Swallowing hard I read over the options, my skin crawling and stomach sinking as I try my best to understand what any of these conditions even mean. Before I can even process half of what's on the cards I'm snapped out of my stupor by Mori.
"We're ready to start" she coos warmly, biting her lower lip with anticipation. Suddenly, with a slight rattle I feel the dice appear in my sweaty palm. Clutching them with shaking hands I stare at the woman on the TV, freezing in place as I contemplate simply not rolling the dice at all.
"I know what you're thinking..." she coos softly, wriggling her hips as she strides around her little desk. "If you don't roll them, I will" she states, she gaze narrowing and her lips pursing at the thought. "And I'll be the one picking your card, so if you know what's good for you... Roll!"
Quivering in place, my muscles locked as I find myself unable to leave a seated state, I let out a low whimper. Tilting my hand to the side I let the dice fall, the cheap plastic clattering to the ground with a cheer soon following from the woman on the screen.
"Nine" cries the giddy woman inside the television, the chalkboard behind her slowly filling with a light shade of Yellow. I watch in horror as the fleshy little miniature begins to waddle along its simple path, wet squelching noises following each of the stumbling steps.
As the miniature land on the yellow square the chalk board finishes its yellow coating. Mori quickly approaches the camera, eagerly peering through the screen at the board as her eyes lock to the red deck.
"Well?" she states excitedly, her once gaunt expression looking a little warmer than when the video had started. "Take two... Remember? You keep one and ditch the other."
Trembling and panting in terror I reach out, carefully pulling two cards from the top of the deck before drawing them up to read. Mori whines sadly in response, the once prim and proper woman now seeming far more excitable and bubbly.
"No fair" she calls out, wriggling as she tries to see the cards from her locked perspective. "I can't help if I can't see.
As I glance at the cards I slowly turn them to face the screen, the woman chuckling once more as she too reads the brief descriptions.
Punished
'What did you do young lady? Go to your room!'
Date Night
'Dressed up, heart pounding in your throat, and clammy hands. It's time to be woo'd'
"I... uh..." I blurt out, clutching the Date Night card tighter than the other. As if sensing my hesitance, and spying my white knuckled grip Mori looks at me with a sly grin. With a wave of her hand I find my hand lowering to place the Date Night card on the floor, the Punished card erupting into flames in my hand.
"There we go" she coos, waving her hand as the yellow deck stutters and jostles slightly. "Looks like you started off with a nice card, so let's just put that other one back for now" she chuckles, snapping her fingers as I suddenly feel the glossy dice return to my hand.
"Six" cries the giddy and progressively less professional woman on the screen, her mood becoming brighter by the second as I play the game.The chalkboard bleeds of all color for a moment, the split in the path ahead leaving me with three options.
Before I can even say my answer, the miniature me pivots in place as it races along the nearest split and towards a Blue space.
"Oh lovely" Mori coos, rubbing her dainty hands together. "A little bit of variety to start. That's wonderful, it will make navigating all this so much easier once you under just what you're in for"
With a shaking hand I pull up two more cards, my lips quivering as I read them aloud.
Fashion - Quirky
'Odd pairings, bright and brilliant thrift store finds, and some simply weird choices. Wherever you go you tend to turn head, for better or for worse'
Intellect - Struggles
Negative
'You're not stupid, at least that what your parents said, things are just a bit more difficult for you. Thankfully, you get past it with hard work and perseverance... Right?'
Tears well up in my eyes as I read the second card, my stomach sinking as I realize the choice was largely a simple one. I quickly place down the Fashion - Quirky card into my tableau, the other vanish once more in a shower of sparks.
"Awwww" Mori sighs, the missing card appearing in her hand as she reads it. "I mean, its your choice but being brainy isn't everything. Ignorance can be bliss as they..." she taunts coyly, her eyes going wide as I cut her off by quickly rolling the dice again.
"Three" the woman on the screen gleefully announces, the board quickly filling in behind her with a lovely shade of Indigo chalk. She claps her hands excitedly as my mini me trudges over to the space, her gaze locking to me as she eagerly awaits my reaction to the new cards.
First Day of School
'It's hard to let them go, so many tears on the first day with all the other parents. But it's the right thing to do, the little ones need to leave the nest someday'
First Kiss
'Heart hammering and butterflies filling your stomach you close you eyes, locking lips for the first time'
"What... what are these meant to..." I begin to stammer, glancing between the cards I had seen so far and those in my hand. Giggling almost manically, the malevolent Mori narrows her gaze at me, grinning and baring her teeth like a predator.
"I can explain that category of cards" she says, her voice metered and smooth. "But! That would be telling, you should really be learning by doing" she snaps, her stern school mistress persona coming back for a brief moment before melting away. "If you let me have a little bit of fun, I will tell you what those cards mean."
"Deal" I whimper out almost painfully, watching as the screen flickers and seemingly shifts to a prerecorded segment.
"Indigo Cards" Mori begins, her voice soft and calming as she seemingly returns to her role in the video. "Are your major milestones. First Dates, Weddings, and Retirement Parties can all be found in this. Most, sadly, aren't compatible with one another. Should you draw, or more importantly choose, an incompatible card you will need to discard the previous milestone."
Suddenly, with a flicker on the screen Mori returns to standing overly close to the camera. Her grinning pale face fills the frame as she peers outward, her gaze locked to the board as she seems to think of what to do next.
"Well..." she whines, her breath short and sharp. "Make your choice, I want to have my turn"
Still no more certain in what the damn cards even meant, I slowly place down First Kiss.
With a loud bell chime from the video the image is cut short. A cartoon plays of the same sweeping shot flying through the town, with the image slowly focusing in on fast food place with the sign
'Get Your Combo Deal Today!'
Suddenly, the picture returns to the classroom, Mori standing demurely behind her desk and in front of the chalk board. Her cheek twitches, her lips quivering as she fights back a smile with every ounce of willpower she has.
"What did you get for lunch young man?" she coos softly, the grin slowly creeping in as her words begin to fill with a perverse sense of glee. "A little of... everything? Well that's a wonderful idea. Could the current... and only... player please add ONE of each card type to their tableau."
I freeze up, my eyes darting between the woman in the television and the decks of cards along he top of the board. After a few moments of not moving the camera lurches forward, fixating on the glaring countenance of Mori.
"That was not a request" she barks, the harshness of her voice making me lean over to grab my first two cards. However, try as I might I can't pull the second from the deck, a loud tutting soon filling my ears as Mori begins to speak. "Now now, it seems you may need to go back to school. One is not Two, I may have to write you up for not following instructions... But I will let it pass... This time."
One by one I draw the single card, flipping them onto the tableau one after the other.
Libido - Insatiable
Negative
'Are you well? Are you sure this isn't some kind of medical condition? Most people can go for a day or two without getting off you know.'
Fashion - Athleisure
Feminine
'Yoga pants, sports bras, and bright colorful sneakers. You don't wear this work out gear to actually exercise, its just that its so tight yet comfy you can't say no'
Career - IT and Technology
Remote, Part-Time, Night Shift
'Coding and computers, networks and nodes. Congratulations on your career staring at screen and asking 'Can you turn it off and on again?'
First Day of College
'Lots of emotions flood campus today. Do you have you schedule? Your student ID? Hopefully you're comfortable asking for directions from your fellow students to find your way"
Celebration
'Congratulations! For what? You know exactly why, it's why were here isn't it? To celebrate"
As the Blue card touches the floor I watch as Fashion - Quirky suddenly erupts into flames and vanishes, the one Fashion card seemingly replacing the other. My blood runs cold as I read the Red card over and over, my miniature shuffling awkwardly in place as it struggles to keep its hands to itself.
Mori simply howls with laughter, a deep nasal inhale breaking up her cackling as she drinks in the scent of my terror.
"It looks like you've got your first Negative card. Though really, is being amorous really a negative" she laughs, biting her lip suggestively as she focuses on the implication.
With my mouth falling open and closed over and over I can't even get out a single word, my hand falling open again as I let the dice tumble to the floor.
"Nine" Mori states, the two of us watching the uncomfortable looking miniature me shuffle along as it tries to squeeze its thighs together. The board behind the cruel woman fills with a light shade of Blue, my hand immediately darting towards the cards as I snatch two from the top.
Intellect - Brilliant
Positive
'You are often times the smartest person in the room, and on the rare occasions you aren't its not that wide a gap'
Intellect - Brainiac
Positive
'One of the smartest people, period. Things come almost naturally to you that would take years of study for others'
"Looks like you lucked out" Mori grumbles slightly, obviously unhappy to see me getting something good out of this for once. Biting her lips she looks at my tableau, her mood brightening up as she once again remembers what I had been forced to take mere moments ago.
As I place down Intellect - Brainiac a short snicker comes from the woman on the TV. "Hopefully that will help you to remember to use protection in the heat of the moment, I know how hard it can be for people with your... eagerness"
Desperate to esacpe the tormenting of the woman inside the TV I quickly roll the dice, the clattering of plastic against the wooden floor quickly stealing Mori's attention away from me and back to the game itself.
"Seven" Mori calls out giddily, watching as the tiny me shuffles along to the new Red space. The tiny simulacrum seems to quiver and shake, dropping to its knees as it reaches its resting place with what looks like pained panting.
As I reach for the next set of cards Mori grins with wild glee.
"Maybe you can get rid of your... hormonal imbalance" she giggles, her voice chiming giddily as she tactful attempts to describe the Negative Card in my tableau.
Weight - Slender
'Petite, willowy, or slight are all words that could describe your delicate and lithe frame. A mixture of overactive metabolism or a decent diet likely helping you keep the pounds off"
Emotions - Heightened
'Higher highs and lower lows. You simply feel things on a deeper level than those around you, tearing up at the movies and cheering loudest for your friends accomplishments'
With a low rumbling chuckle Mori watches from the TV as my eyes dart between the two cards. Swallowing hard I struggle to make a choice, both being concerning but in their own unique ways. As Mori opens her mouth to say something I quickly slam down the Weight - Slender card, the cruel school mistress huffing a little as the other card vanishes back into the deck.
With a painful crush and squelch I watch as the tiny facsimile of quivers in place, its torso narrowing out and its limbs growing slight and dainty as it writhes on the ground. The dice slip from my hands as I stare at quivering slender creature on the board, my shock and disgust only making Mori grin wider and wider by the second.
"Nine" she muses, her voice dripping with delight and pleasure as she watches the miniature on the board practically crawl towards the next Red space. As the tiny figure collapses against the board its hands begin to weakly paw at itself, both hands darting between its legs as it seems to strive for some kind of relief.
"Awww" Mori coos, biting her lower lip as she watches the miniature fight to relieve itself of the pent up sexual frustration. "Sorry little buddy, but you are just going to have to deal with it for a bit longer."
Snatching up the next two card my eyes go wide, my choice being made before even reading the second card.
Age - Early Twenties
'Adulthood, with the training wheel still on of course. Leaving home for the first time and finally getting to be yourself, for however long that lasts here that is'
Chest - Budding
Negative
'Once puberty started they started to come in, and then seemingly stopped the next day. Years have past since then with no growth spurt in sight. It seems like you'll be able to go braless as much as you like'
In an instant I slam down the Age - Twenties card, my gaze turning to the Garage Band Life Goal as I mentally tick off on of the requirements to end this impossible situation. Mori scoffs a little bit, glancing down at her own relatively well hidden chest before speaking.
"I understand" she sighs, picking at her blouse. "Being flat chested isn't for everyone. I..." she begins to muse, pausing as she notices where I was looking. "Oh... You're already trying to end our game?" she asks with a pout. "But we haven't even finished our first round. Don't tell me you're not having..."
"Seven!" Mori suddenly calls out, my latest dice roll cutting we whining short. The chalkboard rapidly shifts from red to Yellow as the miniature me crawls along towards the distant space. With a wet slap the tiny thing collapses to the board, rolling to its side as I find myself staring at the poorly carved youthful face in the throbbing red material.
"Another event!?" Mori giggles excitedly, her gaze following my hand as I pick up the two cards. "Aren't you a lucky one... I mean... so long as you don't get anything too terrible this time."
Date Night
'Dressed up, heart pounding in your throat, and clammy hands. It's time to be woo'd'
Meet Cute
'Bumping into the love of your life isn't just for the movies and romance books. While we can't promise a life long romance, it will feel like it and that's what counts'
Before I'm even halfway through reading the second card Date Night suddenly bursts into flames, the shock of which causing me to drop the Meet Cute into my tableau. Looking at the screen I stare in confusion at Mori, the devilish woman cackling at my bewilderment.
"No doubles" she states, waggling her dainty bony finger as if to admonish me. "At least not for that card, and no you can't have another."
As the dice warp their way back into my hand I quickly discard them, my breathing growing more and more ragged by the second as the panic inside me builds to a fever pitch.
We both watch as the dice tumble across the floor, the sight of the double threes making Mori beam with glee before the same school bell from before plays over the video. Pacing back towards her desk Mori glances back at me, the tiny fleshy miniature making one final push over towards the nearby Red space.
"This will be the end of the first round" Mori explains, her voice sliding back into the softer tones of the character she was meant to portray. "First, we will let the current player make their last selection and then we can go for recess."
Teeth - Crooked
Negative
'Be it due to an injury or merely a case of over crowding, your pearly whites all appear to be fighting for space. Pushing in and out and side to side, the lack of uniformity is the first thing people notice when you smile'
Hips - Narrow
'Slimmer and more slender than your peers, the lack of sway and rectangular build nature gifted you has never really been a bother'
Grimacing at my choices I glance to Mori, the school mistress betraying no emotion unlike her prior delighted and playful observations from before. With a sigh I slowly place down the Hips - Narrow card, my tiny figurine quivering slightly as its waist and hips cinch in slightly.
Before I can even react the screen flickers and stutters once more, the swooping and sweeping shots of a cartoon town returning to the screen as cheerful past fills the room. Slowly, the shot zeros in on a small boutique shoe store before focusing on the banner across the window.
Three For One Special!
As the shot cuts back to the classroom Mori sits behind her teacher's desk, her hands resting atop one another as she smiles warmly towards the camera. As the camera slowly pans in the minor twitches in her facial expression become more visible, her lips quivering as she tries not to grin menacingly like before.
"Oh how time has flown, it's almost time for a short break. However, before we can do that it looks like someone in the class has been shopping. Then just got one card from a deck, now its time for them to take two more before the end of the round" she states, her smooth and soft spoken voice drastically contrasting with her prior behavior.
"Just draw two cards from the relevant deck and add them to your tableau... now"
Chest - Small
'Perky, playful, and easily squeezed with hands of any size. Your chest, while not being as eye catching as some, are just as fun as anyone else's'
Teeth - Buck
Negative
'You've been called Chipmunk all to many times as you grew up, your tooth grin leaving you the target of mockery from your peers. Hopefully you can learn to love your smile for what it is, simply bigger than most'
As the final two cards hit the ground I watch as the tiny miniature twitches and bucks in place before suddenly vanishing with a wet pop. The screen flickers once again, cutting to a series of shots of Mori hunched over her desk as the sound of a stapler clicks out over and over. Before long, the sound of a beating heart comes over the speakers, the sound giving me a terrifying realization.
My hand flies to my chest before racing up to my neck, my fingers clumsily searching for a pulse only to come up wanting. My heart is completely still, missing even, my voice catching in my throat as I try to let out a panicked scream.
Inhaling through her nose deeply Mori shudders with excitement, her gaze drifting down o her cupped hands before looking back at me through the screen.
"Before we go on recess..." she purrs, her voice shuddering slightly with pleasure as she draws nearer and nearer to the screen. "You'll need this back" she coos, clapping her hands together as I sudden feel weight push painfully into my chest.
I open my mouth to say something only for a pained howl to escape my lips. With each pump of the freshly returned muscle in my chest I feel my body surge with a searing heat. It feels as though my bones are melting and my muscles are burning out of me from within. Finally able to move once again I simply collapse over in pain, the sound of my teeth growing and clattering into my mouth filling my skull as I quiver on the floor.
Sweat coats my body, the usual foul and salty droplets tinging with hints of lipids as my body rapidly expels as much excess fat as it can while simply burning off the rest. Hairs go up in flames, the heat from my body simply incinerating them as I feel my skin begin to sag and hang from my chest while a painful tugging presses into my groin.
My brain buzzes and throbs inside my skull, my eyes rolling back as I feel neurons and synapses kick into high gear. Bolts of mind numbingly painful electricity race through my head, each one granting a deeper moment of clarity before the next rips it away.
Bawling my eyes out and clenching my jaw I quiver and whimper on the floor, my lanky limbs sprawling out as the heat slowly begins to dissipate. Drenched in sweat and panting heavily I barely register the soft and pitched up tone encompassing each pathetic utterance from my lips.
"The first one's the hardest" Mori chuckles, watching me splay out on the floor. "Especially after such a long round. Now, go enjoy your recess" she coos giddily, licking her lips with a sense of voracious hunger. "Some of us need to eat."
No comments:
Post a Comment