My Fellow Inmates,
Here is the first Entry in the Asylum Story Contest. Its Called "Dinner Out" and is a rubber puppy story by Sparky
Enjoy
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Apollo sat nervously in the back seat of the car, absentmindedly stroking his moulded puppy paws against the smooth black latex rubber suit hugging his body, each movement of rubber against rubber eliciting a quiet squeak. Master and his mate were in the front seat arguing about some banal detail their jobs while Master piloted the aging luxury car to the restaurant. Their conversation was all boring computer stuff, none of it making much sense to Apollo. Not that he really care about it anyway; the pup's mind was preoccupied with the events of the last 6 hours and the evening to come.
It felt like his entire life had changed when he landed in Seattle that morning. After collecting his bags he met Master in the arrivals section of the airport and had been whisked northward to a 1970's rambler just south of downtown. Master had been very sociable and nice on the trip to his house chatting and asking how Apollo was doing, seeming like an old friend. Once they arrived at Master's house though though, everything changed. Upon walking in the door the Master was greeted enthusiastically by a tan 70lb pit bull. Master bent to greet the dog, scratching its back before straightening to turn to Apollo.
"Get in there, strip and get your suit on." The Master's words were spoken gruffly as he gestured to the door immediately to the right of the entryway before continuing, "I expect you ready in five minutes." Master strode off to the other end of the house without looking back.
5 minutes?! That was crazy. Apollo opened the door and stepped into the room, the pit bull pushing inside the moment Apollo's hand opened the door. The room was clearly purpose designed for the dog. Two large kennels were lined up along the back wall, with a four gleaming metal dog bowls neatly arranged beside them. Two of the bowls were filled with water, the others completely empty. Putting down his suitcases, Apollo dived into the hard backed one that had his gear. Pulling out the stretchy rubber suit he dug, looking for his talc. Where was the Talc? Oh no! Quickly checking in the other case he confirmed that he had left it at home. Pawing through the two cupboards in the room revealed dog food, various medicines, brushes, and other dog paraphernalia, but no talc, or even anything close to it.
"Damnit!" The boy quickly started kicking off his shoes and pulling off his clothes. Once naked he flopped down on the floor and started wriggling into the legs of the mass of rubber. There were traces of talc in the suit from when he had last used the suit, but not nearly enough to make getting into it an easy task, much less possible in a five minute time frame. On his back, Apollo struggled to get his legs wedged into the tight material. The pit bull started nosing at the rubber, then sniffing and licking his face making matters even worse.
Apollo looked up, startled as the door to the mud room slammed open. Master strode in, his jeans and t-shirt exchanged for black leather pants, a tight white undershirt, and a pair of riding boots. He was carrying a black duffel bag, which he calmly set down on a short table near to the door before looking down at the struggling boy. Apollo tried to read Master's eyes and flat facial expression, but was unable to tell if he was disappointed, angry, or even amused by his failure to meet the imposed 5-minute deadline.
"Sky, crate." The firm tone resulted in an immediate response from the pit bull. The dog quickly and directly walked to the leftmost of the two crates and turned around in it to lay down, watching Master and the new pup. Master knelt and without a word gripped at the rubberized suit, expert hands efficiently tugging it up section by section, helping the pup finish putting it on. Feet quickly popped out the ankles of the suit, joined in short order by hands emerging out of the wrist holes. Once the suit was formed to his body and zipped up Master stood, moving over to the duffel bag. Unzipping it, the man opened it and looked inside before turning back to the boy. Apollo fidgeted slightly, rubber squeaking softly with every movement.
"Apollo, are you ready for this? Really ready?" Master's tone was even. Master's eyes locked with the boy's, bright blue orbs piercing into Apollo's own blue eyes. Apollo took a deep breath. This was it. This was what he'd thought about for so many years. This was his chance to really be a master's puppy.
"Yes, sir!" Apollo's response erupted from his mouth cheerfully. Prancing around on all fours in his gear at home was fun, but Apollo had always wanted an audience, wanted a master, wanted to show someone how good of a pup he could be.
"Once I put this collar on your neck you are a dog until I remove it. I know I sent you a list of my rules before you accepted my invitation, but seeing how new you are, I will repeat them /one/ last time." Master's words came smoothly, tone even other than a slightly menacing emphasis on the number. "Dogs do not talk; dogs bark, although not excessively. Dogs will remain firmly planted on the ground by all 4 legs. Dogs will obey all commands immediately and without hesitation. Do you understand?"
Apollo nodded, thrilling a little at hearing these restrictions voiced by the master. He had read the email before he left again and again, practically memorizing the instructions within.
The Master reached into the black bag and withdrew a square wooden box. Creaking it open by the hinge it revealed a thick rubber collar nestled in the velvet interior. The collar had two black anodized rings embedded in it, about 30 degrees apart. The back of the collar had two embedded halves of a clasp with metal rings which looked designed to accept a small padlock. After showing off the collar the master put it and the box back on the table before pulling out several objects. First he pulled out a pair of paw-gloves, moulded from matte-black rubber, each with an adjustable wrist and more loops for padlocks. Next came two shiny rubberized boots. The boots looked like normal galoshes at the base, but the material continued tightly up the shins, capped with embedded knee-pads formed into foot paws. Master handed the boots to Apollo and gestured down at his feet.
Sitting down to put on the boots Apollo realized why Master had asked for such detailed measurements of various parts of his body. Clearly the boots fit perfectly, foot paws fitting neatly over his knees. Rocking forward onto his knees he was pleased to see how the paw pads cushioned his knees, a comfortable improvement from his countless hours of prancing around on all 4's on carpet and hardwoods back at home when Mom and Dad were not around.
Master knelt before him, and wordlessly put the paws on his hands, first the left, then the right. The paws forced his human fingers to ball up into a fist, the tightly formed rubber distributing weight around his whole hands. Once they were snugly fit, master pulled the straps on the wrists tight, then stood to fish around in the bag some more. He withdrew three padlocks, each of which he popped open from a key fished from the pocket of the jeans. After replacing the key the master picked up the collar and turned back to Apollo.
"The last word you will say until I decide we are done is your safe word. Repeat it now for me, then I will collar you. Remember, all you have to do is say it again to end it all immediately, but if you do it's over. We don't begin again, and you go home right away." Master held out the collar, waiting for a response before wrapping it around the slender boy's neck.
"Here goes nothing," thought Apollo as lifted his chin before proudly saying "Free-dive."
Master's hands moved forwards, pulling the collar up against Apollo's neck. His fingers deftly closed the clasp, letting the rubber settle around the pup's neck. The rubber was tight against his neck, but not so tight as to be uncomfortable or restrict breathing. Master turned, grabbing all three padlocks to place them on the collar and two paws before pointing at the ground.
"Apollo, sit."
The pup immediately crouched down onto his haunches. Obeying the command sent a thrill through his spine. When the Master's lips crept up into a smile at his prompt response the pup beamed. This was happening. This was real!
"Sky, come." Master pointed next to Apollo, and the pit bull obediently fell in line with his more-human counterpart, automatically sitting. Master reached down to pat both dogs before him, scratching at their ears momentarily before turning and walking out of the room, calling "Sky, Apollo, heel" behind him.
Sky immediately bounded forward, following a step behind Master. Apollo froze momentarily, not used to such nonchalant orders, before taking his cue from the tan pit bull and crawling forward, trying to catch up on his hands and knees. Walking was awkward at first for Apollo. When he had practiced at home he had always walked on the palms of his hands, but the gloves forced him onto his fists. With the tight support the gloves offered his wrists he could immediately see that this would put much less strain on his wrists in the long term, although at the expense of having to re-learn to walk. The boots on the other hand were perfectly natural. The hardwood floors he was trundling down felt soft against the cushioned knee pads.
Master lead the duo out the back door into a large yard with impeccably manicured grass. The lawn was fenced in by a tall wooden fence providing privacy on the warm summer day. After verbally releasing them he spent a short while playing with both dogs, tossing a few balls for them, and playing tug-of-war with the pit bull. Apollo's still-awkward prancing made it impossible for him to beat Sky to the thrown balls, and he had little interest in playing with the filthy rope toy. A wave of relief crossed over him when Master walked back inside and returned with a fresh, new rope toy. Master dangled it in Apollo's face temptingly.
The new rubber pup reflexively raised a hand to grab at the rope. Immediately he realized how futile that would be, with his hands bound tightly into fists, thumb encased tightly to the fist. Apollo put the paw back down, opting to grab at the rope awkwardly with his mouth. The dog made it look so easy, yet Apollo found himself struggling to get a good grip with his mouth. As Master played with both dogs Apollo slowly got used to the paws, becoming more agile on them, dragging at his feet less as he romped.
Abruptly Master went into training mode, barking orders at both dogs, giving gentle corrections to both. While Sky's training revolved mostly around rehashes of basic obedience and seemed mostly a show for the new pup in the pack, Apollo was receiving pointers on walking and instructions to straighten his back while standing.
The patio door opened and a thin, tall man with a long beard walked out and kissed Master, who dropped the rope to embrace him. The tall man looked down at Apollo disapprovingly. Master had warned that his mate wasn't into puppy play, and the glare the pup was receiving from him made it clear that he thought Apollo looked ridiculous. The boy's ears burnt red, gripped by the sudden realization that he DID look ridiculous. Refusing to be deterred the pup grabbed the rope with his teeth before crawling forward with the toy. Nudging it into the Master's mates leg. Nuzzling him with the toy edged his look of disapproval into an outright sneer. Apollo lowered his back, flattening to the ground; the pup felt completely unsure of how to react.
As the mate stepped back inside shaking his head, Apollo's head hung low. He was startled by Master's hand rubbing the back of his neck.
"Good boy, ignore him. You are here for _my_ pleasure, not his." Master's tone was even, his enunciation of the word 'my' growling yet precise, implying a sense of ownership.
Apollo nuzzled into the master's hand, flushing from the praise. The master and two pups played and trained for a short while before he sent both dogs to the kennels. Master disappeared for half an hour or so, returning dressed in a sharp gray suit with a light blue shirt. He carried a leather pup hood with a laced back.
"Apollo, Sit." The Master pointed at the ground in front of him. Apollo eagerly crawled out of the crate and scrambled over to hunch down on all fours in front of Master. The man bent down to show the pup the hood. The hood was designed to cover most of the pup's head, completely enclosing him other than two holes for his eyes. The muzzle was slightly shorter than most hoods Apollo had seen online, and was split into an upper and lower half. The insides of the muzzle were soft plastic, with slight indentations at the tip of the muzzle, giving an impression of teeth. After giving the pup a chance to inspect the hood, he gently lifted it onto his head, then walked around behind Apollo to tighten the laces and tie them behind the pup's head snugly. Returning to Apollo's front, Master looked down, checking to make sure his eye's and mouth were properly aligned.
"Are you comfortable?"
"Yes!"
The master's hand darted down, snagging the side of Apollo's neck sharply. While the blow didn't really hurt, it certainly startled the pup.
"Remember the rules, boy. Dog's don't talk. Next time you disobey it's going to hurt. Now are you comfortable?"
"Rrrruf!" Apollo nodded vigorously.
"Go take a look in the mirror, pup." Master gestured to the living room. Apollo pranced off, enjoying the feeling of the hood closed tightly about his head. Much like his rubber body suit, the hood was like a second skin, the short muzzle visible at the bottom of his field of motion. Seeing the floor length mirror by the door, presumably for the master to check his attire before leaving the house, he crawled over, shaking his head this way and that to see how it looked. Opening his mouth Apollo was surprised to see the bottom jaw move with his mouth. Experimentally he opened and closed his mouth, looking at the muzzle from different angles in the mirror, getting a feel for how it moved. He quickly discovered he had to exaggerate the movements of his jaw to fully articulate the muzzle on his face.
"Apollo, sit."
The pup had been so engrossed in his experimentation that he hadn't heard Master come into the living room behind him. Master's words startled him, making him almost fall over as he turned to the voice. Scrabbling over he quickly assumed a sitting position before the master. Master was holding a plate, holding something Apollo couldn't see from his position. He bent down, putting the plate in front of the pup, revealing several 1-inch cubes of bread soaked in water.
"Apollo, I want you to eat these, one at a time. Don't make a mess."
The pup looked down at the plate in front of him. Carefully planning out his moves, not wanting to displease Master. He bent down, trying to gauge distance between the tip of the muzzle and the plate before gingerly opening his mouth wide to envelop one of the cubes before closing his mouth slightly to trap it, then tilting back his head and re-opening his mouth to roll the cube from the muzzle into his human mouth. The move almost worked, but he got the angle wrong and the bread rolled out the side, just missing his mouth, and landing wetly on the carpet. Master looked down with disapproval as Apollo dove for the cube, picking it up and actually getting it in his mouth this time. He chewed twice, swallowing the soggy bread before beaming up at the master.
"Gooood boy Apollo. You figured that one out fast. Now get the other two." Master pointed back down at the plate. The rubberized puppy eagerly and deftly picked up one, then the other, swallowing them almost without chewing. Looking up he saw the master beaming back, his hands on his hips, chest puffed out proudly. One of his hands reached down to pat the pup as he called "Honey, time for dinner." He turned to the pup and finished, "time for a show. Don't disappoint me."
They had been in the car for 15 minutes now, traffic heavy on a Friday night. Apollo wasn't really sure what to expect from the evening. Heck, Apollo wasn't sure what to expect from anything this weekend.
The car pulled up to the stately restaurant on Lake Union, coming to a stop in front of the door. The smartly dressed valet opened the front passenger door first, letting Master's mate step out before opening Apollo's door. Apollo caught a stare from the valet, and realized how much he must stick out in a fancy joint like this. Clambering out, he got down on all fours and waited for Master to come around and click his leash back onto the collar. Looking up he caught an embarrassed look from Master's mate, before the mate looked away, clearly mortified to be involved in the whole event. The trio marched forward through the glass doors, Apollo struggling to keep up with the brisk pace of the humans striding comfortably on two legs..
The Maître De greeted the trio warmly until her eyes dropped to see Apollo on all fours, rubberized skin gleaming in the dim, tasteful lighting. Her eyes narrowed, posture stiffening. Master reached forward to shake her hand. She looked down at her hand after he broke the grip and seemed momentarily surprised, before a look of resignation flashed across her eyes. Face quickly resuming her bright smile, she asked about a reservation, which Master confirmed. Taking one last quick look at what Master had left in her hand she made a subtle gesture and a server appeared before them.
"Table 14, in the back".
The server looked at Apollo uncomfortably before grabbing a few menus and leading the trio back through the restaurant to a table in the corner. As they passed through tables set with crisp white linens, silence fell around them. Apollo looked around, catching glares from diners dressed in expensive clothing. Their looks pierced through his rubber like needles. Lowering his head he followed Master, glad that the puppy hood was hiding not only his identity, but his fiery red ears, burning with embarrassment.
The table was in a corner, boxed in by massive windows looking out on Lake Union. Apollo couldn't see the lake from his vantage point on all fours, but could see the sky, slowly fading to a brilliant orange from the setting sun. Looking around he caught more stares. Although Apollo's shame was immense and growing, he could tell that he wasn't the only one who was uncomfortable. Every one of the high-class diners was clearly crawling in their skin at the sight of a rubber puppy invading their fine dining experience. The nerve!
Unable to get comfortable with so many eyes staring at his humiliating state, Apollo opted to crouch down by Master, trying to take up as little space as he could manage. Masters hand briefly reached down to stroke at his puppy hood before picking up his menu to peruse it. No sooner had he put it down then a waiter dressed in a sharp black uniform materialized to take their order, glaring down at the cowering puppy, worried that Apollo's mere presence would mean less tips from his other tables. Master gestured for his mate to order first before he placed the order for himself and for Apollo.
"Two of your 16oz Fliet Mignon medium rare. One Oscar style, one dry. I'll have a glass of the 2005 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and a bowl of water for the pup."
Looking up, Apollo could see the waiter bristle at the last bit, but he quickly regained composure and strode off purposefully. The pup was impressed by how quickly the wine and bowl appeared. When the bowl was set in front of him he wondered how much of it was for show - while the hood was clearly designed to allow him to eat, drinking while in the hood didn't seem possible, nor had Master provided any training on how to drink while wearing it. The rubber pup opted to not try to drink, and settled on maintaining his crouch, resting his head against Master's thigh, feeling the leather hood slide smoothly against the cloth pant leg of his suit.
His eyes wandering, Apollo was pleased to see that most of the fellow diners had resumed their meals, conversations re-starting. He still caught haughty glances from time to time, but his initial embarrassment was slowly fading, being replaced with a sense of pride. Apollo _was_ a puppy. Apollo was finally living his dream of so many years. He really hoped he was pleasing Master.
Master and his mate's conversation continued. The pair talked about some of their social circles before the conversation once again trended to boring business topics. Apollo didn't care, the pup wasn't there to talk, he was there to be a good boy, privileged to have been brought along. He passed the time by looking around, taking in the details of the restaurant. Still lit by the sunset, he could make out a good 15 tables from this vantage point, each dressed in identical linens, neatly arranged with the tablecloth centered perfectly on each one. The chairs surrounding each table were made of stately hardwood. A short oil lamp adorned each table, and as the sun was setting Apollo could see one of the bus boys making his way around the dining room lighting each one.
The steaks arrived at the table, the waiter maneuvering around the puppy taking up much of the narrow channel between tables. The waiter seemed unsure of what to do with Apollo's steak, but quickly put it on the table next to Master when he snapped and pointed next to the plate in front of him. After being invited to cut into their steaks to check that they were properly cooked the waiter vanished. Apollo watched the master cut into his own steak, biting into the neatly sliced piece dripping with Bearnaise. A satisfied smile crept across his face before he turned to the pup.
"Apollo, Sit. Stay."
Obediently the pup sat up, getting down on his haunches. He watched as Master deliberately sliced into the 2nd steak, neatly cutting it into bite-sized pieces and arranging them on the plate before bending down to put the plate on the floor in front of Apollo.
"Apollo, OK"
Released from his wait, Apollo looked down at the steak oozing juicy blood onto the plate in front of him. It smelled delicious, making the pup's mouth water. He looked around, realizing that again, all eyes were on him. Everyone in the restaurant seemed fixated on his next move. Apollo's ears again burnt red. He was uncomfortable. Everyone was uncomfortable. Looking up he saw Master looking down at him, smiling. Master gave an encouraging pat on his head.
"Go ahead boy, you have earned a treat."
Those words were all the invitation Apollo needed. If this made master happy it was enough for him. The pup he bent down, carefully clasping at one of the slices of meat with the puppy muzzle, then tilting his head back to let it roll into his mouth. The steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned, practically falling apart in his mouth as he chewed, each bite making the muzzle crack open and closed. Each bite echoed in his head, the restaurant devoid of other noise. All eyes were on the rubberized boy chewing his steak on all fours. Conversation had stopped. Drinking had stopped. This must be what Master meant when he'd mentioned that he liked putting on a show.
Getting into it, Apollo swallowed, and bent to maneuver another bite into his mouth. Wagging his butt like a tail he chewed with gusto, enjoying the salty meat. He was a lucky dog; not just any pup got steak, much less such a fine hunk of meat like this. He almost felt a little bad for Sky being left at home, deprived of this amazing meal.
The salty steak was making Apollo thirsty. The pup really wished that there was a way he could drink from the bowl of water sitting next to the plate of steak. Hopefully Master would remove the hood when they got home so he could lap up some water in the pup room.
Once the meal was finished, Master handed the waiter a credit card, and sat swirling the last dregs of his glass of wine. He was practically beaming with pride every time his gaze met with Apollo's. As they left the dining room, Apollo himself beamed with pride. The stares from other guests fueling pride rather than shame. He had pleased his master. He had done well.
The stately green Audi was pulled around by the Valet and Apollo clambered into the back seat. Master got behind the wheel, cooing at the pup, praising him for such good behavior, and promising that he would receive a reward when they got home. The rubber pup beamed, content. He had become the puppy he had always wanted to be, and a damn good one at that.
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Thats the first story, Hopefully a lot more to come soon, remember, now that the gloves have been thrown down, Sparktography qualifies for the prize.
I look forward to seeing those others who step up to the plate :)
With That, Visiting Time Is Over.
What Ever You Do Don't Scream Too Loud As Others Are Trying To Sleep.
~Rubberasylum
