Tuesday, August 09, 2005

182. The omniscient narrator

"Look at me, Wayne," Gustavus ordered. "Look into my eyes when I address you."

Bruce raised his head slightly and stared at the man who towered over him, beautiful and strong.

"You paid me to dominate you," the Master continued. "To work you into submission. But I see from your behavior that you have already been broken. Someone's been here before me. He's already made you his bitch. That's true, isn't it? ISN'T IT?!?!"

Bruce felt a lump in his throat. He wasn't sure he'd be able to answer. "Y-yes... sir."

"What was his name, boy? The man who came before me? Tell me!"

Bruce had spent part of his "retreat" trying to prepare for this moment. He knew he'd need a cover story in case something like this happened. He was only surprised that Gustavus had figured out this facet of his psyche so quickly.

Somehow, in the heat of the moment, the explanation he'd devised didn't seem adequate, so he abandoned it and decided to go evasive: "Just ... a man."

Gustavus would have none of it. "You told me you'd never had a male lover."

This one was easy. "He ... he wasn't a lover," Bruce replied. "None of them were."

"'Them'?" Gustavus snapped. "There were others?"

"I told you when we first spoke that I've wanted this all my life, ... sir. And I... I found ways to ..."

"YOU FUCKING LIED TO ME," Gustavus replied, cutting him off. "And we can't have that shit. I WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY BULLSHIT FROM YOU, boy. Stand up. I think it's time for your first lesson."