The Doll

The men to install the resuscitator came first. They brought in several cases of components and tools. Their electrician lay non-static matting on the floor while they worked on the house's power net. Paul had to open the computer interface in order for their programmer to talk to the house's computer about what to do with the new unit. Their plumber ran new pipes from the main in the hall bathroom, too. It took several hours to install the interface with the house's environmental systems but only a few minutes to actually construct the thing in the spare bedroom. When they were done it looked like a plain metal cabinet and a sort of a recliner with a computer console connecting them.


The sales representative arrived shortly before the workmen were finished. Perhaps they had called him. His aircar settled in the driveway and Paul stepped out the front door to meet him. The sales rep got out of the car, then opened the car's back door.


Paul got his first look at her. She was a little shorter than Paul who was already at the low end of average, and slender where Paul had a definite pot belly. Her brown hair had reddish highlights in the bright sunshine. Piled on top of her head, her hair was held in place with a green brocade band embroidered with gold thread so it that looked somewhat like a crown. She had large eyes with thick brows and lashes over a petite nose, and a small mouth with full lips. Her high cheeks and narrow jaw gave her face a pleasant heart shape. She wore an ankle length dress in some filmy white material. It had a gently rounded neck edged with a narrow band of green lace, and short puffy sleeves gathered at the ends with more lace. The waist band matched the head band and was high on her trunk so that her bust slightly spilled over. From there the white fabric fell in a long narrow column to her ankles where green slippers peeked out. A hint of the shape and color of her nipples protruded pleasantly.


Paul realized that the fullness of the lips was just a bit out of synch with the rest of her features. He hadn't noticed that in the computer simulations. It was just enough to keep her from being a classic beauty. Still, he was satisfied with her.


"Well, sir," said the sales rep, "what do you think?"


"Marvelous," replied Paul. Then he realized they were still standing on the front walk. "Come in, come in," he said quickly. He stepped aside and waved the sales rep into the house. The rep took her by the arm and led her in.


She moved with an easy grace. The shape of the dress had to shift with her pace, stretching over her hips to show her figure. Paul could see in the gentle sway of her bust that she was wearing no bra. As she passed him going into the house he got a look at her buttocks where the fabric slid over them and he could guess she was not wearing panties either.


"Can I get you something?" he asked the rep.


"No, no," replied the rep, "thanks anyway. I just need to give you a quick introduction, and check that the workmen have installed the resuscitator according to specs. It should only take a minute, then we'll be out of your way."


"Now," said the rep, and he looked at his PADD, "the Josephine series is one of the finest synthetic humanoid dolls on the market today. It's internal organs and basic bodily functions mimic human norm with amazing accuracy. It looks and moves like a human because it's ferro-calcinate skeleton and bio-plast internal organs are copies of human body parts. The skin on the doll is actually a genetic copy of human skin. The same technology that is used to grow replacement skin for human grafting, but right on the doll. It eats, sleeps and pees like a real human."


"The doll is programed with the equivalent of a general studies four year college degree, plus the basics of housekeeping, secretarial and self defense skills. The unit is also self programing, so those skills can be augmented either through ordinary instruction or direct programing."


He glanced at his PADD again, and continued: "I notice that you ordered the type 14. Very popular with single men. And you requested the metal reinforcing in the skull and spinal cord. Smart. With the resuscitator, that combination is capable of sustaining a great deal of damage without long term injury to the doll."


"Well, I..." began Paul.


The sales rep made a noise and held up his hand. "I don't care." he said. "What you do with the doll after I leave is entirely your business. These models are popular in part because of their versatility, and in part because they are some of the best sex toys available. None of my business. You might be surprised how many Josephine and Angelique models we sell to security firms to serve as decoys, body doubles and guards."


"I thought it was illegal to build a robot to double for a human being?"


"Well, yes and no. The law is designed to prevent any one from using a robot to replace a human. But, creating a doll that is similar enough can fool an assassin and not quite break the law. Of course, any doll will show up on even the simplest detector. You understand, of course, that if you try to use the doll in any way the breaks the law it will invalidate the warranty?"


"Oh yes. I mean, no I won't. She's only for around the house. Cooking. Cleaning."


"Sorry. I have to ask. Now you need to know how to hook up the resuscitator." The rep turned to the doll, and grabbed her shoulders. With a slight pull he encouraged her to turn so that her left side was to Paul. Then, he pulled at her left ear. "You see this spot here?"


Paul stepped up close. Just behind, and concealed by, her left ear was a small dimple. Barely a dent in the surface of her skin. Paul nodded.


"And here," said the rep, as he grabbed her left wrist and held it up to show another dimple on the inside just behind the joint. "The computer connection goes in behind the ear, and the fluid connection in the wrist. They are the same size but it's obvious which is which on the resuscitator. Don't get them confused. There is some resistance when you shove the connector through the skin, so you have to give it a good push. Eventually, if you need to use it often, scar tissue will build up over the sockets. And it will bleed when you disconnect it. Just put a bit of sticking plaster on it for first aid." He grinned. "Actually, we sell a lot of Josephine and Angelique models to people who are devotees of nineteenth and twentieth century gothic fiction. The blood is safe, wholesome, and slightly sweet. Although the Angelique model is more popular for that use, since its bonding chemical creates a mildly euphoric effect."


"Well, unless you have any questions, I think I'll check on the resuscitator."


"No, not right now," replied Paul. The rep nodded, took his PADD and walked into the spare bedroom. Paul stood and stared at her for a moment. She stood quiet and placid, looking back at him with a blank look on her face.


"Why don't I show you around?" he said. She made a small nod and replied: "Alright."


He took her by the arm, as he had seen the rep do, and led her around the house. He pointed out the use of each room, and the major fixtures and appliances. She made small quick movements of her head and eyes as she followed his explanations. In the den, empty but for the plain closed wooden cabinets, she showed no reaction when he said that they would be "spending a lot of play time in there." The tour did not take long, since it was not a large house. They found the sales rep in the hall by the house computer main interface. In the background, Paul could see the workmen packing out their tools.


"Okay," said the rep, "let's just take care of the legal stuff, and we'll be out of your way. With your permission?" and he indicated the interface.


"Oh, yes."


The rep smiled and connected his PADD to the house system. "Payment terms were explained in the original purchase contract. I just need you to acknowledge receipt."


Paul turned to her and said: "Why don't you go into the kitchen and look around. I think I'd like something to eat when we're done here." She replied: "Alright," and turned away. Paul took the PADD and looked into the optic scanner till the red light turned green. Then, he entered his PIN and used the attached stylus to sign on the screen.


"Now a few things the company requires me to add," said the rep, as he disconnected his PADD. "You understand that the doll is programed with Asimov's laws of robotics. And any use for illegal purposes of any kind will invalidate the warranty at the discretion of the manufacturer. The doll is factory equipped with a law enforcement verbal command override, of course. Other than that, the unit is warranted against factory defect for thirty years, when normal aging will begin to set in. The warranty does not cover any abuse you may inflict on the doll as a result of playing with it. And finally, there are no user serviceable parts in the doll, other than simple first aid such as you would give a real human. If you have any problems with maintenance you need to take it to the factory service representative for repair or invalidate the warranty. Okay? Any questions?"


"Um. You said she, the doll is programed with Asimov's laws. But you also implied that some people, um..."


The rep smiled. "Again, what you do with it is your business. Yes, some people use the dolls as sex toys, and some people practice various sado-masochistic sex things with the dolls. The doll knows that and will take it into account. Yes, it is prohibited from allowing itself to come to harm. But, self protection is third law, and obedience is second. Besides, after the laws, loyalty and dedication to your service are the highest values in its programing, and underlie most of the sub-routines in its program. It will allow itself to be, uh, punished if that is what gives you pleasure. If there is a conflict with its programing it shows as crying. If you see the doll cry, then you know that it is working on resolving a conflict."


"Does she feel pain?"


"Oh, yes. Physiological pain and pleasure are survival mechanisms in humans and they were included in the doll's engineering for the same reason. As well as making the unit more useful as a household companion and servant. And, yes that does include enjoying sex, if you wondered."


Paul nodded. "She doesn't seem to, um, respond much. She seems lifeless, you know. I expected more responsiveness."


The rep smiled. "That's the self programing function. The more you interact with the doll, the more lifelike it becomes. If you avoid personal interaction, it will stay bland, but if you interact a lot, it will learn from you how you want it to respond, and adapt. That is why some people still insist that the doll's have emotions. They don't, they just learn to act like they do."


Paul nodded. He'd heard all this before, when he had done the market research before deciding to buy her. But, he had to admit to himself, he really did not understand the technical stuff.


The rep said: "Well, if there are no more questions, I need to talk to it for a moment."


They walked into the kitchen. She was in the spice cabinet pulling out individual jars and glancing at the labels. After a moment, Paul realized that she was going through all the cabinets to familiarize her self with the contents of the kitchen as he had suggested.


"Josephine," said the rep. She turned to him, and set down the jar in her hand. "From now on you are the legal property of this man," and the rep told her Paul's full name. "He will provide you with a new verbal command code. You will obey his orders. Your service and your obedience are for him. Do you understand?"


"I understand."


There was a brief platitude, a quick hand shake, and the sales representative was gone. Suddenly, Paul was alone in the house with her.


"Well," said Paul. She stood passively waiting for him to tell her what to do. "I guess the first thing I need to do is give you a new verbal command code. The code is: Tyburn gate." Paul spelled it out.


"Tyburn gate," she repeated.


"It's a historical reference," he explained. "They said to pick a phrase of about three to five syllables that nobody else would be likely to guess." She continued to look at him with a blank expression. "And, why am I explaining to you?" he muttered. And why, he wondered, was he feeling so nervous?


"Um, why don't you make me something to eat?"


"What would you like?" she replied.


"There's some deli meat and some cheese in the cooler. Make me a sandwich."


"How would you like it?"


Paul wondered if he should explain how he liked to make his own sandwiches. No, he decided and said: "Just see what you can do."


The doll turned back to the kitchen and began to busy herself in the cooler and cupboards. Paul moved to the breakfast nook, and sat down to watch. As she began to make his sandwich, he noticed that she did not move with the quick, excessively efficient movements that he had seen in industrial robots. She seemed to move with the same easy motions as a human woman might. The white dress whispering over her skin pulled and fell as her body moved against it. When she bent over in the cooler to take something out, he could see the fabric stretch over her buttocks.


"Josephine."


She stopped and turned to look at him. It was strange, but he felt a resistance to giving her the order he wished to give. He firmly reminded himself that this was a doll, not a woman. He had the right to tell her to do whatever he wished.


"Take off your dress."


She set down the jar of condiment that she held. She then reached behind her back and began to work at the tie of the belt.


"Could you help me with this, please," she said and stepped toward him. When she turned her back, he reached up and untied the brocade belt. "Thank you," she said, and took two steps away. She turned back to face him, crossed her arms at the belly, and grabbed the sides of the dress. Lifting the dress, she pulled it up over her head.


For a long moment, he simply stared at her, while she patiently waited for additional instructions. Her body was slim and well proportioned. Some of the models he had seen advertised had extra narrow waists, or extra large busts, but he had not wanted any of that. Her bust and her buttocks were small, but not too small. Her nipples were firm and poked out of small dark aureolas. Her flesh was slightly pale and unblemished. She had a navel. Why would a doll have a navel? Her pubic hair was a dark nest on a prominent pubic bone. A hint of crease showed at the bottom of that small bulge. Her legs seemed long and lean.


Paul started to reach out a hand to touch her, but paused. He dropped his hand in confusion.


"Go on with making my sandwich," he said. She hesitated a moment, and he noticed a slight tilt to her head, as she moved her arm holding the dress. "Oh, just set that there," he said, waving at the chair on the other side of the breakfast table. She carefully lay the dress over the back of the chair and went back to work.


Paul had painfully little experience with women. That was one of the reasons he had bought a doll in the first place. So he found it fascinating to watch the movements of her body as she finished his lunch. Her buttocks muscles, for example, moved with her body. But the loose tissue of her bust seemed to move separately. The bounce of her bust seemed to draw his eye, and he found her nakedness was beginning to excite him.


She brought him the sandwich on a plate, with chips, and set it on the table before him.


"Would you like something to drink?" she asked.


"There's some white wine in the cooler," he replied. He tasted the sandwich. She had used more meat then he usually did. And she had garnished it with some of the salad lettuce. Not bad. She brought him the wine. He sipped a bit.


He noticed that she was still standing by the table, waiting for instructions. "Sit down," he said, waving at the chair across the table. She carefully slipped into the chair, with her hands in her lap. This was going to take some getting used to. He had fantasized about playing with his doll, but he had never really thought about what to do with her when he was not playing with her. Well, if nothing else she made a good sandwich.


"I'm sorry," he said suddenly, "I'm staring."


"It's alright," she replied.


"You eat don't you? Would you like something?" He nudged his plate toward her.


"No, thank you. Yes, I eat, but I had something at the plant before we left."


"At least have a little wine with me."


"Alright." She stood up, and went to pour herself a glass of wine. It gave him a moment to think about her. No, not "her." The doll was an "it." Paul bought it, and paid for it. He could do anything he wanted with it. He could even destroy it if he felt like doing so.


She sat back down. When he took a sip of wine, she took some also.


"Do you know why you're here?"


"You bought me."


"Well, yes, but, I mean, do you know why I bought you?"


"You said that I would be used for cooking and cleaning."


True. "Yes, but..." he began. He agonized about how to approach the other things he had in mind. He noticed her tilt her head to the side just a little.


"Do you wish to use me as a sex toy?"


"Well, uh, yes. You know about that sort of thing?""


"They warned me that was likely, at the plant. I have been programmed with a wide assortment of functions and techniques. "


He blinked. Somehow it was not what he had expected. He took a deep breath. "There's, ah, more to it than that." She waited patiently. "I have some, ah, unusual fantasies."


"I have been taught that most people have fantasies."


"Well, yes, but, mine are pretty, um, extreme."


Did he detect a slight tightening around the eyes while she considered that?


"Do you intend to hurt me?" She asked.


That went to the heart of the matter. "Yes."


There was something about the eyes; he was certain now. Then, Paul noticed a tear well from one of her eyes, and trickle over her cheek. She blinked rapidly several times, and a few more tears ran down. She sighed.


"Alright."


Paul dropped his sandwich onto the plate, hardly noticing as it fell apart. He reached one hand over the table to her face, and gently wiped at the streak of moisture on her cheek. She closed her eyes for a moment, and seemed to take a deep breath. Her skin felt smooth and warm. Almost without thinking, he allowed his fingers to drift down over her face, and fall to her breast. Her nipple felt different than the rest of her skin.


Suddenly, Paul knew that he wanted to do it right away. He was very aroused already, just looking at her naked body and thinking about it. That was what he bought her for, after all.


He stood up, and said: "Come with me."


She rose gracefully to her feet. He took her hand, and walked her back to the empty den. She seemed slightly puzzled, but Paul was so fixed on what he was about to do, that he ignored it. He unlocked one of the large wooden cabinets, and from it took a small step stool. That he carefully placed under a ring-bolt mounted in the center of the ceiling. Then, he paused and looked at her. How to arrange it?


Returning to the cabinet, he pulled out a long cotton rope, with the gallows noose already tied in one end. Stepping clumsily up onto the step stool, he fed the running end of the rope through the ring. He then stepped down and pulled most of it through the ring, raising the noose rapidly toward the ceiling.


She was staring at the noose with obvious horror on her features. He felt a moment of uneasiness. Was he wrong to do this to her? Was this really the way it had to be? But, this was what he had bought her to do.


She looked at him. "Do you intend to destroy me?" A tear welled in her eye again.


Startled, he hastily replied: "No, no. Oh no, I just want to, um, hurt you a while. As soon as you pass out, I'll put you on the resuscitator.


She blinked and the tears ran down her cheek. "Do you wish for me to enjoy this?"


That made him pause. "Um, well. Not really. I mean, if you could learn to be excited by it, that would be okay. But really, I am doing this for myself. So I can watch. Just so long as you obey me. I guess, it's the obedience I get, as much as the pain I cause, that excites me."


Her breathing was a bit ragged because she was definitely crying. She raised a hand to her face and wiped away the tears in her eyes. Haltingly, she stepped forward toward the little step stool.


"Get up and put the rope around your neck," he ordered. Despite the shuddering in her chest, she was able to gracefully mount the two steps up the little stool. Tears poured down her cheek, and he could hear her sobbing. She took the noose in her hands, and pulled it to her face. Tilting her head forward slightly, she pushed the rope back around her neck. Her swept up hair caught briefly, and a long lock was pulled loose.


"Tighten it," he said. The shaking of her sobs was causing a slight quiver in her breasts. The nipples seemed to wave at him. The erection in his pants was becoming uncomfortable. She took the knot in one hand and the rope in the other and pulled the knot snug to her neck just beside the left ear. Then she let her arms fall to her sides. Paul pulled up all of slack, so that the knot rose up beside her head, and hastily tied the running end to a cleat on the wall.


Looking at the doll, standing naked on the stool, with the noose around her neck, was incredibly arousing. Just as Paul had wanted. He pulled at his fly, and his erection popped out. He began to stroke himself gently. She turned and looked down at what he was doing. Raising her hands, she wiped at her eyes to clear away the tears.


"Don't you want me to do that for you?" she asked. Momentarily confused, Paul hesitated.


"You will," he replied. "Another time." She shuddered, and took a deep breath. If she had been trying to coax him into letting her down it had not worked.


Paul was so excited, that he was ready to climax, just staring at her. He reluctantly stopped stroking. With his erection waving out of his pants, he returned to the cabinet. First, he pulled out a short length of cheap poly-wrap rope. He stepped over to her, and though she twisted to face him, kept moving until he was behind her. He pulled her arms around to her soft bare buttocks. She obediently left them there while he wrapped the cord around her wrists and secured it. Then he returned to the cabinet, where he took out a soft swatch of cloth. He draped the cloth over his erection and began to stroke again.


She was beautiful. Standing on the stool, hands bound behind her back, noose around her neck, up swept hair just beginning to fall apart, tears in her eyes.


"Kick away the step," he ordered.


She looked at him with widened eyes. She took a shuddering deep breath, and her bust wobbled with the effort. A new surge of tears welled in her eyes, and ran down her cheek. She turned her face to look down, then she moved one foot to the edge of the little step stool so that the toes reached over the edge. She flexed her knees slightly. She looked at him longingly, as if silently begging not to do this. Paul vigorously stroked his erection with the soft cloth.


Suddenly, she kicked back with the lead foot. Her body jerked a couple of inches as it fell into the grip of the rope around her neck. The step stool clattered across the floor, and the rope creaked as it took her weight.


She hanged.


The kick had thrown her body back with the stool. She began a pendulum swing, stretched out from the ring bolt to her the toes of her green slippers. Her face bore a look of incredible agony, eyes bulging, tears pouring, lips stretched, teeth clenched. The pressure of the rope around her neck was forcing her head slightly to one side, even though the knot had quickly slipped back toward her spine as it tightened. As she swayed back and forth, he was treated to brief glimpses of the pink slot between her legs, tucked in its nest of pubic hair.


Her face began to turn slightly pink. Then she began to shudder. Belly spasms caused her legs to twitch out of rhythm with the general swing of her body. Her bust began to bounce on her breast, with the nipples waving slightly side to side. She seemed to be almost dancing on air as she hanged. Her wide eyes staring at nothing. Her neck was stretched impossibly long, and the noose was sunk deeply into her flesh.


It was too much. He felt the orgasm rising in his pelvis. Coincidentally, her pelvis heaved at him repeatedly, with her knees flying out, as if her body was in the act of sex. The pressure to climax swelled rapidly against his reluctance to cum so soon. He couldn't help it any longer. Suddenly, the physical and emotional release burst out, and he spent massively into the soft cloth.


Catching his breath, his trembling fingers wiped clean his dwindling erection with the cloth. More laundry. Well, he had plenty of swatches of cloth, and now he had someone to help him with the chores.


He looked at her hanging form. Her face was distinctly red. Her head was tilted forward by the knot against her spine. Her eyes were blank and staring. Her muscles movements had stilled. Her whole form seemed unnaturally relaxed. Dangling by the rope around her neck. Gently swaying. It was so incredibly sexy!


Hastily, Paul shoved himself back into his pants, and closed his fly. He stepped to the cleat, and struggled with the knot. It came undone, and he tried to lower her body gently. She was heavier than he thought, and the body sank to the floor much quicker than he would have liked. He managed to stop its fall as it rested on its knees. Still pulling on the rope to hold her up, he moved to her. For a long minute he hesitated. He was not sure how to get her to the resuscitator. He had to carry her somehow. Over his shoulder would probably be best. He found it difficult to pull on the rope, and still drop to his own knees, but he managed without losing too much control of the rope. He put his shoulder into her belly, and let her fall over his back as he eased his pull on the rope. Then he tried to stand, and found that she was heavier than he had imagined. Or he was weaker. Standing, he almost stumbled.


Carrying her into the spare bedroom, he realized that he was dragging the rope around her neck behind himself. He had no spare hands to take it off. Both his hands were tightly clutching at the swell of her buttocks on his shoulder. A hands-on feeling that he found confusing rather than arousing. He almost stumbled again laying her on the recliner looking thing. And he almost dropped her off onto the floor. Panting slightly, he paused to look at her. Limp like this, it was easier to remember that it was just a doll.


He took a deep breath. Then he pulled on her shoulders, and pushed on her knees to straighten the body out in the chair. He rolled her over on her side, and untied her hands, then after laying her on her back, he pulled the arms out from under and lay them comfortably at her sides. Finally, he loosened the noose, and pulled it over her head.


He grabbed the connectors from the upright console. As the rep had said, it was easy to tell which was the computer link and which the fluid fill. He was surprised at the resistance when he tried to hook them in. He had to really push to shove the points through her skin. He detected, felt maybe, a slight click when they were seated fully. Once the computer link was hooked in, the console automatically lit up. The monitor ran through a series of complicated diagnostics, and something about blood chemistry came up. Finally, it presented an estimate of time needed to resuscitate.


He stood staring at her for several minutes. His doll. He could do whatever he wanted with it. Screw her. Hang her. He could hang her every day if he wanted.


When the estimated time was up, he was back by her side. He saw her shift slightly in the chair, and her eyelids fluttered. Then, she opened her eyes, and looked around. When she saw him, she smiled. For the first time, she smiled.