Sarah and Kristen pulled themselves into a kneeling position and nodded their heads. He didn’t like them to talk unless absolutely necessary, especially when a nod or shake of the head would suffice. He pulled on white cloth gloves, ready to give his inspection. Only once had they cleaned the bathroom perfectly on the first try, and he had rewarded them with two fresh apples. The apples were so decadent after eating only packaged food for months that Sarah had spent over an hour eating hers, taking small bites and savoring the flesh for minutes before swallowing, not wanting it to end. Kristen, on the other hand, had been ravenous, eating it so quickly she almost choked, unable to control herself.

The man leaned down and inspected the sink and then the toilet. He ran his finger along the baseboard and pulled it up to his face. He frowned and shoved his finger in Sarah’s face.

‘Do you see that? That’s dirt. Why can’t women do anything right?’ He shook his head. ‘How lucky you are to have me teach you the proper way to clean. You know what this dirt on my finger means. Now I have to watch you do it all over again. Properly.’

Sarah clenched her jaw and started recleaning the toilet with the toothbrush and baking soda mixture, wiping the surfaces down with the rag afterwards. She whispered, ‘asshole’ under her breath.

‘What did you just say?’ he growled as he towered over her.

Kristen gave her a panicked look and ever so slightly shook her head.

‘Nothing, Master.’

He grunted and leaned against the wall. ‘Get back to work.’

The women continued to scrub and wipe. When Sarah was in the corner, running the toothbrush back and forth in the crevice between the baseboard and the floor, the man crouched down and put his hand over hers, startling her. She hadn’t heard him creep up so close.

He gripped her hand painfully tight and with his mouth right up against her ear, said, ‘I know you’re a weak woman but try to use some muscle, Eighteen.’ The bones in her hand crunched under his grip. Sarah gritted her teeth and tears sprang to her eyes but she did not complain or yell out.

After they had recleaned the entire bathroom the man deemed it acceptable and led them back to their room. When they entered the space that had become their personal prison, they went to their respective walls. They placed their foreheads and palms up flat against them like one would if being searched by the police. It was how he’d shown them to stand the first time he’d taken them both out at the same time, a way to easily watch and control them. Behind her Sarah could hear him chaining Kristen to the wall. He then came up behind Sarah and attached her shackles to the wall as well.

‘Turn around, Eighteen.’