The immersion bath room had a deep purple door sitting in front of it. Alena stood next to Madison in front of it. She had followed her around a few weaving branched hallways before ending up in front of the door. There were four other doors with similar paint jobs on them in this hallway before it rounded the corner. Alena wondered how big the place must have actually been, it seemed small from the outside.

“Alright Alena. I have to ask again but would you like a bathing suit or not?” Madison said turning to face her.

Alena looked down at the smaller woman, her eyes shining brightly. She knew Madison’s answer to the question but didn’t think she felt that confident yet. “Um. You said it was dark in there right?”

Madison gripped the handle and opened it. She leaned against the door pushing it open. It seemed the door was weighted which was nice. Madison turned leaning against it. Light cascaded in through the doorway’s opening illuminating the interior. The room was painted a rich dark purple on the walls. Alena could barely make that out. The pool in the middle was smaller than she expected. It was a long and wide rectangle with a small web of lines floating just below the surface. On the side nearest to them, there was a single railing with a set of stairs leading into the water. The ceiling was painted black, small fiberoptic white lights like stars hanging from it. They reflected into the water casting little to no light in the darkness.

“There is a small light on the wall there that has a switch under it as well as at the foot of the pool.” Madison switched it. A small light at the bottom of the pool turning on flooding the water in soft golden light. “That is for you to undress and get in the water. Afterwards, you should turn it off until you are ready to get out.”

“So it really is dark dark in there huh?” Alena chuckled nervously.

“If you would like I can join you, even if you would wish me to sit along the wall. Or I can send you in the specialist if you would prefer. The entire experience is for you to relax and speak to your internal self so that you may be more open to allowing us to work on the external.”

“What would you recommend for me? I- You’re the expert here.” Alena toyed with one of the cords wrapped around the robe. Her fingers playing with the end of it, pushing it back and forth in her hand.

“Will you trust me with your mind and body Alena? To provide you the best experience and treatment that I can?” Madison looked up at Alena, her face cold and stoic. Creases formed at the edge of her lips as she pursed them tightly. Gone was the bubbly masseuse Alena had grown accustomed to. This was serious and left Alena a bit surprised.

It had been a moment since anyone had talked to Alena like this or looked at her with such caring regard. “I-“ Alena hesitated. She didn’t know if this was a test or a huge risk. “Yes…” She didn’t know why her breath came out so heavy with the words or why she felt so vulnerable with the smaller woman or why she felt so comfortable with her.

“Then Alena.” Madison leaned in, keeping the door trapped with her foot. “I want you to go in there, undress, hang up your robe. Get in the pool and relax. When you feel ready, climb up onto the net. When you hear me knock three times on the door, turn on the light, emerge from the pool, use the towel that will be over your robe, redress yourself in the robe, and come out here. I will be waiting for you. If at any point you need me, just scream my name and I will come running.”

Alena looked down at Madison, surprised at the professionalism shift. Her jaw hung open slightly and she nodded. Madison slowly pushed her jaw back closed and held the door open for her. “Please enjoy yourself Alena. And thank you.” Alena stepped inside, pausing to look back at Madison shutting the door. It closed with a soft click leaving Alena alone in the darkness.

Alena stood there in the darkness alone. Waiting to see if anything else would happen. She shrugged and slowly stripped off the robe, hanging it on the hook. The air in the room was a bit colder than she expected. It tickled her bare skin. Slowly, she made her way over to the pool. She gripped the railing and stepped her first foot into the pool. The water was warm, a nice change from the cold air. She stepped into it with both feet, making her way down the steps.

Alena turned around hitting the button gently. Immediately the room grew dark. The only light was the brief pin pricks of light glowing on the ceiling. They reflected in the water, only shifting slightly whenever she moved. She slowly waded further into the pool. The water only came up to just below her breasts. They floated a bit on the water. She pushed forward stopping when she felt the net just against her forearm. Carefully she lifted herself up and onto it. Alena was happy to learn that it wasn’t very deep and supported her well. She lay back onto it, head resting just on the edge of the water, her ears just dipping into the edge of the water. It seemed to be deeper in the center and more shallow on the edges. This place really had thought of everything.

Alena lay there, arms floating on the net. It was nice. Peaceful. She was actually enjoying the time to look up at the ceiling. It reminded her of looking up at the stars when she was younger. There was a soft melody playing in the air. It was a low hum that was really soothing. Alena was content to just lay there and let her thoughts wander.

“This really is relaxing.” She whispered closing her eyes for a second.

“Yeah it is.”

Alena jumped, the water bouncing wildly as the net shifted. She spun looking around the room. “Who’s there?” She spun around in the darkness but couldn’t see anyone else. She couldn’t see much of anything.

“It’s me. Or you. Or rather us?”

The voice was confused. Alena was more confused. The voice sounded like hers. She carefully climbed up towards the edge of the pool, crawling along it towards the button was.

“So we’re going to sleep with Madison right?”

Alena’s fingertips stopped on the edge of the button. She froze hesitating. She could just turn on the light, but how could anyone else know just what she was thinking about a moment ago.

“Oh please. If we were going to sleep with a girl we would have done it long ago. We only like guys. We should just go back home and apologize and forget this place.”

Alena turned around. There was another voice now, similar but meaner. It was as if it was saying the things she had been saying for years to herself to keep her from breaking up with her boyfriend sooner. There were other things, but she didn’t say them out loud.

“No you only think them. About how it took you twenty three years to find someone and how nobody else would ever like you.”

Alena crossed her hands over her chest confused. What was happening right now. She knew she was alone. That there was nobody else. But then why did it feel like she wasn’t.

“Because you need to work through these things and the longer you don’t talk about it-“ the first voice said cross with her.

“The more miserable we end up. But then again we like being miserable don’t we?” The second voice chimed in.

“Please stop. I just wanted to relax.” Alena mumbled and closed her eyes tightly.

She could feel a pair of cold hands run up her shoulders gripping them tightly. She knew it was just in her head, but everything felt so real. “Then admit it. Just leave here and be miserable. Or would you rather stay?”

Alena shook her head and pushed out of the phantom grip diving under the water. She knew that it was just her own head messing with her. She knew what was going through her mind right now was just being projected outward. None of this was real, it was just herself using it as a tool to make her think it was.

“What are you so afraid of?”

“I’m afr-“ The water rushed into Alena’s mouth. She gasped pushing herself out of the water coughing. She spun wildly in the water for help gasping, coughing wildly.

Slowly her breath came back in low, steady pulses. The water slowed down to a low bounce around her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, resting her hands on top of the water. “I’m not afraid. I just don’t want to be bad. I just want to be happy.” She felt the water start to come to a still around her, her body at perfect peace with the water’s flow. “I shouldn’t be so worried should I? I should just let myself relax and enjoy this place shouldn’t I?”

No voices responded in the darkness. Alena opened her eyes and found herself staring up at the ceiling of stars hanging above her head. The water ebbed and flowed as the net bounced lightly under her with each breath. She glanced around the room, it was still completely empty except for her. Alena sighed and closed her eyes leaning back against the net.

There was a soft knock on the door that rasped three times against it. Alena lay there for a second longer before slowly sliding herself back into the water. She let herself drop under the waves, letting the water wash over her for a moment. Slowly she began to work her way around the pool, her hands sliding until she found the button. She pressed it, the room immediately being illuminated by the cascading glow of the water reflecting on the walls and ceiling.

She slowly emerged grabbing the towel that was set out for her. She began to dry herself off, looking back at the glowing pool. Was any of it real or had it all been in her head. Alena sighed and took a deep breath, grabbing the robe. She slipped it back on, raising the front of it to her nose and inhaling deeply. The floral scent was powerful and when she exhaled she felt herself drift into the smell a bit.

Alena lowered the robe and tied it, looser this time, still managing to keep herself covered. Carefully she reached over and turned off the light, feeling around the wall until she found the door handle. She gripped it and turned, pulling. The door budged slightly but not much.

Madison quickly rushed to it from the other side pushing it open with her foot and shoulder. She opened the door and Alena quickly stepped out into the hallway. “That door is so heavy. How are you so strong?”

Madison laughed letting the door close slowly. “I work out.”

Alena let her eyes linger on Madison’s arms a bit longer than she intended to. “You don’t look it.”

Madison walked over and took Alena’s hands. “I don’t look like a lot of things.” She ran her thumbs over Alena’s skin pushing the little bit of water as she did. “But enough about me. How are you doing? How was your experience in there over the last hour?”

Alena coughed in surprise. She had been in there for an hour? “It was, enlightening. It only felt as though it was maybe fifteen minutes though. How could it have been an hour?”

“Time moves differently in there for everyone.” Madison released Alena’s hands and turned around. “So what I’d like to do next for you would be a light massage by yours truly just to loosen you up before giving you a little water and bathroom break. After that I’m thinking a full body rejuvenation treatment with one of our experts, a quick sauna trip, and then I’ll show you to your room for the night and bring you up dinner. Does that sound good to you?”

Alena nodded only half listening. Her eyes were staring at Madison’s lips. She found herself thinking about how soft they would be to kiss. She never used to be this forward thinking, usually keeping these thoughts reserved.

“Alena?” Madison asked pursing her lips together.

Alena blinked and shook her head in surprise. “Oh. Ummm. Yeah… Whatever you want sounds great. I trust you.”

Madison smiled brightly, a shine in her eyes. “Perfect. Then come with me and I’ll show you to my personal massage room.” Madison began to lead the way. Alena followed behind her but could swear that the smaller girl was putting a bit of an extra sway in her hips this time around.