MUSICAL NUMBER
Edited by John Drake

  Kate bit her lip. She was hesitant to say the least when her agent had pitched the idea to her, it seemed a bit odd for a production but then many strange ideas had become box office hits and many sure things had sunk like a stone. People were fickle in what they liked and what they would spend their money on. They could be really crazy…
  She also had to consider that it was a fact that she had a three-picture deal with the studio and that she had turned down two other projects. She wished that she had paid more attention, as due to a clause in the contract she had to sign up with something soon or she would suffer a significant contractual penalty she would effectively be working for peanuts and have to grin and bear it. Still, she thought to herself-this seemed to be a bad idea from start to finish. 

  Kate was an up and coming actress she had the looks she had the curves, at five feet seven she thought that she was the perfect package-brown eyes, long black hair. She wore a pair of green shoes, stylish but with a sensible one inch heel, she was not going to trip over a trailing cable and embarrass herself again, it had taken them two hours to get her out of the drying latex flooring! Two hours stuck on her hands and knees, her bottom up in the air.
  It was a miracle no word of that incident had ever reached the papers. The rest of her outfit consisted of green tights, a knee length green skirt with modest side slits, a loose top and a jumper with a warm brown jacket wrapped tightly over everything. 
  
The taxi dropped her off with her bag in front of a dark foreboding place, a crumbling wreck of an ancient Gothic building. Kate became more nervous she wasn't sure how her agent had gotten her to sign up for this audition she guessed that she was tired.
  She thought back over the phone call, she had heard about a few musicals being quite big hits recently so she had considered it but this entire place was absurd they were using a defunct asylum as a set for the entire production, bar a few sets and scenes that were minuscule additions to the main closed set. She remembered the schedule. It wasn’t a short one, there was going to be quite a lot of her time eaten up today before she could escape and go to the fitness center for a massage, then onto her favorite cocktail bar. 
  She had a costume test-shot and wondered what sort of costume she was letting herself in for, or should that be into? After, she was recording a song test to see how she would get on with the leading man, how had her agent put it, to ‘-See if you are in harmony.’.

  Kate looked at the entrance. There was a site agent running things. Lots of contractors were wandering about. A big man with a big delivery of paint was trying to deliver it to one entrance completely ignoring a sign directing contractors and delivery's elsewhere. 
  She sighed and was finally noticed by an administrator of some sort who directed her down a corridor. Kate got a good look at a few of the sets that they were building. One seemed to be a torture chamber of a medical examination room with the center piece seeming to be a cross between a dentist’s chair and a gynecological examination apparatus with so many leather straps it looked like some sort of strange art installation. She imagined for a second, if she got the part would she be trying out that little prop or would it be set dressing? She felt a nervous twinge in the pit of her stomach as she imagined herself held in the contraptions embrace, her so vulnerable legs held wide unable to twitch so much as a toe. She suppressed a little whimper of fear. 
  She walked on hurriedly. There was another place which looked like a bathroom crossed with a water torture chamber, a technician was busy stuffing a manikin with a motor into a sort of tight rubber sack. There were several completed and more to go. When it was finished it would look a dozen struggling women! 

  The place looked like a nightmare crossed with a maze. Eventually she passed a test shoot for some sort of special effect where they had a small female contortionist in a jacket. They were trying to get her into a tiny box for some shot, she didn't seem to like it very much she was wrapped in a jacket that seemed to completely erase her arms folding them away behind her body. The little Asian woman struggled as two men argued about the size of the box and the fact that she should fit. Their answer to make her fit was to tighten the jacket up more and more, which the woman objected to as her torso was crushed further and further. The last hint of her arms disappeared. Kate watched in macabre fascination as the jacket was tightened until the protesting woman was gasping for breath. Her legs were folded up, her feet positioned at odd angles then her toes were fixed in place with straps ensuring the woman could not pull herself out of the position then into the box she was forced in. It was a bizarre spectacle as she was finally fitted into the tiny box and the lid was sealed shut. 
  Kate shook herself and continued. She finally got to an area with a make-shift sign, AUDITIONS. An assistant directed her to sit down and gave her a copy of one of the musical numbers. Kate noted that her seat was a wheelchair that was probably a prop. Its arm rests had a couple of cuffs on them, it was a strange chair but looking around there were no others. She refreshed herself with the script she could almost feel her feet trying to walk out the building. 
  It was a so bad it might be good, she cringed at some of the lines. She was certain that this film might sink one or two people’s careers but one test shoot couldn't hurt, right?

  An assistant indicated that it was time for the costume test and Kate was led away. She became more nervous when she bumped into a frightened looking woman who must have been one of the other people auditioning. She vaguely remembered her off a TV show from about a year ago. She looked a complete mess, her hair was all over the place and her make up smudged from crying. Her clothes looked wrinkled and she held her arms trying to massage feeling into them she whispered;
    “They won’t ever get me in that thing again. Get out!” 
  Kate was hesitant as she was lead to a small dressing room. Someone from wardrobe put a box down on a chair they had another box for her stuff. She sighed as she was relieved of her entire ensemble by a muscular woman about six inches taller than she was. The assistant neatly packed up her clothes and put them in the box which Kate found a little odd. The costume was laid out in a box she was completely naked as the assistant helped her dress. She considered it was pitiful as far as a costume went but she grinned and bared it. The main costume was a light blue canvas straitjacket, far too small that seemed to clamp down on her waist like a vice, the wardrobe assistant seemed to take a great deal of delight in making it so tight that she was not going to get out of it under her own steam.

  The four straps down the back were tight there were loops at the front and sides and one for almost no discernible reason at the back, It was all highly restrictive and Kate practically turned red with humiliation when she realized she had no panties or anything else for the shot, just the crotch strap from the jacket to cover up he modesty-it left little to the imagination! 
  The final touches were then applied, a relatively tight weave pair of fishnet tights and a garter belt that clipped to the bottom of the jacket so it wouldn't go anywhere plus four-inch black stiletto heels. Kate bit back her comments. This was demeaning and with the ankle straps on the shoes and the tight jacket she couldn't do much except grin and bear it. 
  She tried to rationalize it, a thong would be smaller than the crotch strap. She had more coverage. She had to admit that it was an interesting sensation, the crotch strap was rubber lined on the inside and ridged, she was pulled to her feet and soon found that moving about while wearing it became a delicate exercise in controlling her body-a battle she was losing as time went on. She found herself taking absolutely tiny steps in the four inch heels it was ridiculous!

  When she got to the test area-a simple photo studio set up in a store room, the wardrobe assistant actually added a pair of wide brown leather ankle cuffs with a two foot strap hobbling her. Kate gritted her teeth as she went through a humiliating number of poses for the test shot, how was bending over with her head touching her knees while the camera man took pictures of her bottom relevant to the production? Did they need to take so many pictures of how tight the jacket was over her chest and did the camera man have to insist that they tighten the accursed crotch strap another inch before the last couple of shots. It was humiliating and degrading and she was on the urge of making a few very unprofessional sounds. They also filmed a struggle scene in a mock padded room where she spent ten minutes uselessly throwing herself at the jacket but it wouldn't budge an inch but she got hot and sweaty and her hair went everywhere though that seemed to be the idea. She was lead back into the original photographic studio she mused what now? She was worried if she made a sound that they would use it as an opportunity to tighten her costume some more.

  They brought in quite an unusual prop. It was a clear plastic box with something inside it and it took Kate a second to realize that it was the tiny Asian woman from before. 
  The entire ensemble she was encased in seemed to have been tightened, extra rubber and leather straps held her in place in a tight package before she had been placed in the box again. Her mouth was sealed by some sort of leather muzzle a hint of frilly fabric could be seen in the corner of her mouth Kate could only imagine what was keeping the woman quiet. 
  A series of test shots were done, her standing next to the box in various positions including turning it upside down the occupant of the box didn't seem to like that one bit but couldn't really do anything about it.     
  Kate was filmed sitting on the box standing on it with one foot. She was a bit nervous but surely the woman was being looked after when they were finished? 
  Two technicians picked up the box and the girl and wheeled her away. The camera man turned to them;     
    “Gag her a little more, I could still hear her begging.” The two technicians nodded.  

  Almost as if they could read her thoughts and pick up on her fears they brought her to do a test shoot of the gynecological chair she had seen earlier. 
  They sat her down, took off her shoes and the ankle restraints. She had done a lot of gymnastics and was quite flexible-that was a good thing, soon she was practically doing a 180 degree split in the air as her legs were strapped in place, leather encircled her waist.
  Many straps covered her chest, a posture collar was built into the chair and a strap went around her forehead. There were metal clamps at her waist, more straps at her thighs knees ankles and over her toes. The chair was very easily modified, a few levers and a few humming motors and it shifted her position rapidly, her ankles were practically behind her head she was glad of her gymnastics and yoga training. She fought down a panic attack from this treatment, wishing they gave her some warning of what was going to happen. She was not acting like a frightened woman, she was a frightened woman!
  She had no way to resist due to the mechanisms involved and she was locked in the position unable to move while the camera man took picture after bloody humiliating picture. 
  Finally, just before her legs felt like they would give out, much to Kate's relief they put them back into a comfortable position, Regrettably when they were finished the ankle restraints and the horrible shoes were returned just as tight as before.
   She was led over to a makeup artist who made her hair look even worse. She used eye shadow to make her eyes look larger and rounder as if she had not slept properly, smudged her lipstick and generally make her look like a complete loony, Kate looked in the mirror it was certainly effective she looked like she had not one jot of sanity left it made Kate a little bit more nervous.
  From the makeup chair she was led to the next part of the set, they didn't release the ankle hobble in fact they reduced it to just under a foot and wheeled her about in the wheel chair from earlier. Thankfully they didn't use all the straps on it. 
  She was taken to a half-constructed set that must have been a doctor’s office. She was a little skeptical, the leading man looked like a cross between Dr Frankenstein and Casanova a lab-coat over a suit that would have been in style more than a hundred years ago. He grinned;
    “Kate isn't it? I would shake your hand but you’re a little tied up at the moment!”
 She did a mock little laugh at the terrible joke. She thought to herself, just grin and bear it then she could get out of this situation and the unpleasant jacket all the more quickly. 

  There was a carpenter laying floor tiles on the set. Someone shooed him away from the half-built office. They were almost ready to shoot the test shot. With some trepidation, Kate was directed over to a plush leather chair that had been modified with straps at ankle knee waist and shoulder she looked at the chair being strapped down for this was really not her favorite idea for a performance;
    “Is this really necessary?” The director grinned;
    “Oh yes! It’s got to look the part for the test footage.” 
  A couple of wardrobe assistants took far too much joy in strapping her tightly in place. For the test shot a little microphone was placed next to her head, clipped to the collar of the jacket. The actor grinned and put his hand on Kate's thigh the camera started to roll, a clip board snapped and there was a cry of action. Kate started grinning manically and started to belt out her musical number for all she was worth it was best to get it over with as quickly as possible. 

Kate - I really can't stay – please this jackets too tight!
Doc - Baby it's cold outside
Kate - I've got to go away – please I can’t move my arms!
Doc - Baby it's cold outside
Kate - This session has been
Doc - Been hoping that you'd drop in
Kate - So very tight I can’t move!
Doc - I'd hold your hands, except there wrapped up tight
Kate – I can’t feel my arms I'm starting to worry!
Doc - Beautiful, what's your hurry?
Kate – And if I wasn't hobbled I'd be pacing the floor
Doc - Just listen to that fireplace roar
Kate- Now really please loosen it let me scurry
Doc - Sweetheart, what's your hurry?
Kate - Well maybe just a half a drink more
Doc – let me check your records while I pour
Kate – I can’t move my backs got a kink
Doc - But baby, it's bad out there
Kate - Say, what's in this drink?
Doc - No cabs to be had out there
Kate - Oh, I wish I knew how to get out of this now!
Doc - Your eyes are like starlight now
Kate - To break this restraints spell
Doc - I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell
Kate - I ought to say no, no, no, sir
Doc - Mind if I move in closer
Kate - At least I'm gonna say that I tried
Doc - What's the sense in hurting my pride?
Kate - I really can't stay – please let me get away
Doc - Baby don't hold out
Kate – Oh, I can’t shift these buckles but it's cold outside
Kate – Please let me go
Doc - Baby, it's cold outside
Kate – Don't tighten that please! the answer is no
Doc - But baby, it's cold out there
Kate - Oh, this welcome has been
Doc - So lucky that you dropped in
Kate – At lease the jackets nice and warm
Doc - Look out that window at that storm
Kate – The other patients will be suspicious
Doc - Gosh, your lips look delicious
Kate - And the nurse there at the door
Doc - Waves upon a tropical shore
Kate - Oh, these straps are truly vicious!
Doc - Ooh, baby you're so delicious
Kate - Well maybe just one little kiss more
Doc - Never such a blizzard before
Kate - Oh, I've got to go home please let me roam
Doc - You'll freeze to the bone out there
Kate - Say, lend me a comb
Doc - It's up to your knees out there
Kate – it’s so tight I can’t feel my hand
Doc - I thrill when I see you curl at the touch of my hand
Kate – The blindfold but I can’t see?
Doc - How can you do this thing to me?
Kate – Someone will miss me, there's bound to be talk tomorrow
Doc - Making my lifelong sorrow
Kate - Well at least there will be plenty implied
Doc - If you caught pneumonia and died
Kate – This jackets too tight, I really can't stay
Doc - Get over that old out
Kate - Baby it's cold outside
Doc - Ooo ooo ooo
Kate - Hey, I gotta get out of here
Doc - Come on, baby
Kate - Come on what?
Doc - Just give me five minutes more
Kate - You sure know how to wear a girl down, don't you?
Doc - Okay, okay, okay, okay
  The crew obviously had their priorities wrong. They took the microphone away before starting to unstrap her from the chair but they made no move to free her from her restrictive attire or take her to a dressing room where she could have a bit of privacy to remove the garment. They hadn't even removed the blindfold from over her eyes she felt extremely nervous and vulnerable like this, after a few seconds with no one doing anything she coughed;
    “Excuse me what is going on?” There was no answer. Had they left for lunch or something? Were they just ignoring her? “Hello? Can someone take the blindfold off, I can’t see anything at all? 
  Her answer was met by silence then she felt a hand slap her on the bottom she screamed in surprise. The director held her around the waist and patted her on the back;
    “Okay Kate, you got the part but we have to make a few alterations to your costume.” Kate felt nervous she had some ideas on what was to come next. She tried to move away but the director held the back of the jacket by the straps she got half a step and no more. She panicked and screeched at him almost begging;     
    “What do you mean? It’s too tight as it is already!” He stroked her hair, petting her like a dog;
     “Don't worry, its designed for long term wear.” 
  Various thoughts ran through Kate's head. She reacted out of anger and fear;
    “Don't worry? You must be joking! The woman who laced me into this thing made it way too tight. What do you mean, ‘long term wear’? How long do you intend to keep me like this?” The director grinned;
    “Now Kate, that's a basic error-its’ strapped not laced. You will be enjoying this cozy number for eight or nine months of shooting. We call it method acting.” She shrieked hysterically;
    “Nine months? You’re mad! You deserve to be in this dam jacket, please let me out its too tight!” He grinned;
    “You’re staying put, we did have a thinner actress in mind to begin with but you seem to just fit into the costume so well, it lends quite an aesthetic to the production!” She screamed incoherently and then started to sob a little;
    “Aesthetic! It’s too bloody tight!” 

  The director grinned as a few extra hands grabbed Kate none to gently. He pinched her bottom;
    “Well, about that… However you feel, we feel we need to make things a little more strict, wardrobe get the posture collar.” 
  Instantly a thick column of leather was wrapped around Kate's throat. She gasped out her words;
    “Are you mad? You’re trying to choke me! Get that thing away from me now! No!” The collar was secured around her neck, it seemed to lace up at the back making it even worse. The director had a triumphant tone in his voice;
    “It’s in your contract that you have to wear whatever costume the director chooses for you and I chose this one.” She tried to move her head but her neck was firmly held in place. The collar forced her head back as the thick leather cut under her chin, she tried to beg;
    “No please don't, I didn't read it please!” The director had no mercy for poor little Kate;
    “You should have checked your contract. Now buckle it nice and tight a little more she can still fidget a bit there now get the padlocks.” The director observed the view. He grinned, “Good.” Kate's neck was held in a vice. It was uncomfortable but there was nothing that she could do about it. The director ran his hand up her thigh, “Her legs look nice but swap out the four inch heels with the five and a half inch ones. If those don't do it we might go to the six-inch ones.” Someone replied back, “The small ones with the double ankle strap? Got it boss!” Kate had visions of falling over in shoes too high for her to balance in. She couldn't stand that thought and tried to get away.

  She almost managed to get three steps, blindly heading in one direction while shrieking, “No, get away from me!”-but with the rest of her restrictive wardrobe she couldn't get very far. It was a fairly simple process for the director to hold her around the waist while two wardrobe assistants changed her shoes making sure to keep her ankles held firmly at all times in-case she tried to do something silly. The straps bit into her ankles, her toes were twisted, her feet ached in the uncomfortable footwear and then there was the dreaded rattle as two small padlocks were added to each shoe then she was put back down. She staggered about on the heels, they had gone for the higher pair! Her final verdict was;
    “Ouch! These are too small.” Kate's feet arched impossibly her tendons were on fire with the shoes forged in hell. The director grinned;
    “Don't worry, you will get used to them.” Kate could only groan in discomfort at her predicament. She racked her brains but she had no way out. The director rubbed his hands together in glee. He pointed to the ankle cuffs, “Now let’s see, strap them nice and tight also get the cuffs above the knees.” The wardrobe department added further restraints as a punishment for Kate's earlier futile escape bid and the director continued making her life even worse. He pointed to her new restraints and the wardrobe set about decreasing her freedom, “Nice and tight! I don't want her to be running around the set!” 
  They finished and let her go. With a futile effort Kate continued to try and get away taking one small step after another the director watched her trying to walk about trying to maintain a shred of dignity. 
  After watching the show for a bit longer the director grinned;
    “Get the hobble a bit tighter, another inch tighter-perfect!” The wardrobe personnel adjusted her restraints and stepped back. Kate realized whatever she said, the director only had one vision-to make her look and feel as uncomfortable as possible she thought bitterly, method acting that could not be avoided.   
  The director had a good long look at the front of the jacket he gestured with his hand;
    “Now spin her around,” he admired Kate's fine bottom, “…that jacket its far too comfortable. Get the crotch strap another two inches tighter.” Kate's silence was broken and her reflection on how it couldn't possibly get any worse;
    “No, please no!” Her words were small and desperate as she felt the garment shrink as the strap moved. Her words failed her as the strap was tightened. The director grinned;
    “That's perfect, just look at her face-realism! Now try and get a few straps, especially around her waist a bit tighter.” 
  Kate tried to shake her head, ‘NO!’ but the collar was too high to allow movement, not that it was likely that they would pay the slightest bit of attention to her. Strap by strap, inch by inch her stomach was crushed, the director almost applauded;
    “There that's right! Now her arms are a bit too comfortable. Unstrap them, wrap them behind her and clinch them down real tight!” 
  Kate could not even imagine how much stress that would put on her arms. They unbuckled the strap, suddenly her arms were free but they were practically dead weight she didn't get a second to rest them before they started to repackage her arms, none to gently. She felt a twinge of pain in her shoulders as her arms disappeared behind her. The director continued to give instruction to the wardrobe staff-he had a certain gusto that was really terrifying Kate;
    “Give her like two inches of movement or less.” Kate tried to hold her arms still but the director could see through her ruse, “She’s far more flexible than that give it a good pull,” she gritted her teeth when she was at the point that she couldn't take any more. They tightened it, “Yes, just a bit further like that” she tried to protest as her arms went from secure to painful;
    “No! No you can’t, my arms-it hurts too much!” An exhausted and defeated Kate futilely pulled at her arms the director patted her on the bottom again, “I think that's it for the day, Put her to rest, use that ball gag, the big blue one and finally, good night Kate.”
  They started to move her away. She was not sure in what direction but it must be towards her room. In desperation before they gagged her, she begged for a small reprieve from her restraints;
    “You can’t leave me blindfolded like this.” She should have perhaps remained silent as the director considered her predicament and came up with something even worse;
    “Good point, hood her.” Kate could almost feel it as the ball gag was moved towards her, she had time to object;
    “Nooooo mmmmppphh.” The wardrobe staff were none to gentle the gag was quite large-2 and ¾ inches in diameter. At least it was a soft rubber material that didn't hurt the inside of her mouth but it effectively filled it. A wide strap went behind her head cutting into her cheeks and a second strap went under her chin.   
  They did remove the blindfold for a second but her eyes didn't have time to focus, she managed to blink once then the rubber hood descended over her head. It was thick and tight and quite overpowering they made sure it was nice and snug with extra straps that went over her gag, the crown of her head and just below her chin-there was no way to shake the rubber monster off. 
  The wardrobe assistants showed the star to her private room, dragging her along the winding corridors then down a flight of stairs. One of them smacked her on the behind every few steps to keep her moving. When they finally got to the room one of them muttered;
    “We found this cot. It’s a bit small unless we hog tie you.” Kate was pushed to the floor she tried to voice a protest but her mouth was quite packed, then she found her ankles pulled back further and further until her body bowed, barely able to squirm. 
  Some leather device consisting of a pair of cuffs for her ankles linked to a strap that wrapped around her elbows made sure that she maintained the strenuous position-sleeping would be a nightmare with her spine bowed back like this. They picked her up by the hogtie strap, even tightly hogtied she barely fitted into the steel cot. A hand stroked down the back of the jacket;
    “Let’s just make you a bit more cozy.” There was a creak from her back as the hogtie strap was wrenched another notch tighter then the ominous click as a padlock was worked through the buckle. 

  One of the wardrobe assistants the tall Amazonian one pushed her more firmly into her little prison. The woman had a good grip on her bottom, her voice was full of excitement;
    “I am your biggest fan and I get to look after you for nine months, maybe ten if it runs on.” The woman's hand moved between Kate's legs, “Don't worry I will keep you nice and snug at all times, you’re really brave committing to this performance like you have. I will make sure that you’re kept company. You’re going to be a bit lonely like this.” The woman's hand began to rub backwards and forwards between her legs she started to become slick between her thighs, panting into the gag, biting down on it heavily then the woman stopped, leaving her excited but unable to continue. The cot had shaped padding for her body so that there was even less room to move about. 
  Thick brown leather straps went around her neck, shoulders waist and doubled-up legs. It was ridiculous as cold steel bars touched her on every side. The assistant shut the lid and padlocked it with two heavy padlocks through hasps. Kate feebly tried to squirm in her bonds;
    “There you go, nice and snug and then we just lock this cover over the top, brilliant! There you go, method acting and all. See you tomorrow-we start really early.” She tried to remember what she had done to piss off her agent as she slowly tried to find a comfortable position to get some sleep.