A dream, it came an went, a man….more a monster, his evil intent upon his face as he stalked me through the winter forest. All about me wuz a grey mist drowning out the colors. Cold air set me teeth to chattering, each breath painful on the way in, an blowing a halo of mist on the way out. Hands reaching, clutching me as flimsy clothing ripped an a maniacal laugh filled he frozen wastes….noooooooooo

Trembling I opened me eyes, bird song filling the window a night gown…no wait…sitting up right in the bed. Not me room no….Me tired eyes adjusting to the rooms bright an vast whiteness. The sun up, birds chirping an singing from jus outside the open window. I heard them….felt the breeze on me back. Blinking I drank in the view, the stark walls an antiseptic smell gave me a good start on were. The IV hanging from its silver bracket, the tube running into me forearm wuz all the more I needed. I’d been bad…punished. But this time I had not woken up alone an naked.

Last night…Must have past out…the last words of me teacher, a woman I respected for what she had achieved had called me a whore….the feelings hit me, surrounded me, brining on a watering of me eyes an a silent sob. Oh, the stupid things I’d done that night in class. Had anyone told hanaji, where wuz she….? A noise….me head whirling around an a seeing me teacher thar. The stern countenance of me professor moving towards the bed.

I flinched…then sliding to the floor before her on me knees I looked upon the face that gazed down at me. A face of a woman of power an discipline. Had she been her all night watching o’er me. Pleading me case, me hands clutched before me in supplication, “Pleaase Miss Hannigan…pleeease forgive me, I member, I…..I won’t do it ‘gain, I don’t wanna be a …a …..a whore in yur eyes nor anyone else’s.” Shaking me head in the misery and shame I still felt “please help me….please, I…I think things happened to me here….but…I don’t member. First time….first time woke up an I wuzn’t naked an alone on some floor. I…..you …..took care of me” I blinked, then looked away unable to met the womans gaze any longer. I knew not what she would do, but the hunger of the previous night wuz gone.

Listening to each word, studying the tones, the body language for any clue. I had once again missed something, some part of me punishment as I had awoken here in this room. An as she spoke I vowed to put the genie in the bottle an push the cork in tight….tight ‘nough that it would never get out ‘gain. Sum where deep within I heard the answering laugh…like it knew sum thing I didn’t. ‘no, all o’er for you, I will be true to me upbringing now…true to me self.’ I thought, proof positive of me desires to be the good catholic school girl I’d been. Well ‘cept I’m married now, an that wuz ok….ok cause it wuz only one and she didn’t count…..a chuckle….the fingers on me chin bringing me back.

I watched those steely eyes, an saw the darker rings below. The way the clothing sat rumbled an a wrinkled in spots as it sat upon her figure. All testament to the truths she uttered. Gazing back into those eyes as the focused into me soul an then twuz all…closing, the head going back an body going up an out. A body still rip even at its age, an age I dared not guess…a real person behind the façade of casual indifference an hard determination. One that did not give in to life’s joys….one that disarmed me as it stretched an then gazed back into me eyes.

“Yes Ma’am”, what more could I say as those green eyes twinkled in the light of the room…eyes that couldn’t be that color, like a contact had a slipped or sum thing …. Sum thing strange as me heart leaped. I stood, an hugged me teacher….hugged her tight in friendship of sorts, unbidden, but feeling like I could trust her. Even if she’d been a harsh mistress of the classroom…she of all the adults had a heart of sorts, an I’d been privy to glimpse it…to know I wuz not alone. “I will not disappoint you…” I let the hug go an stepped back, out of the personal space between us I’d invaded…outside of the line that separated lover an friend.

Initially my embrace wuz met with a stiff counter, that finally relaxed a bit into me pushing gainst me chest with hers. I wuz taller then her by a bit; her shoulders pushing gainst me only to cause a hurt across me tight chest. Breasts seemed heavy an tender, like that first time in class….when she had injected me with that solution. Her voice tender an sweet as she spoke. Somehow this whole thing must have unnerved her, this didn’t seem to be the same stern Miss Hannigan no more.

She wuz right, but then I’d never had an IV in me arm ‘fore. So cautiously I let me arm down, careful now…careful also cause the embrace an the hurt it had caused me. So tender….so very tender. I needed to express…express badly an who knows how long this would last. Made me wonder if kids were really worth it….well they were being gods favorite an all. But I could tell now that having them wuz gonna be tough.

“thankyou….really.” Me face feeling hot, “ummm, are thar any of those pumps…I suppose I need to get rid of some of me milk so it’ll feel better an not nearly so tender…I mean I must be a full cup size bigger an it feels kinda uncomfortable like.” I looked down…seeing the circle of darker cloth about me points…an then I know I wuz red as a beet. “oh…sorry, is this gonna last long? Like this is really weird an all.” I looked up at the face, noting how it scrutinized me in a way … well … like hanaji might…like a person admiring your charms might. An well…it made me feel good an bad. I had to pull back…had to show her I wuz stronger now and not gonna fall into the trap again.

The Angelic face greeted me own as I sat upon the rumbled white sheets. A scent of jasmine fought for control against the antiseptic that hospitals swathed their rooms with, the scent swirling round me with bounce of her body. So different than Miss Hannigan, a spirit free an happy, not like the dour teacher an her pressed whities.

“Yes Ma’am….” Scents of food made me tummy gurgle in hunger, reminding me that I must have slept a good long while an missed a meal…or maybe two. That thought made me think on Hanaji an the awful fright she must have given I had not returned last night. The promise in her last kiss still making me lips tremble. “ummm, yes an I need me school bag, its got “ I turned red as a beat, the heat rising in me cheeks cause It just wuz too embarrasin. “Its got me school experiment stuff an well….I’ll need a lil privacy. Can I leave after were like all done?”

(yay Cassie! You got the 100th post!)

"Oh yes of course you may dear. Just relax and we can have you out of here in no time flat!" The nurse tittered, and glanced at the tray, nudging it further onto the small table to make sure it wouldn't be knocked down or spilled.
"Now just stay still a second..." The nurse's cheerful demeanor never wavered as her warm latex covered hands dipped between Cassie's legs and preemptorily spread them a bit wider apart so that she could get a firm hold on the catheter peeking out of her flesh. She was careful not to look at it too steadily, keeping her smiling brown eyes locked for the most part on Cassie's own as she carefully pulled on the glass tube. It was warm from being inside her, and slid smoothly in the grip of her flesh.
"Almost there Cassie, don't be alarmed at the sudden lack of pressure. You may drip a little but it's nothing to worry about."
The catheter came free all at once, the glittering glass jumping a bit as Cassie's muscles no longer held it firm. The nurse put it away on a metal tray with a tinny clank, the attached plastic line swaying. She peeled off her gloves and nodded at her patient encouragingly, replacing them with a fresh pair.
"Now for the IV. This may sting a little but it will probably be just fine. You may want to look away if you're unerved by needles." She waited a few seconds to let this sink in and then takes Cassie's arm in a surprisingly strong grip, hopefully preventing the needle from jogging. The IV came out a bit faster, leaving a tiny hole in the skin that welled with a bright rosy spot of blood whcih was wiped away by a deftly wielded sanitary pad and bandaged over.

The nurse put these expunged invaders off to the side and encouraged the girl to eat with gentle motions. She then carried the instruments away and returned with Cassie's bag. The awkward weight of the breast pumps with it's plastic vessels and tubes, and it's heavy motor along with clumsy schoolbooks sat uncomfortably in the young patient's lap.
"I'll leave you alone for now Cassie. Oh, and I should tell you that all your jewlery was removed by your teacher, so we could take care of you properly. So don't be alarmed if you find it all lacking. Just check with the front desk on your way out okay dear?" With this little warning, she patted her on the head, brushing a few strands of crimson hair out of Cassie's sweet, round face, before standing and leaving Miss Smith to her own devices. It was quickly apparent that she had told the truth. Even Cassie's wedding ring was gone, leaving a somewhat pale band around the appropriate finger. The food sat on the table, growing cold.

I remembered me lesson well an watched an listened. Daring not to open me mouth least I trip over me tongue an end up in trouble once ‘gain with Professor Hannigan. Some times discretion be the better part of valor or so they say. The nurse wuz of utmost professionalism an all, her brown hair bouncing in a swirling mass upon her head as she went ‘bout her duties of unplugging me from all them bags an such. I’d never in me life been to a hospital. It wuz a new experience, one yah had to drink in an learn from.

So, I watched an waited with heavy tender breasts letting the young lady go bout her job with nothing but a yes ma’am or no ma’am to each of her short questions. Me tummy growled once an she smiled. That knowing an kind smile that left you feeling all warm an loved inside. Yeap, I suppose if yah had to have a bunch of needles pulled from yur body this was the nurse tah do it. I watched the long silver tip come from me arm…watched an held the gauze down till it got tapped in place. Thankfully thar wuz no more hair for it to get caught on. One of those things that yah can’t explain nor member how it happened. A quick sigh an I moved on…to other thoughts like the pump and the meal….

With a full tummy an no so tender breasts I finally reached the fornt office to collect me “jewelry” and leave once an for all I hoped. A new girl…a girl that had learned an important lesson on would be paying for it all week I reckoned. Course, Hanaji would no doubt relish her part in reducing the milk in me breasts. I could even think upon some fun that I could have with it….I grinned, a big full smile an looked at the nurse hind the window.

“hello, Cassie Marie Smith, here to check out an collect me things” Shifting me weight from one leg to the other I leaned forwards resting me breasts upon the counter top an putting me chin in the bridge of me hands. “Thank yah for taking such good care of me an all.”

The woman at the counter, a plump, matronly lady with her greying auburn hair tied up in a frazzled bun at the back of her head returned Cassie's smile with her own. "Oh there's no need to thank us, no need for that at all." She swatted her hand at her as though Cassie had made a joke and leaned back. "That's our jobs after all! Just sign these forms and you can be on your way okay honey?" The nurse tapped a black pen atop the three papers upon the counter, indicating where Miss Smith should scrawl out her signature amidst the orderly mess of solid lines and miniature text, then sat the writing utensil down and pushed them all over to Cassie so that they impacted with her chest on the counter and briefly humped.

As the young girl was given that work to busy herself, the pleasant lady smoothed out her baby blue uniform and adjusted her spectacles, pointed at the sides and connected to a thin silver chain draped behind her neck so she wouldn't easily lose them. The nurse spun in her chair and kicked herself toward a row of small nondescript cubicles set in another counter behidn the desk, taking a key off the wall and unlocking a one of the small cabinets. It trundled open on noisy rollers with the same sound as a filing cabinet. Perhaps the sound came standard. The nurse rummaged about and frowned, making creased appear at the corners of her eyes. "Well how about that." She muttered, hmmphing to herself and crossing her arms before diving back in. She sat back in her chair a minute later after a fruitless search, flabberghasted. "Well I'm sorry child, but it looks like there isn't anything at all in your cubicle except for this here note."

The aforementioned bit of paper was placed before the southern belle with an apologetic look, and she patted her hand with her large warm one. The note itself was of parchment, of all things, scented with hyacinth and rose. A fountain pen had been used with great flourish to write upon it with an elegant hand.

If you would like your precious rings back, Cassie girl, you might want to walk away and just go to your room. Don't say anything. Don't mention your loss. There'll be another note like this in your pillowcase. Discretion is the better part of valor.

--Your Secret Admirer

With a flourish of me hand the ball point pen spit out the blank ink upon the page, one after another till every lil X had been signed by me. I followed each the instructions and then patiently waited, wondering what the robust older nurse was all muttering ‘bout an playing with all them cubicles an keys an such. I had a feeling of unease, of nakedness with the rings all gone. I hitched the strap of me bag back up me shoulder as it slipped to the side the fabric of me blouse twitching across me bare breasts. Squirming a lil from the lack of any undies due to the damage they’d had the day before in class an all. Me tongue swirling ‘cross me dry lips.

I took the offered paper into me hands an looked into her eyes in desperation. “could yah check again…thar should be a couple of rings.” Me fingers twitching as I flipped open the note, roses an hyacinth swirling in the air about me as I flipped open the note. I breathed it in, an followed the fancy script with me eyes. Each flourish, each gentle curve, the sign of a woman’s grace in them. Perhaps I wuz wrong, but I reckon not on this matter. Suddenly it felt like I wuz undergoing some sort of trial. Another note in me pillow…an the grin formed on me lips. So Hanaji, you’d been here…an were having a bit of fun. “never mind ma’am, me partner is always playing jokes of sorts.” Chuckling a lil, I gathered up the note an smiled at the nurse in her perty blue uniform.

Almost I ran to me dorm, anxious to see me love, to tumble in the bed till she once gain placed that ring upon me finger. Four flights of stairs taken two stairs at a time while the heavy back thumped ‘gainst me back an the air blew past me lips. Tingles ran across me nerves anticipating the warm skin of me love and her gentle caress, the toys that would come out…even the chance to make her pay for this little adventure…oh yes…yes she would pay for this. The grin started at each corner of me mouth an went clear across me cheeks.

The door slipped open without a sound, “Honey I’m home, an you little rat, you’re gonna pay….so come to your mistress for yur jus deserts.” I bounded through the empty rooms, growing more puzzled without finding nothing ‘bout me love. Picking up the pillow I shook it out, a flutter of parchment falling upon the satin sheets. “Ok, Hanaji, the longer this goes on the more you’ll pay yah lil rat…” Laughing, I put me fingers upon the parchment, another clue…another letter.

The parchment was the same expensive material as before. It was a fresh, crisp note, not yellowed with age. The feel of it in Cassie's fingers was silky smooth, with that fine grainy texture intrinsic to parchment, which makes those who touch it feel as if their fingers were suddenly coated in soft powder. A veritable bouquet of floral fragrance accompanied the note. The pillowcase was rank with the heady scent. Unfolding the paper to see what mischief Hanaji had made, Cassie examined the writing within. The script was the same overly florid, graceful hand. The message went as thus:My Sweet Darling,

Doubtless you're curious as to what has happened here. I'm sure you have your own theories. I'm pleased to tell you that they are probably wrong. You do not know me, Cassie girl, but I know you. You're quite the entertaining figure. Of course you're oblivious to most of your own charm, but that just makes everything the sweeter. Naivete is a bewitching trait, even when false.

Your recent scene with your esteemed instructor, Miss Hannigan, was a beautiful affair. So nice how you tidied up the situation and exchanged forgivenesses. By all rights things should be cleared up by now, all loose strings tied off and all ill feelings left in the path. It's too bad for you I love drama so much, and I hate to see a good thing end.

Your nipple piercings are up for reclamation first dear heart. I have a task for you, a two parter. I'll tell you the first part now. You know Miss Hannigan? I'm sure you remember your promise to be a good girl? Well it looks like you'll have to break that promise. That is if that jewlery means anything at all to you. Don't think you can skip this task and get the other rings back. It's all or nothing, in order. Feel free to ignore this, if they mean nothing to you. But if your wedding band and those piercings have any value to you, I'm afraid I'm going to require that you be very naughty. Next class period, you're going to have to be an utter horror. Malicious, incorrigible, and vulgar. I want you to misbehave. I want Miss Hannigan to be thoroughly disappointed in your conduct. It won't be hard. Just act like you did last time, you naughty little girl you.

Your Secret Admirer

That was the entirety of the note. The floral scent still lingered, testimony to the presence of this malicious individual who was holding Cassie's rings her captive. Hanaji was no where to be seen, though a certain heavy sound of a backpack slumping to the ground and of a key being applied to the door's lock suggested that she had returned. "Cassie?" the soft feminine query came through the door. "Are you in there?" The door began to lean inward.

No, this wuzn’t hanaji…the note made that clear. An the writer had it all wrong. I’d not been having no affair with me teacher. How could this person with her perty writing have so much badness to her. It wuz wrong an all…the things the floral smelling note wanted me to do. I flipped it over in me fingers…looking carefully for any clue. Ohhhhhhh, it made me mad. An maybe it wuz a sin an all to be mad…but this had to be different. Whoever this is wuz doing things that were wrong.

An…..an I couldn’t…couldn’t do it. Couldn’t do what the note wanted me too even if it meant the ring wuz never coming back. Me skin crawled at the thoughts of me not doing what I wuz supposed to…to have to go through that punishment all o’er again. Maybe I should talk to her, it wuzn’t like I wuz supposed to not do it. O lord…wuz I fooling meself. Me legs felt weak….an I dropped on me back onto the bed. A bounce, the bed moving under me as I collapsed upon it welcoming surface. Satin sheets cool gainst me lower back where the school shirt had come up exposing me skin to thar gentle caress. I tired to realx but every muscle remained tense, me heart beating faster than it needed to.

‘Oh Cassie….how…how did this happen an all.’ I had to go to Professor Hannigan, explain it…talk to her during them office hours. Things could be replaced, its the lord had taught for me…what the nuns in thar stark black an white habits had taught me. People were all that mattered, an Hanaji…professor Hannigan they meant everything…tears rolled across me cheeks. I rolled o’er on the bed, putting me head into the pillow as the sobs started a rattle in the door.

Did I even want to get up as the outer door slide open? NO…I wanted to be miserable, deserved to be miserable I suspect. Robbed an made a pawn in sum wicked evil game of sorts. Well I’d put an end to it…perhaps first I would have to confront Hanaji though…

“I’m…..I’m in here hanaji” trying to desperately be strong ‘gain…trying an failing to stifle the sob as I buried me head in the soft black satin covered pillow.