(Inspired by Mark Benedict on Twitter who asked me about fetishes and hiking. The Crosstown Trail is a real trail with a real guidance app- find out more here.)
Mary smiled and stretched, looking out over Candlestick Park. She took a deep breath as she finished her warmups.
Mary had been looking forward to this hike for months. 7am was early for her but a 17 mile walk was no joke- and she wanted to finish way before dark. It was early enough that she had the whole park to herself- a rare pleasure in such a big city.
She started her curated hiking playlist and then hit "start" on the hiking app, making sure both music and guidance were playing through her headset.
"Follow signs for Crosstown Trail to the left" the navigation voice said.
Perfect.
Mary began her hike.
-----------------------
30 minutes later
She had set a pleasant, steady pace for her walk. No need to hurry- she had all day to finish. The sun was out and she was starting to see some other people on the trails. This part of the hike was prettier than she expected with lots of views of the city below and wildflowers blooming throughout the park. The wind whipped through her hair, blocking out extraneous sounds.
Mary felt pleasantly buzzy. It was easy to just let her thoughts flow and become meditative. All she really had to do right now was listen to the voice in her ear, guiding her in the right direction.
Mary walked through the city streets, smiling at the people she saw on the sidewalks. Walking like this made her feel close to the city while maintaining a nice, meditative distance from the city's busyness. This hike was feeling very easy so far-easier than she had anticipated, even. It was almost like she was in the same flow state she got into when she ran. Mary was vaguely aware of the music and the directing voice in her earbuds but it was easy to let those guide her in the background without giving them too much thought.
As she walked, a sudden change in the music reawakened her awareness. Something about the hum sounded familiar.
Oh no.
The start of the gentle, insistent voice confirmed it. She must have accidentally added one of her kinky hypnosis files to her hiking playlist.
She blushed, looking around as if she had been caught- but, of course, the people of San Francisco were going nonchalantly about their day. No one could hear the seductive, compelling words of the hypnotist in her ear- and no one would notice anything was strange about her behavior. That is, of course, unless she freaked out and made it strange.
She briefly considered getting her phone out of her backpack to change tracks but- she hated to break her pace. She had built up some nice momentum and slowing it down for something silly like this would be a shame. She would just ignore the file until something else started playing. No problem.
"Left on Main Street"
She started up a hill.
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4 hours in
How could San Francisco be so hilly? she asked herself again.
The past hour had been largely uphill and Mary was finally beginning to feel truly tired. She still had energy left, of course, but the easy effortless walking of earlier was feeling a bit more labored. She was noticing less of the people and places around her as she focused more and more on keeping a steady pace. Occasionally on bigger climbs she'd have to watch her breathing- focused on breathing in and out even as she walked steadily uphill.
As she walked, she had noticed a few more hypnosis files had slipped into her playlist. (She hadn't given the password out to anyone, had she? she wondered idly.) This had long stopped feeling so embarrassing, though. In fact, she didn't really feel like she was listening to anything particular now anyway. The files blended in with the music blended in with the podcasts. All she was really focused on was putting one foot in front of the other and following directions.
"Up the stairs on the left," said a voice in her ears.
"Good girl," said another.
She followed.
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5 hours in
She had meant to stop for lunch but- for some reason she hadn't been hungry. Food didn't seem important. She felt herself regularly drink from her water bottle but it almost felt like that was happening on its' own. Her body needed water so it drank, Her lungs needed to breathe so they breathed. Her feet needed to walk so they walked.
At some point on a staircase, she had started intensely focusing on her feet themselves- avidly watching herself put one foot in front of the other. It was a trick she had learned from an old hiker on a mountain climb- a way to make big climbs feel more manageable. She hadn't anticipated using that trick today but- it was working. In fact, now that she was in the habit, she was finding it easier to keep looking down at her feet instead of up and around so much. It kept her nice and focused on her walk.
Step
Step
Step
"Walking away your worries," the voice said. "Walking away your cares"
Step Step Step
"Follow Park Presidio Greenway" said the voice.
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6 hours in
Step Step Step
She was so tired.
Step step step
And so weak
Step step step
But something pushed her forward
Step
It was like she couldn't escape the rhythm of the steps
Step
But it was important they they continued
Step
She was walking deeper into the city, the voice said
Step step step
She was walking deeper deeper down, the voice said
Step step step
And each step
Step
Made her more tired
Step
and obedient
step
and ready to be controlled
step
losing herself
step
losing her name
step
losing her will
step
but still going forward
step
pushing forward
step
because finishing the walk was so important
step
and she'd be rewarded at the end
step
once she had walked her will away
step step step
good girl
step
very good
step
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7 hours in
She was in a daze.
She felt like the walk was never going to end.
She blearily looked up and around. Some distant part of her noticed that she seemed to be nowhere near the ocean but that thought floated through her mind without raising any alarms. Right now, she just wanted this over.
"Left on Casita"
She followed.
"Go to the grey house on the left."
Her feet carried her forward.
"Knock"
Thoughtlessly, she knocked on the door.
"Trail end" said the voice.
Relief washed through her.
Thank god, the part of her that was left thought. Thank god she was finally here.
Someone answered the door. The person seemed...familiar somehow. If she could pull together her thoughts she could probably figure it out, but- she was so tired now.
"tired?" the person asked.
She knew that voice. She hadn't quite caught what they had said and whether that was a question or command but- yes. She nodded. She was so tired.
"I bet you're sleepy too," the gentle, seductive voice inquired.
She nodded again. SO sleepy.
"Good girl. I bet you walked all your thoughts away today, didn't you?"
Of course she had. She had walked everything away. She nodded, barely able to stay on her feet.
The person chuckled, warmly. Suddenly their arms were around her, steadying her as they walked inside the house. She felt herself being placed on a comfortable couch. Her mind filled with gratitude towards her host for finally letting her sit.
"Good girl," the host said, soothingly. "You've been so good today. You already got rid of all your resistance for me, didn't you? That was the hard part. So this next part will be nice and easy."
They raised their finger. She blearily followed it with her eyes.
The fingers snapped.
"SLEEP," the voice said.
Gratefully, her body and mind obeyed, eagerly tumbling into deep, deep, restful trance. She sagged as all of her muscles let go.
They caught her.
"Very good," said the voice. "All the way down for me."
