Ferry
The beginning of hell.
But to be precise, hell had already begun long before they even reached the starting point.
"Ugh… uh…."
She had expected the detention facility to appear the moment she stepped off the bus.
Instead, what met her eyes was the rolling waves and the deck of a ship already cutting through them.
When she turned her head, she saw the bus they had ridden parked inside the vessel.
Without her realizing it, she had been loaded onto a ship and was being hauled off somewhere.
A deeper anxiety than anything she had felt on land surged up inside her, formless and endless, out on the open sea.
Fear and tension seized her entire body.
"What are you standing there staring for? Come on. Over here!"
She was not even granted the freedom to calm herself.
The place the guards dragged her to was the very front of the ship. Two pillars stood there, each about two meters high. At the base of each, shackles clearly meant to restrain a person had been welded to the deck. Even without explanation, she knew that was where she would be placed.
"Hhk… ugh…."
On the open deck of a large ship, she was hauled to the very bow and made to stand.
Bottomless fear.
Had she ever been on a boat before?
Even counting the earliest childhood she could barely remember… ships were an unfamiliar form of transport.
Who would ride something so slow, something so hard to recover from if an accident happened?
Drone taxis that could hop between small islands had long been commercialized, and passenger aircraft could take off and land vertically; ships had vanished from everyday travel quite some time ago.
Only freighters of several tens of thousands of tons had kept the vessel from disappearing entirely.
By the time the 2050s arrived, humans no longer boarded ships for the purpose of moving from place to place.
For her as well… the only time she had ever been on a boat was a museum experience ride as a child.
Standing on one now, looking out at the sea, wonder was drowned by fear.
"Stay still."
— Clank. Clack.
She was dragged to the bow and restrained.
Ankle cuffs locked around her feet. A chain was wound several times around her neck and padlocked to a ring at the top of the pillar.
"Hhk…!"
Both she and Inmate 921A-2 were bound to the steel pillars.
Handcuffs still secured their wrists behind their backs; with ankles and necks fixed to the posts, the only thing before their eyes was the sea with the sun just lifting its head above the horizon.
"From here we move to the ship that houses the detention facility. It's a rare view, so enjoy it. We'll unfasten you when we arrive."
"…!"
The guards who had chained them to the pillars left those words behind and walked away.
Startled by the sudden abandonment, she almost called after them—but instinct stopped her.
After what she had already endured on the bus, the mere act of speaking filled her with dread.
"Ha. Ugh…."
Once the guards were gone, she looked forward.
A ship that carried vehicles.
If she recalled what she had seen in history textbooks… it was probably the kind once called a ferry.
The vessel itself was already high, and being bound at the absolute front made the drop ahead feel like a cliff.
Looking out, she could feel the ship's raw power cutting through the high waves.
"Euk…!"
An autumn sea wind, laced with desolation, swept over them.
Her body trembled of its own accord.
Was it fear? Or the cold?
Probably both… right?
Where was this ship going?
A few islands were visible around them.
Traveling by boat meant the detention facility could not be far.
Otherwise they would have used a drone taxi or a passenger plane. She tried to pick which of the visible islands the ship might be heading for.
But the direction the bow pointed held no island at all.
When would the ship turn?
Shivering in the cold, she simply stared ahead, hoping they would arrive somewhere—anywhere—soon.
"Ugh…."
It was a miserable, exhausting stretch of time, yet this was essentially her first time on a ship, and if she could just take in the rare view from the deck… she thought she might somehow endure.
"Haa…. Haa."
Glancing sideways, she saw 921A-2 bound in the same posture.
The woman next to her kept her head bowed, eyes closed.
She seemed to be resting from fatigue.
Or perhaps it was her own way of enduring the cold?
Either way, experience had given her a method of holding on.
Part of her wanted to talk more, but she could not bring herself to disturb the other woman's rest, so she held back.
There was also the uneasy feeling that the guards might still be watching.
If conversation had been allowed, the other woman would probably have spoken first.
So… for now, she would simply endure the cold and keep quiet as well.
"Ugh…."
But… it was so cold.
She felt as if she might freeze to death.
"…."
— Swaaaah. Swa. Swaaaah.
The sound of waves filled her ears.
How much time had passed?
She had closed her eyes in a posture similar to 921A-2's and let time slip by for quite a while.
When she finally lifted her head, thinking a long stretch must have gone by, all that filled her vision was blue ocean and sunlight glittering on the waves.
The few islands that had been visible earlier had completely vanished; it felt as though this ship alone existed in the middle of the sea.
"Ugh…."
The cold remained.
Even though she had closed her eyes and endured, the icy breath of the sea wind had wrapped completely around her bare body and driven her temperature to the edge of what she could stand.
The wind itself felt like blades.
"Ugh… uuk… haa. Ugh…."
Beside her, Inmate 921A-2 kept letting out soft moans, apparently in the same state.
Small and thin as she was, her body temperature had probably dropped even further.
Worried, she turned her head—and the other woman's condition looked worse than expected.
Her face was deathly pale, her lips trembling visibly.
"A-are you… okay? Ah…!"
Without thinking, she forgot about punishment and spoke to her.
She snapped her mouth shut in fright, but even after a long moment no guards came running.
Was conversation allowed?
"H-hey?"
Just in case, she called again, ready to accept whatever punishment came.
Still no reaction from the guards.
Thank goodness. We can talk.
The moment she realized speaking would not bring punishment, she called to the other woman with genuine concern.
"H-hey. What's wrong? Does something hurt?"
The woman's face had gone so ashen she could not simply leave her alone.
Eyes squeezed shut in clear distress, she turned her head with difficulty at the call.
"…I-I'm… fine… uuk…!"
Inmate 921A-2 registered her presence, yet could not manage a proper answer.
She looked at her, then lowered her head again and squeezed her eyes shut.
Looking closer, she seemed to be holding something back; tears welled at the corners of her eyes.
"Ha… haeu… uuk…. Haeu. U… uuk…. Kk…. Ugh…."
Something was seriously wrong.
Anyone could see how haggard her expression had become; it spoke for itself.
Could the chain around her neck be choking her?
Or was her circulation cut off?
Or had some preexisting condition put her in danger?
Anxiety flared, and in the end she steeled herself for punishment and shouted at the top of her lungs.
"Hey!! Is anyone there? Someone please come!"
"Ah…!"
— Swaaaah. Swaaah.
She yelled until her throat burned.
It had been a long time since she had raised her voice so loudly.
For a brief moment she even felt a strange sense of release in her chest.
But that feeling plummeted almost at once.
"Why…! Uuk… ha… uh… uuk… I'd rather…! No… ah… aeu…!"
"What's… what's wrong? Hey?"
She had shouted, ready to take the punishment, just to get help—yet beside her, 921A-2 let the tears that had gathered spill down her cheeks and dropped her head.
A look of pure despair.
Hey. What on earth is happening to you….
"Whoa. This bitch's tits are seriously huge. You can see the curve even from behind."
"No kidding. Whoever ends up as her assigned guard is gonna be jealous as hell."
Voices of the guards rose from behind them.
The same ones who had chained them here.
Machia and Hobbs.
"H-hey…!"
"Shut it, you dumb bitch. I told you not to make noise without permission. Already forgot that, huh?"
Their voices were right at her back, but she could not turn her head.
She tried again to tell them about 921A-2's condition, only to be cut off by the merciless reply and forced to close her mouth.
Or rather, she tried to close it…
"Th-that…! Euk…! Haeuk…!"
Why are you doing this…!
One of the guards who had come up beside her roughly groped her breast.
It was not a simple touch; the force was strong enough to burst the flesh inside.
"Euk…! Ah… uuh…!"
"Damn, the springiness is insane too. Not just big."
"Oh yeah?"
"Wanna feel?"
"Nah. I like 'em more like this one's—just right. Anyway, looking at her face, she's about at her limit. A bit early, but should we clamp 'em?"
"Let's. If we'd stuck to the usual schedule we'd have been late, but thanks to this bitch we can start on time. Still, she yelled on her own, so she needs punishing. Hobbs, when you grab the clamps, bring a switch too."
"Got it~."
Even while talking, Machia kept toying with her breast.
It was hard to keep her mind clear.
It hurt too much.
She twisted and writhed, trying to escape the torment, but chained to the pillar there was nowhere to go.
Her only means of resistance—her hands—were cuffed behind her back, so even struggling was nearly impossible.
All she could do was let her breast be kneaded under his hand.
"Euk…! Haeuk…!"
From time to time he pinched her nipple as if wringing it out, pressing the areola with his fingers. There was not a shred of affection in the touch.
Only mockery and violation.
"Brought 'em."
"Good. I'll clamp Number One. You take Number Two."
"Yes."
What were they about to do?
She lifted her head and looked at the things they had brought.
…Ha.
Just looking at them was enough to make anyone freeze in fear.
Clamp tongs linked by a chain, and a black switch.
And a black tin can whose purpose she could not yet guess.
"Heh heh. What? Looking forward to it? Figures—masochistic inmates like you love clamps. You do too, right? That's why your nipples are standing up and you're smiling like that."
Smiling? Me…?
The meaningless sneer made her expression harden on its own.
"Here. Putting them on. Make a sound and you'll regret it."
"…!! Euk…!!"
Even with the warning not to make noise, a small moan escaped her.
The clamps he fastened bit far harder than anything she had ever used on herself during masturbation.
Her nipples were crushed in a single motion; a pain like electric shock spread through her entire chest.
It hurts so much.
Worse than when he was groping them…!
"Hurts, doesn't it?"
Just as every nerve in her body seemed to gather at her nipples and her strength drained away, the guard picked up the switch and asked.
No.
Not that.
"I'll make you forget the clamp pain for a bit."
Ah. No!!
— Swish! Crack!!
"Ugh…!! Kk…!!"
She tried not to make a sound, but the pain forced it out.
The switch that sliced the air struck the exact center of both breasts.
For the three seconds it lingered there, her mind felt as if it were burning; the intense pain paralyzed her reason.
"Ah… ah…!! Ugh…!!"
Tears she could not hold back slid down her cheeks. Her clenched teeth ground together with an audible scrape.
It hurts so much.
Stop!
"Oh? Making noise? I told you to shut your mouth!"
— Swish!! Crack!
"…Kkuhp!! Ugh… grr…!"
You try getting hit!
This was pain she could not endure.
She clamped her mouth shut with all her strength, yet the sensation of her breasts being torn open was nearly impossible to bear.
As many red lines as the number of blows remained across her chest.
The one strange thing was that, just as he had said, she no longer felt the clamps.
The agony of the thrashing across her breasts was so terrifying that the clamps dangling from her swaying nipples almost seemed weightless by comparison.
Most of her SM experience had been self-bondage and masturbation; spanking had been limited to occasional playful swats on the palm or calf.
She had thought that background would be enough to handle this…
But violence without a shred of consideration was far too harsh for her.
"You made noise again?"
"Ugh…!! …!!"
The terrifying guard's voice.
At that sound she shook her head left and right, squeezing out tears.
A silent plea for mercy.
If she could have, she would have begged and pleaded, but even that was blocked by how deeply the fear of the thrashing had sunk into her.
"Heh heh. Fine. The sea wind's annoying enough as it is, so I'll stop the beating here. But… you know, right? If you raise your voice again, next time I'll whip you until your tits bleed!"
"…!! …!"
Fortunately—perhaps because it was the first time—the guard, Machia, showed her a measure of mercy.
She nodded hard in gratitude for that consideration.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
"What a funny bitch."
I know. It's ridiculous that I feel this way.
The one who hurt me is the guard, yet here I am thanking him. The whole situation is absurd.
But I can't help it.
It… it just hurts so much.
Was this a mistake after all?
The pain in her body stirred the conflict in her heart.
But there was no way to turn back now.
The one who had let lust drag her to this place… was none other than herself.
And for that self, trials far beyond what she had already endured still waited.
"Then hang on until we arrive."
— Clank.
"…!"
Before the pain of the thrashing had even faded, the tin can was hung from the chain linking the two clamps.
The can itself was light, yet every time the wind caught it and set it swinging, it added force to the clamps biting her nipples.
Nipples already stiff from the cold stung as if they would tear free each time the can swayed.
"Haeu…."
After the guards left, she looked sideways and saw that Inmate 921A-2 was in the same situation.
Whether her breasts had less firmness or the can hanging from her was heavier, she could not tell—but the other woman's chest had been pulled slightly out of shape by the weight.
Gravity itself seemed to be gripping and yanking her nipples downward.
"I… I'm sorry."
Seeing how hard she was struggling, she carefully opened her mouth, feeling guilty.
No matter how much experience the other woman had, she looked younger; instead of helping her, she felt she had only pushed her into something worse.
"I-it's… fine. Uuk… it was… going to… end up… like this… anyway…!"
Thankfully, she told her it was all right.
The fact that she forced the words out even while suffering made her truly grateful.
Yet separate from that gratitude, the guilt in her heart did not lessen.
And the other woman's condition seemed to be growing steadily worse.
The guards had seen this and done nothing.
If anything, they had made it worse; they felt like demons.
What on earth were they thinking?
Just then—
"Keh… uuk… ah… no…! U… uuk…! Guh… guwaaaargh…!! Eeeek…!"
Something erupted from Inmate 921A-2's mouth.
A white, mucus-like liquid.