“What?” Her friend Sarah replied almost immediately.
“Know that Christmas display downtown?” Julia continued.
“Yes.” Another friend, Farah texted back. “Heard good things about it. Wasn’t been able to go.
” “Yeah. Heard the wait list to get in is past New Year’s.
” Sarah added. “Don’t worry. I got us a reservation. This Sunday at 8.
” Julia announced with an emoji of triumph.“How?” Farah asked.
“Yeah. I thought the place closed at 7:30 anyway.” Their fourth friend, Mai chimed in.
“Got an in.
” Julia reassured them. “Ran into Mark after class. Says he knows someone who works there. He can get all of us in after they close for the day.” “Sounds great!” The other girls chimed in. Enthusiastically, they made plans to meet up and drive to the display later that week.
***
Half past six in the evening, Sarah pulled up outside Julia’s families house. The teen pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and quickly texted a “here” to her friend. She waited, listening to the inescapable Christmas music coming through the radio. Sarah was a tall, slender redhead, 18 years old. She had on a light blue jacket, dark skirt and leggings that showed off a fit, toned body from years of volleyball and soccer practice. Her shoulder-length, auburn hair was tied back in a ponytail.
A couple minutes after Sarah had texted, the door of the house opened. Out stepped Julia. The teen was followed a second later by her younger sister, Amada. The two girls were dressed similarly, in dark coats over dresses with short heels. Both were dark-haired, their features showing their Columbian heritage. Julia waved a hand to Sarah as they hurried down the front walk. Julia climbed in the passenger’s seat while her sister climbed in the back.
“OMG! This is going to be so much fun!” Julia said, excitedly. Sarah echoed the sentiment as she started the car up and pulled away from the curb.
“We’re meeting Farah and Mai there, right?” Sarah asked. Julia nodded. They talked and listened to the Christmas music coming over the radio, singing along from time to time with the jingles, until they came to the downtown location of the Christmas display.
The building it was in was one of those big, boxy slabs of brick and concrete, that had probably been a warehouse or something originally, but in recent years had been everything from a punk club to haunted house. Now it was the Christmas Display.
Out front, the building had been done up. Candy cane poles arched the doorway, guarded by toy soldiers. Beyond, large presents nestled amid artificial snowbanks and Christmas trees.
Though the lights remained on, the place looked empty. Not surprising, since the display had, officially, closed almost half an hour ago. There was one another car parked in the lot. Two teenage girls stood nearby, waiting. On the driver’s side was Farah. The 18-year old Arab-American had on hijab, scarf, coat and long skirt. Opposite her was Mai. The Vietnamese-American was dressed the most Christmassy in a red dress, trimmed in white, with green leggings and smart, patent black shoes. They waved as Sarah and the others drove up.
“Hey girls!” Julia called as she got out of the car. “Are you excited!”
“This will be so much fun!” The others chimed in. Together, they headed to the entrance. Inside, the brass stanchions, red velvet ropes running between them, were empty of customers. At the far end, a single woman, in her early twenties, waited at a line of ticket booths, done up like gingerbread houses with fake frosting and gumdrops.
“Hi!” The older woman said, waving as the teens came in. ‘You must be Julia and her friends. I’m Abbey. Mark told me to expect you. She was dressed as an elf, in a bright red vest and skirt, trimmed in white, over a wintergreen shirt and leggings. “Now, we’re locking this place down in about an hour, so don’t dawdle and it’s gonna be thirty per person to get in, cash only please.”
“Thirty!” Julia remarked, eyebrow raised. “I thought tickets were only twenty.” She pointed to the sign behind the ticket booths.
“If you want to pay twenty, get a reservation.” Abbey told her, smiling mischievously. “I’m putting my job on the line, letting you guys sneak in. I need a little something for my trouble, don’t you think.”
Julia shrugged. “Fine. It’ll be worth it girls, trust me.” She dug into her purse for the cash. The other girls lined up behind her, getting ready to pay as well.
“Oops, I left my purse in the car.” Farah said, cheeks flushing. “I’ll just run out real quick and get it. I’ll catch up with the rest of you.”
“Ok, but don’t take too long.” Julia reminded her. “We’ve only got an hour, she said.” With a nod, Faraj ran out the door. Meanwhile, the other teens moved past the ticket booths to the entrance. It was done up as the entrance to an ice cave and, just inside, a pair of heavy blue drapes, blocking their view of what lay beyond.
“Enjoy yourselves!” Abbey told them, pulling the drapes back. From beyond, Christmas music spilled out into the lobby. Talking cheerfully with one another, the fours girls headed through. The drapes swung shut behind them.
“I’m back!” Farah called, rushing back inside a minute later, her purse clutched in one hand. “I’ve got the-Hello!” She called out in confusion. The lobby was now empty. “Hello! Anyone!” She looked around for Abbey but didn’t see the older woman.
The teen paused, wondering if she should just head on through and pay for her ticket later, when she suddenly became aware of a presence, looming behind her. Before she could turn around, she felt arms circle her body, yanking her back against her attacker. She squirmed in the unseen person’s grasp, trying to shake free.
“He-Mmppphh!” Farah opened her mouth to call for help, but as she did, a thick pad of cloth was suddenly clamped tight over her nose and mouth. As she sucked in air to scream, it carried with it a strong chemical scent, that filled her throat with its cloying presence.
“Mmmmm…” Farah whimpered, feeling suddenly lightheaded. She slumped in her attackers grasp, all the strength going out of her struggles as the knock out drugs went to work. Within moments, she slipped into unconsciousness…
***
“This place is amazing!” Sarah said, giggling, as they walked down the ice tunnel that led between the various displays. They’d just come from one depicting “Twas the Night Before Christmas…” and had all loved the amazingly detailed models, from Santa, rosy cheeks and jelly-bowl belly and all, down to the cutest mouse not stirring.
Now, they stepped through another curtain into a scene of Winter Wonderland. The path, marked off with velvet rope, wound its way through a Christmas tree forest, dappled with snow. Above, fake soap-flake snow fell gently over the scene. In a clearing by a frozen pond, a dozen or so fiberglass Snowmen and Snowwomen had gathered, a nearby sign cheerfully announcing the “Christmas Snowman Ball”. The teens progressed through the display, eyes wide as they took in everything.
At the far end, another set of curtains opened into the tunnel leading to the next display. After one last look around, the girls headed through. All except one. Sarah turned back, looking around again. She could have sworn she saw…
Yes, over there. One of the snowmen near the back, a cheerful fellow with a top hat and scarf. Was it moving? Sarah walked back to the rope barrier and looked. Sure enough, the snowman seemed to move moving, ever so slightly. Was it some sort of animatronic, or a breeze blowing through the room?
Sarah turned and looked back over her shoulder. The other girls had moved on, leaving her behind and so far Farah hadn’t caught up with them. Nor did she see Abbey or anyone else who worked here. There was no one stopping her from ducking underneath the rope and getting a closer look if she wanted…
Nearby, Farah squirmed, helpless. The teen had come to, a couple minute ago, to find herself in pitch blackness. She was standing in some sort of container, made of a hard-plastic material. Whatever it was, it seemed to be cone shaped, wide at the bottom and narrowing towards the top. About halfway up, a plastic strap circled the teen’s torso, holding her in place and further up, a second around her neck kept her head still. Meanwhile, her hands were bound behind her back with what felt like rope, and below, more rope lashed her legs together at the ankles and knees.
“mmmppphhh!!!” Farah moaned, the sounds of her desperation filling the inside of her prison, though she doubted much escaped it. Whoever had drugged the teen had taken the scarf she’d been wearing and knotted it in the center. The knot was currently jammed into her mouth, the loose ends tied around the back of her head, holding the gag in place. “Mmmppphhh!” She groaned again, as loud as she could, hoping someone would hear her…
That was odd… Sarah thought to herself, as she stepped, gingerly through the snow past the still snowman. As she got closer, she thought she could hear noise coming from the strange one at the back. And sure enough, when she was close by, she could see the fiberglass body rocking slightly from time to time.
Hesitantly, Sarah stepped up and rapped a knuckle on the outside. A second later, that odd noise came again. The teen knocked once more and got a reply. She was about to continue the investigation further, but her curiosity was interrupted as a hand grabbed the teen, yanking her back. She caught a brief glimpse of a figure looming over her before a cloth was pressed over her face. A sharp chemical smell filled her nostrils. Everything went dark…
***
“Oooh! Look at this one!” Mia exclaimed, as they went through the curtains into the next display. They’d just come from “A Christmas Carol” depicting Scrooge, Tiny Tim and all of the Ghosts. This one was taken from the Nutcracker. The titular toy stood in the center, marshalling his army of toy soldiers to fight the rat king while strains of Tchaikovsky’s music filled the hall.
The trio stood for a few minutes, listening to the music and enjoying the ambiance of the scene. When they’d had their fill, they continued on through the curtain to the next display. After they were gone, a quiet moan came from the line of toy soldiers, barely noticeable amongst the music. Near the back, one of the soldiers moved, every so slightly.
“Mmmppphhh!” Sarah whimpered. The teen stood in rank with the lifeless displays. While she’d been unconscious, someone had swapped her jacket for one that matched the other toy soldiers. A soldier’s shako was perched on her head. Clear tape had been applied over Sarah’s lips, and white makeup and rouge applied over it, so she matched the painted look of the other toy soldiers. The gag was invisible from a distance. but none the less effective in silencing her cries for help as she’d watched her friends pass through the display, not noticing her predicament.
Sarah stood at attention, her back pressed against the thin, hard pole of a metal stand. Thin plastic straps circled her legs arms and torso, keeping her pinned against it, hands pressed to her sides. The hat was fixed in place, keeping Sarah from turning her head more than a fraction of an inch in either direction.
“mmm…” Tears welled up in Sarah’s eyes as she realized her friends weren’t coming back and there was no one coming to rescue her.
“There there…” The figure said, stepping through the doorway hidden in the wall behind Sarah. A hand reached up with a tissue to dab the tears. “Don’t want to spoil your makeup with tears just yet. Now be a good little soldier and stand at attention while I deal with your friends.” With that, the figure disappeared once more, leaving Sarah alone again…
***
In the next display, the three remaining teens had paused in a recreation of a Victorian London street on Christmas eve, while they waited for the other girls to catch up. At the street corner, a group of carolers were gaily singing. The models were not animatronic, but they were articulated enough to bob and sway in time with the music coming from the hidden speakers behind them, giving it a nice effect.
Julia glanced at her watch. “What’s taking them so long? We’ve got to hurry if we want to get through everything before they close down for real.”
“You two go on ahead.” Mai told her. “I’ll stay a little while longer and see if they show. Besides, I like this song.” She added as the carolers finished their tune and started up another.
“Ok, just don’t wait too long.” Julia said, taking her sister by the hand. The two of them disappeared through the drapes into the next display. A minute later, Mai heard footsteps behind her.
“About time you caught up.” She said, not turning from the carolers.
“Sorry.” A strange voice said. “I was just seeing to your friends.” Mai’s eyes widened in shock. She started to turn, but before she could, she was seized. A strong hand clamped a moist cloth over her face. She swooned as the chemical smell flooded her senses. She had the sensation of being dragged somewhere before everything went dark…
***
“Look, there’s Santa!” Amada said, cheerfully pointing. The sisters had entered into Santa’s workshop. It was done as a cheerful wooden cabin. A false window gave a fairly decent impression of looking out over a cold, artic night. Around them, shelves held dolls and rocking horses and jack-in-the-boxes waiting to be delivered to the children of the world.
And there, in the center of the workshop, was Santa, seated in his sleigh, checking his list twice, as his elves loaded brightly colored packages into the sack in the back. The cheerful sounds of elven singing filled the air with happy tunes as they worked.
“Hey, look at that!” Julia noticed, as they walked around the sleigh, there was another present, lying on the ground in the middle of the path. A very large present, several feet on each side. The square box was brightly colored in green and red paper and had a bow on it. Dangling from the lid was a large note that read “To Julia and Amada Martinez.”
“Huh?” Julia wondered, looking at the odd package. “What do you think it is?”
“Is it a surprise, something your friends put together?” Amada asked.
“I don’t know. Guess we should open it.” Julia said. She knelt down beside the package and looked for how to open it while her sister stood by. The box was odd, made of a hard, strong plastic, rather than cardboard. The lid was separate from the main body of the box, but was tied on with the ribbon knotted at the top. Julia reached forward to unwrap the ribbon. Amada watched her closely. Neither of the two noticed the figure sneaking up behind them until Amada was grabbed. She barely squeaked out a cry of surprise, which went unnoticed among the cheerful music as a cloth was clamped tight over her mouth and nose, the knock out drugs quickly rendering her unconscious.
“There! I got it!” Julia said, not noticing her sister getting grabbed. She pulled away the ribbons and lifted the lid up. “What the-!” Julia’s eyes widened in surprise. Curled up inside the box was her friend Mai, bound hand and foot, a thick, red ballgag fitted into her mouth. At the front, a silver hanging hung from it, giving the impression she’d been gagged with a Christmas ornament.
The captive teen looked up at Julia, a look of fright on her face. It had been mere moments since she’d awoken from her drugged stupor to find herself captive inside this box. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw a figure coming up behind Julia, cloth pad in hand. Frantically, she grunted a warning through the gag between her teeth, trying to get her friend’s attention. Julia only looked down, in confusion, wondering what her friend was trying to say for a moment too long. By the time she realized what she meant, the attacker struck, grabbing the teen around her chest and clamping the cloth over her face. She struggled for a brief moment, than went limp.
In the box, Mai moaned in terror as she saw her best hope at rescue slip into the same drugged unconsciousness she’d experienced so recently. The figure slowly lowered the limp teen to the ground, than turned back to her. “Thank you so much for your help. You were the perfect distraction. Now, be a good present and wait until morning to be opened.” The figure said, lowering an arm, cloth in hand, into the box. Mai shook her head, begging through her gag, but tied up, she was helpless to resist the cloth. A moment later, she slid back into the drugged sleep, unaware and the lid was closed once more, the bow retied, and her friends were dragged away…
***
“Ugh…” Julia groaned as she came to. Her head was pounding as the last fumes of the chloroform faded from her system. Her eyes widened with shock and horror as she realized she was lying on the ground. Her hands were behind her back, bound together with a wide, tight band of some sort. Her ankles were likewise lashed together. More bands of the same material circled her chest, pressing her arms close against her back.
“eeelllpphhh!” Julia tried to call out and found her cry muffled and garbled. From the feeling of her lips and tongue, there was some long, rigid bar wedged between her jaws. Tight straps circled her head, keeping her from spitting it out.
“Mmmpphhh!” Someone groaned in reply. As Julia turned her attention away from her own situation, she found she was in one of the holiday displays. It seemed to show a living room, on Christmas Eve. A Santa figure bent over a Christmas tree, depositing his presents. But the muffled cry came from the fireplace.
Julia’s face went pale as she saw her sister. Amada had been bound and gagged the same way. Looking at Amada’s gag, Julia saw the bitgag had been decorated to look like the teen had a large candy cane wedged between her teeth. She assumed her own gag was similarly colored. Amada was being lifted up by the figure that had captured the two sisters and was being lowered, feet first, into an oversized stocking hung on one side of the fire. A second, empty stocking hung opposite, waiting it’s helpless occupant.
Amada shook her head, sobbing through her gag as she slid into the stocking. It proved just big enough to accommodate the teen girl, her frightened face sticking out the top while below, her struggling body was clearly outlined in the strong fabric prison now trapping her. After making sure she was secure, their captor turned to Julia.
“Thank you for visiting our Christmas display.” Abbey said, grinning as she teased her final captive. “I’d tell you visit again next year, but I think all of you will have some trouble with that, where you’re going…” Julia moaned in fright as she was picked up and carried over to the waiting stocking. She kicked her legs frantically, but couldn’t stop from being lowered down into it. Movement became harder as she was cocooned by the soft, surprisingly strong material.
“There.” Abbey said, giving the stocking one final tug. She stepped back to admire her handiwork. The two teens squirmed, helpless, whimpering through their candy cane gags. “I’m sure someone is going to enjoy getting you two for Christmas very much! Now, you two hang there a moment. I’ve got to see to your friends and then we’ve got to get ready. The investors will be here soon…”
***
A door opened at the far end of the hallway. A half-dozen men in suits walked through. Directly ahead of them were a number of comfortable chairs, lined up in a row. Beyond, the large space was shrouded in darkness. As they took their seats, Abbey stepped into view, still dressed in her Christmas uniform. She flashed a bright smile to the men watching her as she prepared to start the presentation.
“Gentleman, thank you for coming and for your generous support of our operations here. Tonight, we here at the Christmas Display are pleased to present you with the first returns on your investments!” From a pocket in her vest, Abbey pulled out a remote. “The possibility of this lot was brought to our attention by a previous submitter, whom those of you who invested in our Halloween project last year will remember. We’ve been able to line up a few more lots in the next couple of weeks. But for now, let me introduce you to our newest ‘employees’!” Extending her arm out, dramatically, she pushed a button on the remote.
Ahead of the group of men, a series of stage lights flared into life, lighting up the room. Directly in front of them, the teens had been arranged in a little tableau. In the center, the fireplace display had been reassembled and hanging from it, still encased in their stockings, were Julia and Amada. To their left, a Christmas tree had been set up and, right in front of it, the present containing Mai. One side of the box had been swapped out for a piece of clear plexiglass, letting the audience look in at the teen’s frightened struggles.
To the right of the fireplace, Sarah stood at attention, still strapped to her frame. Beside her was the snowman containing Farah. Like Mai’s plastic cage, the opaque fiberglass snowman had been swapped out for one made of clear plastic, showing the helpless girl inside.
The teens looked at each other and at the men watching them, with expressions of terror. Gag-muffled moans of fright escaped their gags as they struggled, feebly, against their bonds. Their terror only continued as Abbey continued.
“Preparations have already been made to ship these lovely things to their new homes.” She told the men. “This one,” she pointed to Sarah, who went even paler, “will be sent to Mr. X’s Ranch to be trained as a ponygirl. You can see her long legs and athletic figure suit her for such a role.”
“The one beside her,” her finger moved to Farah who couldn’t hear much of what was being said inside her plastic cage but was grimly certain it was bad news for her, “Will be a valued addition to our line of resorts, as I believe Mr. R is planning a new ‘Arabian Nights’ themed one, is that correct?” One of the men nodded, raising a hand.
Abbey crossed over to Mai, who was no closer to getting out of the present than she had been hours before. “Our lovely present here has a future in show business. Mr. M has already requested her to star in his next series of Bondage-Dungeon movies. And finally,” she turned to the fireplace. “The two sisters. I know there was quite a bit of discussion as to who would get to claim them…” There was murmuring from the gathered men. Julia and Amada looked at one another, sharing expressions of terror as they waited, anxiously, to hear their fate.
“…and I’m afraid they’ve already been claimed. The boss has already requested their exclusive use at his mansion. They’re to be shipped immediately and are to be left untouched until their arrival.” Abbey gave a theatric sigh. “So unfortunately, hands off. As for the rest, they are free for you to enjoy this evening. Feel free to come and welcome them to our organization!”
The teens all wailed in terror as the men rose from their chairs and hurried forward, eagerly. Though they’d been spared that, temporarily at least, Julia and Amada gave their own cries of fright as they saw Abbey approaching, the now familiar rag in hand…
***
Sometime later, Julia came to. She shook her head, trying to sort her thoughts. She had only vague recollections of time passing, of being placed in some sort of container, a feeling of weightlessness, as if flying, a dull roar filling her ears for what seemed like hours, drifting in and out of a drugged slumber. Someone opening the container, pressing something to her face, a now familiar smell, blackness and now…this.
The first thing to catch the teen’s attention was her clothes; or rather lack of them. At sometime during her drugged trip, someone, Abbey or another one of their kidnappers, had removed all of Julia’s clothes, down to her underwear. Her face flushed red with shame, knowing someone had seen, had felt, her naked body while she was helpless and unconscious. Wondering what else they might have done that she would never know about.
What they’d replaced it with was a complicated piece of gold chains and buckles, and bright green silk cloth so sheer it might not have been there for all the good it did to cover her breasts or neatly shaven sex. Julia almost felt more naked wearing it than if she’d had on nothing at all. Her birthday suit wouldn’t have served to emphasis her scantily clad body the way this shameful thing did.
Her captors had also changed Julia’s restraints. The ribbons binding her hands and feet had been swapped out for handcuffs and leg irons, steel colored gold to match her outfit. The latter had about two feet of chain, allowing her some mobility.
Her gag had also been swapped out. The straps circling her head were still there, but instead of the thin bit, a larger, round rubber plug filled her mouth. The straps had also been used to attach a sheer veil, of the same material as the rest of Julia’s outfit.
Lastly, locked around her throat was a thin metal band, close enough to be snug, but not choking her. It was locked at the back with a padlock and from the front hung a small metal ring. Sheltered as she was, Julia quickly realized, with chilling horror the collar and the scanty outfit marked her as a newly captured sex slave.
At the moment, Julia was lying on a soft, padded pallet. It lay against one wall of a small, featureless cell. Ahead of it, an iron door stood in the center of the small. Near the top, a small, barred window let in the only light in the cell.
Opposite her was a second pallet and lying on it was her sister. Amada had been put into the same, embarrassingly sheer slave girl outfit, though of red cloth, complete with collar, chains and gag. The two exchanged looks of fright, wondering where they were, if they’d ever see their friends, families, homes again. Julia thought of her friends. Were they also now waking up at their destinations, wondering what terror the future held for them?
Just then, they heard the sound of a lock being drawn and the door started to swing open, metal hinges protesting loudly. The two steeled themselves to meet their new captors for the first time, only to be taken by surprised when a young woman stepped into the room. Girl really, she didn’t look much older than them, though the look in her eyes said she’d seen far more in those few years than most other people. Julia thought her face looked familiar, but couldn’t place it.
The girl’s hair and complexion were dark, her long hair tied back in a long braid with gold ring. Her ears were pieced and hung with large gold rings. She was dressed in the same skimpy costume as they were, hers in blue. Through the sheer fabric, Julia noticed, cheeks flushing slightly with embarrassment, the girl’s nipples and even her sex had also been pierced and hung with rings. Her hands and feet were chained, though her hands were in front of her and she was ungagged. Held loosely in one hand was a coiled length of chain.
“Good morning.” The girl said, her voice friendly, but sad. “Welcome to the Master’s Harem. I am Kamini, one of the Master’s slave girls, as you two are now.” As the girl said her name, Julia suddenly remembered where she recognized the girl from. Kamini, the girl who had been a couple grades ahead of her at school. The year before, she and several of her friends had suddenly vanished around Halloween. Julia guessed those other girls were now also captives of this organization.
Julia tried to tell this Kamini, but found her ballgag made intelligible conversation impossible. The older girl smiled at her, sympathetically, as she walked over and knelt beside the pallet. “Soon, you will begin your training. It will be difficult to adjust, giving up on your old lives, learning how to serve the master, but it will be easier if you do not resist.” A brief flash of pain crossed her face as she said this, perhaps remembering her own training.
Kamini took the chain in her hands and clipped it to the ring at the front of Julia’s collar. Turning, she ran the free end of the chain through Amada’s. Taking the end in hand, Kamini stood, tugging gently. She waited as the sisters struggled to their feet, movements awkward in their chains. When they’d at last stood up, she tugged again, leading them out of the cell. “But before you begin your training, you will first need to meet the Master…”