Penny's Stories

From Changeling Venue

Back to Penny Kohl

How She Was Taken and Details During the Hedge

What am I doing here? I asked myself. I hated these parties. But they’re necessary if you want to be a model. You have to go and mingle, get your name and your face out there. And if you’re lucky someone might remember you. That’s how it works for a model. I told myself. But I am lucky, people always remember me. I argued back. Well do you want them to forget you? No, of course not. Then put on a smile and go greet some people.

That was when I saw him. He was the handsomest man I had ever seen. Wavy dark hair, green eyes, and the perfect tan. Just as I’m staring at him, a waiter hands me a martini.

“I didn’t order a drink.”

“It’s from the gentleman over there.” He points. It’s him. He casually walks over. He even walks handsomely.

“I didn’t know what you were drinking, so I guessed.”

“Actually, I don’t drink. I was having water.”

“Good girl.”

We talked the entire night. When the party ended, we went for a walk along the river. The sound of the water, the stars shining overhead. I was in love. Who wouldn’t be in a setting like this, with a man like this? Turns out he was an agent, I couldn’t have cared less. But he kept promising to take my career to the next level, to make sure I’m put on a pedestal. And I’ll admit; it was all very exciting. So when he asked me to run away with him, I only hesitated for a moment. Just long enough to look into those loving eyes before I agreed. As I said yes, his eyes changed. They became cold, hard and his smile which had been so kind only moments before had turned into a malicious grin. And I became afraid.

Next thing I knew, I was being pulled along. I was in a daze. When I remembered what happened and saw that it was him pulling me, I started to fight. I just wanted to get away. But he was so fast, I was never able to hit him and every time I tried he would hit me harder. What were all those years of kickboxing for if I can’t defend myself now? And then it was dark.

When I woke up I could hear him talking to someone in another room. I couldn’t see either of them. I never wanted to hear his voice again. I wanted to tear him apart. I wanted to claw those beautiful green eyes out with my own hands. But I hurt so much, I could barely move.

“What good is she to me now that you’ve beaten her black and blue? I can’t use her like this.”

“She was feistier than she seemed, but she’ll heal quickly enough.”

“But quickly enough isn’t now, which is when I needed her.”

I could hear a door squeak. I hope he’s leaving. I’ll never forget you and if I ever see you again…

“I’m sure you’ll come up with a way to use her. Oh, and I promised her a pedestal, so don’t forget that.” The door slammed shut.

“I specifically told him that I needed her immediately. I can’t afford to wait for her to heal. I wonder if one of healers could come see her.”

The door slammed again. I was alone. Now’s my chance to escape. I tried to sit up, it hurt so much, but I finally managed it. I hobbled across the floor, my leg was broken and my shoulder dislocated among other things. Even if I got outside, there was no way I could run. Maybe I’d get lucky and find somewhere to hide. I began to hope. I finally reached the door. On the other side of the door was…a store…a huge store. Like Macy’s or Sears in a mall except this was the size of the mall. How am I ever going to find my way out of here?

“Well, your injuries must not be as bad as I thought if you could make it all the way out here.”

“What?”

“You weren’t trying to escape were you?”

“No, of course not.”

“Well, I was going to heal you, but if you’re capable of walking. I’m sure you’ll be just fine.”

“No, I think my leg’s broken. Please.”

“Why, so you can run away?”

“I can barely stand.”

“Barely, but you’re doing it. Come with me.”

I followed him, struggling along. Every step searing pain through my entire body. It didn’t occur to me until much later how readily I had just accepted the word healer. I guess I knew all along that this place was different. From the moment I woke up or perhaps even before, I knew in the deep recesses of my mind. The same part of the mind that believes in Santa Claus and aliens and knows that psychics are real. The part of the mind only children listen to because adults know better. Shows how much adults know. He led me to a changing room where he handed me some clothes.

After I had changed he led me back out into the store. We walked for what felt like miles, me struggling to keep up on my broken leg. Finally we stopped at a platform.

“Climb up. This is your pedestal.”

“My what?”

“The pedestal he promised you. This is it. What’s the other line he likes to use…taking your career to the next level? Well, this is also the next level. Not quite what you were expecting, is it? Well, nothing ever is. Climb up.”

Once I was up, he began explaining the rules. 1) Smile always 2) Don’t talk ever and 3) Don’t move without permission.

“Simple enough. If you break any of these rules from this moment on you will be punished. Got it?”

“Yes.”

He gave me a funny look, then reached out and punched my already broken leg. I dropped to my knees on the platform.

“Don’t talk. I said from this moment on. Got it.”

I nodded.

He hit my dislocated shoulder this time.

“Don’t move, and you’re not smiling.” He raised his hand menacingly.

I quickly smiled. It wasn’t a happy smile or a pretty smile, but it seemed to satisfy him. At least for now.

“Now stand up. After I position you, you hold that position. Or it’ll hurt worse than it does now.”

I didn’t move, I just stared at him and then let him move me to where he wanted. I held that position until he left. After I heard the door shut and the lock click, I slouched down on my pedestal. If he wasn’t going to get me some medical help or a healer, I would have to do something myself. I knew this was going to hurt long before I did it but I had to put my shoulder back in place. So I shut my eyes and quickly thrust myself against the side of the platform. It hurt so much I could barely see.

Once my vision came back I began to think about how I was going to fix my leg. I needed a splint or something, but there was nothing nearby except clothing. Maybe I could find something in a different department. I started to hobble. Eventually, I came to a sporting goods department, or at least something similar to a sporting goods department. Whatever it was didn’t matter, all I needed was something straight to hold the bones in place. I found the longest golf club I’ve ever seen. It was as tall as a normal person. I was able to bend it completely around my leg, so that it went under my foot and all the way up to my thighs and I found a 20 foot long jump rope to tie it on with. Once that was finished and felt pretty secure, I headed back to my pedestal. I was barely able to make it back without falling asleep. It had been such a long day. Has all this really only been one day? I finally made it back and immediately collapsed into a fitful sleep.

“Time to wake up.” He said as he tapped me on the head. I woke with a start. He was smiling at me, but it wasn’t reassuring.

“I told you not to move.” He’s holding a thin wooden stick. I remember my grandmother telling me stories about being spanked with a switch, which she always said was a small, whippy tree branch. That’s what his stick reminded me of. Then he hit me across the back with it.

“I’m sorry.” I called out.

“I told you not to speak.” He hit me again and again. I started to cry.

“You’re not smiling either.”

“How can I smile when you’re hitting me?” I cried back.

He continued hitting me and I continued crying. Maybe if I smile he’ll stop. I looked straight at him and smiled. He paused, and then continued hitting me. Why didn’t that work? It hurt…Why won’t he stop? What were the other rules…smile…don’t talk…what was the third rule…don’t something…don’t move. But I’m not moving, I’m just sitting here being hit with a switch…but I did move. I’m not where he put me last night. Slowly, fighting back the switch I started to stand shaking on my leg and almost falling over from the force of the blows. Then finally I was standing. As I took up the position he put me in last night and added the final smile, he stopped.

“Better. Next time I won’t be so easy on you. And don’t look so defiant, you’ll break. You all do.”

I hated him…But even more than I hated him. I hated the guy from last night. He tricked me into agreeing to come here with him. This wasn’t what I wanted. This wasn’t what I expected. I wanted to go home. Why? It’s not like I have a family or anything to go home to. Dad’s an alcoholic and mom has to work two full-time jobs to just to keep buying him beer. I don’t know why she puts up with it. I split the day of graduation. I knew where I wanted to go. Everyone was always telling me how gorgeous I was. I was going to be a supermodel. And I had done it, but at what cost. Who am I kidding? I hate myself. I hate my life. Right now, I hate everything and everyone.

Slowly, the days passed. I learned what to do to keep the Master happy, to keep him from beating me. Every morning the store would open and people would come. I say people, but none of them were human. They would come to browse and buy and stare. I hated the way they looked at me, like I wasn’t a real person. To them I really was just a mannequin. I might as well have been made of plastic.

I was feed once a day after the store closed and as soon as I was finished eating I would be sent to change and then back to be repositioned. It wasn’t the glamorous life I had imagined, but I had no one to blame but myself. I just had to be a model. I wonder if anyone even went looking for me. I doubt it. I was so horrible, to everyone…my parents...my friends…no, I never had any friends because I didn’t think anyone was good enough…pretty enough to be my friend. I was so shallow. I bet they were nice people. I could have at least been kind to them, but I was so bitter…so hateful. I thought the world owed me something. Well, apparently I owed the world and it has come to collect. If I ever get out…no…when I get out, I’m going to start being nice to people. And I’m never going to judge people just based on their looks again.

After awhile, the master didn’t come as frequently. Sometimes I would be left alone for days without being changed. I guess he’d gotten bored with his latest doll. I wouldn’t have minded being left alone, but if I didn’t get changed then I didn’t get fed. I could always get water from the bathroom sinks at night, but there wasn’t any food in the store. He always came back before I starved to death, but I always wondered how long it would be before he just forgot and let me die.

Time passed slowly and I could feel myself changing. I knew I wasn’t the same, my body was different. I felt like I was really becoming a mannequin starting from the outside and working in. Soon I would no longer even be human. My heart would turn and then what would I have. If I allowed it to progress that far, I would never be able to escape. I had to get out of here.

But more time passed and my memories began to fade. I knew that I was starting to forget things, but I couldn’t bring them back no matter how hard I tried. I wasn’t allowed to speak, so I just thought all day long. Things were getting confused. I couldn’t remember what was real and what was just in my head anymore.

Then, I heard it or actually, I didn’t hear it. The lock never clicked. Did he forget? Should I go check? But if he finds out that I’ve moved he’ll beat me again. He always beats me with a switch...I wonder why it's called that. Did he call it that? I can't remember...I have to get out of here. I was afraid, but I went anyway. I had to do something to get out of there.

I was right. The door was unlocked. I tentatively opened it and stuck my head out. After a quick look to make sure no one’s around, I walked out. I wanted to run, but I knew that would draw more attention to me than just walking. Everybody tries to stop the runner, but nobody bothers the casual walker. I hoped. Before I realized it, I was in the woods and still moving farther away. I couldn’t believe I’d made it out of the store…out of the city. Now I just need to get out of these woods and back to the real world. I knew I was just wandering aimlessly, but maybe I’d get lucky.