SPEECHLESS by Joe Whatever "That new slave master doesn't waste any time," Rufio said. "He's been here only 10 minutes, and already he's giving one of the new slave girls a taste of Roman discipline." "Which one?" Barnabus asked. "I'm not sure...a new girl, I think," Rufio replied. "She was locked in the stocks, so all I saw was her bottom." "Probably her best feature!" Barnabus guffawed. "Quite possibly," Rufio agreed. "Her bottom was round and firm, and her skin was soft and fine. I'd say she was new to the collar. Perhaps she's a patrician who got enslaved when her husband forgot to pay his taxes," he snickered. "Those types usually howl up a storm the first time they feel the strap," Barnabus observed, casually. "This one didn't say much," Rufio replied. "She just made little squeaking noises, like she couldn't speak. The slave master ordered her to state her business, and she just squeaked at him. So into the stocks she went." "Tunic up...," Barnabus guffawed. "Well that's the strange part, now that you mention it," Rufio said, thoughtfully. "She wasn't wearing a tunic. But she was standing on top of a blue bath towel." "A bath towel?" Barnabus laughed. "In Jupiter's name...." "Yes, and it was a big fluffy towel, too," Rufio continued. "Perhaps she stole it from the master's closet. Slaves are natural thieves. "Still, the new slave master didn't seem to mind her state of undress," Rufio chortled. "When I left, he had laid down the strap, and he was putting that tight little bottom of hers to other uses. You should have heard the squealing sounds the little piglet made when he slid inside her," he said with a hearty laugh. The men's laughter was interrupted by the arrival of the master. "Have you seen my wife?" he asked. "That stupid new girl forgot to lay out her tunic. My wife was so angry she ended up marching down to the slave quarters, strap in hand, wearing nothing but a blue bath towel. I warned her she shouldn't be running around that way when she has laryngitis. She'll catch her death of cold." Rufio and Barnabus gaped at their master dumbly. "Can't anyone in this house speak?" the master mumbled as he wandered down toward the slave quarters. Edited by C. Lakewood © Joe Whatever, 29 August 2003