A Hero's Protection

Torture for Two

Mr. Garse would order Caroline around. He told her when to sleep, when to eat, even when to go to the bathroom. She was completely helpless against his powers. She had no way of communicating with him but was forced to watch him control her life.

It was very difficult at first. Her father made mistakes as he learned what Caroline needed. Caroline wet her pants before he remembered she was unable to go to the bathroom of her own free will.

At least she had some privacy. Her father would send her to her room and she would act like a robot, moving through the familiar motions of changing her clothes. She would go to the bathroom alone and wash her hands. It seemed Mr. Garse didn't need to see Caroline to control her.

Caroline knew her father didn't enjoy this either. Caroline watched his movements, looked into his sad eyes, and listened to his longing voice when he wished Caroline to answer.

Maybe it wasn't only greed that made him hunt her down, but grief as well. Caroline knew how much it hurt him when her mother died. Losing his only two daughters would have broken him. Caroline understood why he took the risk even though he knew there may be no way to bring Caroline back. He was afraid of losing her again.

Many days passed and Caroline stopped fighting. Caroline was forced to use her powers, to fight guards to stay fit, and to do everyday tasks such as sleep. Caroline found no pleasure in her routine and found it too much to count her days trapped in her robotic body.

She could feel pain as she found out one day when she was cut with a weapon during training. Mr. Garse had apologized over and over again and the wound was taken care of immediately. Caroline could feel the pain, but she had no way of expressing it.

"I think I know how to control everything about you," Mr. Garse said as he sat on a gray couch. Controlled Caroline sat in a chair opposite him, forced to watch his face. "I can move your body," her right arm raised and waved at him before resting on her lap again. "I can hurt you," He looked at her left wrist, which was wrapped in a bandage. "I can close your eyes," Controlled Caroline's eyelids closed. "And I hope this gives you time to sleep at night, does it?" Caroline couldn't respond. He sighed.

"The only thing I haven't tried is making you speak. I am in control of everything you are usually in control of. I can't make your body digest food or your heartbeat but I can control everything your mind can. Why wouldn't I be able to make you speak?" Controlled Caroline's eyes opened and stared blankly at her father.

"Say hi," Mr. Garse stared with concentration at Caroline. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. Mr. Garse concentrated and Controlled Caroline began mouthing words, but no sound came out.

"How does this work," he mumbled an hour and a half later. Caroline's mouth felt dry and she longed for a glass of water. Mr. Garse was oblivious to this of course and just continued talking.

"There is only one way I can redeem myself. I need to make you the hero like you've always wanted. I need to make you speak, so you can speak to the people. Or I could just make you a mute hero, then I would have to be your translator. We could create some sort of sign language or something to make it look real."

Caroline couldn't handle it anymore. She may have wanted to be a hero, but never in the way her father wanted her to become. Her father wanted to redeem himself, because of the mistakes he made, but didn't he realize there was nothing he could do to fix her? He had doomed her existence and he knew it.

Caroline was surprised to feel her cheeks wet. She could almost taste the tears running down her lips, running from her eyes. Her father could control her body, but he couldn't control her thoughts or her emotions. Crying was a physical consequence of emotions and it seemed like his frustration and sadness had created the physical consequence.

Her father stopped talking to look up at her. The look of realization and sadness on his face made Controlled Caroline cry even more. He didn't realize he could make her cry with his emotions. Caroline had a fleeting thought that it was her own emotions that triggered it.

"I'm so sorry," He forced her to move from the chair onto the couch and cuddle up against him. "I could never change the past, but I can still affect the future. You may not be able to control your body but I can and I can help you achieve greatness. Just you wait."

Controlled Caroline never stopped crying.