Find Rose

  Obviously, going in with a knife and forcing Rose to my will was an option, and it was the option that came to mind most easily. It would probably take about twenty seconds and then I’d be done with it. But that didn’t appeal. I was here to play, after all. And Rose was a strikingly easy person to play with. 
     I walked in on her sitting in her room, and carefully closed the door behind me. She smiled. And smiled in possibly the most irritating fashion I could imagine a girl smiling. I was sort of looking forward to finally wiping that off her face.
    “Hello,” she said, in a voice that would have been pleasant to people who would be entirely unpleasant to me. “Am I needed?”


 “Not yet,” I replied, and sat across from her. “But you might be soon. If we’re ever found in this little hideout.”

 She nodded her head with an adorable courage. “I’m ready for that.”

 “I have no doubt you are mentally,” I said. “But I doubt that you are physically. For a true fighter, fighting isn’t a skill. It’s an instinct. True fighters like me.”

 “Probably.”
“Do you want me to teach you?”

 She smiled almost twice as much. “Would you?”

 “Of course I would. And I’d start now, if you want. But only if you want.”
 “Obviously. Right now.”
“Good. First: strip naked.”

 She stared at me blankly. “Why should I do that?”
“Like I said. Fighting is an instinct. Clothing is a distraction. You have to change how you move to match. Until you get better, clothing doesn’t help.”

 She shrugged. “Okay.” And with that, she took off her clothes almost enthusiastically. She was a little bit shy, but she wasn’t going to let that get in the way of love of country. It was almost too good.

 “Now. You have to learn to act defensively before you can act offensively.” I drew out rope from a pouch I had. “I’m going to tie your hands behind your back, and then, we’re going to do a few exercises.”
She nodded and turned around. As I fastened her arms together, I found it increasingly hard to believe this was working.
“Last thing,” I said. “I’m going to gag you.”

 “Why?” she asked, perhaps feeling odd about this for the first time.
“For fun.” And with that, I silenced her and threw her on the bed.