the car, “Just please stay calm. It’s very important, OK?”

That seemed to get Jane’s attention. Even though she was clearly freaked out by her apparently returning memories she suddenly looked at Anna and nodded. It was an instruction. Her obedience had been brainwashed into her and no matter what she was actually feeling being told to stay calm made her do so.

The front doors opened, and the two men got in the front seats. Anna kept an eye on Jane as they drove towards home hoping that her friend could keep it together long enough. On the surface she looked calm, but it was clear that just scratching the surface would reveal the turmoil underneath.

The journey was interminable. They did indeed stop for ice cream but as Anna absent-mindedly licked hers Jane continued to stare dumbly ahead as the frozen treat melted and ran down over her hands. It looked to Anna as if her friend had short-circuited.

When they finally got home Anna was thankful that Jane had remained silent the whole time. The two women were walked up the garden path to the front door of the house. Before Mr. Sawyer’s henchmen could knock, the door flew open to reveal Ryan standing there in his work clothes, he looked a little frantic and Anna assumed no one had told him the women were required that day.

“What’s been going on?” Ryan asked immediately.

“We needed your girls for some work.” A rather brutish employee of Mr. Sawyer replied, “Don’t worry we’re returning them unharmed. They were good little girls for us.”

Ryan looked at Anna who gave a subtle nod to say she was OK. Ryan pushed the door open, and Anna was grateful to be able to disappear inside the house with Jane just behind. She practically pulled Jane into the living room and immediately the mask of normalcy dropped. Anna watched her friend drop to her knees and open her mouth as if she might scream, fortunately she made no sound, instead she grabbed her head and lowered it to the floor as if in pain. Anna dropped down and wrapped Jane’s shaking body in a hug.

“It’s OK, it’s OK.” Anna repeated as she stroked Jane’s hair, “You’re safe here.”

The front door closed a minute later, and Anna was finally able to relax. Jane was holding on to her for dear life as she sobbed. The living room door was pushed ajar and Ryan stood in the doorway; he looked very concerned when he saw the scene.

“What’s wrong?” Ryan asked quickly as he walked inside and knelt down, “What’s going on?”

“She remembers.” Anna said.

“He sent me away!” Jane suddenly shrieked, “To… to…”

“It’s OK.” Anna said again, “Just let it all out.”

Anna remained on the living room floor with her best friend and husband for an hour without anyone saying anything. Jane alternated between crying and speech that was incomprehensible. Remembering her horribly abusive marriage must’ve been hard enough but if she was remembering the Finishing School as well then Anna could only imagine what she was going through. Slowly she calmed down, her death grip on Anna relaxed and she fell on to her side where she curled into a ball. She looked exhausted and closed her eyes.

“How did this happen?” Ryan asked Anna quietly.

Anna bit her lip and looked away.

“Did you give her the injection?” Ryan asked with some shock.

“Look, I know it’s risky but-…” Anna started.

“Are we sure that was a good idea?” Ryan asked as he looked down at Jane in the fetal position.

“I didn’t know what else to do!” Anna replied.

Ryan didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. Anna had been with Ryan for long enough that she could see past his poker face at what was happening within. He thought it was too risky, that the potentially harmful effects outweighed any positives. Jane’s reaction seemed, to him, to confirm he was right. Anna looked down at Jane, her face was streaked with tears as she laid her head in Anna’s lap. Maybe Ryan was right. Maybe ignorance was bliss when it came to living in Sallas. There was just no way to know exactly what memories Anna had awakened.

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