"Take that damn thing out of there!" said Ashlyn, and Bianca removed the greasy slice of pizza.
"What was that tape?" asked Bianca. Her voice was high-pitched and almost hysterical. "Did you hyponotize me? What are you going to do to me?" She sobbed a little.
Ashlyn took a deep breath. She felt terrible about what she'd done and had to compose herself or she'd burst into tears as well. She forced herself to remain calm.
"Stop crying and listen to me. The tape you just watched is cursed or enchanted or something. Anyone who watches it has to do whatever they're told for a week, unless someone else watches it in the meantime. I was under its control today and some real scummy lowlifes abused me, came on my face and made me leave it there all day, and made me love it. I couldn't bear the thought of getting used as a sex toy all week. I had to get free, which means I needed someone else to watch the tape and it just happened to be you... and I'm so, so sorry. But I swear I'll keep you safe until the week's over."
Bianca looked at Ashlyn with wide eyes. "How could you?" she whispered.
"It was hell!" bawled Ashlyn. "I was so scared! What would you have done? Please forgive me."
"Okay, I forgive you."
"Thank you! Wait a minute... I just made you say that. Would you have forgiven me if I hadn't told you to?
"Erm. I don't know. I was pretty pissed off. Maybe eventually."
"Well, anyway, we have to figure out what to do about this tape. We can't let it fall into the wrong hands and I don't know what would happen if we tried to destroy it. I'll ring someone who might have an idea. Wait here."
Ashlyn picked up her phone and rang her younger brother Greg. She wondered why she hadn't thought to call him before. "Hi, Greg." she said.
"What's up, Ashlyn?"
"Are you still into all that occult stuff you were obsessed with when we were kids?"
"Uh, yeah, kinda. Why do you ask? I thought you thought it was all a load of bull."
"Well I was really, really wrong. Can you come over? It's kind of an emergency."
"What kind of emergency? What's going on?"
"I'll explain everything when you get here."
"OK, I'll be right over." said Greg and hung up.
Ashlyn felt relieved. Greg was a good brother. It really was a shame what had happened with his high school sweetheart. He'd never really recovered from catching her with another guy, and had become a bit lonerish and awkward because of it. But he'd walk over hot coals to help other people. If some nice girl could get over the obsessive personality and shyness he'd make her very happy. A thought snuck into her head: Bianca's a nice girl, and pretty. No! thought Ashlyn. She couldn't. Could she? And why not? Greg deserves some good fortune for a change, and it's not like I'll make Bianca degrade herself. I'll just... make her see Greg's good side.
Ashlyn grabbed the photo of herself and Greg off the wall and showed it to Bianca. "That's my brother Greg. He's coming over to help me figure out what to do with the tape. I'm telling you to fall in love with him, but to forget I've ordered you to."
Bianca shook her head and said, "Sorry? I didn't quite catch that. Hey, who's the cute guy in the photo?" |