Public Toy

In a world plagued by crime, it was inevitable that eventually people would become sick to death of having to deal with rape, murder, thievery, and virtually every other crime imaginable. So, after several years of skyrocketing crime rates, a law was passed in order to deal with the rising crime rate. Many would call it drastic, overbearing, and cruel, but the public at large didn't care. They wanted crime to stop.

You were one of those people. You wanted the crimes to stop.

You never imagined that you would be standing in a courtroom, facing judgment for a crime that you committed.

Under the law, there's only one kind of crime, the type that is done on purpose. The law recognizes that there are accidents, events that are not done maliciously. Unfortunately for you, every other crime, no matter how small, or how big, is treated the same.

Shackled and bolted to the witness booth, you stand in the court, listening to the judge reading off your crime. It was a minor one, shoplifting from a store. You had tried to be careful, to do it in such a way that no one would ever notice it was gone. And you had needed that medicine anyway, and with no money, there had essentially been only one thing you could do.

Unfortunately, the court and the judge doesn't see it that way. You went into that store purposefully choosing to steal, and there's no excuse you can give. And consequently, there is only one sentence you can receive.

Whimpering, involuntarily struggling against your chains, you listen as the judge pronounces sentence - life as a public toy.

The guards come over and unbolt you from the chair, but quickly draw your hands behind you, and cuff them there before leading you out of the court. You're taken into a side room, where you have to sign several documents. You could refuse, but that wouldn't be a good idea. You're forced to sign a document admitting your guilt, and that you accept the court's decision. You don't, but what are you going to do about it?

Once the documents and paperwork have been signed, you're taken into another room that's used very often these days, it's an operating room, with a single, large bed in the center, waiting for you.

Panicking, you desperately try to get away. You know what goes on in this room, and what happens to those who go in.

As the guards shove you towards the table, you frantically try to break your arms free of the handcuffs, thrashing them around as much as you can. But it's useless. The cuffs holding your arms are too secure, and impossible to break free from.

You're placed down on the table and held tightly by the nurses as the chief surgeon comes up with the anesthesia mask. You stare at it, terrified as it descends towards you.

You know that once it goes on, and you become unconscious, there's no going back.

Then it's on your mouth. You try to hold your breath, but you can only do so for so long before you feel burning in your lungs. At last, you involuntarily take a breath - and then everything goes dark.

The last thing you feel before slipping away is utter terror.

***

When you awake, you see nothing but a white ceiling above you. You blink, wondering where you are. Is this a dream? Did you die during the surgery? You hope so. That would be preferable.

You try to move, and learn that you're alive, for one simple reason.

If you were dead, you wouldn't be missing your arms.

Looking over, you stare at your shoulders. Where your arms used to be, there are now stitched up stumps. Shock comes over you, numbing your mind as you stare at your useless shoulders.

You have no arms. They've been surgically removed.

You start to sob. You want to yell. But then you discover that the surgeons didn't stop at your arms. Your throat is raw, and sore. You can't see it, but you can feel the stitches on your throat, where they removed your vocal cords.

But the unpleasant discovers are not over. Looking down, you see your groin, and how it's different now. The surgeons went in and reconfigured you, so that you're now neither female, nor male. There is simply a hole between your legs.

Your chest has been flattened. Muscles have been taken away, as well as your pectorals. Now you are gender neutral. Neither male, nor female.

Armless, genderless, hairless, you lie on the floor, staring at the ceiling, weeping.

It isn't long before the surgeons and guards come back, and lift you off the floor. You still have your legs (though they've been slimmed, so they are neither attractive, nor bulging with muscle), so you can still walk. It's expected that you will be in shock, so they lead you through the halls of the facility, taking you to the fitting room.

Inside, there is a table, upon which several items are sitting. Seeing them is enough to snap you out of your stupor, for you know what those items are for.

There's a thick rubber catsuit on the table, along with a hood, and gasmask. Chains for your ankles, and thick, split toed rubber boots.

They're going to seal you in these things.

For life.

You're dragged to the table, and held upright while one of the nurses takes the catsuit. It's been specially modified just for you - like all the others who have gone before you, the arms have been removed from the suit, but that's not the most devious feature of the suit, the inside has been coated with an incredibly powerful glue designed to bond with human skin at the molecular level.

One this suit goes on, it is not coming off.

You try to struggle as your legs are shoved into the suit, which is pulled up and over your body. It's difficult, for the glue reacts the instant it touches your skin, which makes dragging you into it a difficult task. But the nurses keep at it, and keep pulling you in, deeper and deeper, your skin vanishing forever under thick layers of rubber, until they finally reach your head, where they pull the hood on, leaving only your face uncovered.

Setting you down on the table, they take a break while you squirm, frantically trying to avoid the sensation of the glue bonding to you, making removal of the suit a complete impossibility. But there's nowhere to go, or anything you can do. This suit is now a part of you, and will remain so for the rest of your life.

The nurses come back, carrying the next item to go on - the split toed rubber boots, thick on the bottom, so you will be able to walk on any surface without fear of catching blisters. They too, are coated with the glue, and they put them on, beginning the bonding process.

While that happens, the nurses go towards your head, carrying the last two items. And they're the ones you fear the most. The first is a thick gag. Though your ability to speak has been taken away, you can still yell and make noise. And if there's one thing the public doesn't like, it's seeing your kind stumbling around, yelling.

Grabbing your mouth, the nurses force it open, then insert the gag, long tubes going down your throat. These will provide nutrients, but only in liquid form. You'll never have solid food again.

You gag, trying to force them out, but it's too late. It's in, and like the rest of your restraints, it's been coated with glue, the gag bonding to your tongue, your mouth, your teeth. They don't even need straps to keep it in anymore, but they buckle it around your head anyway, just for the fun of it.

A few tugs, and you're silenced for life.

Fear courses through you as the last item is brought to you. Of all the things you wear now, that are permanently bonded to your body, this is the one you fear the most - the thing that will remove you from the human race. It's a gasmask, thick, and heavy duty, designed to completely enclose the head of the wearer. It too, is covered in glue, but that's not the most frightening feature.

The visor of the mask is tinted, so that it is impossible for anyone to see the poor soul entombed inside. But it is made in such a way that you can still see through it.

You will see everyone else just fine, but they won't see you. You will be an object to them, not a human being.

As they bring the mask down, you stare at it, tears flowing. And then it's on. Straps are tugged and buckled into place, tightening the mask, bonding it to your head, making it a permanent part of you.

Inside, you only hear your own frantic breathing. You can see the nurses working, but everything's in black and white. The visor has been tinted to remove all color, leaving you in a flat, drab world. You feel the straps being tightened, bringing the mask even closer.

Then it's done.

The nurses step back, look you over. One of them shines a light over your visor. You squint, but can't get away from it. Then the light is gone.

The nurses take hold of your body and lift you up, putting you on your feet. You stagger, trying to adjust to your restricted sight and hearing. It's difficult to judge where to walk, but the nurses, holding on, walk you out of the lab, down a hallway, to a truck that's waiting to take you away.

You feel movement near your ankles. Glancing down, you see the nurses applying cuffs to your ankles.

These are special cuffs. They're designed in such a way that they can only be used once. Once they get applied, there are no holes for keys. Once applied, they're on for life.

With a click, the last cuffs is locked, permanently restraining your legs. Your ability to run is forever taken away from you. All you can do now is walk.

You're pushed into the van, where straps restrain you to the walls. The doors are closed, and the van takes off.

***

A short time later, the van comes to a stop. The doors are opened, and the guards who rode with you unstrap you and walk you out. You're in a small facility of some kind, and there are others here, dressed and modified just like you.

You're all identical. Neither male nor female, any traces of humanity and skin sealed away under rubber.

You're moved into place, and a slideshow starts up on the wall, explaining your new life. You are now a public toy, with no rights. People are free to use you and play with you however they want. They can take you into their cars and drive you home, make you a slave. They can force you into an alley and have sex with you, whether you want it or not, and they will not be charged with any crime. They can hang you, use you as a pillow, they can even bury you if they want.

And it's all legal. You're all being used as warnings to possible criminals, that if you willingly break the law, this is your punishment - a lifetime of anonymity, with no rights and no freedoms.

You are no longer human. You are now an object to be used. You are free to wander wherever you wish, but if you want nutrients and liquids, you will return to this facility, where they will be pumped into your stomach. Other than that, you're completely on your own.

Then, with the orientation over, the guards herd you out the doors, along with the others. You stumble, the cuffs restraining you, forcing you to walk.

Once you're outside the doors, they're closed, and you and your fellow lifers stand on the street, looking around.

Passing citizens stare at you. The newest playthings for them to enjoy. A few come up, grab a few of your group and take them away, to unknown fates. But they soon move on, leaving you and the others to yourselves.

You look around, wanting to sit down, wanting to cry. You try to sob, but the gag blocks it, ensuring your silence. You're free to go anywhere you want, but you've never felt so helpless, and so alone.

There's nowhere to go, and everywhere.

Finally stopping your crying, you look around, wondering where to go, or what to do. The only thing that comes to mind is to just move, to get away from this place.

You start down the street, walking to an unknown future.

31.08.12