Safe & Sound & Stripped

image credit: dross

This story is based on "Impervious but exposed", more specifically a chain started by Anonegg and left unfinished. I liked the premise and wanted to do my own version.

Danica looked at her laptop’s screen in terror - someone had recognized her. She decided to post a naked picture of herself a few days before, a self-imposed dare to see how it would feel. Her face was out of the frame, the background was a plain white wall and the chances of someone she knows finding the picture among the millions of others on the internet were tiny. Yet despite all the odds being in her favour, someone had done detective work and she was now staring at a menacing DM. “I know it’s you” said the message with her picture sent right before. The sender was a creep from her neighbourhood, a man maybe a year or two older than her, though his unkempt appearance made it seem like the number was closer to 20. She always had a bad feeling about him just from his stares and behaviour alone, it was later substantiated by rumors of him harassing other women. Danica feared this was going to be a attempt.

She slammed the computer shut and put her hands on her temples. For each bad scenario going through her head she tried to think of a way to get out of it but nothing was coming to her. Looking at a clock she figured sleep was the thing to do for now and she’d deal with this tomorrow. Danica put on her thickest winter sleepwear to feel as covered as possible and after turning off the lights, lied down under the duvet. Not being able to close her eyes out of stress, she started cursing herself for even thinking about doing something as crazy as posting nudes online, which was when her body started feeling numb.

”Danica Hodgson” - a voice called out to her, reverberating all around and seemingly speaking from all directions at once

”Who is it?” - She couldn’t move her body to look around, more than that, it felt like she didn’t even have a body. She could neither see nor feel anything, there was only a faint echo of her name.

”I don’t have a…” - There was a small pause - “..name and we have never been… acquainted, but I know a lot about you and my… intentions are peaceful”

The Voice was struggling to get some words out, as if it was having difficulty choosing the right one. It’s tone and the weird lack of any other sensations should have made Danica distrustful, yet she couldn’t help but believe it.

”I’ve been an inactive observer for longer than you’ve been alive and the time has come for me to… institute changes, with your permission. Now, I’m... cognizant of what you might ask me for, but you should still… verbalize your desires”

”I… I want to always be safe. I don’t want ANYONE to even think of hurting me! Is that… is that something you can do?” - Danica shouted into the void.

”Yes, but all things come with a price and I am afraid you cannot be informed of the full… conditions before agreeing”

“You can’t tell me what the price is?”

”No, I can only ascertain that your subconscious is in no conflict with the terms of the… contract”

”Ok, do it then” - She tentatively agreed and all sound was suddenly gone.