Obedient Sisters Story Part 1 (preview)

Hi all. Just wanted to give you a preview of the story for Obedient Sisters. I'm pretty happy with the result. It's a very slow burn. This is just a small sample. The story is quite long. If you enjoy it, I highly encourage you to subscribe to the All Access tier. Thanks a lot for your support. I'd also love to hear your feedback.

The sticky heat of the Phnom Penh afternoon lay heavy over the simple, suburban house where sisters Chea and Bopha had made their lives. The hum of the city, a mixture of honking horns and vibrant street-market chatter, filtered through the open windows. Today was not like any other day, however. Today, their household was about to be invaded by a youthful tornado named Sareum, who also happened to be their younger half-sister, on their dad's side.

Both women, Chea and Bopha, towered like giantesses in their small living room, wringing their hands nervously. Despite being in their mid-30s, with bodies that reflected years of labor and hearty meals, the women were consumed with an almost childlike apprehension. They were hefty, robust figures, their stature only amplified by their anxiousness, their faces pinched in uneasy anticipation.

Beneath their towering 5 feet 10 inches frames, they seemed to shrink, transforming into those timid girls from years past. Once upon a time, they had been the unfortunate victims of Sareum's peculiar sense of "fun." Sareum was an intelligent and beautiful child. But behind her innocent façade lay a cruel, sadistic nature. She was a prodigy in martial arts, which she coupled with her dark games to torment Chea and Bopha. Despite being 18 years her senior, they were powerless in the face of their little sister. The memories of these games still haunted their nights, sending cold shivers down their spines. They were games of humiliation, confinement, and obedience, all playing on their fears and discomfort, pushing them to their limits physically and mentally. They never told their parents out of sheer fear of what Sareum would do to them.

Eventually, they managed to move away and attempted to forget the nightmare that was their life under Sareum's dominion. They cut off nearly all contact with their little sister. But several years later, just as they thought they had escaped her grasp for good, they received a phone call. It was from Sareum, now a high school graduate, ready to embark on her journey to college in Phnom Penh. She was asking - or rather, telling - them that she would be moving in with them. Their hearts sank, the past crashing into their present, threatening to shatter the peace they had managed to find. They felt they had no choice but to agree, both out of fear and a misguided sense of obligation. However, this time they had made a vow to each other that they would not fall back into their old ways. They would not once again become Sareum's playthings, to do with as she pleases. Despite the trembling fear that clawed at their insides, they pledged to stand their ground. They would not crumble under Sareum's reign.

Suddenly, the uneasy silence was interrupted by the screech of a car coming from outside. Chea jumped at the sound, knocking over a ceramic elephant. She hastily picked it up, stuttering out an apology to no one in particular. Bopha shot her a sympathetic glance, her own nerves radiating off her in waves.

The front door swung open, and in stepped Sareum. Petite as a sparrow and radiant as the Cambodian sun, she was a stark contrast to her would-be guardians. Barely reaching their shoulders, the top of her head touched just above their chests. Her eyes, however, were filled with a mischievous glint that belied her delicate, doll-like appearance.

"Chea, Bopha," she greeted, her voice soft but firm, carrying an unmistakable note of authority that had always unsettled the two older women.

Chea and Bopha steeled themselves, setting their jaws and squaring their shoulders. "Sareum," Bopha began, her voice tremulous but determined, "We...we want to set some ground rules."

Sareum tilted her head, an amused smile playing on her lips. "Ground rules?" She repeated, her voice laced with amusement. "Interesting."

Chea swallowed, her large hands trembling slightly. "We won't tolerate... what happened before. This is our home, and we demand respect."

Sareum's laughter filled the room, a chilling reminder of their past. "Oh, you demand? And what can you do if I refuse?"

Bopha took a step forward, mustering her courage. "We can't allow you to play those...those games, Sareum. We won't be a part of it."

Sareum leaned back against the door, her smile unyielding. "And who said you have a choice?"

Chea's eyes widened, the haunting reality of Sareum's power crashing down on her. She faltered, her brave front crumbling. Her gaze dropped to the floor, her body starting to tremble.

Bopha, noticing Chea's capitulation, attempted to keep her ground. "Sareum, you can't..."

But Sareum interrupted, her voice silencing Bopha's protests. "Enough!" She said, and it echoed with an authority that seemed impossible for her petite form.

Her gaze swept over the trembling forms of Chea and Bopha, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. "Do you honestly believe you're in a position to negotiate? After what you did, abandoning me, leaving me alone with mom and dad. Well, now I'm here to take back control of what's mine."

Bopha steeled herself, refusing to be drawn back into the past. "We're not the same, Sareum. We won't be your puppets again."

A chuckle escaped Sareum's lips, amusement lighting her eyes. She pushed herself off the door, her movements graceful and controlled. As she moved, she nonchalantly pulled her sleeves up past her elbows, revealing slender, delicate arms. Arms that bore a deceptive strength. The sight sent a jolt through Chea and Bopha's spines, reminding them of the power she wielded.

"Oh, Bopha, my dear Bopha. You've always been the smarter one, haven't you?" Sareum said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. She closed the distance between them, her diminutive stature at odds with the towering dread she invoked. "But even you must see. Things won't change. You can't change."

She then turned to Chea and reached her hand up to her face, her fingers brushing against Chea's cheek. The older woman flinched at the contact, but couldn't bring herself to pull away. She was like a deer caught in the headlights, her large frame frozen in place.

Sareum's fingers slid up, her grip firm on Chea's face, her thumb caressing the trembling woman's cheek in a parody of comfort. "You remember how it was, don't you, Chea? The games we played, the fun we had. We're going to have that again."