As the invisible strings pulled more and more, I felt the pleasure erupt all over my skin. My mind suddenly went back to a fuzzy memory of something that might have happened earlier that day. Was this what Zelvida felt? Was this part of the trick I saw? 
 
Or was this some nightmare?
 
I was so confused. The feelings were so pleasant that I almost gave in. But a part of my mind was trying to tell me something. Something important… Why was I dreaming about this? This was just too weird. I had to wake up.
 
Something in my brain was telling me to wake the fuck up!
 
If I felt pleasure… I would certainly feel pain…
 
I bit down on my lower lip and it hurt like hell! I closed my eyes and for a brief moment, I imagined I was like Dorothy in the wizard of Oz. 'There is no place like home!' I thought as I bit down harder.
 
The feelings faded and darkness enveloped me. The floor beneath my feet suddenly disappeared and I fell…
 
I sat up straight in my bed, breathing hard! I looked around and I was in my bedroom, wearing my pajamas. Everything was silent… I was safe. I wasn’t on some weird stage. 
 
Well that was intense…
 
I laid back down and tried to catch my breath. What a weird dream… It felt so… Real… I decided to get up and pour myself a glass of water. My throat was dry. As I licked my dry lips before I took a sip, I noticed that my lower lip was sore. Well fuck… I had bitten my lip for real! 
 
I drank and tried to put the dream out of my mind. I finally managed to calm myself enough to get back to sleep. I woke up the next morning thankful that the rest of my night wasn't as strange. In fact, as I went to get groceries, I had almost forgotten the dream all together.
 
On Monday, I went to work and I wasn't even thinking about the whole marionette thing until I saw Zelvida in the break room, drinking her coffee. Why did I have so much trouble remembering things? 
 
"So…" Zelvida said as she took a sip. "Think the boss will be late again today?"
 
I looked back at her and she was calmly reading the news paper. Like it was just another boring Monday.
 
"Probably…" I said as I poured myself a cup.
 
"That's the boss for you…" she said as she took another sip. "And it's ok to ask you know."
 
"What?" I asked, suddenly embarrassed.
 
"You know…" she said as she continued to read her paper. "About me and the boss…"
 
"Wh…" I stuttered. "What about it?"
 
"I know you saw us the other day." she said with a smile.
 
"I… huh… I mean… I didn't mean too…"
 
"Stop it!" she said playfully as she put the paper down and looked at me. "It's perfectly fine if you like to watch. I know he likes it…"
 
My face must have gone 28 shades of red. I felt like my skin was burning with embarrassment!
 
"Hahahaha!" she laughed. "Don't worry about it. He doesn't know you saw us. He was otherwise… Occupied…" she said as she bit her lower lip.
 
A million questions swam in my mind. But did I dare ask her any? She just said it was ok to ask…
 
"So… huh…" I said as I sat down, fidgeting with my coffee cup. "You guys are intimate?"
 
"You can say that again."
 
"Are you guys going out?"
 
"Heavens no! He doesn't want or need a girlfriend. He's just content with fucking all his fans. Which includes me! I'm telling you… I've never been fucked so good!"
 
"hahahha…" I laughed nervously. "So… You both just like to fuck each other?"
 
"Exactly! As simple as that!"
 
I smiled and looked at her. She was a vision of pure sex appeal. What man wouldn't want to fuck her. 
 
"So you've been… Intimate… For a long while?"
 
"Hhmmm…" she said trying to think. "You know what… I'm not exactly sure…"
 
"What? How can you NOT remember that?"
 
"I just… Don't recall…" she said. "But it doesn't matter! Now I am and I couldn't be happier!"
 
Well that was strange…
 
"I have to ask… Do you guys really… You know… Do it every day? I just ask because I noticed that you both seem to disappear for breaks…"
 
"Sure we do! He can't keep his hands off me."
 
"Really…" I said. "What about you?" I asked with a smile.
 
"Me? Oh I can't either…" she said before pausing. "Literally…"
 
"I see…" I said. But in my mind, I found it odd that she would add that remark.
 
"I just get all wet when I know he wants me. So much lust… My resolve just crumbles into dust!" she said with a big smile.
 
“I see…”
 
“I guess he is just too charismatic for me to resist him.”
 
Another strange way to put it…
 
We moved on from the conversation and talked about the tricks we were supposed to practice later today and it got all technical. We were in the middle of listing what props we needed for the day when she suddenly lifted her head up. It was kind of odd, her back went all straight and rigid.
 
And did I dream it? Or did her eyes glow for a split second.
 
She shook her head and smiled.
 
"Well… Got to go…" she said as she licked her lips. "You just finish this list and start gathering all the equipment for today’s practice.”
 
"Ok…" I said as I watched her get up and almost rush out of the break room. 
 
What was that all about?
 
Choice 8
 
A- Anna finishes her list and starts to gather the equipment.
B- Anna lets her curiosity win and tries to follow Zelvida discreetly.
C- Anna finishes the list, but instead of getting the equipment, she investigates the theater.