Glimpses of the Island

Field Trip

Elise sat on the bench, leaning back against the wall. Normally Saturday afternoon was scheduled as free time at the Facility. She had been in the common room sitting on the couch, just starting to read a magazine when one of the guards came in and ordered her to come with him. He offered no reason when he took her to the room she was in now, waiting with three other women for someone to explain what was happening.

The guard had instructed her to sit quietly, so she and the others couldn't talk. Shrugs told her none of the others had a clue either. She had been on her best behavior the last week, few verbal reminders and no reprimands. As far as she could tell there was no reason to expect any kind of serious punishment. The other three were some of the more conscientious students too.

When the door finally opened Mrs. Yates entered first, followed by two guards. Elise started to stand up but remembered she had been told to remain on the bench. Unsure of what to do she chose to stay seated. One of the others started to stand too but quickly sat back down.

Mrs. Yates must have seen their confusion. "When in doubt follow the last verbal order. You did right to stay where you are, even though it's not the usual policy." She stood in front of the group of four. The two men stayed back, at the open door.

"You can relax," she explained. "It has been decided that since the four of you have shown excellent progress you will be allowed a field trip into town. I'm going to go over the ground rules," she smiled at the ubiquitous term, "before you start."

Mrs. Yates turned to the side and gestured at the two men behind her. "Remember you are wards of the Facility and as such you must obey your escorts at all times. Mr. Owens," the man to the left of the door nodded, "and Mr. Estevez," the other man held up a hand, "will be in charge of your group during the trip." She turned back to the four women. "I'm sure you all know what is expected of you and will act accordingly. If any of you fail to behave as you have been taught the trip will be terminated immediately and you will all be held to account."

Elise knew what that last thinly veiled warning meant. They would all be punished if any one of them acted up. Still, it would be nice to get away from the Facility for an afternoon and see the main island, even if it was to be a brief and heavily supervised visit.

"Now then," Mrs. Yates continued, "you will be driven into town. The route will go past the civic center so those of you new to the Island can see some of the local landmarks. One of you is familiar with the place, so Jamie? You will provide the rest of the group a little travelogue during the drive. Next, you will stop for lunch and then will be taken to a theater for a matinee film. Don't ask what the movie is, I have no idea.

"And one last part. We want to make sure everyone stays together. Would all of you stand up now?" Elise and the others stood up. Behind Mrs. Yates the two guards came forward while she continued. "You will be paired up. Elise, hold out your right hand, Jamie your left."

Obediently Elise raised her arm. At her side Jamie did the same. The first guard, Mr. Owens, took a pair of handcuffs from his belt and chained the two women's wrists together. The other guard did the same for the other two women in the group.

"You can put your arms down," Mrs. Yates told them. "That's all. I hope you all have a good time." She backed up to the open door. "Sirs?"

"Very good Siobhan, you may leave." That was from Elise and Jamie's escort, the guard named Owens. Apparently he was the senior, from what Elise could tell.

"Thank you, sir." Mrs. Yates turned and left the room.

Mr. Owens picked up where Mrs. Yates had left off. "You have permission to speak up if you have a question or need to bring something to our attention. Normal Facility rules are still in force so act accordingly. You may talk amongst yourselves when we start but you are strictly forbidden to speak to anyone else. In the event someone does speak to you directly, you will not answer unless you are given permission, even if you have to be rude about it."

The other guard picked up the gym bag he had carried into the room and unzipped the top. "In order to comply with island law," Mr. Owens began, "as wards of the Facility you are required to display that status in public." He reached in the bag the other guard held and pulled out a large metal ring. "Each of you will wear a collar denoting Facility ownership for the length of the trip. It will not be removed under any circumstances until you return here."

Using a key from his belt he unlocked the collar. Elise saw it easily swing open. Her heart raced as he placed it around her neck and fastened it shut behind her head. He took three more out of the bag and adorned the rest of the group in the same way.

The ring encircling her throat wasn't uncomfortable but she couldn't ignore its presence. She desperately wanted to touch it, to see if she could remove it, to find a mirror and see how it looked. Instead by force of will she kept her arms at her side, never taking her eyes off the man who was now in charge of her. Mrs. Yates' warning of collective responsibility echoed in her head. Elise didn't want to be the one who ruined the trip for all of them.

The second guard, Mr. Estevez, spoke for the first time. He had a slight accent but Elise couldn't place it. "I should point out that under island law as collared females without travel permits you must be escorted at all time by me or Mr. Owens. Be sure you stay close to us and do not stray. If by some accident we become separated stay where you are until we find you. If you are challenged explain the circumstances and do whatever the person confronting you orders. Is that clear?"

Elise added her own "yes, sir" to the chorus. They had been lectured on island law but seeing it in practice was quite different from the classroom. She felt some apprehension at being so dependent on him but there was another reaction growing inside her too, excitement.

The men took them to an inside garage where a van was waiting. Elise and Jamie got the rearmost seat, Elise on the left by virtue of the two of them being shackled together. The other pair was seated in the middle. Mr. Owens drove.

Having her wrist cuffed to Jamie's was awkward but they managed to find a comfortable position to rest their hands. After they started for the ferry dock Elise risked a question, asking if she could touch her collar. Mr. Estevez smiled at the request when he gave the okay.

Sitting next to the window she could make out her reflection and the line across her neck. With her free hand she ran her fingers around one side, exploring the fit. There was enough room to slip a finger between her neck and the metal band, but there was no way it would come off over her head. There was some kind of locking mechanism at the rear but she couldn't tell by touch how it worked.

At that moment the realization of what she had done came rushing in. Someday soon she would be wearing the collar of her master, the man who would be her owner. She might never see the key that opened it because the collar would never be removed. The one she saw in the window might be temporary but there would come a time it would be a permanent part of her life. That was the promise made by the Facility. Elise still wasn't convinced it would ever come true.

Jamie must have sensed some of the turmoil in her head. When Elise turned away from the window Jamie grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Coming from someone who had been there before it reassured Elise that she had made the right choice.

They reached the dock before the ferry. "It should be about a ten minute wait," Mr. Estevez told them. He opened his door and got out. The driver, Mr. Owens, stayed in the van while the other guard walked out onto the pier, watching for the boat.

They had permission to talk but none of the women took advantage of it. Elise felt uncomfortable making small talk while the men were present. Apparently the others did too as no one spoke. She knew it was a byproduct of their training. It had been drummed into them to be attentive and respectful when the guards were present, to wait to be told what to do and when to do it, and to otherwise keep interaction to a minimum.

Instead she took the time to examine the handcuffs linking her and Jamie. The cuff on her right wrist wasn't uncomfortably tight. She could see the keyhole, pointing away from her hand. Elise realized she had no idea what a handcuff key looked like either. She used her free hand to explore the steel bracelet.

Seeing Elise's curiosity Jamie held up her hand, sliding the cuff up and down her wrist. "Remember when you reach for something I'm attached." Both women giggled. The driver looked back at them but said nothing.

"Boat's coming," Mr. Owens told the women. Leaning forward Elise could see the ferry coming into view as it approached the dock.

The other guard opened the rear door of the van. Elise saw him take something out of his pocket. "For safety reasons you won't be cuffed together while we're on the water. Hold up your hands." He unlocked the pair in front before reaching back and unlocking the cuff on Jamie's wrist. Apparently their relative freedom would be temporary since he left the handcuffs locked on Elise and the woman in front of her.

The trip on the ferry was uneventful. Elise and the others weren't allowed to get out but they all had a clear view of the ocean during the passage across the strait to the main island. The only interruption was a crewman who came by the driver's window to get a signature on a clipboard. Though he didn't say anything he took his time looking over all the women. Under his scrutiny Elise sat up straight and carefully folded her hands in her lap. When he walked away she saw Jamie had done the same thing.

When they arrived on the main island Mr. Owens drove the van off the ferry and pulled to one side of the road as soon as he was clear of the ramp. As Elise expected Mr. Estevez got out, opened the rear door, and reattached the handcuffs so the women were linked in pairs again. They continued on into the city center.

"Jamie, you may begin now. For the benefit of those who haven't been here before, why don't you give us a description of some of the places as we go by?" That request, really an order, came from Mr. Owens.

Elise played the gawking tourist as Jamie described some of the stores, good restaurants and places of interest. Being a Saturday afternoon the streets were busy with traffic and pedestrians. Several times Elise saw a woman wearing a collar, and some of them were not accompanied by men. Though she had been told she would be allowed out on her own if her future master gave permission seeing it in person was confirmation that her life on the Island wouldn't be one of isolation.

The driver turned into the parking lot of a mall and stopped in a space near the front door of a restaurant. Close by Elise could see a movie marquee. This must be their destination. Before getting out Mr. Owens told them what to expect.

"We'll have lunch here. Mr. Estevez and I will show you where to sit. Remember you are not to speak to anyone outside the group, and that includes the waitress. You may ask for anything on the menu but we will order for you. When you are served you will wait for permission to eat. You will not leave the table without asking.

"While you are here I expect you to all be on your best behavior. You have done well in training and know what is expected. Remember the public judges the Facility from the impression you make, so be sure it's a positive one. Any questions?" He paused.

At first none of the women spoke. Timidly Elise raised a point that had been bothering her. "Sir? I'm right-handed. I don't think I can use a fork this way." She lifted up her cuffed right wrist connected to Jamie.

Mr. Estevez chuckled. "Not to worry, we'll take the handcuffs off." And as promised as soon as they got out of the van the cuffs were removed. Mr. Estevez led the way into the restaurant, with Mr. Owens behind them.

The hostess seated all of them at a large table. Elise wasn't sure if the carefully neutral expression when she handed the menus to the guards was one of boredom or disapproval. Mrs. Yates had told them to expect some resentment, or even outright hostility, toward anyone from the Facility. Not everyone on the Island approved of its methods or the graduates.

Mr. Owens passed out the menus and asked each of the women for their selection. When the waitress came by he ordered for all of them. Other than a sideways look at them she spoke only to the two men. Mindful of their parting instructions Elise and the rest sat quietly until the other guard, Mr. Estevez, began the conversation by asking them which movie they'd like to see after lunch. Elise admired his skill in drawing the women into the discussion. By the end of the meal they were all talking to each other.

For Elise it was a pleasant break from the routine at the Facility, almost a return to the normalcy of life before she had arrived on the Island. Even the weight of the collar around her throat was less of a distraction. She found it reassuring that the training she was receiving at the Facility did apply to the outside world, at least in the microcosm of Island society.

Outside the restaurant Elise and Jamie were cuffed together again. Each of the men took charge of a linked pair and led them across the parking lot to the movie theater. Elise had expected stares since she was handcuffed to Jamie but to her surprise no one passing by seemed to consider it out of the ordinary. They got a few appreciative glances from men but no one said anything to the group.

The movie was a romantic comedy, a recent release that no one had seen before. Before it started they all got a trip to the snack bar, where Elise indulged in a candy bar and popcorn. Though she seldom went to movies she was soon laughing at the jokes and sympathizing with the leading actress.

About halfway through Elise felt a tug on her wrist. A glance to her side showed Jamie was staring at the screen, but when Elise looked down she saw Jamie's hand pointing toward Elise's feet. At first she didn't understand what Jamie was trying to say, but then it struck her. Elise had unconsciously crossed her ankles. It wasn't a serious violation of the rules but it could be enough for the guards to cancel the trip if one of them saw it. Disguised by shifting in her chair she quickly changed position.

She had almost ruined the trip for everyone. Lucky for them the men were sitting in the row behind and couldn't see what she had done. And they were fortunate that Jamie had spotted it first. At the Facility the usual punishment would be 24 hours wearing a spreader bar, an unpleasant arrangement of ankle cuffs with a solid bar between them. It made walking difficult but the public embarrassment was far worse. Almost all of them, Elise included, had been caught at least once. Few repeated the mistake. She squeezed Jamie's hand in silent thanks.

After the movie they were taken back to the van and driven to the dock to meet the ferry. The return trip was uneventful but all through the drive back Elise brooded on what she had done. She knew it had not been intentional disobedience but it still bothered her that she hadn't told one of the men immediately. Again and again they'd been lectured on the virtues of being true to one's ideals. Concealing infractions of the rules was not one of those ideals.

They arrived back at the Facility at sunset. After dinner Elise, still battling a nagging feeling of guilt, went to her room to be alone. She sat down at her small desk and took out a sheet of paper, thinking she would write an explanation and an apology.

An hour later she was still staring at the blank sheet of paper. With a sigh of resignation to the inevitable she put the sheet of paper away and stood up. There was only one way to stop the constant nagging from her conscience. She went out into the hallway and headed for the supervisor's desk.

The man on duty wasn't one of the two who had escorted them to town. Elise asked if she might speak to Mr. Owen, explaining that it had to do with the field trip earlier. The supervisor told her to sit down in one of the chairs across from his desk while he made a call.

A few minutes later the door next to the supervisor's desk opened and Mr. Owen came out. From the puzzled look on his face Elise could tell he had no idea why she had requested a meeting with him. "Good evening, Elise, what can I do for you?"

She stood up as soon as she saw him in the doorway. "I'm sorry to disturb you, sir. Could I speak to you in private about the trip today? There was an incident I think you should know about." She couldn't look him in the eye when she said those words.

He hesitated, unsure about what she was talking about. "Alright, come in here to the office." He held open the door. Elise went in ahead of him. "Please sit down." He followed her into the tiny office and shut the door.

The wall behind Elise was glass, with a clear view of the supervisor's desk. Mr. Owen went around the desk and sat down, facing her. "Now then, what is this incident you mentioned?"

Else started slowly but before long the whole story came out, how she had broken the rule about crossing ankles while sitting and then not told him afterward because she didn't want to spoil the trip for the others. She did leave out the part about Jamie warning her. When she finished he sat there, not saying a word, leaning back in his chair with arms folded. She waited quietly to hear what he would do next.

"You understand that there will be consequences for this?" His tone was neutral.

"Yes sir, I expect to be punished for it. But it was my fault alone; none of the others should be included."

"I'll be the judge of that." Abruptly he stood up. "Stay here until I come back." He left the office.

Elise could see him making a call from the desk outside. He was on the phone for several minutes. At one point he turned around and saw her. The little spinning motion with his hand told her to turn away. She immediately faced away from the window. Was he ordering the other three women to be rounded up? She hoped not, as they had really done nothing wrong.

When he finished he opened the office door but didn't come in. Instead he motioned for Elise to come with him. Reluctantly she rose from her chair to follow. They headed in the opposite direction, away from the entrance to the common area.

An hour later she slowly hobbled back into the common room. Every head turned to look at her. Elise kept her head down to hide her red-faced embarrassment. It was all she could do. Her hands were locked behind her back in handcuffs, and her legs were forced wide apart by the bar fastened between her ankles. Worst of all she had been ordered to strip naked, the additional penalty for not coming forward immediately. The only saving grace was that Mr. Owen, who had his large hand wrapped around her upper arm, was taking her to her room. The early bedtime saved her the stares and whispers that would have come with being ordered to stay in the common area.

In her room he freed her hands to allow her to get ready for bed. But as soon as she lay down on her stomach he cuffed her hands behind her back again before tossing the bedcovers over her. "Second offense," he explained, "don't make it a third." The severity of her punishment had surprised her but there wasn't much she could do about it.

Elise tried to shift around on the bed, searching for some small comfort zone. She could tell she wasn't going to get much sleep, but she was grateful the tossing and turning would not be coming from a guilty conscience. The nagging voice was gone.