A tap on the shoulder...

I quickly finished my meal and cleaned up after myself. I was on edge enough to avoid anything that might be construed as problematic behavior.

Every single girl around me had the same white collar around her neck and the social part of my brain made me increasingly self-conscious of my own bare throat. I became genuinely motivated to find this mysterious Mr. Jacobs person who would supposedly be able to issue me mine.

As I turned to leave the break area, I bumped into Gavin, one of my coworkers. Former co-workers? I wasn't really sure what the nature of our relationship was, now that I wasn't a person anymore. Was I an employee, technically? Or more like some kind of asset, like a chair or a desk? That was a sobering thought.

He recognized me immediately and smiled, the first warmth I'd seen from anyone but Amber. "Well hello, there, Danielle. I was wondering if you were going to show up, or if you'd been taken by one of the gangs outside. Where have you been?"

I smiled nervously, realizing that I had no idea what was going on outside my corporate building. The whole world could be on fire for all I knew. Would I even find out? "Oh, Gavin, I didn't know you cared. But yes, I did manage to make it after all." I laughed, trying to keep the interaction casual.

Something dangerous flashed in Gavin's eyes a moment before a sudden slap sent stars flying across my vision. I might have fallen down had Gavin not gripped my throat and pinned me roughly to the wall at that moment.

Gasping for breath and reeling from the psychological shock of being slapped, I grabbed at his wrist in a weak attempt to pull him off of me. "What was that for?" I sputtered.

His grip tightened and I became genuinely afraid for my safety when he leaned into me. He's so strong! I've never felt such overwhelming strength wielded against me in my life.

His face filled my vision, his features hard. "I always knew you thought you were better than everyone, you stuck-up bitch. I used to admire you, you know. Sweet, beautiful Danielle. Look at you now."

My vision swam, growing gradually dark around the edges. My eyes started rolling back in my head and he released me to fall to my knees, coughing and gasping for breath.

He made a fist in my hair and twisted my head back to look up at him. Horror bloomed in the pit of my stomach. "P-please, Gavin, I-" it was precisely that moment that I remembered Amber's advise about the word sir.

He slapped me again. "It's not Gavin, you stupid bitch. Not to a ****-whore like you. Don't you know anything? How did you even pass your orientation..." He drew the last word out slowly as if trailing off or realizing something, then he grinned.

"You're not wearing your indicator, Danielle. Have you even done your orientation?" He looked around to see if anyone had noticed something was amiss.

"Get up. Come with me." He hauled me to my feet with a vise-like grip on my arm and half-led, half-dragged me down the hallway to one of the meeting rooms without windows.

He threw me to the floor inside and shut the door behind him. "You're not company property, is that right?"

I stammered over my words, fearing anything I said might make him hit me again. "Sir, please, sir, I don't know what you mean, sir."

He snorted, but didn't hit me. "Take that ridiculous thing off." He pointed at my uniform. "Right now."

I didn't need to be told twice, I was already terrified of the man. I quickly removed clothing until I stood completely naked before him, trapped in a tiny room. "Sir, please..."

"I see you're finding your manners, finally." He pushed me towards the back wall, where I noticed some eye bolts had been installed. "On your knees."

Shakily, I lowered myself to my knees and he reached into a drawer that held supplies. Apparently they had added manacles to the list of things to keep stocked. It used to just be whiteboard markers and pens and notepads and such.

I knelt in disbelief as he closed cold steel around my wrists and literally chained me to the wall. He hauled my arms up behind my back until I had to lean forward to take the pressure off of my shoulders and then secured the chai to one of the bolts somewhere above my head. I was trapped in a very uncomfortable position on my knees, still unable to fully process that this was all really happening.

"Don't you move or make a sound. I need to go take care of a few things. I'll set another girl to watch the door while I'm gone. If she hears one peep out of you while I'm gone..." He let the unspoken threat hang in the air.

My reply was scarcely more than a whisper. "Yes sir. I promise sir, I'll be good, sir. I won't make a sound, sir."

He cupped a hand under my chin and lifted my head painfully. "I know."

And then he was gone, leaving me alone in the darkness.