I hit the brakes and brought my car to an abrupt halt. A gate loomed before me, its cold steel reflecting with a foreboding glint in the moonlight. It was shut and blocking the road, the entrance to Celerity manor, or rather, the gate entrance to the massive crop of land the wealthy Celerity family owned. Rolling back my shoulders, I found myself adjusting my blue shirt and tie, a defence mechanism of mine. Always helped with nerves. I’d ought to have put more work into my presentation. Then I wouldn’t feel so nervous about being moments away from meeting one of the richest families in the world. Honestly, my black hair was matted with curls and my so called ‘beard’ was nothing more than an unkept mess of stubble. At least I still had the vigour of youth at my side, still being in my early twenties.
Anyway…
The Celerity’s, right, one of the richest family names in the world. From what I’d seen on the news, they were the head of an international bioengineering company. The technology their group developed had been responsible for massive medical advancements. Serious illnesses such as heart disease, Alzheimers and even cancer had started becoming a whole lot less serious since their gene treatments were unveiled to the world. And their DNA manipulation therapy could supposedly combat aging. No wonder they made billions. They even made gender switching possible right down to the chromosomes. The heroes of medicine, much of the world called them.
So, you might wonder what I, a private investigator, would be doing here? Well, I was wondering the same thing as I pulled my phone out from my shirt pocket. The message I’d received was still onscreen.
Nick,
Been getting a lot of wired rumours surrounding the Celerity family. Apparently, people have been disappearing, being allowed to visit their manor house only to never be seen again. Might be worth investigating?
The message had been sent by Tony, a friend of mine. A trusted tip-off. He had damn good instincts. If there was trouble brewing somewhere, you could count on him to see it coming. He’d pointed me towards good cases more than a couple of times. Now he seemed set on these rumours concerning the Celerity family. I’d heard them a few times, the speculation that the family were luring people into their home to kidnap and turn them into subjects for experimentation. Typical PR shit as far as I cared. But if Tony had his suspicions, then well, chances were that there might be more to these rumours than I originally thought. That and because I’d bet Tony a hundred quid that I wouldn’t even get past the gate.
So, first stage of my investigation would be simple. Drive up to the gates, buzz in on the intercom and ask if I’d be let inside. The rumours suggested that, if you declared yourself a fan of the family’s work, they’d let you in. Rolling down the door window, I leaned out and pressed a button on a two-way speaker I’d pulled up alongside. The machine rang like a door bell then went silent. I rolled back my shoulders as I waited.
“Hello?” chirped a young woman’s voice.
“Hi, um, I don’t really have an appointment or anything—”
“Oh, a visitor!” The voice chimed in, cutting me off. “My lady will be delighted! Please, do come in.”
The call dropped and there was a buzz. The gates shrilled and creaked as they slid open, inviting entry. My jaw dropped open. Needless to say, I was shell shocked by how easy that was. I rolled my shoulders back and found a crease to straightened out on my neck tie. “Shit,” I said to myself, realizing that I now owed Tony money. Sighing, I drove my car through the open gates and began following the winding road towards Celerity manor.
And so began part two of my investigation, which I didn’t think I’d actually end up doing: investigate the manor itself.
As I drove, I brought the microphone of my cell up to my mouth. “Call Tony,” I said.
The phone rang for a moment, then: “Nick?” Came Tony’s voice.
“I got your text, and you’re not going to believe where I am.”
“Holy shit, Nick! Did they actually let you in?”
“Yeah, insane right? Listen, we never did shake on that bet right?”
“Hey, a bets a bet my friend.”
“Fuck. Fine”
“Did they take much convincing?”
“No, I didn’t even really have to say anything. The person on the intercom was all like ‘please, do come in’ like it was the most natural thing in the fucking world.”
“No kidding? Are there other people going in?”
I checked the rear-view mirrors and could make out the gates closing in the distance. “Nobody,” I said, looking back at the empty road. “You’d think a family this famous and this welcoming to visitors would have thousands of people lining up to enter.”
Tony hummed to himself before answering. “Mabey all the negative rumours about people disappearing are keeping visitors away. Mabey the family fabricated the rumours as a way to keep out trespassers?”
“Then why would they let me in?”
“Now that’s the million-dolour question. Or should I say, one hundred-pound question, hey? Call me back if you find out the answer.”
“Sure thing,” I said as Tony hung up the call. I placed the phone back in the chest pocket of my shirt and rolled my shoulders back.
The road went up a gentle slope, leading towards a massive building in the middle of an immaculately well-kept field. It was a serval story high behemoth built mostly from red brick. It had a flat roof with lots of old fashioned chammies, some of which were bellowing smoke. It was a goliath of a house to behold, intimidating almost. I found himself rolling back my shoulders again. As I drove closer, the building seemed to keep growing larger. And as its gothic architecture and the stained décor of its windows came into focus, I wondered if maybe this was the beginning of a poor cliched horror film I was driving towards. The road curved around in front of the manor, were a brick path lead up to a pair of massive wooden doors.
I brought the car to a stop, killed the engine and pulled my keys from the ignition. I opened the door and stepped out onto the path, then hesitated a moment. The shadow of the giant manor loomed over me. Rolling back my shoulders, I took a step forward.
Then came the distinctive clunk of cumbersome hinges as the great wooden doors of the manor opened without warning. I took a step back. There was now a girl in a maid uniform standing in the middle of the doorway. Her blond hair was tied into a formal bob by a bow and a pair of narrow steel rimmed glasses rested on her nose. Unmoving, she remained as still as a percaline doll with her hands held in front of her.
“Welcome,” she smiled, her voice as cheerful as the girl I had heard on the intercom. “Will you be coming in?” She tilted her head to onside. “We are more than happy to receive you.”
“R-right,” I said, mustering my nerves. I walked forwards and approached the girl.
“Have you come with any luggage?” The girl beamed. “I’d be happy to take it in for you.”
“N-no, I didn’t bring anything with me,” I said, feeling my first tingle of suspicion. How long were they expecting this ‘visit’ to last?
“Very good.” The girl nodded. “Then would you be so kind as to follow me?” The girl said as she turned on her heel and headed back into the manor.
“Right,” I muttered, following in after her. The doors closed on their own, shutting us in with a clunk.
Looking around, I found myself in what I could have only described as the most impressive home interior I’d ever seen. There was a floor made of marble with walls plastered with navy velvet. There were several corridors leading off in different directions and two polished wood staircases leading to a second floor. I looked up and the chandeliers which hung above me were made of crystal, illuminating the space.
“My name is Lucy,” the girl said as she walked. “I am a servant of this manor and its lady. May I ask what your name is?”
“Nick,” I said.
“Very good to meet you Nick,” Lucy giggled. “Very good indeed.”
Rolling back my shoulders, I followed the servant called Lucy. Her attire certainly fitted the bill of a maid. It’s dark blue fabric clung to her form tightly around her waist but loosely around her shoulders. The skirt was a short one, falling just above the knees. Black stockings concealed the flesh of her legs and a small white maid apron was strung around her waist, tied up with a large ribbon that adored her back. As she walked, her red heels tocked against the marble floor.
“Where are we going?” I asked as we turned a corner. The corridors were massive, almost seeming to go on and on without end. It would be almost too easy to get lost.
“We go to my lady’s chambers.” Lucy said without looking back at me. “I’m sure she will be most delighted to meet you.”
“And Why would that be exactly?”
As if dazed by the question, Lucy came to a stiff and sudden halt. “Because she enjoys the company of others, of course.” She glanced back at me. “I do as well. Don’t you?”
“Well, yes but—”
“But what?” Lucy cut in, turning around to face Me.
“Isn’t this all a little strange?” I thought best to ask. Sometimes it was best to be direct. “I’m a complete stranger. You didn’t even know my name five minutes ago.”
“And you didn’t know mine,” Lucy smiled. “I’m as much a stranger to you as you are to me. Yet still, you decided to follow me at my request.”
“Well, I guess that’s true,” I said, rolling back my shoulders. “Was that a mistake?”
Lucy, head tilted to the side, closed what gap there was between us. She was fast, completing this approach of hers in what seemed like a single step. It took me off guard. There were mere centimetres between us now. Rolling my shoulders, I couldn’t help but now notice her ‘womanly assets.’ That maid uniform did look rather snug, especially around the chest area…
“Why so tense?,” she said. “Are there, perhaps, unsanitary thoughts on your mind when you look at me?”
“W-what?” Again I was taken off guard.
“I don’t mind,” Lucy giggled and adjusting the way her glasses sat on her noise. “As I said, I enjoy the company of others.”
I was starting to think coming here might have been a mistake.
“Come,” Lucy said as she turned her back to me. “I’m sure it’s my lady you’re eager to meet.” Her red heels went tocking against the marble floor as she started walking.
I looked over my shoulder and thought about making a run for it. I’d memorised the path we’d taken so far, I could make it back. The thought quickly passed as I decided to begin the third stage of my investigation: find out how deep the rabbit whole goes. I walked after Lucy.
She led me throughout the corridors until we came to a set of double doors, which she stopped before. “Wait here a moment, would you?”
“Sure, sure,” I nodded.
Pushing on the doors gently, Lucy made a gab and slipped through without a sound. Though I could still hear her heels. A moment past and she returned, opening the door wide for me to walk through.
“Please do come in,” she said.
Rolling back my shoulders, I walked into a sort of sitting room. There was a large, old fashioned hearth fire, burning real wood. It acted as the sole source of light in the room, creating a warm, flickering ambiance. The floor was no longer marble, but a dark hardwood. There were sofa’s and armchairs of the colour crimson positioned around the room with a glass coffee table on a red carpet that occupied the rooms centre. On one of these sofas, was a girl reading a book. And I swear, I was trying so, so hard to only notice her book. I tried not to look at the scarlet lingerie her night robe barely covered. I tried not to gaze upon her bare legs or measure the size of her chest. I tried to look at her face, note her hazel eyes and the long curls of her rum colored hair.
“Like what you see,” the girl said, her eyes fixed on the pages of her book.
“W-well, um…” What was I supposed to say?
“Don’t worry,” the girl said, looking up at me. “This is my house you’re in. And in my house, the body is celebrated. Ogle me all you like, I shall take it as a complement.”
I opened my mouth to speak, only to find I had no words. Thankfully, Lucy spoke up before the silence became awkward.
“Would you like to take a seat?” She said, ushering me to a nearby chair.
“Yeah, sure.” I muddled through my words as I sat down. Lucy had put me in an armchair close to the fireplace. Its fires provided a warmth I didn’t really need. My cheeks felt especially red hot already. “Sorry,” I said, shaking my head at the girl sitting across from me. “But this is a lot to take in.”
“I’m sure it is,” the girl said, folding the corner of her page, closing her book and resting it on her lap. “My name is Sharlet Celerity. I’m sure you’ve heard of me. And you are?”
“Nickolas. Nickolas Nickleson,” I said, trying to manage a casual smile. “People just call me Nick.”
“Well, Nick, I’m sure all manner of confusing thoughts are surging around inside that head of yours. But before I can start answering your questions, I would like you to answer one of mine. What brings here, to my most unhumble abode?”
“Well, honestly, rumours.”
“Rumours?” Sharlet hunched forward, as if what I said was of great interest.
“Yeah, word is that your welcoming to guests.”
“Well, that’s not rumour. That’s the truth, one I try to encourage as much as possible.” Sharlet moved her book to the coffee table, then leaned back into her sofa. She crossed her legs and began twirling a curl of hair around her finger. “Do you know why? Would you like to know why?”
“Yeah,” I said plainly, hoping for some answers.
“Very well,” Sharlet said. “Lucy?”
“Yes, my lady?” Lucy responded immediately.
“Tea for our guest.”
“Oh, yes, right away,” Lucy said with a bow before rushing out of the room.
“Now then,” Sharlet said, her gaze on me. “Do you know what the most rewarding aspect of being rich is?”
“Being able to do whatever the hell you want?” I answered, having never had any money myself.
Sharlet sniggered. “A good answer. But no. No, the most rewarding aspect of being rich lays in charity, being able to share all the pleasures of life with others. Uplifting those who are bellow you, that’s what having money is to me.”
“That sounds… quite selfless.”
“You sound surprised? Do I not look like a charitable person?”
“Why exactly am I here?” I asked, leaning forward.
The posture of Sharlet didn’t change. “I want to give you a gift.”
She spoke the words just as Lucy came back into the room. She was holding a wooden tray, on which was a single silver cup filled with tea. She set the tray down on the coffee table, picked the cup up and offered it to me.
“What kind of gift?” I said, taking the tea and drinking a sip.
A grin spread across Sharlet’s face. “You just drank it,” she said.
My eyes widened as the realisation of my foolishness sunk in. Lucy took the cup off me and placed it back on the tray. I wanted to speak, ask what kind of drug they’d just slipped me, find out what hell awaited me. But no words came. There was only numbness, spreading to every corner of my body. For a moment I sat in a moment of what felt like absolute comatose before it happened. Before my limbs started to contract and my chest started to tighten. I suddenly felt like the entire world was pushing against me from all sides, crushing, compressing. Shrinking. I was actually shrinking. My shirt grew loose, my belt lost its tort and my neck tie no longer hugged me. I looked around and the world was growing bigger, far, far bigger.
I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, I found myself naked and buried under a sea of blue cloth. It took a moment for me to realize I was inside the folds of my own shirt. The numbness had passed and I could move. I got to my feet, only to fall down again when the world itself seemed to churn. I was flipped over several times as the blue cloth which made up both the ceiling and floor was pulled away, leaving me bare and exposed to the open air.
Then I saw her, Lucy, now a giant of magnitude beyond my description. She threw what used to be my shirt aside and looked down on me, smiling.
“Clever, don’t you think?” said Sharlet, her voice not as punishing to my ears as I expected. “My formula has completely altered your body chemistry. Your hearing is far less sensitive than before, a necessity to compensate for your new size. You’d go deaf otherwise.”
“What the fuck have you done to me!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.
Sharlet was still sat on her sofa, the only movements she made was to reach for her book. “I’m sure you’re trying to shout curses at me, but your no bigger than my thump. I’m afraid I can’t hear you from all the way over here.”
“You bitch! What kind of gift is this?”
“Lucy?” Sharlet said, opening her book.
“Yes, my lady?”
“He’s all yours.”
“All mine?” Said Lucy, tilting her head to onside.
“Yes, my gift to you.”
“Yay!” Lucy said, clapping her hands together. Her massive face turned towards me again and her grin was a terrifying sight.
I tried backing away, though knew I had nowhere to go. I was on the cushion of the chair still. The only way down would be to jump, which with a body as small as mine, would be like jumping off the roof of a house. “Shit,” I uttered as Lucy crouched down, bringing her giant head towards me. Like a dear caught in head lights, I found myself paralysed under the heavy gaze of her callosal eyes. Then came her hand, her massive hand. Her fingers coiled around my body and I felt the near crushing squeeze of her grip as she grabbed hold of me. She picked me up like a doll. The sensations were too serial. Being in the hand of another human, having that human’s face take up your entire field of vision.
She stood up from her crouch. I tried not to take notice of how high up I was. If she was to let go of me now, I would most certainly fall to my death. My life was quite literally in her hands. She patted my head with the forefinger from her other palm.
“You’re mine now,” she said and brought me towards her lips. Plump and red and giant, my vision was blotted out by her kiss. Not a light peck either. I was forced into a long passionate smooching session, were my entire world had suddenly become her lips. Finally she pulled back and I could breath. As I panted for air, she giggled and out came her tongue, licking over her lips perhaps in search of any taste my face had left behind.
“Please,” I said, signalling a surrender. But the maid I was in the clutches in wasn’t listening. Again she brought me up to her lips. This time they were parted as her tongue came out to meet me. Enslaved to a session of French kissing this time, Lucy went about licking and sucking on me like a lolly pop. I could fight and struggle and resist all I liked, it didn’t matter. A part of me probably realized right away in that moment, that this was my world now. My world was now this maid’s lips.