40,000 and Counting...

Cassie blinked. Where had the time gone? She had just sat down in front of the computer, just opened up DeviantArt, just found Cyril’s page. How could an hour have passed? Weird.

Well, anyway, she had enjoyed his page. She would definitely come back to it. But for now, she had to get back to studying. Yep, time to hit the books. Time to dive in. Close the browser, turn off the monitor. Pull out her textbook, notepad, and pencil.

She got up from her desk with every intention of going to her backpack and retrieving what she needed for her studies. But somehow, she walked right past the bookbag. And right out of her dorm room.

Behind her, Cyril’s page remained open in the browser window that she hadn’t closed, on the screen that she hadn’t turned off. Mostly invisible, except on a subliminal level, a colorful spiral pattern spun slowly and flashed rhythmically over the page.

Jo looked up from her science book when she heard the knock on her open door. She saw Cassie standing there. Her visitor wore a loose T-shirt over leggings and bare feet. Totally casual. Very pretty. Much like Jo herself, though she wore sweats and fuzzy socks.

While not really friends with Cassie, neither did Jo dislike the girl. To be polite, she invited her in.

“I want to show you something,” Cassie said, as she entered Jo’s room.

“Okay, sure,” Jo said, lowering her book.

“Can I use your computer?”

“Yeah, I guess. Here let me sign in...there you go. What do you want to show me?”

Cassie didn’t answer. Instead, she opened a browser, navigated to DeviantArt, and went to Cyril’s page.

“Is this for an assignment or something?” Jo said.

“No. I just think you’ll appreciate it,” Cassie said.

Jo doubted that very much. And wished she hadn’t agreed to look at it, whatever it was. Wished she hadn’t invited Cassie in. Wished she had kept the door closed. Oh, well. Too late. Chemistry would have to wait.

Cassie stood up from the computer and offered Jo’s chair back to her. Jo sat in it and followed Cassie’s indicative point to the Web page. With a sigh bred of not really wanting to waste her time, she looked at the screen.

Jo blinked. Where had the time gone? According to the computer’s clock, an hour had passed. Well, it really didn’t matter because that page of Cyril’s was great. She was so glad that Cassie had showed it to her.

It also didn’t matter to her--mainly because she was completely unaware of it--that she was now barefoot and had been thoroughly brainwashed by Cyril to serve and obey him. Just like Cassie, who it also didn’t matter to. And who was also completely unaware of it.

“Well, I need to get back to studying,” Jo said.

“Yeah, me, too,” Cassie said.

Cassie walked out of the room. Jo stood up and walked out after her. They moved down the hallway together until Cassie stopped at another door, and Jo stopped at yet another. After knocking and being acknowledged by each respective girl therein, they entered.

“I want to show you something....”