Overboard

Debbie rolled her eyes internally for what felt like the tenth time during the meeting. She generally got along with her colleagues- well, at least she tried to- but there were a few who she just couldn’t stand.  

Exhibit A, Mike- a bit older than her, divorced, in his late 50s.  He was fairly competent, though he might be more bearable if he could speak to her for longer than ten seconds without staring at her tits.  He had asked her out more than twice, and each time she had politely declined- she never mixed business with pleasure.

Exhibit B, Michelle- decidedly less competent than Mike, with a chip on her shoulder that could be seen a mile away.  She was about a decade younger than Debbie, somewhere in her early 40s.  Debbie got a promotion over her a while back, and Michelle had been catty and desperate to undermine Debbie since.  Not that she had the skill or intelligence to do so effectively.

Debbie knew what they said about her.  Mike and Michelle had banded together in their rejection and started a smear campaign about Debbie around the office.  First they tried the “slept her way to the top” angle, but it fell flat when everyone realized she had only reported to happily married and well-respected women.  They then tried to undermine her intelligence and contributions to the company, but her work spoke for itself.  They had finally landed on the ever-original “she’s a snobby bitch” angle.  It had somewhat stuck, which Debbie didn’t entirely mind.

The truth was she wasn’t a bitch- she was just painfully shy.  She knew that she could appear standoffish and cold, but it was more that she was withdrawn and quiet.  She had let their rumours run their course, trusting that as long as everyone respected her work, she would continue to do well. Sure, it made for some long and lonely days, but Debbie had a fulfilling social life outside of work, and didn’t need more acquaintances.

What she did need, however, were some allies in the room.  She had a new process idea to pitch, and while she knew that it was objectively going to improve efficiencies across multiple departments, she also knew that Mike and Michelle would stand in her way just for the sake of it. 

She looked around the room, trying to figure out who she could strategically warm up to over the next few weeks to enhance the likelihood that her idea would be considered.  Her eyes landed on Joyce- a newer employee, early 20s, with curly blonde hair and an insufferably bubbly disposition.  In spite of her constant enthusiasm, Joyce was quite smart, and held considerable social capital on the team.  Debbie made a mental note to invite her to have lunch.

When the meeting ended she was delayed by a couple members of her team who had questions about some deliverables.  When she finished, she headed down the hall until she heard Joyce’s voice coming from the lunch room.  She had intended to slip in as Joyce was grabbing her lunch and invite her to eat outside, but was dismayed to see that she had already set up at the table with a few other women from the office.

“Debbie, did…did you want to join us?” Joyce asked, her voice friendly.  It was then that Debbie realized that she was awkwardly standing in the doorway, staring at the gathering group.

“Oh, um, sure,” Debbie replied clumsily.  She ignored the raised eyebrows of a few of the ladies in the room, grabbed her salad from the fridge, and took a seat.  

She noticed a pile of what looked like pirate treasure in the middle of the table.  “What’s with the treasure?” she asked conversationally.

After a slightly awkward silence, Joyce piped up.  “Oh, those are…invitations.  A few of us have organized a halloween pirate cruise,” she explained.  “One of these bewitched coins grants admission to the ship.  It’s a costume party,” she said excitedly.  

“Bewitched?” Debbie asked skeptically.

“Yes!  The coins have a spell in them,” Joyce explained conspiratorially.  “The coins will reveal everyone’s true nature at midnight,” she promised.

“Did you want a coin, Debbie?” another one of the women asked, a note of challenge in her voice.  Debbie recognized her as Michelle’s office mate, though didn’t know much about her.

Debbie considered.  She absolutely did not want to go to a costume party with her coworkers, with or without fake bewitched coins.  In fact, she couldn’t think of anything that she wanted to do less.  

She acknowledged, however, that some after work social fun would help her get the allies she desperately needed.  “Sure, I’d love to come,” Debbie lied.  

“Amazing!” Joyce quipped, tossing one of the gold coins across the table. “It’s a full moon on halloween, who knows what will happen!”

—

The night of the party, Debbie put on her rented pirate costume and groaned as she looked at herself in the mirror.  The skirt was a bright shade of blue with full white underskirts and a simple rope belt.  She wore a billowy blouse underneath a tight corset, which pushed her generous breasts up far too high.  She rolled her eyes at the thought of Mike ogling her all night.  She tried her best to adjust them, to no avail.  She swiped some red lipstick on, let down her blonde curls, and reluctantly went out the door.

The boat was abuzz by the time she arrived at the dock.  She retrieved the gold coin from the pocket of her skirts as she boarded, ignoring the fact that it seemed to heat in her palm before she gave it to Captain Bill.

“Debbie, you made it!” Joyce waved enthusiastically.  She seemed genuinely happy to see her.  

So did Mike- or at least he was genuinely happy to see her cleavage.

“This is a first, gracing us with your regal presence,” he said sarcastically. 

“My face up here, Mike,” she said plainly.

At least he had the grace to blush as the women around her laughed at her directness.  “Cheers to that,” Joyce said, handing Debbie a drink. Debbie sipped quickly, grateful for the social lubrication.

Before long the coins had all been collected, and all of the guests were aboard the ship.  There were under twenty of them, a mix of men and women from the company, and a few spouses.  Everyone was dressed in pirate costumes, with women in cleavage-first corsets that thankfully made Deb’s look modest, and men with loose blouses and play swords.

The ship was a replica pirate ship used for tourists and, apparently, corporate and group events.  It was equipped with large white sails, wooden accents, and even a plank off to the side.  Various chests of treasure decorated the open bar table in the center of the ship.  

Joyce introduced Debbie to her boyfriend Mark, who seemed like an even more outgoing version of her.  Debbie vaguely wondered if either of them ever stopped talking when they had sex.  In spite of their shared love of verbosity and animation, Mark and Joyce were both instantly likeable- they were easy to be around, and kept conversation flowing. 

It also helped that unlike her colleague Mike, Mark kept his eyes off of Debbie’s cleavage- likely because Joyce’s was somehow double hers, even though Joyce’s breasts were noticeably smaller.  

“Your costumes are amazing,” Debbie said earnestly.  Joyce was dressed in a siren red corset and skirt, which complemented Mark’s belt and sword sheath.  They were both bejeweled in bracelets and necklaces, and had the unmistakable glow of being young and in love.  

“Thanks- yours too- blue is definitely your colour!” Mark complimented.  

The breeze bit into Debbie’s skin as they sailed, and she found herself grateful that she’d thought to grab a shawl before leaving the house.  She was also using it to cover her cleavage.  She could smell sea salt in the air, and the full moon lit up the sky beautifully.  As Debbie sipped her drink, she thought she just might survive the night of socializing unscathed.

She had no idea how wrong she was.

“Debbie, settle an argument for us,” Joyce called, interrupting her reverie.  Debbie walked over to where Joyce was gathered with a few other female staffers.  “What do you think of Thomas?”

“Why do you ask?” Debbie said cautiously.  Thomas was her colleague in another department, and while she thought he was a bit dim, he was fairly banal.  

“We’re mad at him for changing the finance workflow,” one of the junior staffers pouted.  She had clearly had a little more to drink than the others.

“Oh, that. Actually, I have some ideas about that,” Debbie began, trying to hide her enthusiasm at being given a perfect opportunity to soft launch her idea. 

By the time Debbie was done explaining her idea, a few more people had joined the group.  She knew that her pitch was landing; partly because she was damned good at pitching, especially when she was passionate about the process, and partly because everyone had very invested follow up questions.

Her buzz was interrupted by Michelle, because of course it was.

“What’s happening over here? You aren’t all talking about work, are you? Come on Debbie, could you be more boring? Live a little,” she said callously.

Debbie bit back a handful of retorts, instead meeting Michelle’s passive aggression with an icy smile.  

“It’s a cool idea, you should hear it,” Joyce chimed in, earning enthusiastic nods from the group.  

Michelle’s face faltered, but she recovered quickly.  “Well it comes from the company golden child, how could it not be,” she said disingenuously.  “Mike, do you want to hear a process pitch tonight?” 

Mike, who was refilling his drink, turned his attention to the group.  “Absolutely not, under any circumstances.  We are here to party, and that is what we shall do.  Anyone who talks about work will walk the plank!” He raised his glass toward the ship’s plank, and the group’s attention followed.  

Debbie’s attention (and annoyance) stayed trained on Mike just long enough for her to notice him wink at Michelle and clink glasses.  She was relieved that he had finally found other breasts to occupy his attention.  She would’ve felt bad for Michelle, but she was such a pain that she decided her and Mike deserved each other.  

“Someone definitely has to walk the plank by the end of the night,” Joyce joked.  

“I couldn’t agree more, Joyce,” Mike said with a smirk.  “It’s almost midnight…shots for everyone!” he shouted as he held up a bottle of rum.

Mike poured shots for the group as everyone gathered.  Michelle distributed them as the boat rocked, the stench of spilled rum already permeating the sea air.  When everyone had their shots, Michelle stood in the middle of the circle and shouted, “Cheers to embracing your true nature!”

Everyone raised their shot glasses and swallowed the liquor.  Debbie had planned on dumping hers on the ground to avoid waking up with a headache.  She must have gotten caught up in the moment though, because the rum warmed her throat and sat hot in her belly.  It took away her chill instantly, and she found herself wanting another.

Joyce’s boyfriend Mark poured a second round of shots.  Debbie could still feel the first one settling, and reminded herself to slow down.  She ignored the reminder, clinking her glass to Captain Bill’s as he aptly toasted, “To a safe passage for all through the darkness.”

“Who is steering the ship?” Debbie asked the captain.  

“My first mate takes over from time to time,” Captain Bill explained.  “It’s customary for me to give the midnight toast,” he said as the ship’s ornate wooden clock struck twelve.  

Bill poured Debbie another shot of rum. She could still feel the burn from the other two warming her insides.  It was a pleasant feeling, but Debbie wasn’t a big drinker and knew that it would be a slippery slope if she kept going.  She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders to insulate the warmth, and smiled at the captain.  “I shouldn’t,” she said finally, “I don’t want to get sloppy around my colleagues.  I don’t drink much,” she admitted.

The captain put his hand on her shoulder and leaned in so that only she could hear him.  “Trust me, lass, you’re going to want to take this- and probably one more,” the captain said quietly.

“Why is that?” Debbie asked.  She vaguely wondered if Captain Bill was flirting with her, trying to get her drunk- but then noticed a wedding ring on his finger.

“For safe passage,” he said cryptically. Before she could ask him what he meant, he was gone.

Debbie considered his words, miffed at the lack of clarity.  She studied the crowd of colleagues, noticing that the two rounds of shots paired with the already open bar had started to take a toll.  Laughter got louder, body language more animated.  Arms circled waists, words slurred.  

“Fuck it, tonight I’m a pirate,” Debbie said aloud, and downed two shots of rum back to back before joining the crowd.

Before long the liquor sang in her veins, warming her from the inside out. She ditched her shawl on a nearby barrel, and with it the modesty it allowed as she covered her ample cleavage.  Debbie felt lighter than she had in a while, and even found herself to be less irritated by Mike and Michelle, who had started circling the group arm in arm asking wildly inappropriate questions.

“If you had to fuck someone in the office, who would it be?” they asked Joe, a fairly quiet junior staffer in his early 30s.  

“I’m not going to answer that,” Joe said, blushing profusely.  

“No, Joe, you have to- boat rules,” Michelle slurred.  “It’s okay- we’re pirates- there are no rules tonight.  What happens on the boat, stays on the boat,” she proclaimed.

Everyone cheered, raising their glasses.

“Come on, Joe- who would you fuck?” Mike challenged.

Joe timidly looked around the group, his face getting more and more red.  His eyes landed on Debbie (well, on her cleavage) for just a second too long. 

“Debbie?!” Michelle exclaimed.  “As if.  You like them older, eh Joe? Well, I guess her tits do look pretty great in that outfit- maybe you should dress like a pirate slut more often,” Michelle sneered.  

Now it was Debbie’s turn to blush.  She thought that someone in the group would reprimand Michelle on her language, but as she looked around the group she saw more people focused on her cleavage than on the injustice she had just faced.  She suddenly wished she had her shawl.

“Yes, the tits are certainly out tonight, gentlemen,” Mike boomed.  “These women in corsets do make a pirate’s mouth water.  Siren songs all around!” he said, grabbing one of Joyce’s breasts.

Debbie’s eyes bulged.  She braced herself for Mark’s reaction, silently hoping he would be the one to give Mike the punch in the face that he had long deserved.  To her surprise, Mark smiled, grabbing the other breast and kissing the giggling Joyce’s neck.

“I’m a lucky man,” Mark smiled, “see?” With that, he pulled Joyce’s blouse down, exposing her breasts for everyone to see.  They sat high in her corset, nipples instantly hardening in the sea breeze.  Mark and Mike continued to grope her breasts, teasing her nipples for all to see until she shivered and moaned.  

“That’s enough!” Debbie exclaimed.  She didn’t care that Joyce seemed to be a willing participant, or that the onlookers’ expressions were of hunger and not horror.  Debbie was no prude, but this was quickly becoming an HR nightmare.  She was baffled that no one else in the group seemed to care.  “We are colleagues, not pirates! Leave Joyce alone!”

“It’s okay Debbie, I like it,” Joyce said dreamily as the men groped her small breasts.  “It feels good…I feel free- like a pirate!” she giggled.

It was as if Joyce was under some sort of hypnosis, between the airiness of her voice and the absurdity of her behaviour.  Rum is a powerful drug, Debbie thought, especially mixed with wine and Halloween.  

Debbie sat her wine glass down, instantly finished with the evening.  She left the group, retreating to the bar to ride out the rest of the evening.  She watched the crowd cautiously, vowing to step in should anyone seem uncomfortable.  Otherwise, they were all adults, she reasoned- they could choose lawless piracy if they liked, but she certainly wouldn’t.  

Eventually the crowd began playing spin the bottle, using a rum bottle that they had just emptied with another round of shots.  Naturally, Mike and Michelle were in charge.  “The rules are simple,” Mike declared to the group, “if the head of the bottle lands on you, you can choose to either remove an item of clothing- and no, jewelry doesn’t count- or you can walk the plank!”

The crowd cheered, and Debbie started to feel a bit seasick.  The nudity and public groping was one thing, but putting a bunch of drunk pirates on a 2×10 plank reaching over the sea was downright dangerous.  

She looked toward the helm for Captain Bill, hoping to find an ally.  What she found instead was the captain with one hand at the wheel and the other on his cock, stroking as he watched one of the cute twenty something staffers remove her blouse.

Ugh, men.

Debbie watched on as the bottle spun, removing blouses and corsets from the women, swords and pants and shirts from the men.  A few women stood proudly with their breasts exposed, wearing nothing but a skirt.  Some men were down to underwear, bulging cocks obvious in the light of the full moon.

Debbie watched as the bottle landed on Joyce, who had only her skirt left on.  The crowd cheered, assuming they would see it removed.  Joyce smiled innocently, instead choosing to step out of her panties.  She shoved them in Mark’s mouth and kissed him, earning even more cheers from the feral crowd.

Debbie was so caught up in their display that she didn’t realize the bottle was spinning again and landed on Michelle, whose back was to Debbie.  She also didn’t see Michelle side step the bottle, creating a gap in the crowd that left the head pointing directly at Debbie.

“I know that you didn’t think you weren’t playing,” Mike taunted Debbie.  “You chose to get on the boat, so you chose to play by pirates’ rules- and the rules are that you must obey,” Mike said.  There was something in his tone that stirred something inside Debbie.  She stood before she had made the decision to do so.

“Absolutely not- I am not taking part in whatever HR nightmare debauchery that this has become,” Debbie said definitely.

“Oh, but you are- whether you choose to or not,” Michelle said smoothly.  “You see, Debbie, your choices became irrelevant once you stepped on this boat,” she explained as Debbie’s feet carried her toward the circle of colleagues.  Debbie vaguely resisted, but couldn’t figure out how to stop walking.

“Well, Michelle, that’s not entirely true,” Mike said, walking toward Debbie.  He put his arm around her and guided her to the middle of the circle.  Usually his touch made Debbie squirm, but now it felt…reassuring?

“Right, my mistake,” Michelle allowed, “you do have one choice- you can either remove an item of clothing like everyone else, or you can choose to walk the plank!” 

Debbie’s heart leapt.  She was obviously not going to do either of those things.  The plank loomed in the darkness, its edges highlighted by the full moon.  She looked around at her colleagues, basking in their nudity and partial undress, feeling a foreboding shiver tear through her body.

Mike’s hand had made it to the small of her back, gently rubbing circles.  “Make the choice, Debbie, we’re all waiting,” he whispered onto her skin.

“I’m…I’m not participating in this stupid game,” Debbie said.  She tried to step away from Mike, but he stepped with her in synch, as if they were waltzing.  “Let go of me, Mike, I’m not playing,” she pleaded.

“You can just remove this corset here, and be done,” he said, playing with the laces that tied in the front.  “I can see that you’re not wearing a bra- amazing how perky your tits are at your age,” he leered.  “You could instead remove this blouse, and show us what’s underneath,” he said, hooking a finger into her collar and peeking down her cleavage.

“Stop it!” Debbie yelled, slapping his hand away.  “Let go of me, I don’t want to do this,” she begged.

“Well then, it sounds like you’re choosing to walk the plank,” Michelle said.  “Don’t worry, you don’t have to jump- just stay out for ten minutes, and then you can come back,” she explained.

“No, Michelle- it’s too dangerous, and I am not putting my life at risk so that you can get off on humiliating me,” Debbie said sternly.  Her mind was spinning- why on earth had she said yes to taking that stupid coin?  No process pitch was worth enduring such nonsense.  She would never be able to look at her colleagues the same again- she would definitely have to start job hunting.

“Just pick one, and we will leave you alone,” Mike cooed in her ear.  His breath on her skin made her tingle, and his hands exploring her body felt kind instead of invasive.  She could feel him cup her ass as he said, “the plank keeps you clothed, and it isn’t windy- just do it, you’ll be a hero- I will even back your proposal,” he promised.

Debbie’s body relaxed into his touch and his words, even as her mind swam.  Was his hand really on her ass?  Did he actually squeeze?  Was that another hand tracing her cleavage? Why didn’t she move away?  Why couldn’t she?

She considered Mike’s words.  Ten minutes on the plank, then this horror was over.  She could do ten minutes, and she had Mike’s word that he would back her- which she supposed was the entire point of this ill-advised event.  

“Promise you’ll back me?” she whispered to Mike.

“Promise, and not just because your…back…is so inviting,” he said with another squeeze of her ass.

“Fine.  Plank,” Debbie said to the group.  Ten minutes, then I am finished playing this stupid game.”

The crowd cheered as they followed her over to the plank.  Mike was still gently guiding her, and Michelle flanked her other side lest she try to escape.

“Good girl,” Mike whispered.  Debbie felt his words between her legs, but chalked it up to nerves about walking the plank.  

“Debbie has chosen the option to walk the plank for ten minutes, per the laws of pirates and this boat” Michelle announced to the crowd.  “Isn’t that right, Debbie?”

Debbie swallowed hard. “Yes- yes, I will walk the stupid plank.  Let’s get on with it,” she said quickly, willing the next ten minutes to proceed with haste. She elected to take off her shoes, hoping that being able to feel the plank beneath her feet would grant her more stability.  As she was doing so, she heard Joe’s voice.

“As a slight point of order,” he began, his voice uncharacteristically confident, “it is customary in the laws of pirates for females to walk the plank nude.” 

Michelle laughed.  Mike smiled wide.  The rest of the crowd cheered.

Debbie’s heart sank.  “That wasn’t part of the deal,” she said, her voice icy.

“You’re right, it wasn’t,” Mike allowed, “but Joe’s right.  That is pirate custom, and what are we?” he asked the crowd.

“Pirates!” they cheered back.

“Sorry, Debbie, looks like you’ll need to strip down,” Michelle jeered.

“No- I…I will choose the other option,” Debbie stammered, “I will remove an item of clothing instead of walking the plank.”

“Sorry, Debbie, you’ve already made your choice- you can’t take it back,” Mike said.  His voice was gentle even as his fingers roughly pulled at her corset laces.  He had them undone before she could protest, and pulled the corset off in one fluid motion.  Debbie felt her breasts heave without the support while her nipples hardened as the breeze bit through her thin blouse.  

She swatted Mike’s hand away as it made to cup her breast.  “Don’t touch me,” she warned, “I am not doing this.”

Mike persisted, his fingers pinching her hard nipple through the blouse as he untucked it from her skirt.  She swatted his hand again, trying without success to tuck her shirt back in.  Mike raised it, exposing her stomach to the cheering crowd.  As Debbie felt the cool air on her belly, she moved to hold her blouse down while her other hand covered her obvious nipples.  

“I could use some help undressing her,” Mike mused to the crowd, “she seems a bit nervous.”  Before Debbie even registered the comment, she felt both Mark and Joe’s hands on her.

“Stop it- I don’t want this…let go of me!” Debbie screamed as the men pulled at her blouse and skirts.  She could hear fabric tear as they tore her blouse open, exposing her full breasts for the crowd.  Debbie bit back tears as she tried to cover herself with one arm and defend herself with the other.

Unfortunately for her, she was no match for three men intent on stripping her bare. 

“Just let it happen, be a good girl,” Mike whispered to her as he slid her blouse down her shoulders.  Debbie felt an involuntary shiver erode her resistance for a few seconds before her mind took over again.  

Those few seconds were enough for Joe to pull her blouse the rest of the way from her arms, leaving her fully naked from the waist up, save some jewelry.  Debbie crossed her arms over her exposed breasts, then crossed her legs in an attempt to protect her modesty as Mark’s head went up her skirt.

She felt his fingers pull at her panties, forcing them down through her crossed legs.  Joe reached around her, cupping her breasts from behind and lifting her off the ground so that Mark could pull her feet through her panties.  He rose victorious, holding the red lace as a trophy for the crowd to see.

“Red lace to match your slut red lips, how fancy,” Michelle said callously.  “I’m curious, pirates, do we think uptight Debbie waxes her bush?”

“Only one way to find out!” Mark said with his token enthusiasm. The crowd cheered as he dove back underneath her skirts. 

Debbie’s heart sank as she watched the faces of her colleagues fill with glee instead of horror at her humiliation.  Joe continued to hold her by the breasts, his fingers pinching her nipples until she moaned.  Mike’s focus had gone to undoing her skirt, letting her last remaining item of clothing fall to the ground to reveal Mark licking up her leg.

“Fully bare!” Mark proclaimed, “My word Debbie you are just full of slutty surprises!”

Debbie stood in front of her colleagues fully nude while three pairs of hands groped her body.  Her resistance was futile; there was no way she could overpower all three men to escape.  Plus, every now and then Mike’s silky voice would praise her, sending a signal through her body to relax.  Each time she relaxed they gained ground, eventually spreading her legs so that Mike’s hand could cup her most intimate place.  

“Are you ready?” he whispered into her ear as his hand groped the bare heat between her legs.  

“No, please- enough,” Debbie breathed as his hand melted her core.  She felt her nipples stiffen even more under Joe’s touch as Mike roughly groped her.

As for Mark, he was passing her red lace thong around the crowd.  

“It’s time,” Mike said, stepping away from her.  The other men took his lead, finally leaving Debbie able to cover her breasts and pussy from the prying eyes of her colleagues.  She breathed a sign akin to relief as the first raindrop hit her face.

Debbie’s sigh turned into a groan as the skies opened, cold rain falling steady on her bare skin.  The crowd didn’t move to take cover at all, instead rejoicing in the plot twist.  

“Walk the plank!” Michelle chanted.  

“It’s pouring rain…it’s too slippery- this is dangerous,” Debbie protested.

“Walk the plank! Walk the plank!” the crowd followed, their united voices quickening a sense of panic in Debbie’s gut.

Mark prodded her with his sword.  “Walk the plank!” he chanted, leading her to the plank by the tip of his sword.

Debbie looked out at the sea, now churning from the rain.  The full moon made the rain dance on the water, and showcased the slickened narrow board that led off of the deck.  

“Ten minutes, baby, make us proud,” Mike cooed.

“Yes Sir,” Debbie replied in a voice that wasn’t hers.

His words somehow gave her the courage to take the first tentative step onto the board.  Mark’s sword pushed her out further.  When her mind finally caught up, she was fully suspended over the black sea by a single flimsy plank.

Debbie screamed.  Her arms reached out to grasp onto something, but there was nothing there.  She then realized that she had exposed her naked body, and moved her arms back to protect what shred of modesty she could muster.  A gust of wind rocked the ship, forcing Debbie to spread her legs to stay balanced. 

She could hear the rabid cheering from the safety of the boat deck, her colleagues delighting in her humiliation as she was forced to choose between covering herself or maintaining balance on the plank.  She spread her legs wider to lower her center of gravity, trying to find stable purchase on the slippery board.  She finally accepted that she needed her arms spread to adjust to the wind, and let her breasts free.  She danced on the board around the wind and rain, her breasts and pussy bare for all to see.  

The rain soaked her hair and slid down her body, every droplet highlighted by the full moon above.  Her nipples were impossibly hard in the cold, her skin peppered with goosebumps as she shivered.

Somehow she was still very warm between her legs.

“Don’t slip!” Michelle shouted from the boat.  “I do hope she can swim,” she said to the crowd.

“She’s soaked- might as well jump in!” Mike yelled to her.  

Debbie desperately danced to keep her balance, trying her best to drown out the jeers of her colleagues.  She felt light headed if she thought too much about the crowd watching her, knowing they could see every inch of her body, so she focused on staying standing until the dreaded ten minutes were up.

She realized a beat too late that she had no way of knowing when that would be.

She squinted back at the boat, judging the ten foot distance.  She could see Mike, Michelle, Joe, Joyce, and Mark at the edge of the deck, with the rest of her colleagues leering and shouting at her from behind them.  

She inched her feet closer to the boat, testing the plank.  “Don’t you dare, Debbie,” Mike’s voice cut through the chaos, “ten minutes or we throw you overboard,” he threatened.  Debbie froze, her body reacting to his threat before her mind could even process it.  What was wrong with her?

She recalculated.  She couldn’t inch toward safety without them knowing- she would have to do it in one fell swoop.  If she waited for a break in the wind, she could make a run for the deck, and crash her way through the crowd to safety.  Then what? They had already proven that they could overpower her, and that their sense of decency had evaporated.  What was to stop them from capturing her and throwing her overboard like Mike promised?

She looked up at Captain Bill, hoping against hope that he would intervene.  Could he protect her?

When her eyes finally found him through the rain, she saw him watching her from the helm.  The woman who he had been ogling earlier was on her knees beside him, servicing his cock.

Debbie was truly on her own.

She surrendered to the fact that the best thing she could do is wait out the ten minutes, and hope that Mike had enough honour left to respect the terms.  She guessed she had been out there for at least five minutes, and steeled herself to wait out the rest.

She breathed deep into her feet, focusing on balancing and drowning out the noise.  Debbie did yoga regularly, so she dug deep into those skills to remain calm and poised amid the physical (and emotional) terror.  She felt cold rain pelt her skin, dripping off her nipples.  She heard the water churning against the boat, imagining its endless darkness below.  She felt heat between her legs, even as the wind chilled her to the bone.  She felt a knot of pure humiliation in her stomach that would take her years to undo.  

She was just starting to feel like she was back in control- and maybe that she would survive her nightmare- when the plank jumped.  The last thing she saw as she fell was Michelle’s foot on the end of the plank.

Debbie screamed as she plummeted toward the unrelenting sea.  She braced herself for impact, but nothing could have prepared her for the cold slice of darkness that enveloped her.  When she broke the surface of the water, she felt a thousand knives assault her skin as the frigid water took her prisoner.  She had enough skill as a swimmer to kick hard when she hit the water, but the surprise of the fall disoriented her for a few moments.  She couldn’t tell which way was up, and felt her body tense and panic as she worried she would drown.  

Debbie fought against the water, praying for the surface.  When she finally found it, she took a single deep, salt soaked breath before the waves pulled her under again.

Debbie’s body started to freeze up, her muscles aching in the cold as panic seeped into every pore.  Each time she found the surface, the sea was quick to pull her back under after one or two breaths.  Her lungs burned, her legs burned; her eyes, nose, and throat burned as they took in salt water.  

She came up sputtering, saying a silent prayer that the waves seemed to be granting her a few moments to strategize a way out of her impending demise.  She kicked her legs hard, the water tearing across her skin like knives as she got her bearings.  She was a few feet from the boat, mercifully enough that it wasn’t pulling her under.  She could hear her colleagues yelling, breathing a sigh of relief that they had noticed her fall.  

“Help!” Debbie screamed, waving her arms as the waves threatened to overtake her once again.  She hoped that the moonlight played off her pale naked skin enough that they could see her. 

Her heart sank when she heard Michelle’s taunting voice yelling, “I hope you enjoy skinny dipping! Brr, she looks cold! Poor, poor  Debbie, all alone with no one to help!”

Debbie wanted to cry, but instead she chose to scream.  She silently vowed to herself that every single one of her colleagues would pay dearly for her humiliation- if she ever made it out of the water.

She noticed a ladder down the side of the boat, at the other end.  The water was choppy, making swimming almost impossible- but it was Debbie’s only option.  She begged her freezing, aching body to move, swimming through the needling cold water as she ducked under the relentless waves.  She had swallowed more sea water than she had in her life, and it churned in her stomach with the wine and rum.

She made impossibly slow progress, her terror and humiliation sharpened by the whistling and cheering onlookers from the boat.

She was a ways from the ladder, but she felt that she was closer to it.  She stopped to rest as the waves picked up, focusing on rocking with them so she didn’t drown.  She took a deep breath as the water pulled her under, her lungs burning as she held on.  When the icy water finally released her, her blonde head broke the surface of the water as a white piece of plastic slapped her in the face.

Her entire body rejoiced as she followed the buoy to the boat, and saw Joe hanging onto the rope.  Debbie grasped for the buoy, screaming as it slid from her hands and the water pulled her back under.  She felt desperation in every limb as she fought her way back to the surface; her body was freezing but the hope granted by the buoy fuelled her to resist the urge to give up.  She finally hooked her arm through the buoy, giving a scream of relief as she felt it drag her toward the boat.

Hot tears mixed with the rain and sea water on her cheeks as she allowed herself to be pulled to the boat.  She had nothing left to kick, her legs and body surrendering to the sharp icy water.  Her body began to tremble, teeth chattering and limbs weakening as her adrenaline crashed.

She was just a few feet from the boat when the buoy was jerked from her grasp.  She was too surprised to consider whether it was man or nature who had severed her salvation.  The water claimed her again, dragging her to its depths.  Debbie had almost no fight left; the coldness of the water had seeped well into her muscles, rendering them useless.  She made a few futile kicks to get herself to the surface, vaguely wondering why she bothered.

When her head bobbed above the water, she heard Mike’s voice, which was strange because she couldn’t even hear the crowd: “You can do it, get to the ladder.” 

Debbie realized she was close enough to the boat that the ladder was within reach.  She gave two final kicks, stretching her aching core out so that her arms could grasp the ladder.  The wood was slick beneath her grasp, but she held on.  

She cried out as she climbed, each rung a more painful victory than the last.  She eventually pulled herself out of the water, no longer even conscious of her nudity as the wind bit her salt soaked skin.  Her blonde hair whipped around her face, but the only thing that mattered to her was climbing.

“Just a little further, baby, five more rungs.  That’s it, good girl, you’re almost there,” Mike’s voice bit through the wind, warming her core despite the icy rain.  She clung to it, willing her limbs to carry her a few more feet.

When she finally felt Mike’s warm hands on her body, she didn’t wince like before- she cried out in relief.  His hands braced her shoulders, steadying her as she worked her way up the last few rungs.  

“Help me pull her up, lads!” Mike shouted.  She soon felt other hands on her, first cupping her breasts and then her ass as they heaved her onto the deck.  She didn’t have the will or the energy to baulk at the intrusion.  

“Here, let us help you Debbie,” Mark said, his hands obviously kneading her breasts while Mike held her up.  She was too exhausted to stand, and too exhausted to fight back.  Joe’s hands were on her too, warming her ass as he squeezed it.  Mike held her weight as she leaned on him, brushing her soaked blonde hair off of her face as he whispered, “Such a good girl- I’m proud of you.”

Debbie was frozen and trembling, but felt an all too familiar heat between her legs again at his words.  

“Look what the sea dragged in,” Michelle’s callous voice said.  “Debbie looks like a drowned rat!  Not so up tight now, are you, Debbie?  It’s hard to be better than everyone when you’re naked and scared.”

The crowd cheered and whistled, encouraging the men as they shamelessly groped her under the guise of warming her up.  Debbie was on display for her colleagues, fully nude and shivering as the men touched her most intimate places.  She wanted them to stop, of course she did- but the warmth of their hands was the only thing between her and hypothermia.  

“You’re freezing, poor thing.  You need some CPR; a wet tongue will do wonders,” Mike cooed.  He kissed her deeply, his tongue invading her mouth as the crowd cheered.  His mouth moved down her neck, licking salt water from her skin before settling on a rock hard nipple.  Her goosebumps were no longer just from the cold.  

His hot breath soothed her, and she moaned in relief as he warmed her breast.  His hand travelled between her legs, and while her mind begged her to stop him her legs opened.  Heat exploded in her core as he groped her.  She could hear herself moaning- in protest- but she didn’t have the energy to stop him.

Suddenly, the horn on the boat blew three times.  “We’ve made it to shore,” Captain Bill announced, “safely through the darkness.”  The crowd cheered, emptying wine glasses and sharing kisses.  

“Another successful journey, thanks Captain Bill,” Michelle said.  “For some more than others,” she added, sneering at the exhausted Debbie.  Debbie was still clinging to Mike, his hands kneading her breasts as he nodded his thanks at the captain. 

“She’s stronger than anyone bargained for,” Captain Bill commented, “that woman is made of steel.”  He produced a large blanket, and mercifully draped it over Debbie’s naked body.  

Debbie would have smiled, but she was too exhausted.  She merely pulled the blanket around herself, using it as a shield between her and the men.  She pushed herself away from Mike, testing her aching limbs to see if she could stand on her own.  She could, barely.  

She took a few steps in an effort to follow the crowd off the boat, and wobbled.  Captain Bill put his arm under her, helping her the rest of the way.  As everyone got off the boat, normalcy resumed.  Exposed breasts were put away, entwined bodies separated.  

“I’ll call you in the morning about yoga,” Joyce called to the junior staffer who had been servicing Captain Bill.

“Thanks, I’ll definitely be there,” she replied back casually.

“I’ll see you on Monday, Debbie,” Mike called as he walked past her.  “I can’t wait to hear your process proposal,” he said with a wink.   

Debbie was aghast at her colleagues’ collective aloofness.  They were behaving as if nothing on the boat had happened, like it had all been some sort of dream (or, in Debbie’s case, nightmare).  

“I’m so humiliated,” she lamented.  Her body was still trembling from the icy water and associated fear, though hot shame started to surface.  

“Don’t be, it was just your turn,” Captain Bill said reassuringly.  Debbie looked at him questioningly, so he continued, “They do this once a quarter to blow off steam.  It’s a…service that I provide- a chance to let go of inhibitions and embrace one’s true nature,” he explained.  “The first time is always scary, especially if you aren’t prepared.”

“I almost drowned!” Debbie exclaimed.  She was shocked at the lack of apology in the captain’s explanation.  Her shame was quickly being replaced by raw anger at the callousness of the group.  “My life was in danger, and my livelihood- I won’t be able to look anyone at the company in the eye again, now that they’ve seen…and touched…well, all of me,” she blushed.

“I think on Monday you will find nothing but respect from your colleagues,” the captain promised.  “Think of this like a hazing ritual- you passed with flying colours,” he praised her.  “What happens on the boat truly stays on the boat- the bewitched coins ensure it,” he explained.  “Not only do they bring out everyone’s true nature, but they bind everyone to confidentiality.  In addition, they blur memories to ensure only the positive ones remain,” he said with a wink.  “Better for business that way.  True natures can be tricky, and aren’t always pleasant- you learned that tonight when Michelle toppled you off the plank, and when the men…well, you know.”

“Why do you do this to people?” Debbie asked.

“I do it for people,” Captain Bill answered.  It’s therapeutic to lean into your deepest desires, and to explore your true nature.  Everyone on this boat learns something about themselves each time, and they always come back for more.  You will too, just wait and see,” he smiled.

“Doubtful,” Debbie said flatly.  “I have no desire to be humiliated and groped by my colleagues again, or to fall to almost the end of my life,” she added.

“Is that all that happened tonight, Debbie?  You didn’t learn anything about yourself, didn’t feel any stirring, or surprises as the night unfolded?”

Debbie considered, and was immediately reminded of the way Mike seemed to be able to direct or control her, how his words brought heat to her core.  “N…no,” she said defiantly, “nothing.  I won’t be back.”

With that, she got off the ship, abandoning her pirate costume with her naked body still wrapped in the captain’s blanket.

By the time she got home, her thoughts were racing- not about revenge, or shame, or fear, but instead with one resounding question:

If the coins really were bewitched to bring out everyone’s true nature, what did that say about her?  

She vowed to return to the boat to find out.