The Red Rum

*Knock. Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock.*

“Password?” a guy on the other side of the door asks, after the hidden peephole on the door slides open.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Viv answers him, before handing the bouncer on the other side her member’s card through the peephole.

“Only you may enter, Ms. Nguyen. Your guest will have to stay in the Gold Room.” the guy you assume is the bouncer informs Viv, who takes it in stride.

“Danny’s here to come and play with us. Forever, and ever, and ever.” Viv tells the bouncer, and the door swings open.

“Welcome back to the Red Rum, Ms. Nguyen.” The bouncer greets both of you. “Has your guest been to the Red Rum before?” the bouncer asks.

“No, but Head Mistress Mercy has been informed of my Master’s arrival, and has told me to meet her in her office.” Viv informs him, and the bouncer takes the wall mounted phone next to him and pushes a single button on it.

“A ‘Ms. Nguyen’ is here to see you. She says she has an appointment.” the bouncer says over the phone, nodding his head as he listens to the reply. “The Head Mistress says you’ve talked it over yesterday, and you can go straight to the room.” the bouncer informs both of you, before handing a key to Viv.

“Room 217 is found on—” The bouncer tries to direct Viv, but Viv just gives him a thumbs up before walking past him. You give a nod to the bouncer as thanks, before picking up your steps to catch up to Viv.

“So~...” You try to chat her up, as she begins to speed up her walk. “Can you tell me what I’m getting into?” You ask her, as you and Viv walk through a hallway where everything is basically painted blood red. You passed two rooms that were labeled ‘Doms’ and ‘Subs’ but Viv keeps walking forward through the hallway.

Once you reach the end of it and go through the red curtain that was apparently hiding the main club, you realize that Viv probably sped up so you can see for yourself what you’re getting into.

“Holy shit.” You say under your breath, as you see scantily clad maids and their more dominant equivalents roaming the large open floor. Apparently, maid just means the staff that can be paid to be submissive, and aren’t exclusive to women. You notice the private booths that line opposite sides of the walls. The wall on your right has stairs leading to a second floor; and the wall on your left is the stage, which has a few rows of tables for those who want to watch the show much closer. Speaking of the show, you definitely aren’t ready to mentally process what you’re seeing from the show without warning.

*MUSIC PLAYING*

The lights match the pulsing beat and rhythm of the music, as the two people on stage start they’re performance. You assume it’s near the start at least, as the two of them are still fully clothed. Although, ‘fully’ is a bit of a stretch, as the man is wearing what looks like half of a bishop’s cassock, as his lower half is just latex underwear it seems. As for the woman, she’s kneeling in front of the man, wearing a black micro bikini, latex arm length gloves, a nun’s habit as her headdress, and a rosary looking necklace that has a huge cross at the end. You openly gawk at the show until Viv pulls on your arm to grab your attention. The last thing you see from the stage is the nun being made to suck the cross at the end of her necklace by her priest partner.

“I thought you said this place is pretty dead on Sundays?” You ask Viv, as you follow her towards the stairs.

“It is. I just forgot it’s a holiday tomorrow.” Viv tells you.

Right. An extra day for debauchery for the members.

“So, I’m guessing these are the maids you mentioned?” You ask her, as there are some maids standing by the stairs.

“Yeah. Anyone you like?” Viv asks you.

“No! No. Nothing like that.” You immediately answer. “It’s just…” You try to explain, but quiet down as you pass one of them to get upstairs, and get a good look at the maid.

“They’re all gorgeous, aren’t they?” Viv asks you.

“Yeah.” You answer, unable to hide the shock in your voice.

“Even the guys?” Viv jokingly asks you, and you awkwardly chuckle.

“I’m comfortable enough with my manhood that I can answer that — yes even the guys.” You answer her honestly, getting a chuckle from her as well.

“Some of them are aspiring models or actresses, or just want to use their looks to their advantage. It shouldn’t be surprising that the club has really powerful and influential members. You dom or sub for the right person and they take a liking to you, you’re pretty much golden. ” Viv explains, as you and her make your way up the stairs.

“I guess that’s not a surprise. We did meet the people who owned this place at the gala.” You say in reaction.

“The Stanleys? Yeah. How’d you know?” Viv asks you, confusing you.

“Like I said, we met them at the gala.” You answer her, still confused.

“No! I mean, how’d you know that’s Madame Lia’s story. Did Becca tell you?” Viv asks.

“Oh! No, no. I mentioned them since you said the club has powerful and influential members. I was just agreeing with your point. I mean, if they’re invited to that gala, then they must have some influence and power.” You explain to her. “You’re saying that’s the Stanleys’ story? They met in this club?” You ask to clarify, as you and Viv finally make it up the stairs.

“Yeah. I thought that’s what you meant the first time. So yeah, anyway, they didn’t meet in this club since this was Madame Lia’s idea. They did meet in a similar club like this. Madame Lia was just another dominatrix looking for a sub. She just so happened to click with a newly divorced Torrance Stanley.” Viv tells you.

“And you’re saying that’s what some of these maids are hoping for?” You ask.

“I can’t speak for all of them, but I assume some of them do hope that. Found out last night that the person that Becca called to find club sluts for you used to be a maid. Used to sub for Becca to be more specific. Now she practically runs this branch.” Viv explains, as Viv leads you through the second floor hallway towards what seems to be the area of the club with private rooms.

You notice that most rooms consist of brown double doors that are already open. You then look at the doors themselves and realize why that is.

“They’re all numbered 237.” You say out loud.

“Oh? The rooms? Yeah. Those are themed rooms for members to use for more privacy, or if they want to give an open invite for a session that needs a specific kind of ambience. So even if they’re all numbered 237, you can differentiate based on the theme of the room.” Viv explains.

“So there isn’t a super hot naked lady in there that’s actually a ghost?” You ask jokingly.

“Ghost? No. Super hot naked lady? Maybe if there’s a key in the door handle.” Viv informs you, and you notice that there’s no room that actually has a key on the door handle.

“What if there’s no key?” You ask.

“Then it’s unoccupied. If there’s a key and the door’s open, there’s people inside looking for a partner. If it’s closed, then it’s already in use and it’s reached its intended number of occupants.” Viv explains in further detail the intricacies of the club, before stopping in front of a single two panel door at the end of the hallway — the only room that’s designated as Room 217. Viv doesn’t knock, but uses the key the bouncer gave her instead to unlock the room.

“So I’m guessing this room is for reservations only.” You tell Viv.

“Correct.” Viv confirms. “Room number gave it away?” Viv asks to confirm.

“Yeah. Room 217 needs a key because in the book Danny used the skeleton key to open it. The others are Room 237 because in the movie the door was already open with the key in it. Clever.” You observe out loud, before Viv could get the door open.

“We of the BDSM community do love being extra.” Viv jokes, before she swings the door open, revealing the room inside.

As you look at the sight before you after the double doors swing open, you immediately confirm that Viv wasn’t kidding about her community loving being extra.

Meanwhile, outside the Gold Room…

“Jesus Christ. This place is still empty.” Paige mutters in disappointment, as she stands outside the Gold Room pub. She looks around the busy commercial street lined with other establishments that are almost at capacity with people making the most of the holiday tomorrow.

‘There’s gotta be a reason why Becca’s keeping the lights on to this place.’ Paige thinks to herself, after looking at the dimly lit outdoor pub sign hanging above the door of the pub. She then recalls Becca’s words to her just this morning —

‘If your curiosity gets the better of you when it comes to the Gold Room, I won’t stop you from poking around in there.’

‘Okay, Becca. Consider me curious.’ Paige thinks to herself before she finally swings open the door to the Gold Room.