To Town

Eliza woke up in a glass walled gazebo in an unfamiliar town square. She had been placed on a bed in the center. Everything that could be white was white. Sheets, paint, padded floor. Her vision came into focus and she realized that what seemed like the entire adult population of the town was looking in on her. A chill went down her spine and she felt her nipples growing hard in the cold. The cold? Eliza gasped and covered herself with her hands as she realized she was stark naked.

“Ladies and gentlemen! If I could direct your attention to the podium!” A voice boomed over a PA system. The onlookers gathered on one side of the square.

An older man stood on a slightly raised platform. Jack stood at his side, just a step back from the podium.

“Thanks to Jack here, we have a new neighbor!” The crowd cheered. The man waved his arms for them to quiet down. “He’ll introduce her to us as you all grab your numbers.”

The crowd surged forward to grab a slip of paper from a box in front of the stage. Jack spoke as he reached for his number. “Here we have Eliza Gwyne. She left her life behind to move away to … somewhere. She didn’t know where and we’re excited she’ll be joining us here.”

Joining them here? What did he mean? Wouldn’t she just be here until her car was fixed?”

He continued, “She’s 27 years old, in her prime, and I’m pleased to say has never been on any form of birth control.”

How did he know that!? Eliza froze in place. She heard the crowd cheer. How did he know that and why would he, let alone the rest of the town, care?

“Has everyone eligible got a number?” The older man returned to the stage. The crowd nodded as a few last hands drew slips of paper. “Excellent…. Who’s first?”

The crowd opened their folded papers almost in unison. A hand shot up from the crowd…