Teamwork

Carlie sat there, not trying to draw attention to herself.  Sure, she knew what all these corporate seminars were about, building up pep for the next wave and encouraging everyone to work their hardest for the good of the company.

She knew that she wasn’t the worst on her team, but she also knew she wasn’t the best.  She never did try to draw attention to herself though, just do the job, so when the next speaker got on, she was just ready to react the way she thought she should react.

Except Mafisto wasn’t just a regular corporate speaker, he was a magician.  She had no idea bout that, but here he was, illustrating each point with a magic trick.  Carlie had always had a passing interest in magic, so she watched, just fascinated by it, until he reached the end. “For my final example, I need to have someone come up on stage with me.”

Carlie didn’t raise her hand, although some of her fellow female employees did, eager to find out what Mafisto had in mind for them.  But, instead of one of the others, Mafisto focused on her. “You, right there.”

Carlie sighed.  She shrugged as she got up, making her way to the stage while he riled the crowd into a round of applause.  As soon as she got up there, he went into the regular spiel, asking her name and whether they’d met before.  It all seemed familiar to her somehow, but then he veered off the familiar patter. “Carlie, what department do you work in?”

Carlie shrugged, nervous. “Material procurement.”

Mafisto asked others from her department to come up on stage with them, including the team leader.  He wanted her whole team up there to help him out.

Two of them, Thom and Pete, were asked to retrieve a table, which they did, not sure what he had in mind. Carlie gulped, still not sure, as Mafisto helped her up onto the table. “Carlie, please lie down on the table, your head about here.”

Carlie did so, still not sure what was going to happen or why he needed everyone up there.  Still, from somewhere, he produced a bracket. Carlie gulped a little, her breath quickening, as he placed the bracket over her waist. “Now, Carlie, I’m sure you know what this is for.”

Carlie nodded a little weakly. “Sawing in half.”

Mafisto smiled at her. “Yes, but here’s the more fun part.  Instead of having me do it, we’re going to let your team each take turns sawing into you.”

Carlie gulped, not sure whether she should run, scream or just accept what she’d gotten herself into. Two of the guys seemed a little eager, but the third one seemed startled while the two girls seemed shocked.  Mafisto took the team leader aside for a moment, apparently giving her some extra instruction as they gathered around Carlie’s prone body.

Mafisto produced a bowsaw, usually used for cutting wood, before giving the instructions.  Everyone was to take a turn, every person a part of the whole of the operation, in order to accomplish their goal.  They all participate in this.

Carlie trembled as she lay there, trying to will herself to stay absolutely still.  There was probably some logical explanation behind the trick. She knew most magic tricks did have one after all.

When the saw was placed in the brace over her waist she had to gulp.  She could feel the teeth of the saw through her shirt, laying directly on her waist.  As Thom stood up first, she looked him in the eyes, pleasing.  She knew he liked her, and she was almost ready to offer him a date to not do this, but he pushed the saw forward.

The pain shot through Carlie like a rocket.  The nerves around where he cut into her burned with an intensity that Carlie nearly screamed.  She held herself in, barely, as he ran the saw over her again.  The pain hit her again, almost as intense, before he cut into her a third time.

It wasn’t as bad this time, which really surprised her.  But she definitely felt it.

Thom had pierced her waist. The saw was inside her body.

Julia took her turn next after Thom’s fourth cut.  She looked terrified for Carlie’s sake, but Carlie urged her on.  As Julia took her pieces of the cut, Carlie felt a warming sensation flowing into her as the pain continued to ease.  But it wasn’t blood.  No, there was no bleeding at all.

As Peter took his turn, Carlie felt that warming sensation grow into one of enjoyment.  Something very strange was happening, something unexpected.  She was beginning to enjoy the experience of being sawn in half.

As the rest of the team went through their rotations, Carlie’s pleasure intensified.  Finally, it was the team leader’s, Stephanie’s, turn. Stephanie’s cuts ran across Carlie’s spine, sending her into the throws of pleasure before the saw passed through and out the other side.

Carlie could feel it. She was definitely in halves.

Mafisto came on the scene again, pulling Carlie’s upper half away from her lower half, the pleasure intensifying even more at the separation as they all saw what the team had done. Carlie was definitely sawn in half, but then Stephanie was handed something else.

She looked at Carlie, begging for forgiveness, before the edge of a sharp sword came crashing onto Carlie’s neck, completely decapitating her.

Carlie lay there, in pieces, as Mafisto went on to describe how it was the team working together that made the real magic happen and how, by following their team leader, everything really did come to a head with their work.

Then he set around on them. “And now for the next team challenge.  You’re the ones that cut Carlie all to pieces, so you have to be the ones to put her back together again.”

And then he disappeared in a puff of smoke.