The Diaries of Ayesha

The pressure of the rubber suit on my leg was incredible. My voice had gone hoarse from screaming in pain, to my tremendous embarrassment.

Some new torture device for Mistress Minx's pleasure? No. Just standard procedure for a motorcycle accident.

What happened was this.......

I was pulling into the garage of the Bank building on my trusty steed, also known as a Honda 550/ 4 motorcycle at about seven in the morning. I could see Minx's red Corvette in her parking space, and I spotted her walking towards the elevators.

I tried to hurry to my parking space so I could ride up with her. I always enjoyed kneeling before her in the elevator. A little dangerous, in some ways, but loads of fun for me.

Someone else was in a hurry too. I saw a white Cadillac pull into the driveway opposite me and then steer for Minx at high speed.

Wearing the helmet, I couldn't yell, so I started honking to attract her attention. She looked towards me, and then heard the roar of the car as it sped for her.

She froze in the glare of the lights like a stricken deer, and all I could do was watch. No, actually all I could do was to accelerate past her and aim the bike towards the oncoming car.

I ejected from the bike about twenty feet away and landed rolling. So far so good. There was a crash of metal as the bike bounced off the fender of the car and a crunching sound as the impact forced the car into a concrete pillar.

Minx dashed towards me as the car backed up and drove towards me, and past her. I tried to get clear but my leg went under the front tire and I heard a snapping sound

I couldn't feel my leg at all, all I felt was pain, like nothing I had ever felt before. Minx pulled my helmet off and knelt next to me, tears pouring down her cheeks. I tried to tell her I was all right, like a good boy, but couldn't say anything more than, "I'm not very happy right now"

I wanted to black out but I couldn't. The pain was constant and dragged me back from the darkness I sought.

The noise of the impact brought the security guard from his post, calling for assistance into his radio. Minx sat and held my hand while we waited for the paramedics. I was so cold and shivering made the pain worse. I tried to look at the leg, but the guard held me down. I wanted to know if I even still had it.

I thought about how my vacation was ruined and about how mad Minx was going to be because I couldn't go to work today.

The ambulance crew arrived with the paramedics and they started assessing my condition for transport. About the only thing they did that was a comfort was to put a blanket on me.

Then the torture begin.

The medics unrolled a rubber suit and carefully lifted me into it. Using the attached straps they closed the suit up and then inflated it.

I screamed loud enough to deafen myself as the pressure increased on the leg.

And still I couldn't pass out.

Once they had me in the ambulance, they put me on oxygen so I started hyperventilating so I could get a buzz on .

By the time I arrived at the hospital I was in a little less pain from the pressure and fairly high from the oxygen.

I was wheeled into the ER and the medics started working on me. Minx arrived only a few minutes after I did, just in time to meet the police officer taking the report and questioning me about the incident.

He had already validated that I was not drunk, stoned, or any more stupid than anybody else, and was oriented as they say, times three.

The ER technician cut my shoe and pant leg off and revealed the extent of the damage to my leg. I could see bone protruding from my lower leg and chunks of torn flesh.

He loaded a hypo and started towards me.

"I need to give you a tetanus shot ",he said as he approached.

"No.", I told him

"Excuse me. This is necessary to prevent infection.", he said and started to inject me.

:"I said NO. I'm going into surgery anyway, just add it to my IV fluids.", I repeated.

He started to try again, when he was interrupted by Minx taking hold of his tie, and applying enough downwards pressure where he knew he was going face down into the exam table if he didn't back off.

"The patient is refusing treatment.", she said in a low intense tone, that dripped malice.

"I understand.", he said and she released his tie from her grip.

This charming little scene was interrupted by a nurse and an older man with a sure step and certain attitude.

"I'm Dr. Small, and I'm going to put you back together again, Michael", he said, as he examined the damage.

There was the usual medical hmming as he manuplitated the leg in various painful ways to determine the amount of damage.

"Well," he said," you have a compound fracture of the tibia and fibia and a broken femur. Or in simple English you broke all the bones in your leg and displaced the bone about ten centimeters through your skin. We'll have you in surgery in about 45 minutes."

With that he walked out and left the nurse behind to prep me for surgery.

A short time later I was wheeled into the elevator and we ascended to the surgical floor. Throughout it all Minx stayed with me, hovering nearby, and fending off all attempts to get her to leave.

One attempt failed when she gripped the intern by his balls and squeezed until he changed his mind about her leaving. His voice also went up about two octaves as well.

The anesthesiologist came and started putting me to sleep for the surgery and the last thing I saw as I drifted off to sleep was Minx watching me.

The first thing I saw when I woke back up was not Minx. It was a nurse that must have started her career with Dr. Who.

"And how are we feeling?", she said as I blinked to focus my eyes.

"From the way I feel and the way you look, we're both in trouble.", I grumbled.

She sniffed at that and walked away as I heard a door open.

"He's awake Doctor. And rude as well.", she said.

Doctor Small walked over and examined me for a few minutes, and then explained the extent of the repairs.

"You were in surgery for nine hours. I've inserted steel rods into your upper and lower leg to hold the bones in place until they fuse again. You will be here for awhile, probably six to eight weeks."

I groaned, not from pain, but from the idea of being confined in a hospital for almost two months.

"Your wife is outside waiting to talk to you. I'll send her in.", he said turning to leave.

Wife? My wife was dead. For a moment I thought the drugs had screwed me up big time.

Minx walked in and I could see the strain in her face. It was obvious to me even in my condition that she hadn't relaxed for a moment while I was under the knife, or more to the point, the hardware store.

"Well, it's nice to see my wife again after so many years.", I said gazing up at her.

"Well if I told them I was your Mistress or your boss, they would hardly let me in, now would they?", she replied.

"True", I admitted. "Now, are you all right?"

"Am I all right? You are in a hospital with a shattered leg, tubes in you, possible internal injuries, and you are asking if I am all right? You're crazy!", she snapped.

"Well I hadn't intended to be here you know. And judging from the car that tried to hit you, you were the target. I just couldn't yell at you through the helmet."

"So instead you decided to be a hero. You never learn do you?", she scolded.

"Hey, I intended to sacrifice my bike, not me. The car driving over my leg was accidental and you know it.", I snapped back.

She took a deep breath and I saw her calm down.

"You're right. I've just been worried about you. I've never had a slave do something like this before."

"Well, I do owe you my life. Consider it a payment on account. Besides, I love you."

The Mistress Minx I loved with all my heart surfaced for a moment from under the stern reproving Mistress Minx and smiled.

"I know."

The nurse came back in at that point and shooed her out and adjusted my IV feed. She added an injection of something to the feed and I found myself drifting off to sleep again.

I woke up feeling like a dog was tugging at my leg. It didn't hurt much, but felt sort of odd. I woke up a bit more and noticed I was now in a new room and some sort of infernal device had been attached to my leg.

It hummed as it tugged rhythmically on my leg and with each tug I felt a minor shock of pain.

I noticed that I had IV's in both arms now, one of a clear liquid and the other of blood, or more precisely, packed platelets according to the label.

I felt around as much as I could to locate the call button, and then signaled for the nurse.

This time the nurse that came in was a touch more attractive physically, but no more attractive from a personality standpoint.

"Was there something you needed?", she asked checking my IV connections.

"Yes. Could I have something to eat or drink? I'm hungry.", I asked.

"I'm sorry but no. Until we're sure that there are no internal injuries and replace your blood loss, you can't eat."

I thought a vile thought at her and relaxed into the bed.

"And how long do I have to wait?", I asked plaintively.

"You might be able to eat something soft tonight. Maybe Jell-O."

Jell-O. I wanted steak, and they wanted to feed me beef gelatin. What a world.

She could tell from my expression, no doubt through her vast experience, that I was less than pleased with this answer.

" Please don't argue with me about this sir. I know you're hungry, but we can't take any chances.", she warned.

I snorted my displeasure and waited until her back was turned and stuck my tongue out at her.

"I saw that. Do something that childish again and I'll put a clamp on it.", she said without turning.

Psychic too.

"Yes Misstr - - ", I started to say then caught myself.

"Mistress will do at some other time and place. Here I am Nurse Yale. Understood?"

"Yes Nurse Yale.", I said.

She left the room and I was left to ponder this turn of events.

I was in a hospital with a broken leg, the nurse was a dominantrix, I wasn't going to be fed for a while, and the pain was increasing each time the damned machine tugged on my leg.

I wanted to scream in frustration at my lot in life, but it wouldn't do any good at all.

My black mood was interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Small and Ms. Yale.

"Well Michael, Susan tells me you're hungry this morning. That's good. Are you feeling much pain this morning?"

"Yes Doctor. This thing is pulling my leg off", I said pointing at the machine.

"The machine is going to keep your muscles in shape so you can walk. As to the pain, I'll have a PDA installed for you."

PDA? I asked, as the acronym wasn't one I knew.

"It will allow you to medicate yourself for pain without allowing an overdose. It uses a small computer to monitor the dosage." , Dr. Small explained.

"What about food?", I asked hopefully.

"Tonight. We'll start you with clear liquids and if that goes well, you can change to a regular meal at breakfast tomorrow."

Clear liquids.

"Chicken soup for dinner?"

"Chicken broth. Deal?", he countered.

I nodded my assent.

He left the room with Nurse Yale trailing behind him. She returned a few minutes later with yet another machine to add to the collection of plumbing attached to my body. She attached the needle of the PDA to the clear IV line and placed the control in my hand.

She patiently explained the operation of the device and warned me not to overuse the medication.

Little did she know I hated pain killers, not because I like pain, but because of the loss of control over my body.

She pushed the button for me the first time to demonstrate how it worked and then left me alone.

The dose of medication enabled me to get through most of the morning, and it was almost noon before I needed another dose.

I was bored. Being in bed, at least being in bed like this, was no fun at all. I tried to kill time by sleeping. I've never been very good at sleeping on my back, and with the machine tugging on the leg, sleep was hard to come by.

My day finally brightened with the appearance of Mistress Minx near sunset.

"I see you're awake. How are you feeling?" , she asked looking at the medical readout display.

"Bored. Bored,bored, bored. Pain, pain , pain.", I said raising the head of the bed with the controls.

"I'm sure that you'll find something to do. I'll bring you some books tomorrow."

I indicated the other empty bed in the room.

"Maybe you could move in with me. ", I said.

She snickered at that idea.

"Try explaining that to the doctor. In fact, try explaining that to the police. There are already questions being asked about the incident."

"Oh, like what?"

"Like, 'Does he have any enemies', or 'Does he do drugs', or 'Is there any money missing from the bank' . Things like that.", she said.

"Well you know the answer to the last two. As to the first, none that I can think of.", I said.

Minx glanced around the room carefully.

"What about Lydia?", she asked in a low voice.

Lydia. The drugs must have fogged my mind a bit more than I realized because I couldn't think of who Minx was talking about. Then the brain restarted. Lydia. When I was being trained. The woman who beat the shit out of me. The woman who - -.

"Are you serious? Why would she want to kill you?", I said in the same hushed tone.

"What makes you think you weren't the target?", she countered.

I actually didn't have an answer to that. I'd never had anybody who threatened to kill me actually try before.

"You actually think she tried to kill me? I've pissed some people off before, but assassination?"

"She lost her position in Ay'esha, she was publicly embarrassed by your willingness to suffer in my place,when she has never had a slave willing to do that. You hurt her pride. Why shouldn't she hate you? She swore she would get her revenge, and I'll tell you right now, she always keeps her word."

That didn't make me feel good at all.

"Well, that gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Like sleeping with a rabid ferret."

She made a face at that image.

"I wish you'd take this seriously.", she scolded

"Seriously? I'd piss my pants if I had any on. And the catheter wouldn't let me anyway. "

"You need protection. At least until you heal. Then we can deal with the problem. Maybe take a trip somewhere."

"So do we tell the cops that someone it trying to kill me? Now that would be fun. Try explaining the whys and wherefores to the police. Yes, a woman named Lydia is trying to kill me because I defended the woman I love from being whipped. Where and when did this happen, they ask. Shortly after I was kidnapped by a beautiful young woman and trained to be her slave. Now wouldn't that story make the Six O'clock news? It wouldn't even have to be Sweeps Week. ", I said sardonically.

"M-5, protecting you is my problem. Is that completely understood?", she said in her iciest command tone.

I gulped and acknowledged her control over the situation.

The discussion was abruptly terminated by Nurse Yale entering the room with a pan and sponge.

"It's time for your bath. I'm afraid your little friend will have to run along now.", she ordered.

The silence was deafening. My "little friend" looked at her with an intensity that would have sliced steel plating in half. In my head I heard the old song "Duck and Cover", and wished I could.

The nurse took the look and deflected it off without blinking. Obviously she was quite used to giving orders and getting results.

"Nurse, I need to speak with you outside please.", Minx said, giving me a look as well.

To my suprise Nurse Yale didn't argue, but followed Minx out of the room.

She returned less than two minutes later showing no sign that anything had taken place at all.

"Miss Dawes is quite a formidable young woman", she said as she dampened the sponge in the pan.

"Yes she is. In fact she's the best boss I ever had. Always fair and understanding.", I said carefully.

"She's a bitch.", she said wiping the sponge across my chest. "I don't care to be told how to take care of my patients. She told me not to allow you any visitors, or allow anybody I did not know to see you."

"She can be overprotective at times. ", I said lightly.

She snorted at that, and briskly finished my washdown.

"I haven't had anybody killed under my care yet. Unless you count the damage the hospital food can do."

"Speaking of food...", I said wistfully.

"Yes, I ordered a tray for you. Chicken broth and Jell-O for dinner. If you don't have any problems, you can go on a regular diet plan tomorrow."

As she made the announcement there was a knock on the door and an orderly brought in a tray.

The smell of chicken filled the room as he placed the tray on the bed table and removed the cover. Nodding to us, he left.

I started to reach for a spoon and quickly realized that the tubing for the IV's was going to be a problem.

She almost laughed then controlled herself.

"Do you want me to feed you?", she asked

"Please."

I felt like a four year old again as I was spoon fed the broth and then the lime Jell-O.

As I ate I saw a less hard side of Susan Yale. She actually did care about her patients, just hid it under a brusque manner and attitude. Her natural dominance was more than useful in doing her job as it allowed her to keep egos in check.

Some doctors think they're God. She reminded then they weren't.

She wiped my face when I was done and actually tucked me in.

I almost said "Thank you Mommy", but checked myself in time. She reached over and pressed the button on the PDA and I drifted off to sleep.

The pain was intense as I tried to roll over and pull up the call button from where it had fallen. It took an eternity to reach the cord without dislodging the IV needles but ultimately I managed to hook it and pull it to me.

A new nurse appeared and summed up the problem quickly. She moved me back into the proper position on the bed and placed the controls near my hand.

I was weeping from the pain and couldn't really talk , but she understood the amount of pain I was in and left the room, returning quickly with a hypo.

The injection stung but after a few minutes I stopped caring about anything. I remembered the effect from some years before as a Demerol injection. The nurse disconnected the PDA line and waited until I was at least semicoherent before speaking.

"I'm Tammi and I'll be taking care of you during the day. I guess you met Susan last night. She'll be taking care of you on the night shift." , she said in a cheerful tone., as she adjusted the window blinds. " I understand that you aren't to have any visitors except for a Miss Minkin Dawes. What's that all about?", she asked.

I was pretty well blitzed by that point but part of my brain was still working as I replied.

"She's just afraid one of you will steal me away from her, that's all." , I said trying to count my fingers and arriving at twelve.

She came back to my side and took my blood pressure and pulse. The thermometer was shoved into my mouth as she raised the head of the bed up and restarted the infernal machine to exercise my leg.

I guess I didn't have a fever when she took it out of my mouth because she wasn't frowning when she read it.

When Doctor Small came in I guess he must have thought I was too happy because he checked my pupils.

"I see you've had your medication this morning. Are you having any cramps or stomach pains?", he asked.

"Nope. Can I eat today?", I asked with what must have been a really stupid smile on my face.

He looked at my chart, checked the leg, and told Tammi to get me a menu.

"Try not to let the food kill you.", was all he said.

As a whole that was pretty much the pattern for the first week. Eat, sleep, doctor's exam,sleep,eat, short visit from Minx.

The only break in the pattern was the fifth day, when the subject of my bowels came up. Or rather the lack of substance from my bowels became a subject.

Nurse Yale came in that night with an ultimatum and a container of prune juice.

"If you don't have a bowel movement, you'll be given an enema."

I didn't waste a moment. I drank the juice and prayed for . . well, not rain.

The Goddess however was not smiling on me the next morning because Tammi prepared me for the worst.

After removing the infernal machine from my leg, she removed the catheter from my cock.

I hadn't really realized how far into me the catheter went until she slowly withdrew it with each millimeter giving me new pain.

By the time she had withdrawn it fully I was panting from the pain despite a low dose of pain killer.

She examined my cock with a clinical detachment for any damage that may have occurred, then rolled me onto my good side to lubricate my asshole for the enema nozzle.

I heard the snap of the rubber glove that I had heard in my training with Mistress Minx and tensed up, despite myself.

The lubrication was cool against my asshole as she slipped a finger into me and then a second.

I could feel the rush of air into my ass as she spread me wide enough to put the nozzle in. The pressure of the nozzle held my asscheeks open slightly and I recalled having worn a tail not so very long ago.

She carefully rolled me back over and then helped me sit up after untangling the IV lines.

The weight of my foot made me feel unbalanced and looking down for the first time I saw the extent of the damage to my leg.

A simple description of the leg would be a battle map. A map of the trenches in World War One would be about right.

I slipped into a wheelchair and she wheeled me into the bathroom with the tube from the enema nozzle hanging behind me.

She was stronger than she looked because she basically lifted me onto the toilet and set me down.

She filled the enema bag and hung it on a hook. Even as she asked if I was ready she opened the release and the water started filling me up.

The cramps started and I tried to brace myself on the floor but my bad leg slipped and I almost fell off the toilet, but Tammi caught me.

The bag finished emptying into me and Tammi reached between my legs and pulled the nozzle out of my ass.

Almost as soon as the nozzle popped out it was followed by a stream of filthy water and shit.

It actually felt good as I emptied out and relaxed .

I guess my sigh must have amused Tammi because she snickered softly.

"You'll get yours in the end", I said.

"In your dreams.", she said softly.

She helped me off the toilet and wiped my bottom like a small child then helped me back into the bed.

Then she applied the cock torture to me by reinserting the catheter .

With a complete disinterest she lubricated my cock and started gently stroking me until I became erect.

Applying lubricant to the tubing she gently squeezed the head of my prick until the hole opened up enough to start feeding the tubing slowly into my cock.

I couldn't help myself; I started to grab her hand to stop her, but she avoided me neatly.

"If you won't hold still, I'll tie you down and insert it.", she threatened.

I guess I'd had enough because I told her it was the only way I was going to have that thing shoved up my cock again.

"Suit yourself.", was all she said and left the room.

She returned a couple of minutes later with a set of restraints and an orderly.

The orderly set about mounting the restraints onto the bed and asked if she needed help in strapping me down.

She looked at me and told him that she could handle me herself.

He left and she gave me one more chance to submit.

"No. You tell the doctor I can use a urinal or a bedpan, but I really don't want that thing in my cock.", I said.

She changed her tactics at that point and started trying to sweet talk me into submitting.

Needless to say that proved fruitless.

She was just starting to force me into the restraints using a pressure point hold on my wrist when Minx walked in.

"What in the hell is going on!", she snapped , obviously ready to pounce on Tammi.

"I'm sorry, but you aren't allowed in here.", Tammi said releasing her grip.

"I'm Miss Dawes and I can be wherever I want to be. Now what's going on?"

"I need to insert a catheter. He is still too ill to use a urinal on a regular basis."

Minx focused her wrath on me and I started cringing even before she approached me..

"Michael, you will lay there and let her insert the catheter, or I will do it myself."

I started to protest and was cut off in midsentence by Minx clamping a hand over my mouth.

"Listen to me ", she hissed , " You will do as I say, and as the doctors and nurses say, or I will break your balls. Is that clear M-5?"

I nodded looking into her eyes and seeing the anger at my disobedience of her orders.

"Look at me . Do not turn away.", she said softly.

I felt her place my arms in the restraints and fasten them, then she turned away.

I felt my cock being stroked and felt my erection growing in response. I could feel the head of my cock being pinched and a coolness as lubricant was swapped into the tip.

There was a pain and a scratching sensation in my cock . I heard Minx cautioning Tammi not to hurry too much doing the insertion. The spreading sensation in my cock continued and I felt the tubing inching its way into my bladder. When the sensation stopped I looked towards the foot of the bed.

Minx turned towards Tammi, who was pulling the covers over my waist and told her that if I ever made another problem over treatment, she was to be informed.

I guess Tammi was also under Minx's influence as well because her demeanor changed from strict nurse to docile child.

"Yes, Miss Dawes.", she said in an awed tone.

Minx walked over to Tammi, placed her hand under the girl's chin and held it,while she kissed her deeply.

Tammi started to melt into Mistress Minx's arms and Minx withdrew.

"You will be given pleasure as a reward for protecting my property. Is that understood?", she said staring into Tammi's eyes.

"Yes Miss Dawes.", she almost whispered.

"Someday it may be Mistress. Would it give you pleasure to be owned by me?", Minx said mockingly.

Tammi blushed at that point, and Minx smiled knowing she had made another conquest.

"For right now," Minx said releasing her hold, "you have a job to do. I want you to make him as comfortable as you can, but I also want you to make sure he follows orders. Use the restraints as necessary to control him."

"Yes Miss Dawes", Tammi said in a more normal tone of voice.

"And you, Michael. You will follow her orders where your treatment is concerned.", Minx continued.

"Yes, Mistress.", I said submissively.

Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

That pretty much set the tone for the next week. Tammi keeping an eye on me in the daytime, and Ms. Yale ( I just couldn't think of her as Susan), at night.

The day came though when I was no longer confined to my room.

Dr. Small walked in one morning and announced that I would be starting my physical therapy that very day.

"Are you kidding? I can still just barely move the leg under my own power.", I groaned.

Tammi gave me a warning look that caused me to shut up and listen.

"We need to get the circulation in the leg going again and exercise is the key, as well as a few other things.

"You will also be spending two hours a day in a hyperbaric chamber under pure oxygen to promote healing of the scar tissue." , he said. "Tammi, make arrangements for his therapy. Premedicate him for the hyperbaric, and I want him down in physical therapy by noon."

So much for lunch.

The doctor left and so did Tammi, returning a few minutes later with a wheelchair and a Valium tablet. Getting into the wheelchair was a bit easier since the IV lines and catheter had been pulled the day before, but was still no picnic.

She wheeled me out the door and towards the elevator, stopping momentarily to pick up a chart at the nurses station.

She put it in my lap as we entered the elevator for the trip down.

As is my habit with information about me, I opened the file and started to read it despite her protests.

I understood most of the surgical notes and charts, and then turned to the description of the patient, in this case ,me.

"The patient", it said, " has an obese posterior."

Obese posterior? Obese posterior!

"That is the politest way I have every seen to say fat assed in my life!", I exclaimed.

"That's what you get for snooping.", Tammi laughed taking the chart away from me.

The elevator door opened and another woman got on.

"I do not have an obese posterior", I protested," I'm just nicely padded"

The new passenger looked at Tammi and I in amusement.

"I would suggest you take that up with Miss Dawes.", Tammi said.

The elevator stopped and all of us got out. Tammi wheeled me to the left and the nurse went to the right. She pushed me through the doors marked PHYSICAL THERAPY and parked my chair next to a desk.

"This is Michael, and Dr. Small wants him started on circulation therapy this morning.", Tammi announced to the intern at the desk.

"OK", he said, taking the paperwork from Tammi."I'll get it set up. Dr. Juliano will be here in a minute or two to supervise."

The intern went to a large tub and started filling it from a tap that was marked STERILE WATER, while Tammi and I waited for the doctor.

When the tub was full, he shut off the water and left the room. He returned a few minutes later with two buckets of ice and poured them into the tub.

Ice water. I shivered thinking about it.

"You've got to be kidding! Put my leg in that?", I protested.

The intern rolled me over to the tub and placed my leg into the ice water. I started to pull my leg back out from the pain and shock but he held my leg in the water.

I wanted to yell from the pain. I knew it was only water, but it was so cold it burned on my raw flesh.

The pain lessened as my leg went numb from the cold water and ice. The intern finally released my leg and left me to sit with my leg in the water and returned to his desk. Tammi excused herself and I was left to soak in the icy bath.

I guess I had nodded off despite the cold, because I woke up being gently shaken by the woman who had joined us in the elevator.

"I'm Doctor Juliano, Michael. I'm sorry I'm late. I wanted to explain the treatment before we started."

"I guess that's all right", I said sleepily." Why the ice water?"

"Well in the accident quite a bit of your circulation was damaged. By alternating ice water and heat the blood vessels will open and close and reduce the swelling and get the blood flow back to normal."

"Sounds simple enough. But boy, it hurts when I hit that water. "

"Part of the problem is that you have to be relatively unmedicated so that your circulation is normal."

"How long have I been here?"

Dr. Juliano consulted a timer next to the tub.

"About half an hour. You can take the leg out now."

Without thinking I tried to pull the leg up. It moved. It moved! IT MOVED!

I almost shouted with the joy of having my leg respond to command.

The doctor smiled at my reaction.

"Yes it still works. Dr. Small is one of the best in the county, and if you'll work with me you'll be walking again in no time."

I couldn't get the leg out of the tub no matter how hard I tried, so Dr. Juliano lifted it out for me and wrapped a warm towel around it.

The feeling returned slowly and with it the pain. I started panting from it as it traveled up my leg with the circulation returning.

She wheeled me back to the desk where Tammi was waiting and initialed the medical chart.

"We'll be doing this twice a day, so get used to it. If things go properly, I start teaching you to walk again in about two weeks.", she said.

"You know I'm going to start hating you.", I warned her.

"Most patients do. Unless they're masochists."

Tammi wheeled me out the door and we proceeded to my next stop on the schedule. The hyperbaric chamber.

I'd seen them in pictures before, but seeing one for the first time was sort of interesting. It looked like a long tube with a heavy door, almost like a bank vault. It had windows so I would be able to see out, and a set of headphones so I could listen to music.

The doctor on duty introduced himself as Doctor Borrelo, and gave me the basic orientation lecture on the process.

"You will be in a pure oxygen environment at three times normal air pressure. That will force oxygen through the tissue and the more oxygen saturation, the faster tissue regrowth occurs. At least up to a certain point. Oxygen can be poisonous above a certain pressure, and it can cause convulsions.

"Before you get in, you'll change into a different gown, one made of a paper material that can't generate static electricity. The Valium was given to you was to relax you and reduce the possibility of convulsions."

Now that sounded real comforting. I knew about oxygen poisoning from some friends that scuba dived, and I knew how flammable it was from my history classes.

Three astronauts had died in a fire in a pure oxygen environment at only a little above normal pressure. At three times normal, I would be encased in a bomb.

"I take it you've never had a problem?", I said looking at the chamber.

"No. It's really quite safe. I just like to make sure you know what is going on. If you put the headphones on ,I can play music for you and you can talk to me if you feel like it.", he said cheerfully.

I felt like telling him if it was that safe, he could take the treatment for me.

Dr. Borrello helped me out of the chair and held me while Tammi changed my gown, and then assisted me into the chamber.

One thing I did notice that made me a bit happier was a red handle marked EMERGENCY DECOMPRESSION, and I commented on it.

The doctor assured me that the safety valve would pop if there was an overpressure, and the red handle was only there as a backup for the patient's comfort.

The hatch was sealed behind me and I put the headphones on.

"OK , here we go.", the headphones crackled.

He turned a valve and I felt the pressure increase slightly and the needle on the pressure gage quivered and moved up. It took about ten minutes to reach full pressure and I felt light headed from the oxygen.

"OK in there ?", he asked looking through the window.

"I'm fine, but now I know how a torpedo feels.", I replied.

He laughed a bit and started the timer.

"I'll start decompressing you an hour from now. Would you like some music to listen to?"

"If you have some Bach, that would be nice."

Bach it was, the Brandenbergs as a matter of fact, that filled my ears with sound and my mind with peace.

I went to sleep and didn't wake up until I felt the air pressure change as the hatch was opened.

"That wasn't too bad was it?", Dr. Borrello said, helping me into the chair again.

"Even cleared my sinuses up. Thank you.", I said truthfully.

"Starting tomorrow, you'll be in here just after breakfast. Then to physical therapy. back here again after lunch. and then back to therapy. That should keep you occupied for a while.", he said looking at the chart Tammi had given him.

Tammi arrived and wheeled me back to my room and put me back to bed.

And thus ended the second week.

Weeks three and four were nothing more than a circle of bed, chamber,ice water,chamber, ice water and then bed with sporadic visits from Minx to break the pattern of boredom.

There was still no sign of Lydia, or the driver of the car that had hit me. Minx reported that no one in Ay'esha had seen or heard from Lydia since the day she left.

About the most exciting thing that happened was a fire alarm test.

Week five I started to learn to walk again.

Dr. Juliano put me in a harness hanging from the ceiling of the therapy room that removed most of my weight from my legs and had me pace back and forth across the room again and again critically examining every step I made.

"You can't drag the leg behind you that way. Pick it up and move it. Your joints still move. Left,right,left, right.", she snapped.

"I really hate your guts. The leg hurts like hell and I want to sit down and cry, OK?", I said viciously.

Her response to that was to lower the harness so I had even more weight to move.

"Move that ass of yours. Nicely padded. Fat assed is what it is.", she said insultingly.

I started to turn to face her and realized I had placed my weight on the bad leg and it had held up.

"You see. If I piss you off, you work harder.", she said." Now move it. Another ten trips back and forth and I'll let you rest."

"Bitch."

"Slacker."

I made it through the next ten trips thinking about introducing her to Lydia. Now there was a match made in heaven ...or hell.

Lydia was never far from my mind since the suggestion that she was trying to kill me. There were too many ways an "accident" could happen in a hospital. Assuming of course, she knew where I was.

And there was always the question of protecting myself outside of the hospital.

I finished the exercise and stood panting, leaning against the rail of the walking area.

Dr. Juliano walked over to me and started rubbing my shoulders as I got my breath back.

"I know it's hard, but you deal with the pain better than anyone I've ever met. It's like you were trained to endure it. I can tell you don't like it, but you take it anyway.", she said digging her thumbs into my muscles as she talked.

"Let's just say I've had some experience with pain.", I said wincing as she pressed harder.

"Judging from the scar tissue, quite a bit. Looks like about ten cuts across your back at some time. Nice job of stitching. You had a good doctor."

I started to straighten up. Her questions were getting too close to things that she wasn't cleared to hear.

"Doctor, nothing personal, but I can't discuss the matter. If I told you, I'd have to kill you!", I said lightly.

She slapped me across the shoulders and had me start another set of exercises.

Each time I had a session with her the questions became more and more pointed. How did I get the scars? How exactly did the accident happen? Who was the doctor who had stitched me up?

I continued to deflect the questions as well as I could, but it was getting harder every time.

The other shoe dropped the day of my discharge, after seven weeks in the hospital. I was getting around pretty well on crutches, and all my stitches had been removed. My medication had been reduced to "as needed" from a regular dosage.

I left the security of the hospital for my house with some trepidation, but nobody had tried to kill me, so I relaxed a notch.

Minx's limo delivered me to my house and the driver helped me in, then gave me a note from bank.

I opened it to find that I was on paid leave until an audit could be completed.

I get run over, and the bank thinks I'm stealing. What next?

You should never ask questions like that, because the answers are never pleasant ones.

Mine came in the form of an insurance investigator, who wanted to know exactly how the accident happened, and was less than pleased to hear that I has deliberately wrecked the bike.

"You realized that destroying your own motorcycle isn't covered by the policy?', she said grimly, closing his notebook.

"Yes, thank you. I am quite aware of that fact. Was there anything else?", I said pointedly.

"Not at this time", he said standing up to leave.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take my medicine.", I said pointing him towards the door.

"Just one more thing...", he said before leaving.

"Yes?"

"Watch your back. Just a friendly piece of advice."

"Now that was a startling piece of information", I thought sarcastically.

That train of thought was derailed by the arrival of a visitor I hadn't expected to see.

Ms. Yale appeared on my doorstep carrying a suitcase and travel bag and announced that Minx had made arrangements for her to stay with me for a week.

I showed her in and she set to work unpacking. As she was arranging her things I went to answer the phone.

"Hello?", I said watching Ms.Yale.

"Michael, ", said Minx's voice.

"Yes Miss."

"I wasn't sure you would or could answer the phone. You've got to get out of there.", she said urgently.

"What's wrong?", I asked turning away from the living room.

"Susan Yale is the owner of the car that ran you over."

I kept my tone light and casual.

"Well that's interesting . When did you find that out?", I said.

"She's there isn't she.", Minx said.

"As a matter of fact, yes."

The phone was removed from my grasp from behind.

"Say good bye to your precious slave Minx. By the time you get here, it'll be too late.", Susan said into the phone, then ripped the cord from the wall.

I turned to face her and waited.

"You won't get away with it. Minx knows all about you. The car, everything. She's probably got the police on the way right now."

"Big deal. If I do get caught, I plead diminished capacity and I'm out in a few years."

With that she kicked the crutches from under my arms knocking me to the floor and proceeded to place her foot on my throat and step down.

"Sorry this won't be quite as painless as an air bubble in the heart."

I gripped her leg and tried to throw her off balance but she was braced too well. I kicked at her with the good leg and succeeded only in hurting myself

I started blacking out from the lack of air. I could hear the blood rushing through my head as the pressure on my throat increased.

Then the pressure stopped and I heard a body fall.

My vision cleared and I saw Minx standing over Susan Yale's prone form, holding a blackjack.

"What took you so long?", I asked weakly

The police arrived and I explained what had happened. Susan was handcuffed and taken out, still unconcious,to be charged with attempted murder.

Minx wouldn't let me talk about it until the next morning when she served me breakfast in bed. I ate what was set before me, then told her the tale.

"How did you find out about the car? ", I asked.

"Tammi called me. She knew Susan had a Cadallic, but until I told her the story she hadn't thought about it.

"When I did a little more digging into Susan Yale's background, I discovered that she had a large sum of money to transferred her account. And that she was involved peripherally with Ay'esha for a time. She started the job at the hospital the day you checked in."

"I guess I owe Tammi my life. "

" I plan to reward her. She will become one of my female slaves. "

The rest of her sentence was interrupted by a knock on the front door.

My Mistress went to answer it and returned with Tammi. Tammi was wearing a new slave collar like mine with a silver tag on it.

"I came to see if you were all right. ", she said kneeling next to the chair Minx sat in.

"I'm a little bruised and hoarse, but other than that, just fine. Thank you for calling Minx and telling her about the car.", I said reaching out to hold her hand.

"You have done very well, the both of you. You saved my life Michael, and Tammi saved your life. Tammi what reward would you like? I am very rich and can give you almost anything you would ever want.", Minx offered.

"Mistress," she said hesitantly, the word being new to her," all I want to do is serve you and Michael."

"And Michael? Why is that?", Minx probed.

Tammi looked at me.

"Because of his love for you. I would serve him as well.", she said shyly.

"And that you shall. And you Michael. What would you like?"

I looked at Tammi and then back at Minx. What a pair of women in my life.

"Would you please give Tammi an enema for me?" , I asked.

Minx looked shocked for a moment and then nodded.

I looked at Tammi and smiled.

"I told you, you'd get it in the end."

Section 7

M.A.S.H