My name is Lisa, and this is my story--my last story.

Almost exactly 10 years ago, some other women around here met a similar fate. The technology was different then. They never found the person responsible, but the authorities came and shut down the entire operation. I think they were doing work to restore the women. We thought it had been taken care of, the perpetrator long fled...

I was wearing just a loosely tied robe over my underwear that morning, I flipped slowly through my phone as I sleepily ate my bowl of cereal for breakfast. Email, nothing important. Facebook, some news from friends and family, nothing important. When 7:30 rolled around I opened up the mobile game I'd been playing for a few months, Conquest of Eternity. I queued up orders for producing buildings and units, then opened up the menu and chose the conspicuous, bold option: "Watch a Short Ad for 150 Bonus Gems!" I pressed it just like I did every 12 hours.

Sometimes the ad was a movie trailer, or for car insurance. Over the last few weeks, however, several of the adds had just been a series of geometric shapes, rhythmically spinning and slowly changing colors as they spun around like an old screensaver. It wasn't clear what product this ad was for; my best guess was a viral marketing campaign of some kind, or else this was some kind of placeholder if the queue ran out of ads to serve. That weird ad showed again today during breakfast, and I watched the shapes sleepily while I mechanically spooned my cereal into my mouth.

After the strange ad had played for some time, the screen erupted into a shower of colorful gems, and a counter showing my current supply spun upwards, registering my new balance. Overall, my friends and even professional mobile game journalists were quite impressed with Conquest of Eternity's free-to-play model. Just by watching the ads as they became available, twice a day, I could accumulate enough wealth to keep pace with all but the biggest whales; and the game itself was widely praised for being both interesting and strategic. Journalists speculated that the company might be trying to build market share to be acquired rather than just trying to turn a profit on microtransactions. In any case, my  morning tasks in the game finished, I put my bowl and spoon in the sink and headed to the bedroom. Slowly waking up, I picked out some clothes to wear and continued preparing for a day's work.

I was working as a law clerk--a lawyer, but instead of wrangling in the courtroom, I spent my time researching subtle points of the law, preparing briefs, and so on. I was good at it, but it was quiet desk work, and not infrequently my concentration drifted. Occasionally, it drifted back to Conquest of Eternity, and plans-upon-plans to use my next batch of gems to get to the next level…but all in all, on this day, like many others, I put in an ordinary day at the office and went home.

Dinner was reheated leftovers, responsible and frugal but unmemorable. After dinner I made some popcorn and sat down with Netflix shows to relax. As I was watching, I checked in on my Conquest of Eternity empire: a changed build order here, new queued units there. Then a notification appeared: "Master Battle: Complete this extra challenge for bonus rewards!" This looked like an ordinary one-on-one challenge, but against some special opponent. My curiosity was piqued, so I shrugged and pressed the Accept button.

The game began and I quickly found, to my surprise, that I was seriously outmatched. The opponent had fully-upgraded units, even some rare and expensive ones. A problem, but I knew my upgrades were decent enough and I could overcome the deficit with skill. The trouble was, the opposing player also seemed to be incredibly skilled--anticipating my moves, countering my builds, exploiting the slight weaknesses I left in my defenses. In a few minutes my base was lost. After the "Defeat" screen came up on my phone, I expected to see the results screen. Instead, the color-changing shapes from the _Conquest of Eternity_ ads filled the screen. I stared in surprise and confusion. To my further surprise, words appeared over the shapes, subtle and glowing but easy to read against the background:

"THE DEFEATED MUST GO BAREFOOT IN SUBMISSION"

"...weird", I thought, reading the words over and over. Then again, I was home and in for the night, so why not? Still staring at my phone the whole time, I reached down and peeled off my socks, tossing them into the corner. I felt a little thrill--a feeling of direct participation in the game, a consequence for having lost. Then the words changed again.

"VERY GOOD. FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE, YOU HAVE EARNED A REWARD."

The screen erupted into another shower of gems, then the colored shapes faded away and the ordinary game returned. I stared in further surprise as my gems counter ticked up by 1000--as many gems as several days' worth of play. Those would really be worth a serious boost, maybe stand a better chance if there was ever a rematch against this mysterious opponent. I wondered how it knew? Surely it couldn't tell that I had actually just taken off my socks, and it just granted the reward to everyone. Still, it felt like I'd honestly earned that big bonus. I finished my TV, undressed, and went to bed, dreaming of plans to spend those extra gems.

I woke up the next morning and continued on my normal routine: wake up while eating breakfast and playing Conquest of Eternity. The bonus gems from last night were giving me a decent boost to my production schedule. I wondered if I might get another mysterious challenge this morning. I didn't, although I did get the ad with the swirling, multicolored shapes again, and colorful gem reward dropped an extra 50 this time.

I smiled, although I was slightly puzzled. Was this an extra reward from last night? I was still barefoot from last night, of course; I had only slept and showered and wasn't dressed for the day yet. After I was finished with my breakfast and otherwise dressed, on a superstitious whim, I picked out flats that I could wear without socks. Somehow, they made my feet itch uncomfortably. Once I got to my desk, I slipped them off and did my day's work barefoot. The office was quiet, and if anyone noticed, they didn't comment. Thinking about the game and the odd challenge distracted me more than on a typical day. Still, I finally powered through, slipped my shoes back on--if anything, they itched even more now--and headed home.

The moment I got home, I took off my shoes and tossed them aside. I glanced at my phone, somehow hoping that this gesture of obedience was enough for the game. Dinner tonight was a microwaved frozen dinner and some raw carrots; I barely noticed eating as I planned my builds in Conquest of Eternity. I tried to read a book on the couch, but found myself too distracted by the game, returning to check my phone every page. Squirming, I turned on TV instead, settling for a Law & Order spinoff that I didn't have to pay much attention to.

At the same time as last night, my phone buzzed with a notification. With a jolt, I grabbed it to check. Sure enough, a similar message to last night: "Master Battle: Complete a rematch of this extra challenge for bonus rewards!" I sat straight upright on the couch, sitting cross-legged with my phone in both hands, dried off my palms, and prepared to start the game. As the battle loaded I wiggled my bare toes with apprehension. What was the reward if I won? Would there be another forfeit if I lost?

The game started up and my adversary seemed to be the same as yesterday: a high-ranked opponent with lots of powerful units and upgrades. I knew what to expect, though, and had purchased some additional upgrades myself with yesterday's bonus gems. I got off to a stronger start than yesterday, fending off a short raid that had surprised me last night and expanding my forces quickly.

About eight or nine minutes into the game, I had built up my little army and was ready for what would likely be a decisive confrontation. I gathered and deployed my units, pointed them towards the opposing base, saw the enemy come into range...

...and I froze up. For a critical second, it was as if I had never played Conquest of Eternity before. Where I should have been issuing critical orders and preparing my armies for the enemy charge, I sat and stared helplessly instead, forgetting what moves I should make. Then, in a cathartic rush, the memories rushed back. In a panic, I gave the delayed orders and started commanding my army, but it was too late. With the front lines broken, my army was hopelessly crushed, the remnants that managed to retreat no match for the victorious enemy force that soon arrived at, and razed, my base.

Again, the screen showed "DEFEAT" as it faded to a blur, then to black. Again, the screen lit up not with a battle synopsis, but with colorful swirling shapes, and above them, a bold command:

"THE DEFEATED MUST BARE HER CHEST IN SUBMISSION."

Yesterday, having to go barefoot had seemed unusual. Today, having to go topless seemed normal and natural. I glanced around, but of course I was alone in my living room. I pulled my shirt off over my head and tossed it to the floor near my bedroom, then unhooked my bra and tossed it alongside. Naked except for the slacks I had worn to work, I felt exposed and also chilly; my apartment wasn't really kept warm enough to be mostly-undressed. I looked again at the phone.

"THE REWARDS FOR THE OBEDIENT ARE ENDLESS"

The screen erupted with another shower of gems, swelling my total by twice as many as yesterday. I stared down at the screen, glanced at my exposed breasts, and back to the screen. Surely this would be enough to beat the challenge on the third try. I spent what I could, then slipped off my pants and crawled straight into bed to keep warm. Huddled beneath my comforter, I dreamed of standing and bowing, topless and barefoot, before a mysterious, shadowy conqueror.

Morning came. I ate my breakfast as I had slept, just in my panties--a blanket around my shoulders to keep warm. I paid much more attention to Conquest of Eternity than my breakfast, though, frantically sorting through the upgrades that would give me an edge. The ad with colorful shapes played, and as always, I stared through it for the extra gems. Today I needed them more than ever.

Yesterday, I had managed to go to work and stay barefoot all day; but how was I supposed to stay topless? Maybe, I thought, I could just wear a blouse and skip the bra. Dressing for work, I slid on slacks, buttoned them up, and selected a blouse from its hanger.

I shuddered as I put it on: the fabric felt like slime against my skin. I looked at the cotton fabric and felt it with my fingers: ordinary to the touch of my hands, but disgusting and clammy against my chest. Cringing, I took the blouse off and hung it back up. I tentatively tried a T-shirt and it felt the same way: soft on my fingers, nauseating when worn. I took a long sigh. I wasn't going to be able to go to the office naked to the waist! Luckily, I could still do most of my work from home. I'd claim my computer's camera was broken to stay off of video chat.

I fidgeted my way through a morning of work. I wasn't really used to working at home, and it was hard to concentrate on my projects with the constant distraction of being almost naked--the penalty for being defeated twice at my game. Oh well, I thought to myself, everyone has poor days at work sometime. I decided to take an early lunch, before realizing to my dismay I had nothing much to eat. Could I even leave the house? I experimented with some more clothes and found that I could wear a bikini top--it was uncomfortable, but tolerable. I gritted my teeth and slid my feet into flats--but while they had been itchy and uncomfortable yesterday, they were unbearable today, like walking through stinging nettles. I gave up and tried a pair of flip-flops instead; they stung but were bearable. Near the door I took a look at myself and grimaced. The most I could wear in the interest of decency me look like a confused beachgoer in the middle of the city. I took off the swim clothes and ordered takeout Vietnamese.

When I heard the knocking of the delivery at my door, I was ready. I threw a robe on over my chest and retched, but kept it on. I opened the door, grabbed the bag with my lunch, threw it closed, and immediately shrugged off the robe, letting it fall to the floor and baring my breasts again. The nausea faded immediately; the delivery guy must have thought I was staying home from work sick. In a way, I suppose I was--although it would have been hard to get a doctor's note for a supernatural aversion to shirts and shoes.

I had the foresight to order two banh mi sandwiches--one for now, one for dinner--so I stashed one in the fridge and paced my living room nervously eating the other. Would I be able to wear clothes normally again if I won the next challenge? Would there even be a next challenge? If I lost it, would I have to stay totally naked? What then? My sandwich finished, I sat back down at my computer, curled my legs under myself, and tried to get back to my work.

If the morning was slow, the afternoon was interminable. Minutes seemed to flow by like hours. I considered just calling into work sick, but I wasn't sure what I'd do with myself even on my own--I couldn't go out, and I was probably too distracted to even read for a long stretch. At around 1:30, my phone buzzed.

My heart leapt: it was a notification from Conquest of Eternity. "Master Battle Finale: Complete this extra challenge for bonus rewards!" A finale--this might be my last chance to see what the reward for winning was. My new upgrades hadn't quite finished yet, but there was a little timer that suggested I had only 10 minutes to accept. I steeled myself, got a big drink of water, and started the match.

With my additional upgrades from last night, I actually got the upper hand in the early matches of this match. I gathered and built my forces for a decisive engagement. Remembering what had happened yesterday, I stayed focused as our armies met. I didn't get the decisive win I was hoping for, but I caused casualties and forced the enemy army back to their fortifications. From there, I was able to expand and build the siege engines that could let me break through.

My army stood at my opponent's gates, the final confrontation in sight. What would happen when I won this game?

Then, unbidden, a thought entered my head, drowning out the first one: what would happen when I lost? I was barefoot and topless now. How would it feel to experience the next step? Nudity? Some other forfeit? Being topless, I felt vulnerable and exposed--but I had been more excited and interested in my life in the last day than I had been in years.

On cue with this thought, the enemy rallied what was left of its forces and opened the gates to sally and engage. Its vanguard struck…and delivered a crushing blow, annihilating the shieldbearers that should have easily been able to stand against it. A group of light horsemen charged, scattering my elite units to the wind. What was happening? I was horrified at first--but first fascinated, then thrilled. I did my best to organize a defense, my gaming instincts kicking back in, but it was for nothing. The mysteriously empowered enemy units tore through my army, then my meager defenses, leaving me with nothing in barely more than a minute.

The screen swirled with colors. "THE DEFEATED MUST KNEEL AND ACCEPT THE CONQUEST OF ETERNITY."

Breathing heavily, I stood up from the sofa I had been sitting on. I knelt down on the floor, propping my phone up so I could still see it.

The colors continued to swirl. "RELAX. THIS IS AS YOU WERE MEANT TO BE."

As those words appeared, I felt a surge of euphoria. When I had put on a shirt before, it had felt unnaturally disgusting against my bare skin. I felt the opposite now: my bare chest and feet pulsed with warmth and contentment, as if I had just gotten a deep and intimate massage. The feeling of contentment spread throughout my entire body.

Shapes spun and danced. "YOU ARE MEANT TO BE KNEELING. YOU ARE MEANT TO BE TOPLESS AND BAREFOOT."

The euphoric feeling continued. It was something like being high--but I didn't feel dizzy or disoriented, just a feeling of well-being and peace. I wasn't sore at all from kneeling; it was the most natural position to be in. Likewise, my mostly-exposed skin didn't feel cold at all.

"YOU ARE MEANT TO BE A STATUE."

I didn't understand, but I kept kneeling and staring at the swirling colors, not moving at all. I wasn't going to interrupt this beautiful, pleasant sensation unless I had to.

"YOU ARE MEANT TO BE STONE, A TROPHY OF SUBMISSION."

True, I had lost the games fair and square. Any thought that I hadn't was drowned out of my mind by the happy feelings flowing through me. If I was submitting, I was better and happier for it. I didn't want to ruin it by moving at all.

"REMAIN."

The swirling colors faded, replaced a view from the front-facing camera on my phone. A bare-breasted stone statue--still wearing my pants--stared back at me. I didn't know if I could move or not--I couldn't even form the thoughts to try.

And there I continued to stay. A barefoot and topless statue of Lisa, kneeling in her living room. The statue was at peace with itself--kneeling and inanimate, as it should be. Someone had thought it would be better if Lisa the person were instead a statue of Lisa, and they were right--both for them and for the statue. I had submitted as I should, and awaited eternity.