Chapter 42: The Quiet

2 December 2025

I'm in Livy's mum's car. I'm sitting next to Livy. I am going with her… somewhere.

"Livy, where are we going?"

"We're going to my house, T. We're going to see my dad."

We're going to see Livy's dad. That makes sense. Mr Edwards is a really good dad. He's always been nice to me.

"Livy, why are we going to see your dad?"

She felt Olivia squeeze her hand.

"My dad is my master now, T. And pretty soon, he's going to be your master, too. You'll like having him as your master."

I'll like having Mr Edwards as my master. Of course I will. I need a master. I've always needed a master, haven't I?

Talia turned her head. This sort of question seemed important enough to look Olivia in the eye.

"Livy, why do I need a master?"

Olivia's eyes had been dark. Like really dark. And then they flashed bright red, like the brake lights on a car.

"You need a master because you've been infected by a virus. When a woman gets this virus, she has to have a master. It's like her life depends on it. I know my life depends on it."

Talia admired her friend. She looked so amazing tonight in that little black dress. Her make-up was on point, and she must be wearing some top shit lingerie because her tits looked amazing. Not like my tiny little titties.

I wish I could have bigger tits. And a nicer bum too. I look like a lanky streak of piss.

Maybe Mr Edwards likes skinny girls too. I'd love it if he thought I was half as pretty as Livy or Mrs Edwards.

"Livy, do you think your dad likes my looks?"

"Oh, love, my dad thinks you're beautiful. And you are beautiful."

"She's right, dear. You're a very lovely girl, and my husband thinks so too. Your hair and your eyes and your smile. You're dazzling."

Mrs Edwards is such a nice lady. She's always treated me nicely. Livy is so lucky to have a mum who cares about her well-being. Sure, Mrs Edwards is strict and pushy. But at least she's interested in her daughter.

"Thank you, Mrs Edwards. I want him to like me. I don't know how it feels to be liked by parents."

Should I have said that? I don't really care what my mum thinks, but… maybe I should call my dad and apologise for thinking badly about him. He is a man, after all.

"Livy, do you have my phone? I feel like I should call my dad and apologise to him."

Olivia released Talia's hand and moved her touch to Talia’s shoulder. Talia felt the gentle fingertips stroking down her arm, raising goose pimples.

"Don't worry about your dad, T. I promise to let you talk to him later if you still want to. Right now, we need to get you to my dad."

Talia nodded. She trusted Olivia. If Olivia thought it was okay, then it must be okay.

I'm so lucky to have a good friend like Livy. And soon we're both going to have the same master.

"Livy, will we be like sisters after that?"

Olivia leant against Talia and rested her chin on Talia's shoulder. She softly pressed her lips to Talia's throat and then flicked her tongue against the bottom of her earlobe.

"That's right, T. Pretty soon, we're going to be sisters. Slave sisters."

Slave sisters. That sounds intense.

Talia felt her quim pulsing. Every time the car slowed or accelerated or turned, the slightest motion or vibration was setting off fireworks in her knickers.

It's so quiet in here. I'm not afraid. I have been afraid for years. My parents never understood. My therapist couldn't help. And I wasn't allowed to take meds.

But now… now I'm just having a quiet one.

"Livy, is being a slave sister like a bezzy mate? That's what we've been, right?"

Olivia's left hand reached across and found Talia's thigh. In the darkened cabin of the Volvo, Talia wasn't sure if Mrs Edwards could see what was going on, since she was sitting directly behind Mrs Edwards and Olivia was on the left side. Then again, what did it matter if she could see?

Mr Edwards is Mrs Edwards's master too, Livy said. Maybe that means we're all going to be slave sisters.

The hand didn't stay on her thigh. It slithered inside her top. Talia felt the cool fingers on her torso, and then they found her breast.

Livy's hand is so cool against my tit. Or maybe I'm just burning up.

Either way, her touch feels so fucking good.

Talia's mouth opened in a quiet gasp as her friend's fingers stroked and then pinched her nipple. The connection of her friend's skin touching her own gave her pulses of calming delight. There was no stress at all.

Only peace.

"It's okay, T. Just breathe."

Talia breathed as she was directed. It wasn't smooth, since every time Olivia's hand moved, a fresh wave of ecstasy washed over her.

I can hear myself, but only in the now. I can't hear the doubts. Or the fears. Or the guilt. I can remember when my dad touched me, but it isn't haunting me.

"Livy, I never told you about what my dad did to me and my sister. I'm sorry for not telling you."

"You didn't do anything wrong, babe."

"He said I was too beautiful. That both of us were. He said that's why he touched us."

I can't believe that I let it happen. Or maybe I should have done more. One of those must be right because I am feeling too good.

"Talia, I didn't know. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"I didn't want you there. I didn't want him to touch you."

Olivia gave her friend a tight hug.

"T, my dad is going to take care of you. No one is ever going to hurt you again."

Livy is so calm. So confident. I'm so glad she's my best friend.

"Thank you, Livy. I'm so glad that you're my best friend."

"Damn it, T. Now you're going to make me cry." Talia saw her friend smiling and caught a hint of a giggle. So she didn't have to feel bad for making Olivia cry.

I don't ever want to let her down. I've been doing that my whole life. I won't let Mr Edwards down either.

"Livy? Can you remember feeling scared? I can remember it, but… I can't feel it. I remember having a knot in my stomach when I saw my bank balance this morning. But all I have is a memory of it. I know I should feel it, but there's nothing there."

"That's one of the effects of the virus, T. It separates us from those feelings. The way I see it, there's the world that was, and then the world that is now. And anything on the other side of that line doesn't feel important any more."

Talia nodded.

I like being on this side of the line. It feels so much safer.

"Livy, do I have to care any more?"

"Oh, love, of course you do. You care about me, right?"

"Of course I care about you, Livy. You're my best friend."

"That's right, T. And soon you'll care about my dad. More than you've ever cared about anyone or anything in the whole world."

Talia pondered that as the car stopped at the kerb. She looked out of the tinted window.

She saw the Edwardses' townhouse.

It looked like home.