Page 38 of Caged
“Kneel,” he commands and points to the space beside the throne. “Here.”
I should refuse. I should tell him to go fuck himself, but in this moment, my better judgement gives way to fear and I drop, kneeling beside the throne of my keeper. My eyes dart around the room as Kieren lowers himself onto the seat, assuming his position of power. Men, I hadn’t initially noticed, stand at attention around the rim of the room. All wear black pants and no shirt. All have on the same black demon animal mask covering the top half of their face emblazoned with a gold Sigma symbol in the middle of the forehead. I squint, attempting to focus. It must be a horned goat or sheep. I realize dark maroon curtains hang from different spots in the ceiling, partitioning off chambers and private pockets within the large room. A soft noise, maybe music of some kind, plays in the background, and I find the sound strangely comforting.
“Bring in the Sinners,” Kieren booms. His voice cuts through the stagnant air, and five seconds later, the basement door creaks open.
A woman, naked save for her baby-blue lace bra and matching panties, stands in the doorway with a black cloth bag over her head. Black leather cuffs bind her wrists together in front of her. A masked man grips her arm and carefully guidesher forward. My nails unknowingly dig into the skin of my thighs as I watch woman after woman, all dressed the same, all with bags over their heads, being led inside the basement.
What the actual fuck?
One after another, the procession walks in a straight line. I count at least fifteen. Maybe more. They are positioned shoulder-to-shoulder, facing Kieren. Once the last woman is brought in and properly stationed, the basement door shuts.
“Kneel,” Kieren commands.
The women awkwardly get down on their knees.
“Nominating Sigmas, step forward.”
Masked demon goat men push off the walls.
“Take your position behind your Sinner.”
Masked men filter behind the rows of women until the ratio is one to one.
“Remove the sight restraints,” Kieren commands.
In a smooth, cohesive motion, the bags are removed.
I try to study each woman’s face, but it’s difficult to discern identities because each wears a black lace eye mask. The lace pattern is not dense enough to limit their sight, but sufficiently gauzy to create a haze, much like the pattern of my tiny lace skirt.
As I look down the line, expecting to see expressions of fear or panic, I’m surprised to find a mix of grins, smirks, and even a few closed-mouth giggles. I don’t know what these women have been told about the initiation Ceremony. Kieren has described it as a little sister’s program, and that it’s considered an honor, but I’ve also heard him call it different things. He’s called it Sigma Little Sisters, which sounds innocuous, but he also keeps referring to the women as‘Sinners.’Yet, as I continue to scan their faces, no one seems frightened. In fact, some fight to stop themselves from bursting into laughter.
What the fuck is going on here? Coming from someone who is usually the most gullible person in the room, I’m fucking terrified. Is it the drugs? Did they also take molly? And if so, why the fuck isn’t mine working?
The strange background noise stops, and the room goes silent.
Kieren stands.
“Sinners,” he booms, addressing the women. His voice is stern and unwavering.
“You are the selected few, brought here today by the hands of the Sigma brothers who deem you worthy. Tonight, you shall become part of something bigger. Tonight, you shall become part of Sigma’s legacy. Tonight, you shall be taught our traditions – traditions we have fought to keep secret. Secrets, which if shared, could put the Sigma Brotherhood at risk.”
“Sinners, I ask you, do you present yourselves true, and do you swear that you are not here with ill intent?”
“We swear.”
I blink my surprise at the sound of unanimous female voices who answer without hesitation or smidgen of trepidation.
“Do you swear yourselves to the Brotherhood? To come when called upon? To serve our Sigma brothers?”
“We swear.”
“Do you swear to withhold yourself from relations outside of the Brotherhood? To abstain from carnal desires with non-members? Do you swear to offer yourselves fully to the Brotherhood, mind, body, and soul?”
“We swear.”
“And lastly, do you swear your loyalty? Do you swear to keep our secrets? To never speak of what happens within these walls of Sigma to anyone, not friends, not family, not your closest confidants?”
“We swear.”
