“Sir, the girl from the Product Testing agency is here.”
“Good. Send her down here to the lab.” Although Jefferson was young for a research director, he had an easy, confident authority and his staff were quick to follow his orders. He gestured to his assistant, “Jack, check the equipment again while she comes through.”
It was only a minute before the young woman arrived. Standing in the doorway in a smartly elegant dress, she captured everyone’s attention. Her blonde, bobbed hair framed a beautiful face with sparkling grey eyes and a charming smile. Even Jefferson wasn’t unaffected.
“Hi, I’m Sophie. Is this the R&D lab?” Sophie took in her surroundings. There were four men in the room – she could see the strongly-built, shaven-headed man in front of her was clearly in charge; two other men stood by carrying film cameras; behind them she saw a young man who had been looking over some apparatus but was now looking at her, transfixed. ‘Handsome but shy’, she thought to herself…‘cute.’ The high-ceilinged room was airy but still the July heat felt close around her; she felt glad she was wearing so little.
Jefferson stepped forward and shook her hand formally, but warmly. “Sure – thanks for coming. I’m Jefferson, I head up our work here. Did your agency tell you much about the project?”
“Nothing at all really. Just that you’ve got a new product and you need it consumer tested before it’s marketed. That’s what I do.”
Jefferson wasn’t surprised that they hadn’t told her any more. “Let me quickly introduce some of my staff. Jack here is my assistant, and these two gents, David and Gareth, are here to film everything; is that ok?”
“Yeah, it’s fine with me.” She caught Jack’s eye and smiled.
Jefferson's eyes ran over Sophie's dress, taking in the straps which looped around her neck. “That dress is going to be a bit awkward. We're really going to need your neck to be clear for this - could you take it off?”
“Well I don't know. I'm not wearing a bra under this.”
“That's ok, you won't need one.”
“I suppose...” Sophie reached up and lifted the straps of her dress over her head. Released, her dress fell away from her round breasts and she shimmied all the way out of it, sliding it down her long legs and standing now in only a pair of red panties and her high-heels. She noticed Jack and the cameramen shifting uncomfortably. “Are you sure you want me like this? It’s a little indecent…”
“Not at all. We're all professionals. You know, it would make the clean-up afterwards easier if you were out of those panties as well.” Sophie’s eyes widened for a second and Jefferson knew he might have overstepped the mark. “It's not essential – only if you're comfortable – it will be easier for us to clean up, and since you’re really almost nude already...”
The thought of being naked in front of these strangers sent a thrill through Sophie's body. She looked to the assistant, Jack, but he was averting his gaze. Could she really do it? For most people being naked at work is the stuff of nightmares, but the idea was so shocking she liked it. “I don't know if I should. You're sure it would help?”
“As I say, it's not crucial and I don't feel I can ask if you're unsure about it. But yes, it would help.”
“Well I always try to be professional...”
Jack prayed that his hardening erection wouldn't show as the girl hooked her thumbs over the sides of her panties. She hesitated for a few seconds, seeming to build up her nerve, but then slipped them down and straightened herself back up, wearing only her high-heels. Her naked and shapely body was exposed and his eyes went straight to the neat blonde thatch of hair between her legs. He thought of what they were about to do to this girl and his breathing deepened. He'd secretly hoped the agency would send a young woman to the product testing as the idea had been a turn-on, and now she was standing there naked, exposed and not knowing what was to come, he felt an ache deep in his loins. “You're so beautiful,” he said without thinking, and suddenly blushed.
Sophie broke into a shy grin and crossed one leg in front of the other. “Thank you.”
Jefferson shot a quick disapproving glance to his assistant and then turned back to the girl. “If you could step this way...”
“So what is it you're wanting me to try out?” She followed him across the room, feeling the cool air across her body, and saw the contraption in the corner. She'd noticed it as she came in: a flat surface on which someone might lie, and above that a wooden framework supporting a lethally sharp and heavy blade. History had never been her strong point.
“It's called a guillotine,” Jack explained. “They're not new, but the technology's been out of use for some time. We think the market's ready to bring it back, but obviously we need to be sure how effective it is, err, which is where we need your services.”
“So what’s it for?”
“It's to be used for executing condemned criminals,” Jefferson explained. “Your part in this is really easy. You lie here, face up, with your head at that end. When my assistant Jack pulls this lever, the blade you see at the top will fall down, like so.” To demonstrate, he pulled the lever and Sophie watched wide-eyed as the blade fell with a smooth and powerful motion and thudded into place at the base.
“Oh.”
“The beauty of this system is that the survival rate from decapitation is remarkably low… Of course we've tested the mechanism on a range of materials – different thicknesses and densities and so on – we're confident the cutting motion will be effective on a live human neck. But our marketing department tell us we can't go ahead until we've seen it in use. Jack, reset the blade, would you?”
There was a pause as Jack set to work and Sophie took this in. “So this is…” She wondered how she could ask this delicately, “this will actually cut off my head?”
“That's the idea. You really won't have to lift a finger, you just lie there – should be an easy assignment. Though we would appreciate your feedback on the experience as we go along.”
“And after it's done that, will I be, umm...”
“You will be dead – obviously. I can’t tell you how glad we are to find someone so professional. If you could just pop yourself onto the guillotine, we’ll make it fairly quick.” Sophie didn’t move. “That's not a problem is it? There was a space on the form for you to list anything you weren't willing to do and you didn't put down death.”
“Well I didn't really think of that.” The butterflies in Sophie's tummy were multiplying and suddenly she felt a sick fear inside. But at the same time she felt a growing arousal which was above and beyond her nudity in front of strangers. “Oh god,” she said softly to herself.
“So you are ok to do this?”
“I'm just a bit nervous. I’d no idea that I'd be dying today.”
“This is a prestigious assignment, you know; the girl we test this on will be the first to die by guillotine for many years, and the footage is going to be closely viewed by a lot of people. We could replace you if you're not comfortable with this.”
“No, it's alright. ‘Here to give the best possible service’ – that's our motto. I mean, I can see you need this tested – and I suppose someone has to do it... right?” Jack had finished resetting the equipment and she could see he was looking at her with anticipation. She'd liked how he looked at her body and now she realised he'd known all along what would be happening to her. A fresh wave of dread and arousal flushed through her body. “Will it hurt?”
“We honestly don't know, but I expect it will be too quick for that.”
“Right. So I just lie here?”
“If you would. We are pressed for time.”
Sophie sat on the edge of the guillotine. The surface was padded with leather and felt cool under her skin. She slipped off her shoes, then swung her legs up and lay across, resting her head back, feeling so conscious of all their eyes on her body. Embarrassed by her almost unbearable arousal, she kept her legs tight together. Her hands gripped the edges of the plank on which she lay. Jack placed a small wooden restraint across her neck, just enough to keep her head from moving.
“Now, just a few questions our marketing team would like answered. How comfortable do you feel?”
“Erm, yeah, it’s comfy. There won’t be much blood will there? I’m not good with blood.”
“There probably will be. The amount of splatter is partly what the cameras are here to record. But you will be dead by then so you really needn’t worry. Now, I have a more delicate question about the whole experience, if you don’t mind. In the old days of public executions, an odd thing was often noticed. Men were seen to be sexually aroused at the knowledge that they were about to die. We’d like to know if you’re feeling anything similar?”
“Oh god yes! Is that normal then? It’s not just me?” Without realising it, she squirmed her hips a little, no longer trying to hide her arousal.
“That’s fascinating. How moist are you right now – could we take a closer look?”
She didn’t reply, but opened her legs just a little. Jefferson gently took hold by her calves and quietly parted her legs much wider. Sophie lay passively, her vulva glistening within the blonde bush of her pubic hair. Not asking for permission now, Jefferson placed his fingers there and gently felt her labia. At the touch she let out a deep and contented sigh.
“Make a note, Jack, her lubrication seems to be, well, off the scale I’d say. David, make sure the camera gets a close view of this.”
“Oh my god, I’ve never felt so fucking good…”
“Open your legs wider.  I want to feel how wet you are inside.”
Sophie gladly parted her legs all the way.  She knew what would happen any moment now and didn’t even want to escape.
“Jack, you may as well get ready with the lever.”
Sophie lifted her hips a little and Jefferson slid his fingers all the way into her blonde pussy.
“Oh…”
Jack placed his hand on the lever.
“That’s so…”
Jefferson’s eyes met Jack’s briefly and he gave a nod.
“fucking…”
The lever was pulled, the blade fell.
“g---”
Sophie’s body fell limp in an instant as her severed head dropped into the basket.

“A clean cut?”
“Smooth as anything sir.” Jack lifted the blade so the camera could get a close view of her severed neck. “How on Earth did we find someone so willing?”
“Well her agency didn’t want to lose her, but I did a deal. Which reminds me – we need to make copies of the footage for all the guys in her office.”
“Will do.”
“And get cleaned up here. We’ve got a girl coming at three to test our new gallows project.”