DEGREE OF SEPERATION

Note: While it features no sexual activity, this hypnofetish scene does contain examples of fictional characters doing illegal, immoral and/or impossible things to other fictional characters as a prelude to sexual activity. If you are under the age of consent in your community, are disturbed by such concepts, or want graphic sex in your pornography, please stop reading now.

Permission granted to repost for free to any electronic medium, as long as no one's being charged to view it, and this disclaimer and e-mail address (HYPNOVOYER@HOTMAIL.COM) are not removed.

Copyright me, 1998.

Melody was arranging the rose display when the front door to the shop swung open, disturbing the bell that hung by a string overhead. The bell tinkled genteelly. She looked over at the customer.

"Oh! Hi, Candy." She smiled at her friend as the new arrival strode into the shop on high-heeled leather boots.

"Hiya, Mel." The blonde woman looked around, chewing her gum with loud cracking noises. "How are things in the fabulous world of flowers?"

"Fine, Candy. Just fine. How are things in the world of... whatever it is you do, exactly."

Candy grinned, and blew a curly strand of escaping hair out of her eyes.

"Having fun. You know, fun? You should try it some time, Mel."

"I have fun. I have lots of fun." The tall, brown-haired, woman turned back to her arrangements, smoothing her long work-apron carefully. "What brings you by?"

"Yeah, sure you do. Fer instance, what did you do this weekend?"

"If you have to know, I went to the arboretum."

Candy made a comical gagging sound and rolled her eyes.

"More flowers. You spend all week with these stupid things, and then go look at more of them on the weekend? That's not normal. You should be looking for animals, not plants. Preferably big, strong, hairy, ones. You know what I mean?"

"And what did you do, that was so productive?"

"Oh!" Candy snapped her fingers, her long pink nails glowing in the cool green dimness of the flower shop. "That's why I came by! I was gonna tell you. This was, like, so weird!"

"What?"

"I was down at the Eastside Photon on Saturday, and I saw..."

"Down at the what?"

Candy rolled her eyes again and gave an impatient, breathy, sigh.

"The Eastside Photon. It's a club. The club. People go there, and dance. And drink. And..." She gave her wide spandex-clad hips a cheerful shake. "It's that 'fun' thing again. Ya know? Fer instance, this weekend I met this rilly cute guy, named... uh... Freddie... I think he said his name was Freddie... and we..."

"Candy." Melody removed a wilted rose from the display and tossed it into the large plastic bucket at her white sneakered feet. She spoke with a methodical care that matched her actions. "You were at the... Photon... and you saw...?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! I was at the club, and I saw Mortimer Tillington, and he... Oh. You know Mortimer, don't ya?"

"Yes." Melody's voice was flat, grim.

"Yeah, he's a real spaz, I know. But anyway, he was there with this gal, and I sweartagod, she was your twin sister! It was spooky!"

Melody glanced Candy, her eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?"

Candy shrugged, her striped shirt, as well as what it concealed, rippling.

"Just that. I even thought it was you for a minute, went over to talk to her. But this skank, she was blonde, and wearing this outfit like..." Candy made a vague, pink-tipped, gesture.

"Like?"

"Like this." Candy pointed at her own clothes, or lack thereof. "Only more so."

"Ah. And she was with Mortimer?"

"More like she was all over him. They weren't there long before they left, though."

"Bad taste in clothes, bad taste in men. I'd like to think my long-lost twin would do better."

The comment about clothing shot over Candy's head like a Mars-bound rocket.

"Anyway, once I got closer, talked to her an' stuff, I saw right away it wasn't you. Her name was Bambi, and she had bigger boobs, and blue eyes. And she was more... well, anyway she wasn't you. But it was still weird."

"Bambi." Melody sounded out the word, half-fascinated, half-revolted.

"Yeah. Anyway, I just thought you should know 'bout your twin. I gotta go. See ya! Try not to catch chlorophyll poisoning!" She grinned and left.

"Goodbye, Candy." Melody spent a few more minutes picking over the roses, then took the rejects and dumped them in the large recycling bin in the back of the store. She rolled her eyes as she did so, and gave another disbelieving snort.

" 'Bambi'."

She carefully stored the bucket back in its proper niche. Washed her hands in the employee sink. A customer came in as she was returning to the front, and she helped him pick out some roses from her newly-organized display. After he left, wrapped bouquet in hand, she followed his path to the front door. Arriving there, she flipped over the sign in the door to read 'Closed', and locked the door. Walked around behind the front counter, and picked up the phone. Dialled a number. After a moment, someone answered.

As the voice spoke, her brown eyes closed for moment, then reopened.

Looking different somehow.

Shallower.

More submissive.

The woman holding the phone spoke, her voice breathy and high-pitched.

"Master? It's Bambi."

Voice.

"Yes, Master. That nosy slut Candy Underton was just here in the..." (a sneer) "...flower shop. She told Melody about meeting us in the Photon on Saturday."

Voice.

"No, Master. She noticed that Melody and I look alike. That's why she came over and talked to us, but just now she said..."

Voice.

"I don't think so, Master."

Voice. Bambi's face drooped meekly.

"Yes, Master. You're right. We shouldn't take chances. What you want your slave to do?"

Voice.

Bambi raised her head and began to smile, evilly.

"Yes, Master. I understand."

Voice.

"The next time I see her. Yes, Master."

Click. Bzzz.

Bambi hung up the phone, and reached a green-stained hand into the deep pocket of Melody's apron. Pulled something out.

A tapered crystal on the end of a long, thin, chain forged of tiny golden links. The crystal sparkled and glowed with an inner light, an unhealthy-looking emerald color that was somehow more alive and vibrant than the plants that surrounded it. Bambi held the crystal up by the chain, and slowly spun it before her own eyes. She smiled again, even more wickedly than before.

"You like having fun, little Miss Underton? Then we're going to have fun."

She pocketed the crystal, and let Melody re-open the shop, and to get back to work on her stupid boring old flowers.