"My God, will this nightmare ever end?" mutters Adrienne as she crouches on the bed in a corner of the cell. All she recalls are seemingly endless hours of chittering noises and the quick brush of fur against her feet. Occasionally, she caught reflections from little beady eyes.

It's been abnormally quiet for a while now and she has been half dozing, propped up by the handle of a mop she chanced on in the darkness. The mop head flew off during one of her wild swings at the scampering rats.

Suddenly there is the sound of a door opening and light flares up, blinding Adrienne until her eyes begin to adjust. Then there is the rattle of keys and the barred gate swings open. Standing in the doorway is Veronica, with a sneering grin on her face.

"Good morning, slave! Sleep well?" she chuckles. Then see sees the handle in Adrienne's hands and scowls. "What's the meaning of this? You've broken the mop! That will cost you dearly!"

Then Veronica happens to look toward the toilet and lets out a little shriek. "My God, dead rats! You must have killed them with the mop, though how you located them in the dark I don't know!" Adrienne had no idea either so she shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly, still not being able to speak.

Veronica was actually impressed but didn't want to show it. "Well, since you did save me an exterminator bill, I'll remove your gag and restraints early. But get that mess cleaned up right now. It's disgusting!"

Veronica produces some small keys, unlocks the handcuffs and removes the collar from Adrienne's neck. Finally, she removes the terrible gag and Adrienne nearly retches on all the drool released. Her tongue flops out like a dead fish. "Thangoo, Mith Vronka," she finally manages to get out. Also, her eyes are tracking in different directions from peering around the gag straps for hours.

"Get yourself together, girl! You look ridiculous! snarls Veronica, returning quickly to her usual demeanor. "There's lots for you to do today already and now you've added to the list by leaving dead rats all over your quarters! That lazy Sarah was supposed to be back early this morning to get my breakfast ready and help me dress. Where is she?"

"Well, we can't wait for that ungrateful wretch," mutters Veronica. "You'll just have to do everything yourself, frightening as that sounds to me!" Suddenly she shouts at Adrienne, "Why are you standing there all googly eyed? Get moving!" Adrienne manages to finally focus her eyes and get her tongue tucked back in her head, then starts to look for something to dump the rats in.

As soon as Veronica stops yelling, they both hear the sound of someone on the stairs behind them. "Excuse me, Madame," comes a small voice. "I'm so sorry I'm late. The bus was delayed an hour this morning so I've just arrived. Please forgive me."

Adrienne turns to look at a tired and very meek looking girl standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Hmm, I assume this is the much maligned Sarah, surely here to rescue me from my troubles!" thinks Adrienne. "I think I'd better switch to Plan B, whatever that is!"

"I forgive you nothing at all!" bellows Veronica. " I give you a whole two days off to visit a supposedly sick relative and you thank me by leaving me to cope with this worthless thing!" she continues, gesturing at Adrienne.

"I - I - I really am sorry, Mistress," stammers Sarah. "I would have returned last night but my grandmother took a turn for the worse. We thought that she was dying and we would have to make arrangements for a funeral."

"I've heard enough of your lies and excuses!" snarls Veronica. "You and your inbred clan were probably planning on dividing up her belongings before her body even cooled! But that old bird will certainly be knitting on her porch and drinking a pint of moonshine a day long after you're in the ground!"

Veronica's temper was working it's way from a simmer to full boil and the two sissy maids looked nervously at each other. Adrienne didn't know what would follow but it couldn't be good, especially for Sarah.

In order to try and divert Veronica's rage from Sarah, Adrienne stepped forward. "Er, perhaps I could help you on with your corset, Mistress." Veronica shoves the garment at her. "An actual helpful idea from you? I'm amazed! Well, get on with it and we'll see how you do."

As Adrienne puts the corset around Veronica's waist and begins to tighten the laces, Sarah speaks up again, eager to please, "How may I assist you, Madame?"

"The only 'assistance' I want from you right now is to see your fat bum running up those stairs to get changed into a proper uniform!" Veronica bellows. "Then pack up that outfit and any other street clothes you have and throw them in the trash. From now on, you will only wear what I provide for you. You will never leave this house again unless it's on an errand. Any more foolishness from you and I might have to reconsider your future here. Remember Martha, slave?" she smirks at Sarah.

Fighting hard to hold back tears, Sarah turns and stumbles up the stairs. "So much for my wonderful diversion!" thinks Adrienne. "I've got enough problems of my own but I really have to help poor Sarah. She looks just about ready to take a swan dive off the roof! And without a friend here, I might as well get in line right behind her! Hmm, I wonder who Martha is? Another mystery to be solved."

Lost in her thoughts about Sarah, she roughly yanks on the corset laces, nearly pulling Veronica off her feet. "Yeouch!!" Veronica shrieks. "You incompetent moron! What are you trying to do - cut me in half?" "If only that were possible!" muses Adrienne.

"Tie off those laces then get in the guillotine room! I've had it with all the idiocy around here this morning! I've been down here for half an hour and nothing has been done!" bellows Veronica. 

"Maybe she will cut off my head in that contraption and I won't have a worry in the world after that!" Adrienne thinks as she leads Veronica to the guillotine.

She spots a surviving rat peeking from behind the basket and silently wishes it luck in this house gone mad.

Veronica throws herself down on the platform and picks up a length of hardwood. "I'm just dying to punish someone this morning and you're elected. Now bend over my knees!" Adrienne does as she is told, then Veronica begins to spank her bottom as hard as she can. "Ah, there's nothing like administering some corporal punishment to work out my frustrations. It really gets the adrenaline flowing!"

Adrienne lies there, mostly bored by the process. Suppressing a yawn, she thinks she's been smacked harder on the bum in occasional unwanted office encounters. "Veronica should really work out more!" she muses. "Now if this was being carried out by someone more desirable, it might be kind of sexy!" She begins to moan and whimper, just to satisfy her tormentor.

Veronica soon quits, panting and very clearly exhausted by her meager effort. "Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll fall over dead!" Adrienne thinks, trying not to giggle. "Good Lord, you're heavy!" Veronica gasps. "Now get off me and get those rats out of my sight!"

Adrienne stands up, pretending to look chastised and sniveling a bit. "Yes, immediately, my Mistress!"

"That's better," smiles Veronica, calmer now that she's worn herself out. "Get that done and join Sarah upstairs to clean up the dishes and other mess from the party. While you're doing that, I'll be making up a list. I need some groceries and that foolish Sarah can go with you to show you where the local store is." She climbs the stairs and soon Adrienne is left alone again.

Adrienne finds a dust pan and cleaning supplies under the stairs and soon has the cell straightened up and all signs of last night's battle with the rats removed. "Oh good, a chance to get out of this house and get some fresh air! I'll also have a chance to be alone with Sarah and I can find out what her sad story is. Perhaps together, we can figure some way out of this mess. I just hope she hasn't completely given up and can be some help!"