The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

TASHA CASTRO, SOUTH HAUSTIN COLLEGE

Sick. Every day, somebody else was sniffling and sneezing.

Even Ms. Umber, the usually energetic English 102 professor was coming down with something. The older woman usually wore conservative button-down shirts and past-the-knee skirts to match her serious, engaging, frenzied discussions of the ins and outs of grammar and effective paper writing. Yesterday, she got the sniffles. Today, she walked in looking like she’d run a marathon. Her nice clothes were replaced by a hastily thrown on grey sweatsuit. To her credit, she tried to go into her lesson plan. But after a few moments of unfocused trying, she groggily told the class she wasn’t in the mood, then collapsed in her chair to nap through class.

Tasha watched the rest of the class lay their heads down. Tasha was left to the sound of snores and the hum of an ancient A/C. She nervously rubbed her thumb on the silver cross she wore on the delicate chain around her neck. Anxiety gnawed at the back of Tasha’s brain.

Things were working like normal, she reminded herself. She’d seen plenty of people on campus that day. The CDC had issued a flu warning, but the news was still mostly about the “controversial” Supreme Court decision. Tasha told herself she was being paranoid. She promised herself she was being paranoid. Then, she pulled out her notes from sociology for a distracting review.

Class eventually came to an end. No one seemed to notice. Tasha cleared her throat a couple times as she pulled her bag together. A few students stirred. Then a few more. Those that woke, woke others, until everyone was up and moving again. Except Ms. Umber. No one considered waking her.

Tasha got out of the classroom before anyone could sneeze on her, rubbing at her silver cross again.

She felt blessed. When she came down with a cold, as had often been the case in public school, she melted into a mewling ball of spoilt princess. If nothing else, Tasha hated feeling like a vulnerable little girl when she was sick. She did everything to keep herself fit and healthy. Practiced karate. Got plenty of sun. Ate right, prayed for health, and brushed her teeth. It finally seemed to be paying off.

Tasha’s next few classes didn’t go much differently, except for Principles of Sociology, where the male professor was just starting to sniffle. His nose was full-on running by the end of class and the poor guy looked miserable, but he actually made it through the full lecture.

As Tasha headed from class towards today’s club meeting, she turned her phone back on. A variety of irritating sounds accompanied a variety of notifications. To Tasha’s pleasant surprise, there was a text from Nolan, her boyfriend of 7 months. He’d called in sick to work the past few days, and his communication with Tasha had just about stopped. No phone calls, barely any texts, just some random Likes on Facebook. Tasha felt positively lonely.

“I’m feeling much better!” his text read.

“Would you like to go out tonight?” Tasha sent back to him. She flipped back to her texts. There was a message from an unnamed number.

“hey this is eric. not making meeting today,” it read. Tasha frowned. Another of their dwindling club gone. She felt like the worst interim club president in the history of interim club presidents.

Natalie Gorman, the regular president of the SHC Student Anime Club, was just another of the presumed ill. No one had actually seen Nat come down with anything, but she’d disappeared around the same time everybody else started getting sick. The Gormans owned Justin’s, a very successful string of restaurants in town. Tasha had probably heard a million commercials for their new milkshakes since Natalie had disappeared, but nothing about the Gormans calling the police. No manhunt. Wherever Nat was, no one had heard from her. Her cell went straight to voicemail.

Jacquelyn, the vice president, took over. Meetings went on as planned. But then a couple days ago Jacquelyn had emailed Tasha to advise she wasn’t going to make it to the next meeting. Tasha was in charge. The next meeting had a pathetic turn out. Tasha had no idea how bad today’s attendance would be.

Her heart sunk when she walked in. There were just...

6 girls, out of a fair-sized co-ed club.

Jo, Tasha’s best friend and the group treasurer.

Rachel, another friend.

Karen Ohtsuki, a sophomore, Rachel’s friend, and the group’s token Japanese girl.

Colleen Fox, the gorgeous blonde sophomore with thin-rimmed, nearly invisible glasses.

And Kennedy Freitag, the also-gorgeous auburn-haired freshman from East Berlin.

This wasn’t a club. Tasha barely knew half these people. Why hadn’t someone told her this had happened? Tasha set her bag down, and glared at her friend. Jo responded with a raised eyebrow.

“Ouyay ouldshay avehay extedtay emay,” Tasha said. Jo shrugged. Tasha gave her best “Really?” face and rubbed her cross. This was awkward.

Rachel sneezed. Every one stared at the red head, Tasha included. Rachel looked frightened under so many sudden gazes. She also looked pale and sick as a dog.

“Just a sneeze!” she said nervously. Everyone looked at each other, not sure whether it was funny.

“It’s okay,” Jo assured her with her confident smile. “We’re not that paranoid. Except for Colleen, obviously.”

“I’m just being safe,” she said coldly, eyes expressing her rage through a pair of thin-rimmed glasses. The rest of her face was covered by a surgical mask. Somehow it still accessorized with her red and white sundress, as everything always did. The blonde rolled her eyes and returned to her sketching. . “So shut the fuck up, Jo.”

“Whatever, germaphobe. I guess we’ve all gotten a little nervous. I admit it’s weird” Jo said, laughing to herself. “BUT no one’s died yet. Just a lot of sick people.”

That probably sounded less comforting than Jo had intended.

“There are too many sick people,” Kennedy countered, furrowing her brow. Her stunning, blue eyes studied Jo before flicking to Rachel. “It is very concerning. Are you well, Rachel?”

“Yes, just fine,” Rachel said, a little annoyed by the sudden attention. She scrunched up in her seat. “I am sick, but I’m fine. I’ll let Tasha know if I start dying.”

“So here we are, this week’s meeting for the incredibly shrinking Anime Club of SHC,” Tasha interjected. “So I’m thinking based on the turnout we should probably call this one a wash, huh?”

The group was silent for a moment. Tasha cleared her throat, and gave her cross a flick.

“I just thought there’d be more turnout, and didn’t want any body to miss the meeting that didn’t want to, but...yeah, we didn’t get many people together as you can see.”

“And that’s why I’m wearing a mask,” Colleen said. “Just like Kennedy said, too many sick people.”

“Why did you stop there? Why did you come at all?” Jo asked.

“Why did any of us come? I guess maybe I was hoping to see my friends, even...” Colleen responded, interrupting her drawing briefly with a glance around the empty classroom. “If some of them aren’t here. I thought there’d be more people here. I’m out...Tasha?“

Tasha nodded. The blonde gave her politest cold smirk as she stopped drawing.

“Sorry, dear,” Colleen said flippantly. “I didn’t know you before, it’s not pressing that I get to know you now, and I’d rather not sit in an enclosed space with someone who’s sick with the superflu.”

Colleen stopped drawing, and started packing her stuff away.

“I was actually thinking about going out to a movie, if that changes your mind any,” Tasha volunteered. She hadn’t, but she felt like she needed to make amends. Maybe the meeting could be saved.

Colleen shook her head.

“Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t feel like paying for a movie,” she said.

“I think I can find some money to afford us a night out at the cinema,” Jo said coolly. Colleen shook her head, making her blonde curls bounce.

“No thanks. Like I said, getting out of the room with sick girl,” Colleen replied. With that, she turned and left. Kennedy followed soon after. Tasha looked at the remaining women. Karen had stood, but was just leaning against a wall.

“A lot roomier,” Karen said coolly. Tasha and Jo smirked politely. Rachel certainly looked a little more comfortable.

“So do any of you gals feel like a movie?” Tasha offered to everyone. “I really feel bad about this. Jacquelyn didn’t tell me this many people were out. Eric just cancelled today.“

Karen looked concerned, and pulled out her phone to text someone.

“I didn’t have any plans obviously,” Jo said. “But I didn’t plan on being here past the normal time really. Sorry, Tosh.”

“If you do have plans, don’t let me hold you.” Karen finished texting, and looked at Rachel. Rachel shrugged. They started to get up and pack up.

“We’re going to go be irresponsible teens,” Rachel said with a sniffle. “Or I’m going to take Karen home, then go home and take something strong to pass out. I’m fine, but I still don’t feel well.”

Tasha glared at her friend again after Rachel and Karen exited.

“What’s up?” Jo asked. her messenger bag slung over a shoulder and cutting down through two pert breasts. She adjusted her dark, curly hair. Tasha shook her head.

“Embarrassed,” she said with a pout.

“Not your fault you got the job at the last second,” she replied. She pulled out her phone and typed away as she walked over to Tasha to give her a hug of confidence. “I’ve got an appointment with Dr. Puffington, and My Babysitter’s A Vampire. If you’re not busy, you know you’re always welcome.”

“Maybe after today,” Tasha replied with a frown. “But I’m trying to see if Nolan wants to go out tonight. He’s supposedly feeling better.”

“Get that booty then,” Jo said with a brilliant smile. It was infectious. Tasha couldn’t help but smile too. A night out with Nolan would be just fantastic. However, when she check her phone, there were no new messages.

Together Tasha and Jo made sure the classroom was spotless for Professor Brooks. Tasha grabbed her own bag, and locked up. The young women walked out together, and gave each other one more hug goodbye before going their separate ways in the lot.

Tasha checked her phone again in the car. Still no messages. It had only been a few minutes, but she was really anxious for this now. If he was feeling better, she needed him. Did that make her needy?

Tasha didn’t know. Going with her gut, she hit his number in her phone’s address book.

COLLEEN FOX, TERRI’S COFFEE HOUSE

Colleen had never thought of herself as a coffee junkie. But since moving to this charming Texas city, she’d found herself a weekly fixation at Terri’s Coffee House. Colleen liked to think of herself as a girl of fine taste at least, and Terri’s made the best coffee she’d ever tasted.

It was deliciously earthy and bold and smoky and all that on its own. Really grooving stuff. But it was even better in their twist on the vanilla frappucino, the Mighty Pecannacino. Just a little squirt of pecan flavoring, and it was divine. It was also probably a billion calories.

Colleen felt guilty every time she had one. She’d really filled out since coming down to Texas from Connecticut. Volleyball had kept the weight off in high school. A lack of activity and the freshman fifteen had teamed up on her in college. She wasn’t complaining yet. The extra glances her curves drew helped compensate for the glasses.

Today, she was surprised to see Kennedy at the cafe. To her memory, she’d never seen the athletic girl anywhere near the place. Colleen waved politely, and Kennedy returned the gesture with her enthusiastic smile and her big blue eyes. Colleen returned to thumbing through Facebook on her phone. She glanced back up to see Kennedy hurriedly digging through her purse, very upset, and apologizing to the barista. Kennedy saw Colleen looking at her. Despite Colleen’s best efforts to quickly cast her eyes back on her phone, she looked up to see Kennedy walking briskly over to her.

“Colleen...I’m so sorry to bother you,” the still smiling girl started. She had her hands tensely drawn together below her chest. “I was in such a rush to get to class today that I did not include my wallet in my bag of things...you would not happen to have a few dollars I can borrow, would you?”

“Uh...” Colleen said, locking her phone and digging into her purse. She had a couple bucks in her wallet. She pulled them out and handed them to Kennedy. “Is that enough?”

“Oh yes,” Kennedy said, taking the money. “I will have no problem paying you back. One moment...”

Kennedy returned to the counter. Colleen watched her pay, smiling and obviously apologizing to the barista. There was a small line forming behind her. When Kennedy had finished she took her drink, and headed back for Colleen’s table. To Colleen’s dismay, Kennedy sat down.

Colleen really didn’t want to do a sit and chat right now. She just wanted to check her Facebook, drink her coffee, then get home to work on her epic submission to UT’s school of animation.

“Hey,” Colleen said coolly, adjusting her glasses. Kennedy smiled and sipped at her own frappucino. Colleen pointed. “Is that the Pecannacino?”

Kennedy nodded.

“I cannot get enough of it,” said Kennedy. “Thank you so much for helping me out. I am not used to being at a loss for cash. Do you have class tomorrow?”

“Yeah, but don’t worry about it,” she said. “It’s just a couple bucks. I probably would have wasted it on a soda or snacks.”

“Regardless, thank you, " Kennedy said, staring into Colleen’s eyes. Colleen smiled again.

“Thanks for leaving with me. I felt like such a bitch, but I had to get out,” Colleen said, sipping her drink. It was delectably sweet. Kennedy politely smiled and listened as Colleen continued, “I just felt so gross in there with them. Specifically, sick girl. Though I think I was a little rude to Jo. It’s easier not to like someone when there’s a lot more people to drown them out.”

“I don’t sound racist, do I?” she whispered as she leaned towards an amused Kennedy. “I’m honestly worried this place is rubbing off on me. I don’t want to be the only girl who doesn’t like the African American.”

“Do not worry. Where you are coming from makes sense to me,” Kennedy replied. “Jo can be a bit...extroverted? I think that is the best word. I do not find it charming either.”

Kennedy produced a small bottle of white liquid from within her purse and poured it into the drink, leaving little holes in the foam.

“You bring your own creamer? Are you an actual...well, I don’t want to say germaphobe,” Colleen started, sitting back up. She felt better about herself. Kennedy laughed.

“Mysophobia is the right term, but germaphobe is better. Ha ha,” Kennedy said, amused. “And nein. Es ist Milch.”

“Milk, right? I don’t speak German,” Colleen said.

“Ja,” Kennedy said with a mischevious smile. She sipped her coffee, eyes rolling briefly into her head. When she lowered her coffee with a satisfied slurp, she smiled. “Sehr gut. Very good.”

“Awesome,” Colleen said. Kennedy offered the small bottle.

“Would you like to try in yours? It’s very good milk,” she said. Colleen shook her head.

“I like mine like I like my men,” she joked with a small smile. The other woman didn’t lower the bottle. Colleen looked at it again, and at Kennedy, who still seemed interested in her response. Her smile faded. “No, it’s okay. I’m fine. Really. Hence the terrible joke.”

“Have you ever tried milk from Deutschland?” Kennedy asked. Colleen shook her head. Kennedy smiled broadly and lifted her hands in excitement. “Then you must try some. That is all it is. I will buy you another coffee if you do not like.”

“Really, I’m good,” Colleen said. She lifted the surgical mask. “I am a bit of a mysophobe.“

Kennedy looked disappointed. But she shrugged and sipped the drink again. Her eyes rolled again into her head, and she looked almost like she shivered.

“So we weren’t bitches for leaving?” Colleen asked, changing the subject back. Kennedy shook her head.

“No, there are a lot of sick people right now. It’s very weird. I do not want to get sick again,” Kennedy said. “It makes sense not to want to stay there.”

“I didn’t know you’d gotten sick,” Colleen said. It occurred to her just how little she knew Kennedy.

“Just a little sniffle compared to what some are going through,” Kennedy replied, almost frowning. “Last week. I was not in class for days, very hard to catch up. I am very lucky I am very pretty.”

Colleen laughed. Maybe she had made a new friend today. All it cost was a couple dollars.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better, you poor thing,” Colleen said. Kennedy slurped down her drink, giving a soft, quiet, satisfied moan afterwards. “Is it really that good?”

Kennedy nodded vigorously.

“It’s just normal milk, I won’t lie. But there’s just something about where it comes from that makes it so...special,” Kennedy said, holding up the bottle and staring at its contents affectionately. She looked at Colleen. “You really should try it. You never have. When will you get to again?”

“You really want me to try it that badly?” Colleen asked.

“We are becoming friends, so it would be nice,” Kennedy replied. Colleen sighed, then offered her coffee cup.

“I just want you to know it’s weird how you carry it in a bottle. It must get warm,” Colleen said as Kennedy poured a generous amount in.

Colleen sniffed her drink, then took a sip. She didn’t expect the taste.

There was the normal Pecannacino goodness, but there was an electric sweetness that grabbed both flavors and pulled them together into a sublime combination. It was a creamy wonder. It made her feel kinda warm. She thought briefly of a shop she frequented back home, Rebecca’s. Especially the flowers out front. All the colors and the breezy summer days. Kinda like that.

“Uh...” Colleen replied, eyes wide with amazement.

“See what I say?” Kennedy said. Colleen nodded. “Fresh squeezed this morning.”

“How? All that way...” Colleen said, looking at her cup in a daze. The warmth remained, and she felt a little light. Bouncy. She looked up at Kennedy again.

“Okay, maybe not all the way from Deutschland, but from eine deutsche Kuh. A German cow,” Kennedy mused. “If you would like to know the source, I can show you where to order. It’s delivered locally.”

“Just maybe,” Colleen said, nodding. “Could I try just some of it? Like outside the coffee.”

“Of course! I have plenty!” Kennedy said, pouring a little more into Colleen’s empty cup. Colleen drank it quickly. It was so sweet and buttery and...her mind baked in the bliss. This was a new food experience.

“Do you have a computer at your place?” Kennedy asked. Colleen nodded, letting the flavor tingle across her taste buds. Kennedy smiled. “Then I’ll show you.”

“K,” Colleen said blankly. Kennedy took her by the arm and together the two left the cafe.

RACHEL YOUNG, IN HER TRUCK

Rachel hadn’t really felt like coming into the meeting that day, but she also hadn’t wanted to disappoint Tasha and Jo. Those were her girls. For a similar reason, she hadn’t told anyone she was gay.

Well...almost no one. Her parents wouldn’t understand. She wasn’t sure if Tasha would understand.Definitely no one at temple would be okay with it...there weren’t very many people to tell. Jo knew, but only by accident. For Rachel, it would have been just fine if only her girlfriend, Karen, knew. Unfortunately, that hadn’t been how it had gone.

After the cancelled meeting, the two almost-20 teens took off together in Rachel’s truck with the earnest intention of going to the store. But Rachel had been feeling a little dopey that day. She was getting the pleasant cloud of endorphins that came along with a cold from Hell, and it just felt like the whole day had opened up.

So she’d stayed on this side of the Brazos River Bridge and headed for one of their usual spots: the crowded field behind the town’s one strip club, Prosperosa’s! Usually, they’d pull up in the middle of the night when the lot would be packed with cars. The daytime was a little more sparse and a bigger risk than she or Karen would normally take. Even if someone Rachel knew saw her and Karen, she figured she’d see them first, and they wouldn’t want to be seen here any more than her. Rachel was just a young, experimenting girl...or some shit like that. Today, really, it was whatever. She was feeling exceptionally horny.

Karen wasn’t the prettiest girl, and just a smidge chunky, but Rachel had a thing for Asians. It was part of the reason she’d joined Jo and Tasha’s club. She figured there had to be some draw to it for those people. But a club dedicated to Asian animation had no Asians. So Rachel had to find her own, in Professor Brook’s Biology course.

Karen claimed she was just bi, and was just experimenting, but they’d been driving to secluded places to engage in their homosinful behavior for over a month now. It was definitely becoming a long-term thing. Karen had some nice fat boobs to play with, and she licked Rachel’s pussy like no one else.

Rachel herself had put on some weight the past few days. Probably from all the snacking she was doing. She’d developed a sweet tooth. A savory tooth as well. Walking everywhere for class took a lot of energy. She was so used to looking at the bird-nosed waif in the mirror that she hadn’t noticed until the day before. Lo and behold, she was actually getting a tummy. Maybe a butt. Boobs too, much to Karen’s delight.

During class, Rachel would often daydream about the next rendezvous with Karen. In the middle of a couple nights she woke up from a dead sleep, near-crazy with heat and need. She’d never had to masturbate herself to sleep before. Her mind was spiraling into the gutter. It felt amazing.

However, Rachel hadn’t been able to make herself purr like Karen did. Especially when Karen’s skillful mouth worked down into Rachel’s shirt and around her nipples. Like right now. She came a flood over Karen’s fingers after a few minutes of that.

Karen removed her hand from Rachel’s panties, grinning proudly and laughing.

“Damn, baby,” she said and licked her sticky fingers clean. They kissed, Rachel still quivering with pleasure. The taste of her moisture was exciting. Karen sat back, and lifted her skirt. Her chubby bald pussy stood bare.“No panties today. Surprise!”

Rachel didn’t care, she just dug her head into her girlfriend’s musky crotch. Karen bucked, and moaned. Rachel pawed her own tit, tugging the nipple as Karen stroked her hair. Her other hand tried to find a good place to feel at Karen’s body, but it was an awkward position, so Rachel did the best she could, which wasn’t very good.

The nipple play was overly distracting. Rachel had to give it up to reach down in her own panties to get a feel. They’d gotten too tight for her to make it while bent over. She reluctantly sat up and dug her hand in with a gasp. Karen looked at her to see what was the matter. Rachel undid her pants all the way and lifted up to slide them and her panties down. Her scent flooded the car.

“Oh, lick me,” Rachel cried, grabbing Karen’s head and guiding it to her pussy. As Karen went with it and dug in, Rachel resumed her tit-play. Her tits were so sensitive, and felt so enormous in her hands. Rachel looked out across the field, realizing how out of control the two of them were getting. Luckily, there was still no one. Just cars driving by, and from here she couldn’t tell much about them. Surely, they couldn’t tell much about her.

Rachel moaned and let her head fall back against the headrest. She could barely stop her bucking hips. Her sinuses were clearing out from her vigorous panting. Her head spun with the rush of oxygen. Rachel kneaded her own tits, moaned, and fucked Karen’s licking mouth. She clawed at Karen’s back, and kneaded the chubby girl’s bountiful ass, enjoying its soft warm girth in her small hand.

When she came, Rachel, gasped, moaned, and gushed all over Karen’s face and into the seat. The world almost went white for a moment. She let a grinning Karen sit back up after catching her breath and coming back to coherence.

“Damn again, baby,” Karen said, wiping her mouth. She raised one of her sexy, dark eyebrows. “Care to finish me off now? You were doing a really great job. I was getting into it.”

Karen nodded and flopped mindlessly, face-first into Karen’s lap.

TASHA CASTRO, JUSTIN’S STEAKHOUSE

The meeting was just a hiccup. Tasha’s evening was going a lot better.

Nolan had answered her when she called. He was free, so they arranged to meet that evening at one of the Justin’s.

On any given night, any Justin’s Steakhouse was a hub of beer, sports, and steaks. Lots of metal and wood. Lots of country music. College students came dressed in UT burnt orange or SHC black and blue. It got loud during the fall.

Tonight, it was near dead. A few customers nursed beers while they rested their foreheads in their heads, noses swollen and runny. Some students had lumped together in small groups to study, but they had become too involved in their food and, from the look of it, maybe each other. The same eerie feeling from class came over Tasha again. She thumbed her cross, and tried to ignore it. The couple took a table near a window up front. Prompt as usual, the Justin’s waitress was almost immediately ready for their order.

“What can I get for y’all?” came the red head’s sugar-coated, high-pitched twang. Tasha did a double take when she saw her. “Donna” was about average height with a lot of curves packed in between her head and feet. Her short, dyed red hair was a bouncy delight, just as perky and fun as her two large breasts, packed into a bra under the button up uniform. She’d left it open enough to let everyone know she had cleavage. There was a healthy layer of fat around her waist, her hips swooped out almost like a pear, and her face was a dazzling, pearly smile with big, stunning blue eyes that put Kennedy’s to shame. If there was any flaw, it was that she looked like she needed a little sunshine, but her pale skin was still smooth, creamy, and flawless. She didn’t even look like she was wearing makeup. How did she get away with that? Where were the blemishes?

Nolan was enraptured. Tasha elbowed him.

“Two Doctor Peppers,” Tasha replied with a polite smile. She felt bad for staring now, but the girl was stunning. When Tasha’s eyes wandered, she spotted a couple other girls who weren’t far off from Donna in perkiness and curvaceousness. The Gormans had obviously revamped the staff. Maybe they’d convinced some Hooters girls to come in as scabs when everybody started getting sick. The waitress wrote down the order on her notepad, and looked back to both of them.

“You guys like to order apps?” Donna asked. Tasha and Nolan both shook their heads. “Sorry if I should know this. I’m still learning the regulars. Don’t know if I should know youu, youu know? Youu’re...excuse me...”

The waitress held her dainty hand to her puffy lips and took a breath. She lowered her hand and smiled.

“Sorry, I have a thing and I just forget about it when I get excited...” she excused, looking embarrassed.

“Oh, no, it’s okay. I’m actually studying speech-language pathology. What is it that...” Tasha began, trying to put the poor girl at ease. As soon as Tasha said speech-language pathology Donna lit up again, almost bouncing all over the place.

“You’re smart!” she rudely interjected with a cute twitter. Tasha smiled and stopped talking. Donna put her finger to her lip, looked at her notepad, and thought. After a moment, she smiled and shook her head. “Sorry, I get distracted when I get excited! I’ll go get your drinks. You said you don’t do apps, right?”

“No,” Nolan said, deeply. He was staring at her again. Donna looked at him, and frowned.

“That’s right, sorry,” she said, grimacing. She nodded to both of them, looking a bit more sober. “I’ll go get those drinks.”

The waitress left, and Nolan turned back to the table. His dark, brown eyes looked troubled. Tasha smiled at him and squeezed his hand on the table. The shadow slowly lifted away and he smiled back at her.

“Soooo we’re back on track,” she said, looking her boyfriend up and down. He was blonde, and had always been a little bookish. But he had a handsome smile and years at Haustin Moving & Storage had given him a little muscle. Since she last saw him, he looked like he’d packed on a bit more. He was positively bursting out of his clothes. His jaw looked sharper. Everything about him screamed MANLY. The kiss he’d laid on Tasha when he picked her up had sent electricity into her toes. He was good to look at, to say the least.

“Well, not quite. We have some making up to do,” he said, looking her up and down too. She blushed. He knew her rule. Surely he didn’t mean... “Like dinner tonight. When’s the last time we made it here?”

“I don’t even remember,” Tasha replied. She paused. She frowned at long it felt since she’d seen Nolan. “For that matter, where have you been?”

“Sick,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I texted you.”

“A call would have been nice. Maybe a night over? My mom’s a nurse, and I’m studying to be a doctor. Totally could have taken care of you,” Tasha said. “This is awkward. We’re a couple, but you don’t know what’s going on with me. You don’t know what happened with the club. You don’t know how worried I am about everybody disappearing at school. Wow...I just said that out loud for the first time.”

Tasha looked at him, wide-eyed. He looked worried, brow tense.

“It’s kinda surreal, you know?” she continued, suddenly feeling like she needed to spill the beans. She told him everything. Nolan nodded, and petted her hand. She didn’t remember him being so...powerful. Getting it out made her feel a lot better.

Donna interrupted Tasha with a couple frothy mugs of Dr. Pepper. Tasha was already picking hers up to sip when she realized the drinks were a little cloudier than normal. She set it down, and looked at it from the side. Definitely soda, but with a opaque haze. A slight vanilla taste buzzed at the tip of her tongue, and she licked a little from her lips. Definitely Dr. Pepper too. Nolan didn’t look happy with his. He even looked agitated.

“Hey,” Tasha said politely, catching the departing waitress’s attention. Tasha held up her mug and pointed at it, raising her eyebrow. “What’s in the Pepper?”

“Oh, that’s our homemade vanilla ice cream. We’re putting it in EVERYTHING. That’s why they have us plugging the milkshakes,” Donna bubbled and twanged. “It’s made here, and it’s just delicious. We’re giving old Blue Bell a run.”

“Really? Wow. I knew you guys were selling the heck out of the shakes, but I didn’t know the Gormans had set up a creamery,” Natalie replied, taking a sip. Nolan watched her, no less concerned. Donna nodded.

“Yessiree!” Donna exclaimed. Her hand briefly passed over one of her massive breasts. She pushed her hair behind her head and beamed at both of them. Natalie tried to think up a response but she found the taste of the vanilla with the DP delicious. It was kinda like a float. The ice cream was delicious. Tasha caught some drool before it passed over her lips. She nodded at Donna and Nolan, turning a light red.

“That is very good,” Tasha said. She pointed at Nolan’s drink. “Try it, baby.”

Nolan didn’t move. He stared at his mug., frowning Tasha took a long pull on her straw. She let the taste bathe her tongue in its electric heat and sweetness, then swallowed before taking another long pull. It was too good. Her concern bubbled away. Momentarily, she realized she could ask the waitress about Natalie, and answer that question, but she let it go. She didn’t want to interrupt the moment. It even set off a little tingle in her nipples, which warbled through her tummy into her crotch.

Nolan shook his head grumpily, and pulled out his wallet. He tossed a few dollars on the table and stood.

“Come on. We’re going,” he said deeply. Tasha stood, not sure why. She tried to concentrate on him.

“What’s going on?” Tasha asked, distracted by her drink. The foamy bubbles were fun to watch raising to the top. Her moment was interrupted by Nolan’s firm grasp. She looked at him, confused and hurt by his firm grip. He was pulling her up and away from the table, her drink left half full and his untouched still.

“Ow, baby. What’s going on?” she asked, much more serious and aware. He glared at Tasha, cowing her, then snapped his attention back ahead as he dragged her out of the restaurant and into the parking lot. The phantom taste of her unfinished drink just danced through her mouth. She almost thought about fighting Nolan to go back, but that thought fizzled right out. She quickly zoned out in the continuing buzz in her head as he dragged her back to his car. He shoved her in and got in on the driver side.

They were halfway home before the fuzzy feedback in her brain faded enough for her to realize they’d left the restaurant a little while ago.

“Whoa, did I fall asleep back there?” Tasha asked, still somewhat abuzz. She was drooling again. Nolan shook his head. Tasha laid her head against the glass.“What happened?”

“That waitress put something in our drinks,” he said somberly.

That made some sense, Tasha supposed. She fingered her lips, running her tongue over the rough surface of her finger tip. It was a wacky sensation. A twinge in her crotch let her know she’d gotten herself wet somewhere in Lala Land.

“So she spiked me?” Tasha asked. Another question formed, “Why?”

“Just rest, I’m taking you home,” he said. That didn’t quite explain it, but Tasha figured since she’d been drugged, she might not be the best arbiter of what was up or down, let alone explanations.

Tasha rubbed her forehead. She was definitely warmer. Was that because of the drug or the fever? Nolan patted her leg, and she almost purred with a energizing thrill in her crotch. Maybe she’d give him a little head in a little bit.

“Don’t worry,” he calmly explained. “I’ll take care of you.”

Tasha smiled and nuzzled his strong shoulder. The buzz swept her away into snowy white bliss.

JO MILES, THE SUBURBS

Jo parked on the other side of the building from her apartment, grabbed her things up, and got out of her car. It was definitely dark, and her complex was too cheap to put in additional lights. There hadn’t been anything closer. Even though she’d given up most of her martial arts practice to pursue disciplined financial planning for a college club...and pot...maybe mostly the pot...Jo loved the stuff...she knew how to handle herself if some asshole decided to grab her. She’d met Tasha in karate. Jo had been doing it for a while. That didn’t just fade.

It was just a walk around her building anyway. She made it to the stairs without issue, made the long climb up to the 3rd floor, then into her apartment. She pocketed her keys and set her bag down before crashing in her bean bag. She stretched out with a smile. It felt good to be home.

Jo chilled and vaped some pot from the contraption she lovingly called Dr. Puffington. She thanked God for her DVR as she gleefully started her admittedly stupid Disney show. She followed that up with some random cartoons and a little MTV. It was mostly for ambience. She vaped some more while the TV droned, and checked her email. Then Facebook and Pinterest.

A wayward ad set Jo’s eyes and heart upon some mac & cheese. She had the water boiling when she realized she had some milk, but not enough milk. She cut the heat, and thought about making something else. Jo really wanted the mac. Really, really wanted the mac. Her mouth watered. She was too high to say no.

Jo checked her phone for the time. It was before 10, so the corner store would still be open. She sighed, and grabbed her wallet out of her purse.

She made the walk back down to the 1st floor, then kept walking towards the street where she turned left to follow the sidewalk down to the store. There was better lighting near the street, but it wasn’t that much better. As she went, she noticed a tall, dark-haired white dude staring at her from beside a big, douchey truck, but he made no move towards her, so she ignored him. It was just weird, and, in the dark, creepy.

Again, karate. Jo almost did a kick just to be awesome. But she didn’t.

The small store was run by an overly friendly Korean couple. They always seemed to recognize Jo, so a little bit of trepidation gripped her heart when she opened the door. She hadn’t been out high in a little while...would they know?

A bell rang as Jo entered. She felt like a spotlight had fallen on her. Her eyes were too red!

Anticlimactically, it was the husband, and he looked like he was barely breathing. His eyes were almost swollen shut, and his nose was as red as a certain reindeer. Jo grabbed a gallon of milk from the back then took it up to the counter.

“Feeling okay?” she asked empathetically. He shook his head, and silently rang up her total, almost slapping at the register. She paid and he gave her the change, but said nothing. She felt even weirder. Uncomfortable even. She held up her hand in a wave as she left. “Bye then. Hope you feel better.”

The same bell jingled to tell her goodbye.

Jo started the walk back home. Creepy douche with douchey truck was gone. The truck was still there. She kept an eye out in case he’d squeezed himself behind a bush. She didn’t see him by the time she reached the stairs. She started the long climb back up to the 3rd floor...but she was grabbed quite roughly from behind as she turned on the 2nd floor.

The hands were sweaty, strong, white, and hard. She kicked and hit and clawed and banged her head, but the attacker’s grip held firm. She inhaled a strong whiff of some chemical, and felt the world get far less serious. She kept fighting, but eventually, she dropped the milk, which splattered across the ground.