"Miss Parnell will be with you shortly. She apologizes for being late. It was unavoidable."

The secretary smiled a broad, welcoming smile. I thanked her. As she walked gracefully back to the reception room and closed the door behind her, I knew that I really wanted this post. Teaching positions for a music major were hard to find. Danton Academy for Girls was one of the ten best in the country, and merely to be among the three finalists was an honor for a graduate seeking her first assignment.

I straightened my skirt and sat gingerly in one of the three large upholstered chairs facing a massive walnut desk. The desk was clean except for its large blotter, the brass "Miss Parnell" nameplate, a fountain pen, a presumably decorative riding crop, and a manila folder labeled "Dehnen, Helga." I was itching to rummage though the folder to see what they'd found interesting about me, but decorum prevailed.

The room seemed gloomy. Rather morose, I thought, for the administrative nerve center of a famous school. The ornate paneling was darker than the desk, perhaps even an ebony. Heavy brocade drapes were drawn across the large windows, admitting the sun only as great bright gashes from where the drapes didn't quite meet. Subdued indirect lighting removed some of the curse, but it occurred to me this would be a difficult room to read in for any length of time.

Except for the desk, its ancient leather chair, the three guest chairs, and the dully patterned carpet, there were only two other features of interest. A painted bamboo screen blocked my view of one corner of the room. And directly in front of me, perched on a shelf behind the desk chair, was a truly remarkable clock.

The clock was fully five feet tall, reaching almost to the bas-relief ceiling. Like the screen it seemed of oriental origin. Brightly lacquered motifs made the massive wood frame less ponderous. There was a traditional garden scene across the top panel and a pair of elegantly styled dragons ascending the side pieces. Scrolled black hands stood in contrast against the golden luster of the tooled brass face occupying the upper fifth of the front.

Behind the simple glass panel accounting for the rest of the front -- and by far the dominant feature of the clock -- was its pendulum. The shaft was dark and practically invisible, but the weight swinging lazily below was a work of art in its own right. It was a polished brass disk perhaps six inches in diameter. Set into its center was a faceted crystal that happened to be catching a sunbeam on each rhythmic arc and sending a periodic explosion of colors throughout the otherwise sombre office. The effect was quite lovely, especially with the mechanism's authoritative kah-TOCK at the extremes of the swing to give it an accompanying beat.

Sighing, I looked around again. A shiver ran through me for some reason, as if I feared that the dimly lit room contained some hidden menace or danger. But as my eyes swept the room, I giggled. The only thing dangerous in here was my imagination, and it was getting a bit out of hand. I wondered what was behind the screen in the corner. I had to laugh as an image of an old chamber pot popped into my mind.

I sat up straight and looked again at the riding crop. How strange that an educator would have something like that right out on her desk. Maybe it was a reminder of how discipline was carried out years ago, I thought. And what WAS in the folder with my name on it?

After a few moments, I realized something else. The heavy curtains, the thick carpeting, the dark wood paneling, and the solid doors, completely shut out every outside sound. The room was totally, utterly silent but for steady, rhythmic, kah-TOCK, kah-TOCK, of the beautiful clock and the gentle sound of my own breathing.

How long was this wait going to be, I wondered. It didn't seem very professional to keep someone waiting for an appointment like this, whether the delay was unavoidable or not. The least they could do was give me something to read, something to keep me occupied while I sat here. I glanced once again at the folder on the desk, the folder with my name on it. Should I? No. I couldn't.

Bored, I settled back in the chair and sighed. My eyes came to rest on the large, ornate clock. I began following the pendulum with my eyes, grateful to have something to keep me amused while I waited. The crystal shone brightly each time the pendulum's arc carried it through the sunbeam. It was really pretty, I thought to myself as I sighed again.

Kah-TOCK. Kah-TOCK. Kah-TOCK.

For several moments I just sat there, gazing dreamily at the pendulum as it swung endlessly back and forth, back and forth. The steady, soothing sound as it reached the extremes of its arc, combined with the fascinatingly colorful burst of light as the crystal traveled through the sunbeam, and the otherwise stultifying silence, created a display that was absolutely captivating. With only a vague sense of curiosity, I realized after a short time that I was sitting motionless, my eyes fixed unblinking upon the pendulum. The only sound was the monotonous kah-TOCK kah-TOCK as it continued on its endless journey.

There was no real way of knowing when it happened. There wasn't even any real sense that something had happened, or was happening. I sat there gaping at the clock, feeling the rhythmic Kah-TOCK kah-TOCK echoing through my mind, and noticed in a detached sort of way that my body was no longer a part of me. My mind drifted, totally spellbound by the brightly flashing crystal, the steady beat of the pendulum.

I never heard the door as it quietly opened and closed, never heard the soft footsteps on the thick carpet.

There was a voice, a calm, wonderful, soothing voice. That voice spoke in a language I did not understand.

The clock seemed to slowly dissolve before my eyes. The constant, reassuring, comforting Kah-TOCK, Kah-TOCK faded away into silence. One last flash of the pretty crystal, one last, strangely muted kah-tock, and then a dizzyingly exhilarating nothingness.

"I'm very sorry for the delay, Miss Dehnen."

Startled, I looked up. Miss Parnell, or I assumed it was Miss Parnell, was sitting behind her desk. When had she come in? She was in her late fifties, brownish hair, slender, tall for a woman. Attractive in an elegant way. A stylish, grey business suit that looked as if it was a perfect fit for her well-toned body. I stared. I didn't mean to.

Her eyes narrowed, but she smiled, shaking her head slightly and looking at me with an odd expression.

"I didn't mean to wake you, dear."

I could feel my face burning. I had fallen asleep. DAMN. DAMN. DAMN. Waiting for the most important interview of my life, and I had fallen asleep waiting for the woman who would make the decision. DAMN!

My mouth dropped open, but I had no idea what to say. To my horror, my mouth felt as if it was full of cotton, and even if I had wanted to speak, I doubt I could have. I just sat there, eyes wide, jaw hanging open, my head shaking from side to side in abject humiliation.

DAMN!!!

This impasse continued for several more excruciating seconds. Then she reached down and must have opened a desk drawer. Her eyes were upon me as she buzzed the intercom and asked her secretary to bring me a drink of water.

She was no longer smiling.

The rest of the interview was a nightmare, although I could tell she was impressed by my knowledge and desire. Her eyes never left me, as if she thought I would fall asleep the moment she turned her back on me. She asked me questions, pointed questions, questions that seemed to have nothing at all to do with the teaching position I was applying for. I was shown the entire school, and when we returned to her office, I was utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally.

I wearily sank down into a chair as she took her place behind the desk. I glanced up at the clock behind her - such a pretty clock, I thought - and was amazed at the time.

"So, Miss Dehnen."

My gaze dropped, meeting her eyes. I noticed that she had picked up the riding crop and was lightly, idly, tapping her blotter with it. My eyes moved to it.

"Why should this school choose you instead of another applicant?"

"Well,...", I began, gazing at the shining black leather as she raised it up off the desk. I continued, tiredly giving her my sales pitch out of long practice. She was holding the tip of the riding crop on her desk while moving the top from side to side. The grip waved back and forth in front of me as I spoke, and I dimly wondered why she was holding the wrong end. Odd.

There was a single white mark on the handle of the crop. I stared at it as I continued my plea for employment, my mind roaming, unwilling to think about the possible results of my attempt. I found refuge in the riding crop.

Back and forth, back and forth. The white mark moved slowly, steadily, back and forth. It was soothing, somehow, comforting. It took some time before I realized that had fallen silent, and was staring at the now motionless white mark. The silent was absolute, I noticed. Then a soft voice spoke words I did not understand.

Nothingness.

"Eight AM, Miss Dehnen. I'll see you tomorrow."

I whirled around. I was standing in her office door. She still sat behind her desk, her face impassive. Eight AM tomorrow? Did that mean I had the job? Why in the world was it so hard to think straight?

"Er...Yes, Miss Parnell. I'll be on time", I added, trying to sound like I had been paying attention, trying to sound efficient. Instead, her eyes narrowed, and I recalled how late she had been.

Almost in tears, I fled.

That night, I pondered my mistakes. I must have been so upset at my falling asleep that I had spent the rest of the day in a fog of misery. And to make it worse, I had no idea what was expected of me at eight the next morning. Was it my first day on the job? Was it another interview? I didn't know, I could not recall the conversations, and I was a nervous wreck. One of the choicest teaching jobs in the country, and I was certain I had ruined my chances.

I arrived at seven forty five the next morning. I found two other young women who were just as nervous as I was. I realized that these were the other finalists for the job. None of us looked at each other for fifteen minutes.

At precisely eight AM, the intercom on the secretary's desk buzzed. She picked up the handset, listened, quietly replied, and hung up.

"Miss Parnell will see you now."

The three of us stood, trying to ignore each other, and almost fell over ourselves trying to be first into Miss Parnell's office. I was last. DAMN.

None of us noticed the secretary quietly closing the massive door behind us.

Miss Parnell sat there, waiting. She was sitting back from her desk a bit, her hands out of sight. She wore a fashionable blouse, the skirt unseen, and a string of pearls.

We each took one of the chairs in front of the desk. There was a silence as Miss Parnell's eyes searched our faces, and seemed to probe into my mind. I blushed and looked away. "You are here", she said softly. I looked back up. She had straightened in her chair, and her hands were now on her desk.

She held the riding crop again. Upside down again. Odd, I thought again.

A soft voice and nothingness.

"I'm sure you will be quite happy here."

I looked up to see her still sitting behind her desk. Smiling. The riding crop lay on her desk, the white mark hidden.

With a start, I realized that the other two chairs were empty. My brow furrowed. What is going ON here? Where did they go? I shook my head, lost. This was too much.

"Miss Parnell..."

I fell silent as she stood up. I watched as she came around the desk. As she sat down in the empty chair beside me, I thought I noticed a dark stain on the thick cushion. Before I could tell for sure, she sat down.

"It's all right, Miss Dehnen. May I call you Helga? Your teaching duties will begin next Monday, but as my special assistant, your date of hire is - now."

My eyes widened. Special assistant? I start teaching Monday? All I could do was stare, feeling the dopey grin forming, but unable to stop it.

She smiled back. "Yes, dear, congratulations. The position is yours."

I couldn't think of anything to say. I had never been so happy in my life. All the worry, all the tension, all the nervousness I had gone through - and the job was mine.

I started crying.

Her expression seemed to soften, to change somehow. Slowly, she stood up and came around behind my chair. As I sat there crying, I felt soft, caring hands gently caress my shoulders. An overwhelming feeling of gratitude came over me, and I reached up and rested my hands upon hers. And there I sat, in Miss Parnell's office, as she massaged me, as my hands felt the softness of hers.

The tears subsided, my mind slowly cleared. Once more, I found myself staring at the impressive clock behind my new boss's desk. The way the crystal sparkled as the sun hit it just right. The way the Kah-TOCK kah-TOCK seemed so much louder all of a sudden. The way Miss Parnell's hands were soothing me, relaxing me, calming me...

I heard my boss speaking softly. I felt as if the layers of my mind were gently, carefully, tenderly being moved aside. At each layer, certain things, certain ideas, were considered and discarded. In their place came new ideas, new thoughts, an electrifying new way of seeing things. And then the layers were replaced, slowly and carefully, with my new ideas safely tucked away inside. Never in my life had I experienced anything so wonderful.

"Welcome back, Helga, love."

I felt a tingle. My boss called me Helga. First name basis! And I shuddered as I realized she had also called me 'love". And welcome back from WHERE?

There was no way I could move. My body was limp, slack. Total relaxation. My eyes tracked Miss Parnell as she went back behind her desk. I felt I had to say something, so I struggled, opened my mouth, and said "Gahhachk." My face flared as I found I didn't have the strength to even close my mouth again. I sat there, red-faced, gaping stupidly at my new boss.

DAMN.

She laughed, the sound like - music.

"Helga, love, your tenure here is assured. And now, dear, please excuse me for a moment." I gaped at her as she slowly stood and walked over to the corner of the room. Just before she stepped behind the bamboo screen, she turned - and winked at me.

I began to tremble. Something inside me seemed to come alive, to try and explain to me what was happening, what this was all about. I was still too giddy, too dazed, to listen to myself.

My face paled as I saw Miss Parnell's blouse being hung over the bamboo screen. I started to shake as her skirt appeared beside it. That something inside me was crying out for attention, trying to make itself heard, but I was in no condition to hear what it had to say. I stared at the screen and gasped as her bra and panties were carefully laid over it.

My God.

A moment later, Miss Parnell stepped out from behind the screen.

I almost fainted. She wore only white lingerie. Her large breasts were barely contained by a beautiful white bra that left everything above the nipple, including the nipple itself, exposed. The white panties were open in the middle, and her dark pubic hair was clearly visible. White garters, white stockings.

I started shaking.

Miss Parnell walked towards me slowly, her hips swinging, her eyes burning into mine. She paused at my chair, staring down at me.

"I want you, Helga."

"I TOLD YOU SO!!!", screamed a voice inside my mind. I didn't listen.

Miss Parnell held out her hand to me. I sat there, staring at it.

At her.

At that fantastic body.

At that lovely face.

I had never been with a woman, had never even imagined it.

"Now is the time", a voice inside me said.

I listened.

I reached for her hand.

Miss Parnell, my new boss, led me around to her chair. She gently removed my clothing, and as each article fell to the floor, I felt an increasing feeling of release. Nude, I stood there in her office, my eyes wide and bright, stretching my arms to the ceiling, enjoying the sensation of pure freedom.

Miss Parnell opened a drawer and pressed a button.

"Hold my calls and cancel my appointments", my boss whispered hoarsely.

"Yes, Miss Parnell", came the puzzled reply.

Miss Parnell closed the drawer and turned her piercing gaze to me. She ever so gently pushed me down into her own chair, ever so gently moved my legs to the sides.

I sat in my boss's chair, exposing my sex to her.

"Yes, Helga darling", she purred. "You will be quite happy here."

As her face nuzzled against my thighs, I knew she was right.