Tainted.

[3] Playing a Maniac's Sweetheart...

I awoke to the same wretched beeping.

Beep.

Beep.

Nothing stirred in the room with the exception of a lonesome lab-coat fiddling with the syringes at the table.

“How are you feeling?” He said bluntly, as he wiped off the needles one by one without raising his head to look at me.

I scoffed without saying a word, hoping my emotions towards him and his crazy associates were clear.

He turned on his heel and clicked his way toward me. I was on the metal table again, this time strapped down by three unbreakable strips.

One on my chest.

One on my hips also extending to my wrists.

 And one on my ankles.

His face was pasty, as it seemed they all were, and his hair jet-black.

“We’re going to try something different today. We’re going to allow you to fly and study your flight patterns and formations for future reference.” He said cheerily, as if being a lab rat for “future reference” has always been a childhood dream of mine.

Guess what you monster? -I wanted to shout- flying has been ability ever since I was born. Your stupid antics were the things that have made it an effort!

But I didn’t utter a word. This time I awoke with a new plan in mind: To go along with it. Behave and go to Mr. Lombard’s mansion; there it would be easier to escape. He’d probably give me more freedom.

Probably…

A stiffening, cold pain shot through my veins at once to awaken me from my thought, as the man infused the IV in my arm with some of their new venom. This time it was black like ink. I felt as though I was about to puke.

The door suddenly shot open, startling the lab-coat more than I.

I have gotten used to these humans’ surprises.

“Ah! Aleda! You are awake!” The sadistic Mr. Lombard began with utter joy.

If I wanted to go through with my plan, I’d have to act like a total sweetheart. I mentally slapped myself as I felt my countenance unconsciously morphed into a hateful grimace.

Poker face, Aleda! I told myself.

My hands clenched the white cloth of my scarce-clothing, trying to stifle my resentment.

“Yesterday, you caused me some pain. Really, mostly in here.” He said, pointing to his heart and looking down at me from where the lab-coat filed away shyly, leaving us unaccompanied. “After all I’ve done for you… tsk, tsk. But, that’s okay; I like that little bit of fire in you.”

He got closer, sweeping my short, wavy brown hair from my face and at that I noticed it.

Besides the obvious bandage on his head, his neck and ear were scratched horrendously, lines of etched blood tracing down his pale skin. Bruises were splattered across the hideous canvas of his face in rich colors of blue, purple and pink.

Did I do that?!

Nevertheless, they were colors and lines of utter pride. I was almost there. Almost on my way out.

Disrupting my thoughts, the previous lab-coat along with another, gaunt one filed in and Mr. Lombard stepped back hastily, apparently disturbed.

I was grateful for their presence, I have become aware of the things Mr. Lombard is capable of; the vulgar things he has done or tried to do to me…  I don’t trust being alone with him.

“We’re ready for her sir.” One of them said with submission. Mr. Lombard clasped his hands together in delight, his face lighting up at 1,000 watts.

“Wonderful. Aleda, did James explain everything to you?” I gave him a blank stare, knowing very well that he was referring to the lab-coat I had woken up to, struggling to play nice by not spitting on his very face. He should be grateful I didn’t; Fairy saliva is as toxic as snake venom. “James?”

The man bowed slightly as he spoke, daring not to look into Mr. Lombard’s cold gray eyes. “Ah, yes sir. Well, I began to tell her but I wasn’t able to go through it step-by-step.”

“Oh, that’s alright. We have plenty of time in the Hollow and I’d be charmed to explain things to her.”

I smiled as hard as I could and mumbled a humble thank you.

It was the hardest thing I had to endure yet. But, in adherence to my plan, I must not be offensive.

In a few minutes, I was chained in promise of not running away, blindfolded, and dragged to the place they called the Hollow.

 It was an enchanting yet nauseating replica of the place where they had taken me from not long ago: A forest with a wonderful, bubbling creek of pebbles below and a towering, jagged cliff containing a dark cave of sorts within it.

But something was missing; my initial home, the tree house I had lived in for years. The one I had built with Peter. They didn’t bother building it.

It was surprising though, I’d think they’d want to cause me the agonizing home-sickness.

“Here we are.” Mr. Lombard clapped as I trailed behind him along with a dozen of his wicked subordinates. They rolled around heavy equipment and complicated-looking computers and machines.

I was in utter fear, afraid they’ll do something ghastly, as they always do. But I hold it in; keep my head high and proud.

Boy was I in for a surprise.

Who knew flying could be turned into a torture method?

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“Aleda, darling, today you showed so much compromise and loyalty. I am so proud of you. We have learned so much about your ways of flying. It is quite fascinating!” I hated the way Mr. Lombard spoke to me like his little pet. As if I cared to please him.

He made a line down my arm and held my hand forcefully, moving it somewhat. I groaned as the IV shifted a little in my skin.

Mr. Lombard didn’t care that I was in pain.

“As you know, Aleda, you are quite dear to me.” He looked at me with fake affection and waited for my hazel eyes to glint with a speck of love in return.

They didn’t.

Even though I had been trying to act nice as they forced me to flutter my paralyzed wings, as they injected me with pints of venom, as I fell dozens of times and yet they yelled for me to get up… I just couldn’t fake loyalty!

I was able to smile a bit, say things like please and thank you, but my eyes could only flash with pure hatred.

So I smiled, hoping he’d let go of my hand. “I’ve decided, since you have been such a pleasure, to allow you to live in my castle with me.” He grinned exuberantly waiting for my presumed excitement to burst.

He was so naïve.

“That is just grand, Mr. Lombard. Thank you!” I forced out as my voice cracked. I broke into a fit of terrible coughs and Mr. Lombard motioned with his finger for one of the lab-coats to come in and give me some sort of medicine. I politely (sort of) refused, willing my coughing to end, refusing to ingest anymore of these humans’ poison.

Mr. Lombard stared at me with not a glint of sentiment, waiting for me to silence. “Call me Adhemar.”

“Adhemar.” I whispered, testing the name gently with Adhemar looking on, repulsive thoughts in his head.

 On the inside, I was spitting on the name, marking it as pure evil and forever pitying those who shared it.