The Black Velvet Room
with a canine-skin collar- various scenarios with his colleagues
- it would be a shining white box
- –Don’t be modest
- finally agreed to wear it
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The black velvet room, with its distressing noises and aromas, was breaking down my concentration, cutting me off from all my Academy training. I couldn’t even find my way out anymore. Confusion and panic rose in my head; it was like a toilet backing up.
My mind retreated from the awfulness of the present moment, and I was swept back into a memory from childhood. I sat on the floor in Father’s office, playing with John and Jason. We had Matchbox cars. Father presented his current mistress with a canine-skin collar, then sent her out and discussed various scenarios with his colleagues, debating the best way to deliver the next quarter’s bribes. Someone said they’d get the most bang for their buck if it would be a shining white box filled with gold coins.
“No, I have a better idea,” Father said, staring at me. “Son,” he said, “I have an important job for you. Tell me you’re prepared — Don’t be modest — tell me you can do it.”
Father spoke to me like that for an hour, browbeating me about acting as his mule. The colleagues left, and the mistress returned with the collar. She distracted Father from me, at last, when she finally agreed to wear it.
bonus points for using them in order