Too easy a journey

The way from the lingerie store to the pharmacy led straight through the centre of the mall past countless boutiques, two food courts, and the grand fountain.

There was also, however, a back passage. No stores faced on it. It was simply a narrow tiled corridor with a tall ceiling used largely for deliveries. The only break was the entrance corridor in the middle. Most people never noticed it, but an amusing anecdote had taken Anna there once and it was the first thing to spring to mind.

She walked out of the lingerie store in the teddy that showed her legs off so nicely. A few steps later, she took a sharp turn and walked briskly along the empty corridor.

The first hurdle was the mall entrance mid-way. A pair of twenty-something girls looked askance at her flirty teddy while a forthy-something man whistled and a few male peers checked out her legs for longer than would be thought seemly. She walked past and continued through the empty corridor on the other side.

Anna poked her head out of the end of the corridor. It conveniently emerged right next to the pharmacy. The photobooth was right there.

She hurried and, holding her indecent hem tightly down, made it to the photobooth virtually unseen. She cloesd the privacy curtain.

There was a letter waiting for her on the seat.

"Anna," it said, "We are very disappointed in you. There is no reason for you to make this so hard for yourself. The game is much easier if you just get in the spirit of things and show a little skin. Unfortunately, now that you've concealed your beautiful body all along the journey and deprived countless people of a little joy, you are going to have to make amends."

"After you have the photos taken," it went on. "You have to..."