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“One more day and we’re on vacation, I can’t wait to leave.” Vicky said.

“I can’t wait to get there, traveling with you is no vacation.” Kelly said.

“I didn’t complain last year.” Vicky said.

“You did get a little ruffled in the hotel.” Kelly said.

“I could have gone to lunch, that was just mean.” Vicky said.

“So will you be traveling as luggage again? I’ll bring my lumbar belt this time.” Kelly said.

“Your back can rest easy. I have a better idea that I’ll explain tonight, gotta go.” Vicky said.

Vicky and Kelly both work at Reliable Products, manufacturer and distributor of household and small business goods. For company benefits they each name the other as domestic partner. Company policy prevents couples from working together. As they both work in the assembly building Vicky takes first shift and Kelly works second.

To save money for things like the beach house they rented they have one car and take turns carpooling with co-workers. It’s Saturday and Vicky is picking up another employee, Kelly will spend the morning packing and preparing the house for the week away, then catch a ride to work.

It’s just after 11pm when Vicky arrives at the plant. There are few cars in the lot as she expected. Reliable Products is closed on Sunday and the company allows employees to leave when finished rather than wait till the end of the shift at midnight. She enters the assembly building.

Kelly is working a new product line that will begin shipping Monday, it’s part of Vicky’s plan.

“Perfect timing, I’m all set.” Kelly said.

“Not quite, you have one more order to fill.” Vicky said. She steps to the computer terminal and brings up a hold order, then sends it to Kelly’s line. The automated system removes a folded box from the stack, forms it and seals the bottom with tape, then inserts a precut foam pad that covers the bottom and sides. The conveyor moves the box to the operator station and holds for the operator to pack the order.

Kelly looks at the order on her operator’s screen.

“You bought an infant car seat, anything I should know about?” Kelly said.

“It’s the perfect size for me, or at least the box is. I’m going to the beach house in this box.” Vicky said. “Or rather, I’m going to be shipped to the beach house in this box. I had to buy the seat because the barcodes on the shipping labels are scanned before anything leaves the warehouse, so the order had to be in the system or it would alert the shipping clerk. I got the employee discount and free same day delivery that’s offered during the first thirty days of a new product launch, so I didn’t exceed my personal spending limit, in case you were wondering.”

“You know you still won’t be delivered until Monday evening?” Kelly said.

“Covered, I gave myself an enema and I’m wearing the most absorbent diaper on the market. At least it better be or somebody is getting a very nasty consumer complaint.” Vicky said.

“The shit you come up with. What do I have to do?” Kelly said.

“Pack me.” Vicky said. She pulls her dress over her head and kicks off her shoes leaving her in just a diaper with yellow ducks and blue flowers printed on it. Vicky climbs on the conveyor and Kelly tapes her wrists behind her back and ankles together, then helps her into a fetal position in the box. “Tape my mouth too,” Vicky added, “wait, get those things in my pocket.”

“What are these?” Kelly said holding four small black tube shaped objects.

“Vent plugs, for electronic items.” Vicky said.

Kelly pushes one plug into each side of the heavy cardboard box making sure they puncture the foam, then takes an orange safety box cutter from a tray at her work station, shows it to Vicky and tapes it to the inside between the box and the foam.

“You don’t trust our shipping department?” Vicky said.

“It never hurts to have a plan B, enjoy your trip.” Kelly said.

She tapes Vicky’s mouth and covers her with a foam pad, then presses the order complete button on her screen.

The conveyor starts and carries Vicky into a machine. Rollers close the top flaps as the box moves into position and the seam is sealed with heavy packing tape. Two wide black PVC straps wrap around the box and pull tight by an automatic tensioner, the edges of the box slightly dimple from the force. A loud snap jars the box when locking collars are crimped around the straps and the excess is cut. The conveyor moves the box to the labeler where the shipping and handle with care tags are applied.

Kelly watches as the box reaches the end of the line. A robotic arm places the box on a pallet. She waves to the forklift driver as he comes through the plastic curtain from the warehouse. He lifts the pallet then turns and disappears into the warehouse.

Sunday morning Kelly packs the car, closes the house and starts her eight hour drive.

Vicky spends Sunday in the closed warehouse. Though sealed up in total darkness she knows she is on a shelf with other identical boxes waiting for employees to return Monday morning. She recalls her first experience with boxes.

Vicky was hanging out with her friend Carol in Carol’s bedroom. Carol had a green wooden storage box and they were seeing if Vicky could fit in it. Carol was just able to close the lid with Vicky curled up inside the tight space. When Vicky was about to get out Carol’s brother called her and started up the stairs. Vicky had just had an embarrassing encounter with him and didn’t want him to see her. Carol closed the lid and snapped the two toggle latches into place then pushed the box to its normal spot against the wall next to the bed just as her brother knocked.

She heard him tell Carol her mom wanted her followed by a stern “now.” The room went silent. Vicky pushed on the lid but it didn’t budge, she was locked in a box that was in plain view. She spent the next 45 minutes listening to the sounds of footsteps on the stairs and dresser drawers and closet doors being opened and closed before Carol could let her out. 45 glorious minutes.

Vicky wonders what time it is, and if Kelly has made it to the beach house, not that it matters. All she can do is wait to be loaded and sent on her journey like every other box in the warehouse. If not for the tape on her wrists Kelly would be receiving seriously used merchandise. Vicky remembers the first time they met.

Vicky was sharing a house with a couple other girls from college. One Saturday night she had two friends in her room talking and drinking. Vicky must have fallen asleep on her friends, when she woke up she found herself the victim of a prank. Her friends had stripped her to bra and panties and tied her spread-eagle to her bed before they left.

After struggling for a while with no success she realized she would have to ask her house mates for help, just what her friends had planned no doubt. Vicky called out for several minutes before a stranger appeared in the doorway, a slender red head wearing white tank top and pink pajama pants. Some awkward conversation revealed her name was Kelly, she was the cousin of her house mate and had arrived late last night to see the college. Vicky’s house mates had gone for breakfast while Kelly slept in.

The conversation continued and soon the two were flirting. When asked outright Vicky denied she was enjoying being helpless, Kelly corrected her by pointing out two facts. She hadn’t asked to be untied, and there was a stain forming on the panel of her panties. Kelly got comfortable on the bed and made Vicky reveal all her secrets.

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . . That’s the backup alarm of a forklift, time to start round two of this adventure. Round three will be up to Kelly.

In the office the Production Supervisor is not happy, he and a technician are looking over one of the new safety seats as the Plant Manager enters.

“The molding is defective here and here.” The Supervisor said pointing with a pencil.

“Did it effect the entire run?” The Manager said.

“We’ll know is a second.” The Supervisor said as a woman enters.

“I pulled six from first shift, they all show the same defect.” She said.

“Cracked injector, we have that fixed but we’re shipping this morning.” The Supervisor said.

“We can’t take a chance, can you replace everything shipping today by 4pm? The Manager said.

“They’ll make it if we pull a crew off another line.” The Supervisor said.

“Do it. Dump the whole run, I’ll reschedule the shipper.” The Manager said.

Vicky feels her box moving and visualizes the forklift carrying her through the warehouse, passing employees before entering a trailer backed up to the dock.

In reality the driver guides the forklift down a ramp and exits the building. She lifts the pallet to clear the top of the dumpster then lowers it so the forks rest on the edge with the pallet hanging over the open top. An employee who was riding on the stack pushes the boxes off and into the dumpster.

Vicky does somersaults as her box falls from the pallet and tumbles over other boxes. What happened to handle with care, someone is getting written up for this. She hears muffled voices and more boxes fall on top of her, then it gets quiet. Vicky recall the last time she was in the hands of others.

Last year, Vicky and Kelly used their vacation to attend a wedding. Kelly drove and Vicky was locked in a suitcase in the back of the Subaru Outback with the rest of the luggage. It wasn’t her first time being locked in a suitcase, but it was the first time she travelled that way. At least she wasn’t annoying Kelly into stopping at every rest stop.

Tied up and trapped in tight spaces is Vicky’s favorite activity, and doing it in view of others puts her over the top. So when Kelly announced she would be right back, then the thunk of electric door locks and the car door slamming, Vicky knew they were at a rest stop and anyone walking past the car could see her suitcase through the windows. That gets her nectar flowing, her tied hands useless to intervene deepening her arousal.

They were running ahead of schedule, so there was an upside. It should have left more time to play before meeting their friends at the rehearsal dinner, except for a completely unnecessary text from Kelly revealing that fact. Said friends anxious to see Kelly and Vicky were at the hotel when they arrived with an offer to go for a quick bite to catch up. Kelly agrees making an excuse for Vicky’s absence and placing the luggage in the care of the hotel staff. By the time Vicky was unpacked there was only enough time to dress for dinner, play time was over. As she said, Mean.

That spontaneous act was the catalyst for this adventure, though the care in handling Vicky received from the hotel staff was a far sight better than anything she’s gotten from these clowns.

Outside, a front loading refuse truck pulls into the parking lot and up to the dumpster. The driver lowers the lift arms and rolls forward engaging the forks into the slots on the side of the dumpster, then activates the hydraulics raising the container up and over the cab.

Vicky again does somersaults as her box falls into the back of the refuse truck. What’s with these guys, it’s a miracle everything doesn’t come back as damaged in transit.

The driver stops at three other businesses along the same road emptying dumpsters, then he activates the compactor.

Working in a factory, Vicky is familiar with the sound of hydraulic pumps, but can’t imagine why she is hearing one now. Suddenly her box gets jarred as trash is pushed and forced together by the packer/ejector plate. The corner of her box gets crushed in a couple inches. Screw written up, somebody is getting fired.

The truck makes a couple more stops and arrives at the automated recycling center. The driver jumps out of the cab and swings open the rear doors, then backs the truck up to an intake chute. He activates the ejector and the trash is pushed out of the back onto the chute and slides down to the sorting area. Several more trucks arrive and dump trash.

Cameras scan the trash as the computer identifies the material and designates it as recycle, incinerate or landfill. Two robotic arms then push or pick the material onto one of three conveyors to be carried to the appropriate area of the plant.

They work in unison like ballroom dancers. The pusher, like a large squeegee, drags material across the surface while the picker moves larger pieces. Plastic, glass and metal are pushed onto the recycle conveyor while wood, paper and cardboard are sorted for the incinerator which powers the plant. Kitchen waste, biodegradables and other material go to the landfill.

As the arms clear the trash Vicky and the other boxes from Reliable are consolidated to the side. After rescanning, the computer makes a final identification and they are put onto a conveyor.

The computer makes a required log entry. Indeterminate contents: unsuitable for incineration.

Vicky’s box moves along the conveyor and falls into a large hopper. At the end of the day a truck pulls under the hopper. Sensors in the floor determine the truck is in position and empties the hopper into the truck. It travels just out of town to the landfill. Vicky’s ride ends as she tumbles from the truck and into a pit when the ejector pushes the trash out the back.

This side up is meaningless at this point. Vicky is not sure where she is but she’s pretty sure it’s not on the doorstep of the beach house, she and her box are both beat up. Vicky decides to rest and regain some strength, she falls asleep.

A foul odor is permeating the box, that and reaching the limit of her diaper’s absorbency wakes her. It’s time for plan B. Pivoting her arms she pulls the foam away from the side and finds the safety cutter. God she loves that girl. Vicky starts with the tape on her wrists. It’s not easy. The space is tight and holding the cutter in position and releasing the blade guard lock at the same time proves challenging. It takes some time and effort before she finally coordinates the actions and slices through the tape. She begins to cut open the box.

Vicky pushes her head out of the box, the odor she was aware of hits her full force. It’s dark, but not too dark to see it’s a trash dump. She cuts the tape on her ankles, removes her gag and climbs out of the box. And slides to the bottom of the trash heap into rotting food waste.

Getting to her feet Vicky looks for a better place to climb out of the pit. As she walks the swollen and torn diaper sags between her legs, she pulls it off and tosses it away leaving her completely naked. She sees a spot that looks good and climbs. Half way up debris breaks loose and she slides to the bottom landing on several torn bags of used disposable diapers. Hanging out of one bag is some blue cloth. Vicky pulls it out, it’s a short sleeve sun dress.

Who puts a dress in a bag of diapers? Vicky puts the material to her nose but it’s indistinguishable from the surrounding stench. Other than being filthy it’s not in bad shape, it’s certainly an improvement to her current situation. She puts it on.

The next spot proves successful and Vicky makes it out of the pit. She walks to the road. It must be late, there are no cars in sight. She heads toward town.

A vehicle approaches and she waves her arms. The pickup truck stops and Vicky walks to the passenger door. A twenty-something man lowers the window.

“Are you okay?” He said.

“I’m fine, I was just looking for something.” Vicky said.

“Your dignity?” He said.

“Can I get a ride into town?” Vicky said.

“Sure.” He said.

“Can you unlock the door?” Vicky said.

“The tailgate is open.” He said.

Vicky climbs in the cargo bed. A couple blocks from the house she raps the roof of the cab and tells the driver he can stop here. She jumps out and walks. As she approaches the front door Vicky looks down at her feet and back at the sidewalk under the street lamp, she is still leaving footprints. She goes around to the back yard.

She puts the dress in the trash can and uncoils the garden hose, 15 minutes later Vicky feels ready to enter the house, which is locked. Not the first time she’s been locked out naked, she gets a screwdriver from the shed and jimmies the latch on the basement window over the wash tubs.

Vicky showers until the hot water tank is drained, then calls Kelly.

“I’m home.” Vicky said.

“We’re fired, aren’t we?” Kelly said.

“No, I just had a little trouble getting out of town, I’ll catch the train in the morning. You’ll have to meet me in Grand Falls.” Vicky said.

“I’ll bring a suitcase.” Kelly said.

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12.10.16