Branded
Chapter 1
Ashley must have died last night. There was no other reasonable explanation for the fire inside her head or the nausea that she felt throughout her body. Damn, she thought, I need to stop drinking. At all. That’s it, I’m swearing off alcohol for good. Even then, she half-knew she was kidding herself.
Through a herculean effort, Ashley began to sit up. As she did, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach that she had never felt with a hangover before. She looked down to her stomach, and saw some very irritated skin. In the middle of that patch of skin, a few inches below her belly button, there was a tattoo. FUCK! I got a tattoo last night!? That might have been quite the night… she thought as she rushed out of bed, all hangover symptoms temporarily overwritten by her panic. She rushed into her bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror.
Sure enough, she had a brand new tattoo. Ashley gingerly reached out to touch the tattoo and felt a sting on her stomach wherever she tried to touch it. She had never gotten a tattoo, so she just assumed that this was how new tattoos normally felt. Ignoring the pain, she lathered her hands and rubbed the tattoo in the hope that it was just temporary. The cold water felt good on her stomach, but her hope was in vain; it was real. She had a look at it. This was a simple tattoo of a grey padlock in a locked position. The detail of the padlock was exquisite. It looked like it would require a key to unlock. She had absolutely no idea why she had chosen something as mediocre as a padlock on her lower stomach. If I was going to get a tattoo, at least I should have made it tasteful and cool! Ashley was not opposed to tattoos, she had just never felt the need for anything in particular.
She felt a pang in her head, reminding her that she still had a bitch of a hangover. She quickly chugged a few cups of cold water with some Advil and splashed some water on her face. That helped a bit. She headed back to her bedroom to grab a towel and hop into the shower. She was so distracted by her hangover and new tattoo that she never noticed that she had woken up naked, something quite out of character for her.
While Ashley was in the shower, she had some time to think. She thought back to the night before. It was Friday night and she had gone out with her friends to a quiet bar. She didn’t like clubs and she didn’t really care for getting hit on constantly, so she hadn’t dressed up. It was her, Jen, Sasha and Anna. She remembered getting to the bar and seeing the Knicks on the TV. All of them loved basketball, so they sat and watched for a bit. Ashley knew what to do with blackouts, this was not the first time she had blacked out. She tried to remember if the Knicks won so she could get some bearing on her memory, but she couldn’t. So she must have blacked out at the bar. She remembered having her first martini, but nothing after that. That’s odd, she thought, usually I don’t black out until after about five drinks.
After drying herself off and getting dressed in a nice blouse and jeans, Ashley checked her phone. A glance at her bank account saw that she had racked up a $50 charge at the bar. Some quick mental math told her that she had had six martinis, which was as many as she had had in a few years. No wonder I blacked out. There was also a $120 ATM withdrawal from an ATM that was owned by her bank. Jackpot. If she could figure out which ATM she went to, maybe she could figure out where she went to get the tattoo, which could tell her why she chose the tattoo that she did. She dialed up the bank’s customer service line, but was disappointed to learn that it was only open during business hours. She would have to try again on Monday. Maybe Jen can help. She sent off a quick text to Jen, asking her to meet for lunch at their favorite taco restaurant. Jen answered back almost immediately. “I’m glad you’re okay! What happened to you last night? I’d love to meet! 11:30?” Ashley glanced at the time. 10:30. She decided to start getting ready for the day.
A half hour later, she called an Uber and left her apartment. She still felt like shit, but things were improving. She wasn’t 18 anymore, but at 25, she still had plenty of fight left in her when it came to recovering from hangovers. On her way out the door, she ran into her neighbor, Alan.
“Ashley, hey! It’s good to see you on your feet. You looked like you were ready to fall over last night,” he said.
He saw me last night. Maybe he has some answers. “Dude, nice to see you too! I don’t remember a damn thing from last night. I’m trying to piece it back together. Was there anything odd?”
“Besides you being blacked out? Not really.” He responded, after some time thinking.
“Was I… with anybody? Do you have any idea how I got home?”
“Um… no, you were alone. I don’t know how you got home, I assume you took an Uber. Watch out, those things can be dangerous when you’re blackout drunk.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate you looking out. I’m off to lunch, I’ll catch you later!”
“See you! Feel better!”
On the elevator, she thought about Alan. He was in his late 20’s. He was a pretty average looking guy. A software engineer if she recalled correctly. He was really nice, and she was pretty sure that he had a crush on her. They never really showed any chemistry, though, so she was pretty sure that his attraction was purely physical. Still, though, friendly neighbors are always a positive. Plus, as soon as he had told her to feel better, she had instantly felt a huge portion of her hangover lift from her. Nice people always bring up your mood.
When Ashley arrived at the restaurant, she saw that it was pretty packed. Every table was taken. She walked by the host stand and nodded at the host, then looked around the dining room looking for Jen. Jen wasn’t there, so Ashley went back to the host stand and tried to put down their names.
“Great! I’ve got you down for two. Take this buzzer. Order a drink at the bar and make yourself comfortable.”
Ashley had absolutely no intention of drinking after last night, but she found herself wandering over to the bar to order anyways. When she got there, she tried to squeeze between a pair of guys eating there. She could smell the alcohol on both of them. They had obviously gotten started early today.
“Hey, girl! You’re hot, let me buy you a drink,” said one of them as he looked her over.
Perv, she thought, and not even the hot kind. “Okay,” she responded instantaneously without thinking.
“Really? Hell, yeah!” He responded, followed quickly by snapping his fingers aggressively at the bartender.
Wait, why did I say yes? There is no way in hell I would want anything to do with this creep. He’s rude to me, he’s rude to bartenders, he’s drunk at 11:30… I have to get out of this.
The bartender came over and the creep ordered a margarita for Ashley. She smiled weakly while trying like hell to figure out why she didn’t just walk away. The bartender came back with her drink as the creep started to chat her up. It was pretty boring stuff; despite his bravado he was actually pretty lame. He was between jobs (Ashley figured he could never hold one down) and between girlfriends. He was in a band. Ashley internally rolled her eyes when he said that. His name was Chad, because of course it was.
After a few minutes, she heard someone yell “Ashley!” from across the restaurant. She looked up and saw Jen. Thank God, she thought. She turned to Chad and said “My friend’s here, I have to go. Thanks for the drink.”
“Before you leave, lemme have them digits,” he responded in the most chauvinistic way she could imagine.
As if, she thought as she grabbed a napkin and wrote her phone number down. As she walked away, she realized what she had done. The fuck? Why didn’t I just say no?
She got to Jen and hugged her. “Who was that?” asked Jen.
“Just some guy giving out free drinks,” Ashley replied, too embarrassed to tell Jen that she was just being too polite to say no (she figured).
“Okay, cool,” said Jen as she gave Chad a once-over. Ashley knew Jen very well, and she could practically see the thought bubble above her head. Jen was thinking that this dude was was beneath her, and Ashley was having trouble disagreeing. It lasted for just a moment as Jen moved on. “So, last night. Where the hell did you get off to?”
“I wish I knew. That’s part of the reason I needed to talk to you. I don’t—” Ashley was interrupted by her buzzer going off. They headed over to the host stand and took a table.
After they took their seat, Ashley took a sip of the margarita that the creep had bought for her. Jen noticed and commented on it. “I can’t believe you can drink after last night… you got super wasted. I don’t think I could.”
“Well, it was free so I figured why not,” Ashley answered. “But anyways. I can’t remember anything after my first drink… that never happens. I’m trying to piece everything back together.”
“Hmm… that is weird. Well, here’s what I remember: I can’t help too much, I left after the Knicks lost. You sticked around, though. You were chatting with Jim.” Jim was the bartender. They had known him for years, and had even attended a few Knicks games with him.
Their server came over and introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Layla. Can I get you two started with something to drink. Try the top shelf margaritas, they’re out of this world.”
Ashley was already feeling a bit buzzed from her margarita, and after last night, she knew she needed to stop. She didn’t even want another one. “That sounds great, I’ll take one,” she answered, then stopped herself. What is with me today? I haven’t said no to anybody all day!
Jen noticed. “Dude, I say this as your friend. Are you sure another one is a good idea?”
Panic rose in Ashley’s gut. “No, it’s a terrible idea! I’m still hungover from last night and I need to figure out what happened, not get drunk again!”
“So… is that a no?” Asked Layla.
“I’ll definitely take one,” responded Ashley without meaning to. Layla walked away with their drink order.
Jen had a concerned look in her eyes. “Okay, what the hell? You let sleazeball McGee buy you a drink, you even gave him your number, don’t think I didn’t notice, and then you let her her sell you on another drink, even though you know it’s a bad idea. Give me the truth. What is going on?”
Ashley was still panicking. I need to figure out what the hell is going on, but there is no way I’m telling Jen that I just can’t say no to anybody. I’ll just tell her some sort of lie. “I did all of those things because they told me to. I can’t seem to tell anybody no today. It’s like whenever somebody tells me to do something, I just… do it. I even think really hard and try really hard not to do some things, but I can’t stop myself.” Dammit! But she told me to tell the truth, so I did. Ashley began to realize that this was the truth, but she couldn’t figure out why or how.
“Bullshit. There’s got to be something else going on. Raise your right arm,” responded Jen, testing her.
Ashley decided to steel herself and fight as hard as she could. Her right arm started moving up, and despite her best efforts, it continued. Ashley took her left arm and tried to push her right arm back down, but she couldn’t touch her right arm. Before she knew it, she was raising her right arm as high as it would go.
“That’s quite an act, but I still don’t believe you. This is a prank you’re playing, or you’ve lost a bet, or something. Let’s go for something that you would never do, not in a million years… I know! Take off your shirt!”
Ashley glared daggers at Jen and whispered “This isn’t bullshit! I’m doing everything I can to stop myself! Please… don’t make me do this…” As she whispered her plea, her hands migrated to her waist. With every fiber of her being, Ashley tried to will her hands to stop, but they grabbed onto her shirt. “Jen… Please…” Her hands raised slowly over her torso, and her shirt with them. Jen just stared at her as her hands made their way over her breasts, then her neck. Jen said nothing. Ashley removed her entire shirt and dropped it on the floor. In broad daylight. In public. Neither of them could believe it. Ashley turned beet red as she realized fifty people were staring at her in her cream-colored bra. She saw the manager start to walk over to her table. She wanted to cry. The manager got to her table and said “Ma’am, please leave this restaurant now, and never come back.” Ashley realized she had to do what the manager said, and walked out of the restaurant immediately, leaving her bag and her shirt behind. She ran as far away as she could, hoping to get away.
Ashley was in full panic mode as she crossed the street. She gave no thought to where she was going, what she would do, or really anything else past getting as far away from that restaurant as possible. She didn’t even notice the traffic she ran into. A driver honked at her and yelled “Get out of the street!” She crossed the street as fast as she could. After a few blocks, she stopped to gather herself. She was on a busy street corner, and everybody was staring at her. She still wasn’t wearing a shirt.
A guy approached her. Shit, she thought, I’m in the middle of the city, shirtless, and I’m going to have to do whatever this guy says. “Damn, girl, that’s quite the show you’re putting on. Let’s see the rest of it!”
Crap, an order. I need to figure out a way out of this before I’m arrested for giving out topless blowjobs in public, she thought as her hands went behind her to her bra clasp. In a moment of inspiration, she decided to make a deal. “I’ll show you anything you want if you call me an Uber to wherever I want to go,” she replied as her bra fell to the ground. If he says no, there’s nothing I can do… but he doesn’t know that.
“Damn, you’re a freak! Sweet! I’ll need more than a show, though. How about a blowjob, then we’ll talk.”
Ashley was a little surprised when she didn’t immediately fall to her knees. Of course, she thought, that wasn’t an order, just a suggestion. I can avoid this! What’s the best case scenario, though? If I can get home, I can avoid people until I can figure this out. The longer I stay out, the more bad things can happen. “Fine… in the alleyway. And you call the Uber now.”
“Done!” This guy couldn’t believe his luck as he pulled out his phone and called the Uber. Ashley grabbed him by the hand and led him around the corner. She dropped to her knees and started to unbuckle his belt. This was far from her first blowjob, but this was certainly the first time blowing a stranger, topless, in a back alley, in exchange for something.
He was already rock hard. She figured he wouldn’t last long, which was perfect. She methodically put his dick in her mouth and got to work. Unfortunately, he didn’t care for methodical. “Come on, girl, get into it! Enjoy this!” Fuck. Orders. She felt her entire attitude change instantaneously, and she started making noise. She started switching between sucking his balls and licking his shaft. He hadn’t showered recently. It was disgusting. But… she enjoyed it. He had ordered her to. She could feel herself getting a little wet as the blowjob went on.
She was right, he didn’t last long. After no more than two minutes, he pulled his dick out of her mouth and let loose on her face. After he was done, he looked down at her. “All right! Hell yeah! Leave that on your face. Your Uber’s here.” Fuck, another order. I just had to come across the biggest pervs in the city today, didn’t I?
Ashley stood up and walked toward the Uber on the side of the road. She was topless, her hair was disheveled, and she had fresh cum on her face, and she couldn’t do anything about any of that. She was humiliated, and even though her walk of shame was only 30 feet, it felt like miles. She got into her Uber.
Her driver was a guy in his 20’s. Fuck. She hoped that she could talk her way around any direct orders. He was shocked when she hopped in, and she couldn’t blame him. “Uber f…” he began to ask as he noticed the state she was in.
“Don’t ask… it’s been a long day,” She responded as she covered up her chest, hoping against hope that he was a gentleman.
She got lucky this time. He averted his eyes as he gathered himself. “Um, wh… where to?” She gave him her address. The ride was thankfully quiet. He sneaked a few glances at her, but she didn’t mind. This could have been a lot worse.
She made it back to her apartment without any further trouble. Fortunately, she kept a spare key hidden. The first thing she did was send a Facebook message to Jen letting her know that she was back home safe, and asked Jen to bring her stuff by. After that, she laid down on her bed and just went numb for a few minutes.
After coming to terms with the last few hours, she started to pull herself together, then got to thinking. What the hell just happened? Why did it happen? Why today? As these thoughts rolled around her head, she decided to test the rules and figure out how to handle her new condition (Condition? Is that the right word?). She went to the bathroom and started brushing her hair. She tried to wash her face, but found that she couldn’t. The guy had told her to leave the cum on her face, and he hadn’t said how long. She looked in the mirror. “Raise your right arm,” she ordered herself. Nothing happened. Damn, that would have been a nice loophole. Only other people’s orders work. She looked down to her stomach and saw her brand new tattoo. Of course, the damn tattoo! I don’t know why I didn’t think of that earlier! I got the tattoo last night, and now suddenly I’m locked in to following every order given to me. Locked in… maybe that’s why the tattoo is of a padlock. I need to figure out where I got this tattoo from.
She still only had one lead to figure out where the tattoo was from: her ATM withdrawal. She was stuck until Monday. She resigned herself to staying in her apartment for the rest of the weekend when she heard a knock on the front door. “Ashley, it’s me. Are you in there?” It was Jen. At least she would get her stuff back, and a friend who she could trust.
Ashley opened the door and let Jen in. “Dude! Put a shirt on!” Ashley realized that she hadn’t put anything else on since she got home. She blushed and then followed Jen’s order. “Sorry… I went through some terrible shit after the restaurant.” Ashley broke down and told Jen everything. By the end, she was sobbing and Jen was holding her.
“So the guy told you to leave his cum on his face? Well… don’t. Wash your face right now,” Jen said. Ashley got up automatically and went to the bathroom. She gratefully washed her face. Orders can override each other… good to know.
Ashley got back from the bathroom and they sat silently for a few minutes. Suddenly, Jen sat forward and said “I’ll call Jim! Maybe he’ll know more, maybe you can figure out where you got that tattoo.” Jen pulled out her phone and dialed.
“Jim, hey! I’m trying to work last night back together. Do you remember Ashley saying anything about getting a tattoo? Yeah? Mhm. Cool! Yeah, we’ll be by later this week probably. Go Knicks!” Jen hung up.
Jen looked at Ashley. “You asked Jim about it. He recommended a place called Magic Ink Tattoo. There’s a good chance you went there.”
Ashley quickly took out her phone and googled it. She found a few parlors with similar names, but she didn’t find the right one at first. She noticed one called MagickInk, and thought that had to be it. It was only a few blocks away! They had a lead! Ashley started to grab her coat when Jen stopped her. “Hold up a sec, you can’t go out in public. Terrible things could happen.”
Jen was right. Ashley had to get to that tattoo parlor, but she really couldn’t go out in public. “Earbuds! I’ll just listen to music really loudly! I can’t follow orders if I never hear them!” She rummaged through her bag until she found them. She plugged them into her phone and started playing some music. “Order me to do something!”
Jen nodded and said something out loud. Ashley didn’t hear her and didn’t do anything. Jen gave her a thumbs up and motioned for her to remove her earbuds. “That worked! You can go outside!”
A few minutes later, they were outside the tattoo parlor. Ashley looked up at the sign. “MagickInk Tattoo: Unleash the Magick.” What a crappy slogan.
They opened the front door and walked inside.