Make a break for it.

Despite part of herself telling her that it was important not to disappoint her mistress, Lucy couldn't shake the feeling that she was no better than her other tormentors. What had she actually done for Lucy? Gotten her off the street and kept her company, but then what? She'd still been naked, shivering in the cold. Even a dog would have been permitted a jacket to use as a blanket, while Lucy's mistress had just dragged her around the park on a leash and then sold her out to Kim.

She's not my mistress, Lucy thought angrily, And I'm getting out of here!

Already getting up, she unclipped the leash from her collar and let her eyes wander, looking for the best means of escape. The gate out of the yard was locked, and only lead to the street where anyone could see her. But the fence looked climbable, and the alley between the houses would let her get some distance without being seen. That might give her time to come up with a next step, like finding something to use as a weapon and stealing a car. If she just got out of this town, away from the mass insanity that had gripped its inhabitants...

Decision made, Lucy ran to the fence and started climbing. She was halfway up when her hand touched a wire hidden at the edge of one of the fence's wood panels. A sharp pain shot up her arm, the same pain she'd felt when that security guard had tazed her. Her grip lost, Lucy fell backward with a scream and landed on her back. At the same time an alarm started blaring, loud enough to temporarily deafen Lucy and be heard from inside the building, along with half the neighborhood.

Panicked, Lucy curled up on the grass and pressed her hands to her ears to protect them from the harsh noise.

When the alarm turned off Lucy looked up to see the woman running out of the house, barefoot and in a half-buttoned shirt several sizes too large for her. "Lucy! Bad girl! Very bad girl!"

Lucy cowered, afraid she was going to get hit or worse. The woman certainly seemed mad enough for it. But while she was still crossing the yard, another voice came from the other side of the fence. "Valerie? What's happening in there?"

"Nothing to worry about," the woman called back, "Just a pet trying to climb the fence."

Lucy considered calling out for help, that she was a human captive and not a pet, but what the man said next dashed her faint hope that he might be sane. "Is Lucy giving you a lot of trouble? I heard how she lashed out when that college girl tried to show her what she is."

"No, she's been well-behaved so far. It's natural for an animal to test the boundaries of an unfamiliar territory, but I've got everything under control."

"Alright. Let me know if you need anything."

"Will do, Charlie." Lucy heard steps retreating on the other side of the fence, then Valerie crouched down by her side. "I'm very disappointed in you, Lucy. I do hope you were just exploring, not trying to leave your mistress?"

Still scared, Lucy shook her head meekly.

"Well, I'm not going to punish you for that. But I can't reward this kind of behavior either. Taking off your leash is unacceptable. Come with me so I can put it back on, and then we'll get you cleaned up."

Lucy let herself get dragged over the grass to the edge of the patio, where the woman picked up the leash and attached it to her collar again. Then she untied the other end and lead her a few steps onto the grass again. There she bent down and shoved the leash's handle sideways into Lucy's mouth. "Hold this. If you drop it before I'm done bathing you I will punish you."

Lucy bit down and waited motionlessly while the woman retrieved a bucket and a garden hose. A moment later she yelped, nearly letting the leash slip out of her mouth as she was blasted by a stream of cold water. The woman walked back and forth, making sure she drenched every inch of Lucy, even hitting the miserable girl's face before the hose was turned off. Next she picked up a sponge from the bucket, squirted some soap on it, and began scrubbing Lucy's skin. The dry sponge was rough at first, but soon became softer as it began to absorb water. It was almost pleasant, but Lucy was shivering from the cold and lingering fear.

When Lucy was sufficiently covered in white suds, the sponge was tossed back into the bucket and Valerie turned the hose on again. This time the goal was not just to get Lucy wet but to rinse her off thoroughly. That meant she had to hit every part of her, even pointing the hose directly at Lucy's vagina and anus. The cold spray of water felt even worse in those sensitive areas, but it didn't need to be endured for long. As soon as the last of the soap had dripped onto the grass Valerie turned off the hose and carried everything back to the house.

"If you behave your next bath will be more enjoyable for both of us. I don't like being mean to you, but we need to be firm about your boundaries so you don't have another relapse. Now be a good pet and come over here, I'll towel you dry and let you warm up inside."