© November 2012

Part Two

Chapter Three

    Paul had been asleep until he heard shouting from up stairs, then he was blinded when the lights in the cellar came on lighting up the room. He was used to being in the dark most the time, so he was totally blind as he heard lots of foot falls on the stairs. He’d sat up and gone into the corner like he always did when the girls sounded angry.

     “What the hell have you done?!” Paul heard a new woman’s voice scream at him.

    Paul fell forward shaking as he placed his head on the ground to show that he was sorry for whatever he’d done wrong. He couldn’t think of anything. Karen had sat and watched him eat a sandwich and then drink a bottle of water before making him take the pills she handed him, and then she gave him a look over before going back up the stairs and turning off the light again to leave him in the dark, earlier in the day.

     “Paul please sit up and look at me.” Kim said as she fell to her knees and tried to make Paul look at her and see that she was here to help him.

    Paul looked up and then started screaming in pure panic as he slid back and started pulling is leg trying to get the chain to snap, or just pull his leg out so he could get away. He saw Kim being there as a sign they were going to sentence him for what he did to her. The scream sounding like that of an animal in pain, more than a person fearing for their life.

     “Do something for god’s sake; he’s going to hurt himself.” Kim said in a panic when she saw the blood start to pour out his ankle with the steel band around it as it cut into his skin making it bleed even more, but he just kept pulling at it as he made a strange sound.

    Kim, Rebecca, Stacey and Casey all jumped on Paul while Karen ran up stairs to get something to sedate him until they could calm him down. Paul was still trying to fight them all off when he felt a prick in his arm and then everything went black.

    Paul felt life flowing back into him, but it was all still fuzzy to start with and his ankle was hurting, but the oddest thing was the feel of someone stroking his hair while they rocked him back and forth. He slowly opened his eyes to find himself in a proper bed in a proper bedroom, and wearing a soft warm cotton night gown.

     “Don’t panic Paul, you’re safe now.” Kim’s voice said in a soothing way. “Do you understand me Paul?” Kim asked as she helped him to sit up on the bed so she could look at him.

    Paul looked at her beautiful face and smiled before he nodded his head up and down to let her know he understood her.

     “Please speak to me Paul.” Kim said with tears running down her cheeks. “I had no idea they had done this to you, or I would have come back sooner.

    Paul looked worried as he pointed at his mouth and then shook his head from side to side to let Kim know that he wasn’t allowed to speak ever, as it was bad if he did.

     “You won’t be in trouble Paul, I promise you that.” Kim said as she went to hold his hand to reassure him, but he pulled away and looked around the room for his prison clothes, but he couldn’t find them anywhere.

    Paul leapt off the bed and then fell to the ground when he tried to put weight on his bad ankle. He let out a slight whimper as the pain shot up his leg. He slapped a hand over his mouth as he knelt down and put his head on the floor to show he was sorry for making a sound.

    Kim started sobbing as she realised that they had broken him so badly that he could no long talk, or understand anything other than what he’d been programmed to do for the past five months. How were they ever going to get the old Paul back? Kim could also see that all the hormones Karen had been giving him, had also done things to alter his body into that of a young woman.

    Paul now had breasts, and his figure had filled out to give him the shape of a woman. His hair was a mess, but it was much longer and fuller than when she last saw it at work. He had long wild looking black hair the very last time she saw him, and he also looking like a cute little Goth girl as well.

     “You’re forgiven for making a sound Paul. Please sit up now.” Kim said, but hated every word of it.

    Paul sat up and smiled at her before waiting to be told what to do next.

     “Are you hungry Paul? Would you like something to eat?” Kim asked.

    Paul looked around on the floor for his plate that they normally gave him his food on, but couldn’t see it. He looked at Kim with a hurt look, like he’d done something wrong and now he had to go without a meal for it.

     “You’re not in trouble Paul. We’ll go down to the kitchen and have a meal down there.” Kim smiled as she slid off the bed and stood next to Paul who was still kneeling on the floor looking up at Kim. “Stand up and come with me.” Kim ordered.

    Paul unable to resist an order, stood up and let Kim hold his hand as she led him out the bedroom and down to the kitchen where he could hear the others talking. They all stopped and looked at Kim and Paul when they entered the kitchen. He quickly fell to his knees and placed his head on the floor to say sorry for not being dressed.

     “Stand up Paul and take a seat at the table.” Kim told him firmly.

    Karen, Stacey, Rebecca and Casey all watched in horror as the young man did as Kim told him, but still looked scared that this was some sort of test that he would be punished for later.

     “That’s it, sit down here and wait for Rebecca and Casey to serve up dinner.” Kim smiled as she helped Paul sit down.

    Rebecca and Casey were soon serving up bolognaise for them all. Paul just sat looking at the plate of food with a puzzled look on his face, and then he tried to pick a piece of pasta up with his fingers. The sauce was really hot and he dropped it again before putting his finger in his mouth to sooth the pain. He hadn’t eaten anything hot since first being placed down in the cellar, and Stacey had forbid him from ever using anything to eat with other than his fingers.

     “Use the fork silly!” Kim said a little loud because Paul was off the chair and back kneeling on the floor with his head down again saying sorry for doing something wrong. “I wasn’t telling you off Paul. Get back on the chair.” Kim told him in a firm voice.

    Paul got back on the chair and just looked down at the food in front of him, but not trying to eat it. Rebecca picked up her fork very slowly and then made a show of putting it into her pasta and picking up a fork full before putting it in her mouth. Paul watched her do it like he was nothing more than a small child learning to eat for the first time.

     “How have you been feeding him for the last five months?” Kim asked in a calm voice, even if she wanted to be anything but calm at the minute.

     “Sandwiches and things he could eat with his fingers.” Stacey said looking ashamed of what she’d done to him. “We were worried he might try to attack us if we let him have things to eat with.” Stacey added in her own defence, but she said it a little too loud and Paul was off his chair and hiding in a corner this time shaking like a leaf.

     “I never realised he’d gotten so bad.” Karen said with horror. “He seemed fine while he was down in the cellar.” She added.

     “He was fine down there because you never asked him to do anymore than what he did day in and day out.” Kim said with anger. “You’ve brainwashed him into thinking he’s nothing more than a trained animal.” Kim added as she got up and went over to where Paul was trying to make himself as small as he could in the corner still shaking.

    Paul looked scared to death when he saw Kim walking over to him with a plate of food and a fork in her hand. He’d been told by Stacey that he’d be punished if he ever touched one of them, so he tried to push himself even further into the corner as Kim got closer.

    Kim sat down beside him and then picked up a fork full and held it up to his mouth. Paul looked at her puzzled for a couple of seconds before opening his mouth to let Kim put the food in. He chewed it and swallowed with a smile spread across his face, at the rich flavour that just hit his taste buds. Kim soon had a second and third fork full in his mouth as she fed him like a baby.

     “I don’t understand why he won’t use a fork.” Karen said looking puzzled as Kim sat on the floor in the corner feeding him. “We only ever told him not to speak unless he wanted another caning.” Karen added.

     “I think it’s my fault Karen.” Stacey said with tears running down her cheeks as she saw Kim having to feed Paul his dinner.

     “What have you been doing to him Stacey?” Karen asked in an angry whisper.

     “I just added a couple of things to the list of what he would get a caning for, but I’d never really do it to him.” Stacey added as she raised her voice again making Paul jump and look scared.

    Kim was just about to put another fork full of food in his mouth when he jumped, so it fell on the nightgown he was wearing, which made him freak out even more. Paul had become so scared that he’d wet himself, which just made him freak out even more.

    Stacey and the others all looked on in horror as they realised that Paul was terrified of Stacey. All she had to do was raise her voice and Paul freaked out in a panic attack. Spilling the food had tipped him over the edge and Karen had to inject him again to calm him back down.

     “We need to know everything you’ve told him Stacey, or we’ll never be able to help him back to any form of a normal life.” Karen said with anger after they got him changed into a clean nightgown and on the sofa in the living room. There was a strong smell of bleach in the air, due to them having to clean up the mess Paul had made when he wet himself through fear of being punished by Stacey.

    Stacey sat at the kitchen table with the others as she went down a very long list of things she’d warned Paul not to do, which turned out to be pretty much anything. Stacey was shocked when Kim jumped up and slapped her across the face when Stacey had said about turning him into a prostitute. Stacey looked at the others for some sort out defence against what Kim just did, but the looks she got from them said that they would have slapped her if Kim hadn’t.

     “Don’t you dare say that you did this for me Stacey!” Kim growled at her. “I would never ask any of you to do what you did to Paul. Hell I wouldn’t even wish that on the asshole that stabbed me!” Kim shouted.

    Kim walked over to the living room door and looked in on Paul, who was still out cold from the injection Karen had given him earlier. Then she walked back over to the table and sat down again.

     “What do we do now?” Rebecca asked looking sad at the part she played in all this. “I think I always knew he’d never done what we thought, but all the evidence said otherwise.” Rebecca added as she started sobbing.

     “You didn’t have any evidence. Just a necklace and a head full of anger.” Kim pointed out. “Now we have to fix the mess we all made.” Kim added with a sigh.

     “This is our mess Kim, you did nothing wrong.” Casey told her.

     “Yes I did Casey. I should have told the police that Paul was the woman that saved my life.” Kim said. “That way they would have come to work and you all would have found out about Paula before things went this far.” Kim added as she pointed at the living room door.

     “But how do we unbrainwash someone?” Rebecca asked as she tried to work out if that was even a word.

     “I’ve got no idea, but I was thinking while I fed him his dinner that he’s like a baby, so we could try leading him back to his mind like you would teach a child to grow up.” Kim offered as an idea to start with.

     “And show him lots of love and caring as well.” Rebecca added.

     “What about the hormones I’ve been giving him Kim? Do we keep giving them to him?” Karen asked.

     “Well he was dressed as a woman when he saved me, and you did say that all his body hair had been removed before you all got your hands on him, so I’d say keep giving them to him.” Kim said with a shrug.

     “What if he only ever liked to dress as a woman? Won’t he be pissed if we turn him into one?” Casey asked.

     “We’ll just add it to the really long list of things we’ve done to screw up his life.” Kim said with a frown.

     “Do you think he’ll ever speak again?” Rebecca asked. “I use to like the way he always said hi to us at the office.” She added with a smile as she thought back to them days.

     “To early to say yet Bec’s. Looking at the scars on his bottom and how painful it must have been, he may never recover his voice.” Kim said with sadness.

    The girls all shuddered as they remembered the ear splitting scream that Paul made as they caned him all those months ago, and how he sobbed later but never made a sound.

     “I think we all agree with you Kim.” Karen said as she looked at the others. They all nodded except Stacey.

     “Stace? Are you in or out?” Kim asked. If you’re not willing to help, then pack your things and get out.” Kim added in a firm voice.

     “You can’t just come back and tell me that.” Stacey said trying to sound in control again, but she soon backed down when she saw the look Kim and the others gave her.

     “You more than anyone helped make this mess, so you either stop and help fix it, or you can pack up and move out right now.” Kim told her.

     “I want to help fix it, but it’s breaking my heart to see him looking so scared every time I raise my voice.” Stacey said as she finally broke down in sobs of tears at the kitchen table.

    Kim and the others all knew that Stacey had just been putting a brave face on how she was really feeling and Kim just had to push her in the right direction to make her face it and see that they had been wrong to do what they did, Stacey most of all.

    Luckily the house they all shared had six bedrooms, so the girls all set to work sorting out the sixth room for Paul, or Paula to use. Kim sat with Paul while the other four got everything sorted out. By the time the room was ready, it looked very nice and very girlie.

    The girls thought about taking Paul up to his new room while he was still asleep, but they decided it would be better if they walked him up to it while he was awake, and could see that he wasn’t a prisoner anymore, but part of the group.

    It had been a couple of hours since the girls had finished sorting out Paul’s new bedroom and he was just starting to wake up from the injection Karen had given him. He looked confused as he opened his eyes, but then he looked worried when she saw the others all sat around looking at him. He went to get up but stopped when he realised that his head was resting on Kim’s lap and she stopped him from getting up.

     “Relax Paula. You’re not in any trouble.” Kim said in a calming voice as she stroked Paul’s hair.

    “Paula? That used to be my other name.” Paul thought to himself as he let Kim stroke his hair. If he’d been a cat he would have been purring now.

     “Let’s go and get you something to eat Paula.” Kim said as she helped Paul to his feet and led him into the kitchen before helping him to take a seat at the table. Kim was trying to get him used to being Paul, she hoped it would bring back some of the person they once knew.

    Stacey made a sandwich for him and put it on the table in front of him with a large glass of ice cold milk to go with it. Casey had come up with the idea of letting Stacey spoil him, so he would see that everything was different now, and Stacey was a friend.

    Paul’s eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning when he saw Stacey put the glass of milk down on the table for him. He looked up at Stacey before pointing at the glass and then himself.

     “Yes that’s for you Paula.” Stacey smiled. “And if you eat your entire sandwich, then I’ll let you have this.” Stacey added as she held up a chocolate bar for him to see.

    Paul started grinning as he picked up the first sandwich and started eating it. Then he did the same with the second one before he picked up the glass of milk with shaky hands and drank it down like it was life itself. The girls all had a little giggle when they saw that Paul had been left with a little milk moustache. Kim wiped it away just before Stacey sat down and unwrapped the chocolate bar and placed it on the table in front of Paul. He broke it into chunks and then slid it back into the middle of the table and then pointed at all the others to help him eat it.

     “I think he wants us to share it with him.” Rebecca said.

    Paul pointed at Rebecca and started nodding his head to say yes she was right; he did want to share it with them. Paul was trying to thank them for letting him have a glass of milk and now chocolate by sharing it with them.

    The girls all took one piece and then made Paul eat the rest. Stacey got up from the table and went over to the fridge before returning with a second glass of milk for him to drink. Stacey had to wipe away a tear when she saw Paul slide the very last piece of chocolate over to her as a thank you for the second glass of milk. Stacey took the piece of chocolate and thanked Paula for it.

     “I think we better see about getting you to bed.” Kim said as she got up from the table, followed by all the others.

    Paul was the last to get up, but he was happy to have had a nice meal with milk, and chocolate for pudding. He couldn’t remember the last time he had pudding, or sat at a table to eat. He made his way over to the cellar door to wait for one of the girls to open it for him, but they all just stood looking at him.

     “That’s not your room anymore Paula.” Kim said as she walked over and held out a hand to lead him up to his new room upstairs.

    Paul took Kim’s hand and let her lead him back up the stairs, but instead of going to the room he’d woke up in earlier, he was taken to another room. Kim led him in and then let him look around while she went and stood with the others over near the door. Paul loved the room and thought it belonged to a girl with all the pink in it, and teddy bears lying on the bed. He walked over to the bed and picked up one of the bears before hugging it to his chest.

     “Do you like the room Paula?” Kim asked with a smile when she saw him hugging the teddy bear.

    Paul looked at Kim and started nodding his head as he smiled. He held up the teddy bear and then pointed to himself. He wanted to know if he could keep the teddy.

     “Yes you can keep the teddy Paula, and this is your room from now on, so all the teddy bears belong to you now.” Kim explained.

    Paul smiled even more, but then it changed to one of mistrust, he was trying to work out what the catch was. He put the teddy back and tried to leave the room, but Kim stopped him by hugging him.

     “There’s no catch to it Paula, this is your room, just like we all have our own rooms.” Kim told him.

    Paul struggled for a little longer, but he didn’t have much fight left in him after five months. Soon he was just sobbing on Kim’s shoulder as all that had happened to him boiled over. Kim helped him limp over to the bed and sit down. The other girls all left them alone for a bit, so Kim could try and make him understand that he was not going to be punished anymore.

    Kim grabbed the teddy Paul had taken a shine to and placed it back on his lap as she smiled at him. “I never did get to thank you Paula, for saving my life that night.” Kim said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

    Paul reached over and put his hand on the spot where Kim had been stabbed, and then he pointed to himself and shook his head to say no to something. Kim looked at him with a puzzled look, as she didn’t understand what he was trying to say.

     “I’m sorry Paula, but I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me.” Kim said with a sigh. “I wish you’d try talking to me, you won’t get in trouble for it.” Kim added looking hopeful that he would be able to speak again soon.

    Paul opened his mouth as though he was about to say something, but no sound came out. He just shook his head from side to side again looking sad.

     “You really can’t talk anymore can you?” Kim asked looking worried. Paul just pouted and shook his head from side to side again. Kim suddenly had an idea and ran out the room, leaving a worried looking Paula sat on the bed.

    Kim ran to her room and grabbed a notepad and a pen before running back down the hallway to Paula’s room. Kim found Paula curled up in a corner shaking again, just like she’d done in the kitchen when Stacey started shouting. Kim realised that her suddenly running out the room had scared Paula into thinking he’d done something wrong.

     “I’m sorry Paula; I didn’t mean to scare you just now.” Kim pouted as she made Paula look at her. “I was just going to my room to get you these.” Kim said as she held up the pen and notepad.

    Paul still looked worried when he saw what Kim was asking him to do. He shook his head to say no he couldn’t do this it would get him in trouble.

    Kim remembered that one of Stacey’s rules was for Paul to never try and write anything down. “I’m giving you permission to use them, and my word is final.” Kim said in a firm voice as she handed the items over to Paula. “Now tell me what you’re trying to say.” Kim ordered.

    Paul took the pen and paper from Kim and with a very shaky hand he wrote down what he’d been trying to say on the bed before Kim ran out the room.

    I didn’t save you Kim. You got hurt anyway, and I got punished for failing. Paul wrote on the pad before handing it over to Kim.

     “You stopped me getting raped by those two men Paula. How were you to know that man had a knife?” Kim asked as she realised what Paul had been thinking all this time.

    Paul grabbed the pad again and started writing something else. Are you all better again now? Will you be stopping here and keeping Stacey from hurting me?

     “Yes I’m all better now, and I’m not going to let anyone hurt you anymore Paula.” Kim said just before she gave him a hug.

    As soon as Kim broke the hug, Paula was writing again. Kim smiled as she realised that he had a lot to say now he could.

    Have they been giving me female hormones? I seem to be growing breasts . Paula asked, adding a little smiley face at the end to let Kim know he was happy about it.

     “Yes they have. Do you mind that they did that to you?” Kim asked looking worried.

    Paul never even bothered to write down his response, he just shook his head from side to side. He looked happy to be on the path to becoming more female. He was soon writing something down though.

    What happened to all my things and my flat?

     “I don’t know Paula, but I’ll find out and let you know.” Kim said reassuringly. “How did you pay your rent on the flat?” Kim asked.

    Paul quickly wrote down the answer. Rent came straight out of bank account at the end of the month.

     “Did you have much money in your account to cover the rent for this length of time?” Kim asked, worried that he might have lost the place by now.

    Paul wrote down what he remembered to be in there when he last looked.  £14.000 last time I looked. I was saving up so I could transition at some point in the future. Then have surgery to become a full female.

    Kim looked at the pad and was amazed that he’d been able to save up so much money, but he was working two jobs, and probably didn’t go out much. “So you want to become a woman then? You don’t just dress because you like the clothes?” Kim asked.

    Paula is the real me. Paul is just mask I wear. I’m glad that Karen gives me pills to make me more like a girl.  Paul added another smiley face at the end to show he was happy about it again.

     “Do you mind if we go back down stairs and let the others see this?” Kim asked as she held up the notepad.

    Paul held up his hand for Kim to give him the notepad back, and then he started writing something else. Will I be in trouble for writing things down? I don’t want to be punished again. Paul handed Kim the pad with a shaky hand so she could read what he just wrote.

     “No you won’t be in any trouble Paula.” Kim smiled as she gave him back the pad. “The others will be happy that you can talk to them in a way.” Kim added as she got up off the floor and then helped Paula to her feet.

    Paul wrote something else before they left his room. I like being called Paula. Can I dress as Paula too?

     “I think we can sort something out until we find out what happened to your stuff.” Kim said with a grin as she led Paula down to her room to see what they could find for him to wear.

    Karen had provided Paul with a couple of simple looking dresses to wear while down in the cellar, but niether of them could be called nice. Paul looked to be about the same size as Kim, so she knew that she had lots of things that would fit him. Kim thought about the fact that she was calling him Paula, but still referring to him, and not her, so she decided that from now on it would be her and Paula, not him and Paul anymore.

    Kim had brought some new underwear back with her, so she got it out of her case and then told Paula to slip on the panties, and she’d help with the bra if Paula needed her to. Kim stopped her though when she thought that Paula should enjoy this first time becoming Paula again after so long, so she led Paula to the bathroom and started running her a bubble bath.

    Paula looked like she was in heaven when she saw what Kim was doing for her. Paul was soon writing on the pad and showing it to Kim.

    THANK YOU!!! I’ve dreamed about having a bath for so long now. Paula was grinning as she watched Kim read what she’d written.

     “You’re welcome hon.” Kim smiled.

    Kim took the bandage off Paula’s ankle where she’d tried to get away from them all down in the cellar while still being chained to the floor.

     “This is going to sting when you first put it in the water Paula, but stick with it and it will feel much better after a good soak.” Kim said as she helped Paula step into the bathtub and sit down.

    Paula did what looked like a sigh, but due to her not having any voice anymore, it looked a little odd. Kim smiled when she saw the look on Paula’s face. Paula loved every minute of her bath.

     “Is it okay for me to wash your hair for you Paula?” Kim asked as she held up some hair care products for Paula to look at.

    Paula started nodding yes when she saw that Kim was planning to shampoo and then condition it. Paula was in heaven now as she let Kim work the shampoo deep into her scalp. Kim washed it a couple of times before she put the conditioner on.

     “I’m just going to sort you out with some clothes to wear once we have you dressed in your underwear.” Kim said just before leaving the bathroom to return to her room.

    Paula just relaxed and lay back in the tub for a bit with her eyes shut. Paula blushed when she opened her eyes a little later and found Kim leaning on the side of the tub grinning at her.

     “Are you enjoying this?” Kim asked as she splashed her with some water from the tub.

    Paula sat up and made a sound a little like a giggle as she splashed Kim back with some water. Kim was happy to see Paula relaxing a little bit and having some fun with her. Kim thought she’d come a long way since getting home and finding out what they’d done to her.

     “I’m sorry hon, but we need to rinse your hair off and then get you out and dressed.” Kim pouted as she held up the shower nozzle to rinse Paula’s hair off.

    Paula was soon rinsed off and stepped out the bathtub. Kim noticed that if it wasn’t for the thing between her legs; she would think Paula was a woman already. The little mistake down there wasn’t very big though in the first place Kim thought as she helped Paula dry off and then Kim wrapped a towel around Paula’s budding breasts, and then she led Paula Back down the hallway to Kim’s own bedroom to get some clothes on her.

    Kim handed Paula the panties again and she put them on this time, tucking away her male part as she pulled them up. Kim was impressed when she saw Paula’s smooth front. “Do you need some help with this?” Kim asked as she held up the bra for Paula to put on. Kim watched as Paula skilfully slipped the bra up each arm and then hooked it closed behind her like she’d been doing it all her life.

     “I think you’ve done that a few times before?” Kim asked with a grin. Paul just nodded with a smile as she played around with her small breasts and seated them in the cups a little better. “These may help you look a little fuller in the bust.” Kim said as she handed Paula what looked like a couple of chicken fillets to pop into her cups and make her chest look a little bigger.

    Paula soon had the small forms in her bra cups and they helped a lot to enhance her breast, which Paula was happy to stick out even more as she sat on the bed grinning. Paula grabbed her little pad and started writing something, and then she handed the pad to Kim.

     Thank you for helping me feel like a real girl Kim. I’ve never had anyone show me so much kindness since Samantha moved away. Does all this help mean we’re friends now?

     “I’ll help you all I can Paula, and yes we’re friends.” Kim said with a grin, just before she pulled Paula into a hug. “Now let’s finish getting you dressed so we can go and show the others what Paula looks like.” Kim added as she jumped up off the bed and grabbed a pink t-shirt for Paula to put on.

    Paula slipped the t-shirt over her head and smiled when she looked in the mirror and saw that it was a lady fit t-shirt that made her chest look even bigger, while making her waist look even smaller. The fact that all the hormones had made her bottom look more rounded helped to make her waist look smaller too. Paula saw a girl looking back at her from the mirror on the dressing table. The girl had wet hair that was hanging halfway down her back as she turned to look at it in the mirror, but it was a girl looked back at her.

     “Pop this skirt on and then I’ll see what I can do with your hair for you.” Kim said as she handed Paula a short denim skirt.

    Paula smiled as she took the skirt from Kim and slipped it on, and then she took a seat at the dressing table and closed her eyes while Kim brushed and blow dried her hair for her. Paula thought it felt wonderful to be touched and cared for after so long. Paula was still a little worried that this was all part of their plan to trick her into making some sort of mistake, but part of her wasn’t bothered about it either. She was just happy to be spending some time as a girl with another girl.

     “There you go Paula. I’ve done what I can, but we really need to get you to a hair dresser and get it styled.” Kim said as she stepped back to let her look in the mirror.

    Paula was amazed at how pretty her hair looked. She turned her head this way and that as she looked at herself in the mirror. Kim was a whiz with hair, but Paula remembered that she’d always looked nice at the office. Paula wiped away a tear that was running down her cheek, she was so happy with how she looked.

     “Do you like it Paula?” Kim asked looking worried when she saw her friend wipe a tear away from her eye.

    Paula turned to face Kim and patted her hand to her chest trying to tell Kim she loved it as she nodded her head up and down with a big smile on her face.

     “You love it?” Kim asked, starting to understand Paula’s version of communication.

    Paula nodded some more as she let Kim know that she’d worked out what she was trying to tell her. Paula then turned to carry on looking at herself in the mirror again. She looked pale from the lack of sun and fresh air, but this just added to the look of a female looking back at her from the mirror.

     “I think just a little lip gloss for now Paula. You look pretty enough without too much makeup.” Kim smiled as she handed her a lipstick to use. Stacey had told her that she’d spent hours with Paula down in the cellar teaching her how to put makeup on, so she knew that Paula would be fine doing it herself.

    Kim dropped a pair of what looked like ballet slippers on the floor in front of Paula, for her to put on her feet. Paula smiled a thank you to her and then slipped them on, wincing when she rubbed her bad ankle.

     “Let me put some more cream on that for you Paula, then I’ll put a clean bandage on it.” Kim said as she led Paula over to the bed and made her sit down with her leg up on Kim’s lap.

    Paula sat and watched as Kim gently dabbed some cream on the angry red flesh, just before she took a new white bandage and lovingly wrapped it up to protect it. Paula started to realise that Kim was telling the truth when she said that she wouldn’t hurt her, or let any of the others hurt her anymore.

    Kim finished her nursing duty and then helped Paula to stand up again before leading her over to a full length mirror on the back of her closet door, so Paula could take a proper look at herself.

     “I know it’s not the gothic look I first saw you with, but I hope you like what you see?” Kim asked as she stood next to Paula and looked in the mirror at the two of them stood side by side.

    Paula smiled as she tapped her chest again to let Kim know that she loved it as she smiled at her in the mirror.

     “Which look do you like the best? Goth chick or this?” Kim asked.

    Paula looked thoughtful for a couple of seconds before she limped over to the dressing table and picked up her pen and notepad again and started writing on it. Kim walked over and waited for Paula to finish writing and hand it over to Kim, so she could read it.

    I’d never found a style of my own before I was put in prison by the others. The gothic look was so I fit in at the club, but I did like the way I looked when dressed like I was the night you saw me. I’m sorry you got hurt because of me.

     “None of what happened was your fault Paula, and I don’t blame you for any of it.” Kim said in a firm voice as she looked Paula in the eyes to let her see that she wasn’t lying to her. “I must admit that I thought you looked cute and very sexy that night.” Kim added with a grin.

    Paula pointed to herself and then shook her head from side to side, like she was saying she wasn’t. Kim pointed at Paula and started nodding her head up and down to argue with her using Paula’s own way of communicating. Paula stopped shaking her head from side to side as she started blushing at the compliment Kim was paying her.

     “Come on girl! Let’s go and show the others what a cute little thing you are.” Kim said with a grin as she grabbed Paula’s hand and dragged her out the room before she had time to realise what was happening.

    Paula let Kim drag her along until they got down to the living room door where she could hear the other four talking and laughing about something one of them had done or seen. Kim went to enter the room, but stopped when she felt resistant’s from Paula.

     “Come on Paula, they won’t hurt you.” Kim said as she pulled a little harder and Paula started to move into the room.

    The girl’s stopped talking when they saw Kim backing into the room while pulling another girl into the room with her. They all sat with their mouths open when they realised that it was Paula.

     “Wow girl, you look amazing!” Rebecca said as she got up and walked over to give Paula a hug to welcome her to the group. She was soon joined by the other three as they all gave Paula a hug to welcome her to the group as well.

     “You look very pretty Paula.” Casey said as she hugged Paula.

     “You were wasting your time pretending to be a boy.” Karen said as she gave Paula a hug.

    Stacey was the last one to step up to Paula, and she could see the worry in Paula’s eyes as she got closer to her. “I won’t try to hug you Paula, I know I still need to earn your trust back yet, but I just want you to know that I think you look very beautiful.” Stacey said. She got a shock when Paula threw her arms around Stacey’s neck and started hugging her instead. Stacey was left with no other choice than to hug Paula back, as she started sobbing over all she’d done to this person.

     “I think Paula just wants to move on Stace.” Rebecca said with a giggle as she watched the two hugging each other while Stacey sobbed her eyes out.

    Stacey finally stopped crying long enough to pull Paula over to a sofa and sit her down next to her. “How are you feeling now Paula?” Stacey asked as she wiped her eyes with a tissue Karen passed her.

    Paula picked up her notepad and pen, and then she started writing on it. Stacey and the others watched her do it and then hand it over to Stacey.

    I feel much better now, but I’m still worried that this is just another test, and I’ll be put back in the cellar at any minute.

     “That will never happen Paula.” Stacey said with some pleading in her voice for Paula to believe her. “We made a mistake and never should have done what we did.” Stacey added with tears running down her cheeks again. She also felt really bad at the fact Paula had to tell them things using pen and paper.

     “What did she write Stace?” Casey asked as she held out her hand to take the piece of paper from Stacey that Paula had just ripped out the notepad. Casey read it and said pretty much the same thing Stacey just had. “I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you anymore Paula.” Casey added at the end of her little speech.

    Karen and Rebecca said the same thing when they read what Paula had wrote. The four girls had been speaking while Kim was up stairs helping Paula get cleaned up.

     “Stacey, Casey, Rebecca and I have been speaking while you were up with Paula, and we’ve decided to take Paula to see some doctors and see if they can help her get her voice back, and also check her over to make sure we didn’t do any other damage to her.” Karen said looking sad, but smiling at Paula still to let her know that they were sorry for everything.

     “But if you do that, we will all get in trouble for what we did.” Kim pointed out looking worried for herself and her friends.

     “We know that, and don’t care about what happens to us Kim.” Karen said in a firm voice. “None of us can live with watching Paula write on a pad for the rest of her life, just so we walk free.” Karen added.

     “We’re going to keep you out of it Kim. You had nothing to do with the thing that cost Paula her voice.” Rebecca said.

    Kim was about to speak when she saw Paula franticly writing something down in her notepad. She handed it to Kim, so she could read it out to the others. Kim read through it first, and then looked at Paula with a tear in her eye.

    “I don’t want you to do any of that. It’s sad that I’ve lost my voice, but tonight has been a dream come true for me. I never thought I’d get to feel like a girl, and it just feels like I’ve finally found a place where I belong. I’m not asking you to be my friends, but it’s been nice feeling like one of your friends and I don’t want to see any of you getting in trouble over what happened to me.” Kim read it out to the others as tears rolled down her cheeks.

     “You can count me as a friend Paula.” Stacey said as she pulled Paula into a hug with her.

     “Me too!” Rebecca shouted as she pulled Paula to her feet so she could get a hug in as well.

     “You’re stuck with me too housemate.” Casey giggled as she gave Paula a hug.

     “Well I refuse to be the odd one out then, so get over here girlfriend and give me a hug.” Karen said as she held her arms out so Paula could get a hug from her. “We’re still going to help you as much as we can Paula, but we will need to think up a good cover story for the loss of voice.” Karen said the first part to Paula, and the second part to the others.

     “I’m sure we’ll think of something, but the first thing we need to do is go and see if Paula still has a flat and all her stuff still in it.” Kim said to the others.

     “We’ve been nowhere near the place since we took Paula. We still have all of Paul’s stuff in a draw in the kitchen.” Stacey said. “We never even touched the money that was in the wallet.” She added with a hand on her heart.

     “Wouldn’t the flat have been let to someone else by now?” Rebecca asked.

     “Paula said she paid the rent every month straight from her bank account, so it shouldn’t have been touched by anyone.” Kim said with hope in her voice.

    Paula was busy writing something again. I didn’t have any friends to miss me. I knew a couple of people at the club, just like I knew Kim, Stacey and Rebecca at the office, but no one that would report me as being a missing person.

     “What about your friend Samantha? Wouldn’t she have missed you by now?” Kim asked.

    No not really. We’ve gone nearly a year without speaking to each other, or even writing a letter to each other before now. I never felt like I fit in with either female or male friends, so I just kept to myself. Paula wrote and then let Kim read it before passing it around the group.

     “I think you look perfect here with our little group.” Casey said with a grin as she threw an arm around Paula’s shoulder and kissed her on the cheek.

     “Do you want to be part of our little gang then Paula?” Stacey asked with a grin. “You will have to be a girlie girl twenty four seven though.” Stacey added with a giggle, not seeing Paula having any trouble with that. They all thought she looked like a natural woman already.

    Paula was soon writing something down again on her little notepad and handing it over to Stacey.

    Do you really mean that? I’d love to live here with all of you, but I’m scared that I will do something wrong and I’ll be put back in the cellar and caned again. Paula’s hand was shaking when she handed the note to Stacey, so she could read it.

     “You’re going to make lots of mistakes Paula, but me and the others will help you learn how to be the best woman you can be. I promise you will never find yourself back in the cellar, or being caned or hurt in anyway by any of us.” Stacey promised.

     “So do you feel like becoming a member of this madhouse then Paula?” Casey asked.

    Paula just sat there grinning at them all as she nodded her head up and down. She was looking forward to becoming just another girl living in a house full of girls. They all had a group hug and then called it a night and went up to get ready for bed. It was almost three in the morning, and everyone except Casey and Paula had jobs to go to the next morning.

    Kim sorted Paula out with a nightgown, well Stacey did when she ran into the bedroom and placed a silky black lump in Paula’s hands before kissing her on the cheek again and running off out the room giggling, and then Kim helped her get ready for bed before she tucked her in and gave Paula her favourite teddy bear to cuddle up to in bed. All the other girls popped in to kiss Paula on the cheek and wish her a good night before going to their rooms to get ready for bed.

Chapter Four

    Paula was confused when she first woke up, then she remembered that Kim had come back and made the others set her free after explaining what had happened the night she got stabbed, and it wasn’t Paul that did it to her. Paula sat up in bed and threw the covers back and smiled when she saw the silky black nightgown she was wearing. Stacey had ran into her room the night before and given it to her as a present to say sorry for everything they had done to her over the past five months.

     “I know it doesn’t come close to making up for what we’ve done to you Paula, but give us time and you will get to enjoy all the things us girls take for granted.” Stacey had promised before hugging Paula and wishing her a good night’s sleep.

    Paula still wasn’t sure if she was allowed out of her room on her own, so she walked over to the window and looked outside. It looked so big and bright out there, it had been five months since she’d set foot outside this house, and the thought of it now scared her in more ways than one. Paula jumped and started shaking when there was a knock on her bedroom door, just before she saw Kim and Rebecca enter the room.

    The two girls saw the scared look on Paula’s face, and how she had started shaking and looking around the room for her clothes. They both ran over to where she was stood in a panic and hugged her.

     “Calm down Paula. We just came to help you get dressed and come down for some breakfast with us.” Kim said in a soothing voice as she stroked Paula’s hair.

     “I know this is all very new to you Paula, but you will come to realise that we will never do anything to hurt you ever again.” Rebecca said as she looked Paula in the eyes. “Now let’s go and get you some breakfast.” Rebecca added as she stepped back and grabbed a dressing gown for Paula to put on.

    Kim provided a pair of slippers for her to wear, and then they dragged Paula down to the kitchen where Casey, Karen and Stacey were all helping each other to sort out breakfast. Kim and Rebecca sat Paula down at the table before they started helping the others.

    Paula was soon sat looking at a plate full of bacon, egg, sausage and mushrooms. She looked at the knife and fork for a couple of seconds before she looked at the others and then pointed down at the knife and fork to make sure it was okay for her to use them.

     “Yes you can use them to eat your breakfast Paula.” Stacey said with a warm smile. “It wouldn’t be very lady like to try eating it with your fingers.” She added in a fake whisper, just before she started giggling.

    Paula smiled and then giggled, but there was no sound to it. She carefully picked up the knife and fork, then she had to get used to using them again, but she soon had the hang of it and she started to enjoy the breakfast the others had made.

    Stacey buttered and then added some strawberry jam to some toast before sliding the plate over to Paula, once she’d finished her bacon and eggs. Paula sat grinning as she slowly picked up the first slice of toast and took a tentative bite from it.

     “I think she likes that.” Casey said with a giggle.

    Paula looked at Casey just before she tapped her free hand to her chest with a frown, just before taking another bite and letting the sweet sickly taste of strawberry’s wash over her tongue.

     “I’m sorry Paula. I think she loves it.” Casey said with a bow.

    Paula smiled and started nodding her head up and down to say yes she did love it. She soon made both pieces disappear before sitting back and patting her hands on her belly to tell the others that she was very full now.

     “Does that mean you’re full Paula?” Kim asked with a grin.

    Paula nodded a couple of times before she picked up the notepad that one of the girls had thoughtfully placed on the table for her to use when she wanted to talk.

    Thank you so much for the wonderful breakfast. Can I help to clean up the kitchen? Paul asked on the piece of paper she handed to Kim.

     “You don’t have to Paula, but I’m sure that Casey will be glad of the help.” Kim said with a smile. “Paula wants to help you clean up the kitchen.” Kim added as she looked at Casey and the puzzled look she now had.

     “Cool! A fellow slave to help Cinderella here look after the wicked step sisters.” Stacey said with a grin as she looked at Paula.

    Paula looked like she was giggling, but once again there was no sound coming from her. Kim noticed the sad looks on all the others faces as they once again was reminded of what they had done to this poor girl. They soon masked the look and started giggling at Casey’s comment. Kim hoped that they could find some way to help Paula get her voice back soon.

     “You better have this house looking spotless by the time we get home from work Cinderella.” Karen said as she got up from the table and then gave Casey a kiss on the cheek, just before she stepped over and gave Paula one as well.

    Paula smiled up at Karen for doing that, and then Paula got a shock when the other three all did the same before going up to get ready for work. Casey helped Paula to her feet and then put a piny on her to stop any water or dirt getting on Paula’s dressing gown. Casey let Paula wash the dishes while she dried them, Casey didn’t want Paula trying to do too much with her bad ankle.

    Casey and Paula stopped working long enough to hug and say goodbye to the other girls when they were ready to leave.

     “Don’t let her boss you around Paula, and don’t try to overdo it either.” Karen said in a warning big sister way.

    Paula nodded her head from side to side to say that she wouldn’t, and then she got a hug from each girl before they were gone. Paula could see that Kim was worried about going back to work, but also that she was worried about Paula as well. Paula gave Kim an extra hug and then a thumbs up.

    Kim looked puzzled unit she realised that Paula was trying to wish her good luck at work. “You wishing me good luck at work today?” Kim asked with a grin.

     Paula started nodding really fast as she started grinning at the fact Kim understood her so well. Paula gave the thumbs up again to let her know she really was wishing her luck.

     “I’ll be fine Paula, but I’m worried about you still.” Kim said looking worried as she gave Paula a hug.

    Paula waved off Kim’s worries as she pointed at Casey and started grinning. Paula liked Casey, she made her laugh and feel good.

     “You like Casey? And you know you’ll be safe with her?” Kim asked.

    Paula started grinning as she nodded her head up and down as she walked over and let Casey wrap an arm around her.

     “We’ll be fine Kimmie, so get off to work and let us slaves get back to work.” Casey said as she stepped over to give Kim and the others a hug before they left.

    Paula got another hug from everyone except Stacey, who had hung back worried that she might scare Paula if she tried to hug her. Paula sensed that this was the reason, so she walked over to Stacey and hugged her until Stacey hugged her back. Paula then broke the hug and smiled at Stacey as she gave her and the other girls the thumbs up.

    They all smiled, as they understood that Paula was wishing them luck at work today, and then they were gone. Paula went back to washing the dishes and then helping Casey to dry them.

     “Thanks for helping me do them.” Casey said at the end, as she took the tea towel off Paula and threw it in the wash. “Do you feel up to helping me do some cleaning now?” Casey asked with a grin.

    Paula nodded excitedly as she looked eager to help Casey as much as she could. They were soon dusting and cleaning up the living room, and then they moved onto the bedrooms before starting a wash in the laundry room which was just off the kitchen. Casey was glad the laundry room wasn’t part of the cellar, she wasn’t about to make Paula go down there again anytime soon.

    They stopped for lunch, which was soup and a sandwich, and then Casey needed to see about getting some work done. Casey worked from home as an editor of a publishing house, so she wouldn’t have to leave Paula at home alone.

     “I’m sorry Paula, but I have to see about doing some work now, but you’re welcome to sit with me while I work.” Casey said with a smile as she got a stack of papers out and her laptop in the living room.

    Paula smiled as she nodded and took a seat on the other sofa in the room. She just sat and watched Casey work for a little bit, but soon started to feel tired, so she looked around for something to do. She saw a woman’s magazine and picked it up and started reading some of the articles in it on healthcare and how to cook a couple of different dishes. Paula was still engrossed in the magazine when she heard the front door and then she saw Kim, Rebecca and Stacey enter the living room smiling.

     “I girls! How was your day?” Kim asked as she first kissed Casey on the cheek as they hugged each other, and then she ran over and gave Paula an even bigger kiss on the cheek as she hugged her too. “Mean Casey didn’t work you to hard did she Paula?” Kim asked with a pout in a playful way when she broke the hug.

    Paula smiled as she gave Kim the thumbs up to say she had an okay day, and then nodded her head from side to side to say that Casey hadn’t worked her to hard at all.

    Rebecca and Stacey each gave Paula and Casey a hug and a kiss before they all went up to get changed out of their work clothes and into their nightgowns, just like Paula and Casey had been wearing all day. Casey couldn’t see the point of trying to sort an outfit out for Paula, if she wasn’t going out anywhere.

    Kim and the other two were soon back down stairs and Casey and Paula got roped in to help sort out dinner with them. Paula smiled as the girls all made her feel like one of them as she did what the girls asked. Karen was the last one to get home and even she walked over and gave Paula a hug and asked how her day had been? Paula did the thumbs up and smiled to let her know that it was good. Karen hugged and kissed the other girls on the cheek before she went up to get changed before she ate.

    The following day was a Saturday, and none of the girls were working, so they planned to go and see if Paula’s stuff was still in the flat. Paula looked nervous the next morning when Kim helped her to get dressed to go out the house for the first time in five months.

    Kim had Paula in a knee length black skirt and a long sleeve pink t-shirt with a white hoody over the top of it. Kim had also given Paula some tights to wear and a pair of sandals with a two inch heel on them. Kim styled Paula’s hair and let her put a little lipstick on and just a hint of eye shadow to bring out her eyes.

     “You look really pretty Paula.” Kim smiled as she led her down the stairs to the living room where the others were all waiting.

    Paula looked around for her notepad and pen, so she could tell Kim and the others just how scared she was right now, but they already knew it by the look on Paula’s face, and the fact she was shaking.

     “You look beautiful Paula.” Rebecca smiled as she took Paula’s other arm while Karen led the way out of the house with Stacey and Casey bringing up the rear so they could lock the house up once everyone was out.

    Kim got in the back of Rebecca’s car with Paula, while Casey and Stacey got in Karen’s car with her. They set off towards Paula’s old flat to see if anyone had moved into it yet, or if it had just sat empty for the last five months waiting for Paul’s return.

    They found a couple of empty parking spaces right outside the place, so they parked up and then got out before they let Kim and Paula lead the way up the steps and into the building. Paula found the right key for the front door, but had to let Kim put it in the keyhole and open the door because she was shaking too much to put it in the lock herself.

    Paula was surprised to see that everything looked the same as she had left it on the day she left five months ago. No one had realised the place had sat empty all that time. Paula let out a sigh as she realised just how lonely her life had been back then.

     “Does it look like someone else has been living here Paula?” Kim asked looking worried when she heard Paula let out a sigh.

    Paula shook her head from side to side to let them know it looked just as she’d left it. Paula walked into the small kitchen area and opened the fridge door, but shut it quickly when the smell hit her nose.

     “I think it’s safe to say that no one has been here while Paula was with us.” Karen said as she coughed from the smell as she put a hand over her nose and mouth.

     “We better see about getting all Paula’s things together and back to the house, and we need to get the place cleaned up so we can hand the keys back in for her as well.” Kim said as she looked under the sink for some air freshener to spray around the place.

     “We’ll sort out in here Kim, while you go with Paula and help her sort out what she wants to take with her to the house, and what can be left behind or dropped off at a charity shop.” Stacey said as she rapped a tea towel around her nose and mouth before picking up the bin and heading back over to the fridge.

     “Are you sure you don’t mind doing that?” Kim asked with a pained look on her face at the thought of her going into the fridge again.

     “After all the nasty things I said to Paula over the past five months Kimmie, it’s what I deserve.” Stacey said in a mumbled voice due to the tea towel.

    Paula ran over and gave Stacey a hug to let her know she was forgiven, and Stacey hugged Paula back to say she needed to do this anyway. Paula ran back to where Kim was still stood and they made their way into Paula’s old bedroom where she took out all her male clothing and threw it on the floor ready to be dropped off at a charity shop on the way back to her new home with the others.

     “You have some really pretty things Paula.” Kim said as she saw all the gothic clothes in the wardrobe. “I’m glad you didn’t lose all this.” Kim added as she pulled out a long purple dress with purple lace sleeves.

    Paula pulled the little notepad out her skirt pocket and wrote that she was glad she hadn’t as well.

     “I hope that you’ll share some of these clothes with the rest of us?” Kim asked with a pout.

    Please feel free to borrow whatever you want Kim, and tell the others that they can too. Paula wrote before showing Kim.

    Kim started grinning as she put the dress down and started hugging Paula. “Thank you Paula, thank you so much. I can’t wait for you to get all dressed up and show the others what you looked like that night.” Kim said as she danced around pulling Paula around with her.

    Paula looked happy to dance around with Kim, but they were soon getting all of Paula’s stuff packed up and in the two cars parked out on the road. It only took them a couple of hours to get everything packed ready for moving it all to the house. The flat was furnished when Paul moved in, so it was just personal stuff they were moving out. The largest thing they had to move was the stereo system.

    They finally had everything loaded, and Karen and Casey were going to pop back once they had everything dropped off at the house, so they could take Paul’s stuff to the charity shop. Kim had asked if Paula was sure about the fresh start and she just nodded with a serious look on her face.

    Once back at the house they all helped to get Paula’s stuff up to her room so she could spend some time making the room feel like her own little place. Kim and Rebecca helped Paula get all her clothes hung up in the closet and then helped her get the stereo set up. Kim fell in love with Paula’s music collection, as well as her rock/Goth clothing.

    Casey was the Tech head in the house, and she helped Paula get her lap top set up to use the broadband internet connection they had in the house. It was a wireless hub that all the girls had their computers hooked into.

    Paula had grabbed the charger for her mobile and had her phone on charge. She’d looked to see what calls she’d missed while being held prisoner in the cellar, and other than a couple of calls from her boss at the club, and the one at the office, both telling her that Paul had been fired for not turning up for work. It was pretty sad to think Paul wasn’t missed by anyone. Paula was just checking her bank account, or Paul’s account as it still was for the time being, when she heard Kim speaking to her looking worried.

     “What’s wrong Paula? You look sad about something.” Kim asked as she sat on the bed next to her.

    Paula opened Word on her laptop and typed out a message for Kim to read. I was missing for five months, and no one even realised that I wasn’t around anymore. What does that tell you about me?

     “I’m sorry about that Paula, but you’re not alone anymore, the others and I will never let you feel like that again.” Kim said as she wrapped an arm around Paula’s waist and hugged her. “How’s the bank account looking after all these months?” Kim asked, as she tried to cheer Paula up a little bit.

    Paula brought up the page with the balance of her account on it and smiled as she showed Kim that she still had a little over  £10.000 in there. She’d had the last of her wages from the club and the office job go in, so that had helped cover the rent and mobile contract payment.

     “That must be a nice sight for you to see?” Kim asked with a smile.

    Yes it is, but I still need to sit down with you and the others, so we can sort out what I need to pay towards my share for living here. Paula wrote and then turned the screen around for Kim to read.

     “We’ve already talked about it Paula and you won’t be paying anything.” Kim said looking very serious as she said it. “The girls feel that they owe you so much for what they all did to you, so they want to help you become the girl you were born to be.” Kim added with a grin.

    Paula typed and then kept pointing at it with her finger to try and get the point across.

     “You’re not getting a say in any of it Paula. They want to help you out as friends, so please just let them do this as a way of showing you just how sorry they are for all they did to you. Enjoy feeling like one of the girls for once.” Kim said with a grin.

    Paula wasn’t able to type due to the tears filling her eyes, so she put her laptop down on the bed next to her and then she wrapped her arms around Kim and sobbed on her shoulder. She’d gone from being an outcast to a prisoner, and now she was just another girl living in a large house with five other girls. It was a dream come true.

    Kim lifted Paula’s head up until they were looking in each other’s eyes and then Kim did something Paula wasn’t expecting as she leaned in and started kissing Paula right on the lips with a lot of passion. Paula looked shocked when they broke the kiss and she put her hand up to her lips to feel the spot Kim had just been kissing.

     “I’ve wanted to do that since the first time I saw you in the club.” Kim said just before she leaned in and did it again. “I’ve not been able to stop thinking about you all this time Paula. I’m not sure how you feel about me, or if you’re into girls, but I just had to let you know how I feel about you.” Kim added with a blush to her cheeks.

    Paula smiled, and then it turned into a full blown grin as she leaned forward and kissed Kim this time. They ended up lying on the bed as they kissed and cuddled each other. Paula hoped that this showed Kim how she felt about her.

     “I take that to mean you feel the same way about me?” Kim asked with a grin when they finally stopped kissing each other to get their breaths back. Paula just lay next to her nodding her head up and down to say, yes!

    Casey had gone with Karen to clear out the last of the stuff from Paul’s flat, while Stacey was helping Rebecca sort out some dinner for them all. Both girls looked shocked when they saw a gothic beauty enter the kitchen with Kim stood at her side smiling.

     “Paula? Is that really you?” Stacey asked as she took in the outfit she was wearing.

    Kim had made Paula dress just how she’d looked on the night she stepped in and stopped Kim being raped by two men. Paula had even matched the eye makeup to look the same and even added the long wild black hair to finish the look.

     “You look beautiful, in a dark creepy way.” Rebecca said with a grin. Rebecca also noticed that Kim was stood a little closer than a friend would to another girlfriend, so she raised an eyebrow towards Kim with a knowing look.

    Paula stood grinning when she saw that Stacey and Rebecca both accepted her for who she really was, and she loved the idea of having a group of girlfriends, and what looked like a girlfriend of her very own. Paula found that her hand had travelled up to the shiny black heart shaped stone that was once again hanging from her neck, and now resting on her very own much larger breasts.

    Stacey and Rebecca told Kim to take a seat at the table while they finished off dinner. Casey and Karen got back after dropping off all of Paul’s clothes at a charity. They were just as shocked as Rebecca and Stacey had been to see a gothic beauty sat at the kitchen table grinning at them while she held hands with Kim on the table, not even bothering to try and hide it.

    They sat and ate dinner before they all went to the living room to relax and watch a movie while enjoying a glass of wine or two. Kim and Paula cuddled up together in an armchair while Karen and Rebecca sat on one sofa, and Stacey and Casey sat on the other. They could all see how close Kim and Paula had become, and they already knew about Kim being into girls more than boys.

    Paula had just finished in the bathroom and gone back to her room and got into bed when she saw her bedroom door open and Kim slip in before closing the door again and joining her in bed. It was a double bed like they all had, so there was plenty of room for the two of them, not that you would think it with how closely cuddled up to each other they were as they fell asleep.

    Kim was relaxing on one of the sofas on the Sunday afternoon watching an old movie, as she waited for Paula to return with a drink for them both. Karen was sat reading a book while Stacey and Rebecca were out with their boyfriends. Casey had offered to flat pack the box’s they’d brought Paula’s things to the house in, and then store them down in the cellar out the way.

    Paula had made them all a mug of coffee when she turned around and saw Casey stood at the top of the cellar steps with the cane in one hand and the cuffs and leg irons in the other.

     “No! Get away from me!” Paula screamed out as she thought they were going to put her back in the cellar.

    Kim and Karen burst into the kitchen when they heard the screaming. They found Paul curled up in the corner sobbing as she said she wasn’t going back down in that cellar, she’d rather die first. Casey had dropped the cane and the cuffs that she’d been bringing up so they could get rid of them, when Paula started screaming at her to get away.

     “Paula, Paula, calm down.” Kim said in a soothing voice as she knelt down in front of her and tried to look her in the eyes. “Casey was just going to throw those things away.” Kim added.

     “I’m not going back down there Kim.” Paula said in a shaky voice that had a slight rasp to it from not being used in so long. “Just kill me now, but please don’t put me down there again and hit me with the cane.” Paula sobbed.

    The girl’s realised at that point just how bad it was for Paula all those months, that she would rather them kill her, than put her back down there again. But the bigger shock was the fact that Paula had found her voice again.

     “Paula, no one is going to put you back down in the cellar, but don’t you realise that you’ve found your voice again.” Kim pointed out.

     “My voice?” Paula said with a puzzled look, but then she realised that she had just spoken again. “I can speak again.” She added with a giggle.

     “Hi Paula.” Kim said with a grin.

     “I love you Kim.” Paula said grinning back at Kim as she saw the shocked look Kim was now giving her. “I just wanted to say it why I could, and just in case I lost my voice again.”

     “I love you to Paula.” Kim said just before she leaned in to give Paula a kiss.

     “I’m going to throw these things in the bin, and this is getting broken into little pieces and then burnt.” Casey said as she picked up the cuffs and leg irons and marched out to the bin with them before returning to pick up the cane and she snapped it into little pieces just like she said she would.

    Paula sat on the floor in the corner and watched as Casey did her little show for them all. “Do you feel better now?” Kim asked as she looked at Paula sat watching Casey throw the last of the cane pieces in the kitchen bin, after deciding that burning it could be dangerous.

     “I’m really sorry for upsetting you Paula. Please forgive me for being so stupid?” Casey pleaded with Paula as she knelt down facing her and Kim who were still sat on the floor.

     “Nothing to forgive Casey.” Paula smiled, liking the fact she could now say her name. “I just freaked out when I saw you stood there with them. I’ve been scared that all this was just a trick to fool me into trusting you all, so you could then throw me back down in the cellar again.” Paula added with a sigh.

     “None of us are trying to trick you Paula. We all just want to be your friends and help you make up for all the things you’ve been missing out on.” Casey said as she put a hand on Paula’s knee.

     “That would be pretty much everything Casey.” Paula pointed out.

     “We need to make a list then, and start checking them off as we take you out to do them.” Casey said with a grin. “I’ve just had an idea. Get ready we’re going out.” Casey added as she jumped up and then pulled Paula and Kim to their feet.

     “What do you have in mind Casey?” Kim asked.

     “I just want to let Paula know how sorry I am for upsetting her, so I’m going to start making her feel like a girlie girl.” Casey giggled as she pushed Kim, Paul and Karen off towards the stairs so they could go and get ready to head out.

    An hour later Paula was being dragged into a hair salon to have her hair sorted out, and also have her ears pierced and her nails done at the same time. Once they had finished in the hair salon, they still had an hour before the shops shut, so they took Paula to get a couple of pairs of shoes that Kim brought for her, and Karen paid for a couple of nice tops and a denim mini skirt.

     “Thanks for the wonderful afternoon shopping and getting my hair and nails done, and also for getting my ears pierced.” Paula said as she lifted her hand up to her ears and felt the stud that was now sat in it.

    They were all back in Karen’s car heading back to the house as Paula thanked them. Stacey and Rebecca were still out when they got home, so they settled down on the sofas to talk until the other two got home, and they could sort out what to do for dinner.

    Stacey and Rebecca got home an hour later and looked shocked to see Paula sat on the sofa next to Kim with platinum blond hair now, and it was styled to look very feminine.

     “I love the new hair style Paula.” Stacey said with a smile.

     “Yes it really suits you Paula.” Rebecca added.

     “Thanks Stacey, Rebecca. It was a gift from Casey for scaring me earlier.” Paula said with a grin.

     “How did she scare you...” Rebecca said just before she realised that Paula had just spoke to her and Stacey. “You just spoke Paula. You just spoke to us!” Rebecca said sounding even more excited about it now.

     “Yes, I seem to have found my voice again.” Paula said with a grin. “I hope that’s not going to be a problem for either of you?” She asked.

     “A problem? No way! I’ve got tons of questions for you.” Rebecca said as she sat down on the same sofa as Paula and Kim were sat on.

     “What sort of questions Rebecca?” Paula asked looking worried all of a sudden.

     “I want to know everything about you for starters, and how you came to be working at the club on the night Kim was attacked.” Rebecca said. “And please call me Bec’s. All my friends do.” Rebecca added with a wink.

     “Thanks Bec’s.” Paula said with a grin. “I guess I’ve always felt like I was different to other boys while I was growing up, but not knowing what a boy was supposed to feel like didn’t help. I have always been small and wimpy looking, and apart from Samantha, I didn’t have any friends either.” Paula said looking sad.

     “You’ve got friends now, and I think you make a cute looking girl as well.” Kim said with a grin as she cuddled up even tighter to Paula’s side.

    Stacey and Rebecca looked at the two of them with a puzzled look before looking at the other two for some sort of an answer.

     “They’re in love.” Casey said in a dreamy voice as she put her hand on her heart and let out a big sigh. Casey was soon giggling as she dodged a cushion that Kim threw at her. “You need to watch this one Paula; she’s got such a temper on her.” Casey added as she didn’t quite move fast enough as Kim hit her in the face with a second cushion.

     “She’s a pretty good shot with a cushion as well.” Karen giggled.

    Once Kim and Casey calmed down again, Paula carried on answering Rebecca’s questions. “Were you planning to become Paula full time at some point in the future?”

     “Yes it was my plan to get as much money saved up so I could transition and finally have the surgery after doing my real life test.” Paula explained.

     “Is that why you were working at the night club? As part of this real life test?” Karen asked.

     “No, that was just to earn some extra money, and so I had something to put down on my CV for Paula when I finally came out.”

     “What do you plan to do now then Paula?” Stacey asked looking upset for her part in derailing her plans.

     “I plan to carry on with my plan, but I’ll start the real life test now.” Paula said with a shrug. “I’ll move out if any of you find this to weird to deal with, and I won’t say anything about what happened.” Paula said at the end to let them know she wasn’t looking for revenge. “Apart from the caning and all the threats, it wasn’t such a bad thing being locked up all that time, and I did get a kick start on the hormone path.” Paula looked down at her budding breasts as she said that bit.

     “I’m sorry about all that Paula. I never would have done any of it, I was just angry with you for what I thought you’d tried to do to Kim.” Stacey said with a tear in her eye. “It must have been doubly hard on you to be imprisoned for something like that when all you ever wanted to be was a woman yourself.” She added as she let Karen pull her into a hug.

     “I won’t lie to you and say that everything is alright Stacey. I’m still scared that this is just part of some bigger plan to do something worse to me, but five months of being locked down in the cellar and being warned that if I stepped out of line it would get worse, isn’t going to just vanish over night.” Paula said as she let Kim hold her hand. “I never really thought about the rape element of why I was being punished by you all. I believed it was because I didn’t stop Kim from being hurt and the caning hurt so much that I’d have done anything to not feel it again.” Paula shuddered as she thought of that night they caned her.

     “I can promise with my hand on my heart Paula that we only plan to help you become the woman you should have been at birth, So don’t even think about moving out and trying to do this on your own.” Stacey said the last bit with warning in her voice, but it was more of a big sister warning than the way she use to talk to Paul down in the cellar.

    Paula smiled as she looked around the room and saw that the others all agreed with Stacey about her not doing this on her own. “Thank you for being my friends, it feels really good having someone to talk to.” Paula said with a little giggle at the thought she could talk again.

     “Speaking of talking, how did you get your voice back?” Stacey asked with a grin, happy that they hadn’t caused any permanent damage.

     “That would be my fault, or not so much a fault as just my doing.” Casey said looking a little confused with herself as she tried to answer Stacey’s question.

     “Yes I get the point Casey. You helped Paula find her voice again.” Stacey said with a roll of her eyes. “So how did you do it?” She asked.

     “I was taking some boxes down to the cellar to store them away, just in case we needed them again at some point, when I saw the cane and all the chains and cuffs still lying on the mattress down there. It made me angry to see them still in the house, so I was bringing them up stairs to get rid of them when Paula turned around and saw me stood there holding them.” Casey said with a pained look towards Paula as she cuddled up to Kim on the sofa.

     “Paula thought I was going to lock her up again and cane her, so she lost it and started screaming that she would rather be killed than go back down in the cellar and be caned again.” Casey choked out as she started sobbing.

     “I’m sorry Casey, please don’t cry.” Paula said as she slid off the sofa and pulled Casey into a hug. “I was just overreacting to things.” Paula added. Paula looked puzzled when she realised that Casey had gone from sobbing to giggling.

     “Only you could be sorry for something like this Paula.” Casey said as she wiped her eyes. “We never should have made you feel like that in the first place.” Casey added.

     “True, but if you hadn’t, then I never would have made five really cool friends either.” Paula pointed out.

     “Kim would have told us all about you Paula, and I like to think we would have helped you find the inner girl.” Rebecca said.

     “I don’t think you would have got the chance to Bec’s. I wasn’t planning on going back to the office on the Monday. I was going to move to a new town and start again.” Paula pointed out. “I’d have been long gone by the time Kim told you about me if it hadn’t been for this necklace.” Paula added as she played with it in her hand as it still hung around her neck.

     “So you’re telling us that you can see a bright side out of being locked in the cellar for the past five months?” Stacey asked with a look of shock on her face.

     “Yes I can Stace.” Paula smiled. “Karen, Casey and yourself all use to come down and sit with me for hours, while you told me about your day. That was more than I ever had in the past.” Paula added.

     “I’m surprised you didn’t try to kill yourself listening to me prattle on night after night.” Karen said jokingly.

     “I did for the first month, but you never left me anything that I could take my own life with.” Paula said sounding sad. “But then you just started talking to me, like I was a friend that never argued, or answered you back. It was nice and I just gave up trying to fight it, not that I had much of a fight left in me after that first night and the caning.” Paula added as she shifted in her seat just thinking about the pain she had been in at the time.

    All the girls looked shocked at the thought of Paula killing herself, and how it would have made them feel when they found out from Kim that she was the one that saved Kim. Paula found herself the centre of a group hug, as all the girls started sobbing.

    Once everyone had had a good cry, Paula came up with an idea for dinner. “I want to treat you all too some pizza, so does anyone now a good place to order from?”

    Casey jumped up and ran into the kitchen and returned with a menu for a takeaway pizza place they always ordered from. The girls all knew what they liked already, but they let Paula look down the menu and pick what she liked as well, so Casey could phone the order through.

     “I’ll have a spicy meat feast please.” Paula said with a grin. She looked a little puzzled and hurt at the same time as the others started giggling at her. “What have I said now?” Paula asked.

     “Nothing bad silly.” Kim said as she pulled Paula into a hug. “You just picked the same thing I always have.” Kim added just before she kissed Paula on the lips.

     “Looks like you two really are well suited together.” Rebecca giggled.

    Paula started grinning just before she returned the kiss, while Casey grabbed the phone and called through the pizza order.

    While they waited for the food to arrive, Paula got the money out and left it at the side of the front door so one of the others could go and take delivery when it arrived. Paula wasn’t ready for anything like that just yet. Karen asked if Paula wanted her to help get things moving forward with the transition.

     “Do you want me to make some appointments for you at the hospital Paula? So you can get the balls rolling?” Karen asked with a giggle at her little joke.

     “That would be great if you could Karen.” Paula said looking excited and nervous at the same time.

     “I’d love to Paula. That’s what friends are for.” Karen said with a grin. “I’ll make some calls while I’m at work tomorrow.” She added.

    Paula was sat with the biggest grin on her face after Karen called her a friend. Paula looked around at the other girls and then at Kim sat next to her, and she let out a sigh when she thought that these women had gone from being her jailors to her best friends, all in the space of a couple of days.

    The food soon arrived and Paula enjoyed the first pizza she’d had in just over five months, and it was really good pizza as well. Casey had also ordered some soft drinks and side orders of spicy chicken wings, potato wedges and garlic bread. The girls all ate way too much and then sat around talking, as they all told Paula how they met each other and found the house they were all living in together.

    It was soon time for bed, and Kim got ready and ran down to spend another night cuddled up to Paula in her new room. Paula was a little nervous about Karen setting up appointments for her, but she had also decided to go to the night club and see if she could get her old job back. Paula hadn’t said anything to Kim or the others about this, but she would if it worked out. Paula was soon fast asleep with Kim wrapped in her arms.

 

To Be Continued Next Friday  

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you