The Touch

Chapter 29 - Blind Bird, Torture

The pain was tearing through my body like hot liquid fire and I couldn't take much more of it. For years I had endured the torture and they had also taken my sight, all because I had the Touch.

I wanted it to stop so badly and I knew I had slipped up when they had drugged me today as I faintly heard myself mention her name. It was just one sentence "Lacey, please be careful".

It didn't take them long to figure out that Lacey was someone I must know outside of the institute and that I had been communicating with her.

Dr Martins screamed at me when I woke from the drugs and the nurses had to restrain him from doing further damage to me. He wanted to know who Lacey was and where she was located, but I wasn't going to tell him. I vowed to myself years ago that I would never tell him about her, he could try any torture he wanted but I would never give her to him.

Dr Martins was cunning though and knew that torturing me wasn't going to work as he knew I had endured enough pain and survived it year after year. This time he tried something more terrible than physical torture.

"You tell me what you know and where she is and I will stop all this testing. I will also make you a very special deal Blind Bird. If you tell me where she is and we find her, then she can take your place and you can go free" Dr Martins whispered in my ear.

Why was my first thought elation? Was it because the pain would then stop and I could be set free from it forever? Or was it because for the first time ever I knew Dr Martins was being truthful.

For a brief second I imagined leaving this laboratory and moving away with Samantha to start a new life together. But how could I start a new life when I had no sight to see the world with. Would it even make a difference as I was living with Samantha on the grounds now and we had our own little house where I could go outside and sit on the grass and feel the sun on my face. What more did I need then that?

"What good would it do to make me free? You have already taken my sight so what use would it be for me to go out into the world now?" I spat back.

"Well that is easy little blind bird. What if I could give you your sight back? Wouldn't that make it a deal worth doing? he said.

"You can never give me my sight back"I cried moving my head towards his voice" You took that from me by pouring liquid into my eyes. Now I will never be able to see again!".

"Do you think this lab only does testing on lab rats like yourself? Of course we don't. We have a laboratory that enables us to perform all kinds of miracles such as eye implants. If you give me her details then I give you your eye sight back and once she is captured then you and Samantha will be free to go and I will also make sure that you are provided for the rest of your lives." Dr Martins said then paused like he was giving me time to think it over. "Samantha is now in her seventies and what will happen when she dies? You will have to come back and live here in the institute for the rest of your life, and I am sure you would rather live your life free than stay here".

Thoughts of seeing again and being able to leave this institute filled my mind for just a fleeting minute and then I saw Lacey and the torture she would have to go through if she came here. I could not let that happen to her, ever.

"I will never tell you who she is or where she is. You can kill me if you like, I don't care. Killing me just means that you will never be able to locate people with the Touch and your stupid Watchers would be out of a job!".

My voice was getting louder and my body was straining against the binds that had me bound to the bed.

He was quiet for a minute and I wondered if I may have won this fight. But I knew better, he was just making me wait.