Blood Iris

Chapter Eight

I was woken from my short nap by the long-dreaded sound of the door opening.

I wasn't ready for this. I wasn't physically or mentally prepared. How could I stand more of this? How much longer could I take this? My body ached from the electrocution; I could still feel the dried blood on my face and the buzz of electricity coursing through my cells.

"Hello again, sunshine." Kara's voice invoked that deepest fear inside of me. The fear I had shoved so far down. But I wasn't going to let her know that. She would only use it against me. In fact, it was all she didn't have from me. I would hold on to it with everything I had.

She stepped around my chair, her two lackeys following close behind her.

She suddenly clapped her hands together once, startling me. "Today, we are going to try a new method."

"What, asking nicely?" I knew I shouldn't have said it, or anything for that matter, but I was so angry and tired. Honestly I just couldn't think straight.

Her eyes flashed darkly as she took a deep breath. "No, this method will be more... interactive." Now she was back in her happy place, hurting people. I hated her for it.

"Take these restraints off of me and I'll show you interactive!" I shouted as loud as I could, but with my voice as hoarse as it was, it came out only slightly louder than normal.

"Hmm... not yet. That comes later. Olivia, Claire, your turn." Kara turned back to me and smiled as Olivia and Claire pulled out wicked-looking dental tools.

I watched with terror as they advanced toward me. I made the mistake of looking at Kara.

"My, my, I've got to teach you to hold your tongue." She smiled evilly. "Normally, I would cut it out, but then I couldn't hear your pleas for mercy. So I came up with a better idea."

My breathing increased as one of the girls held back my head with one hand and opened my jaw with the other. The girl that I stabbed in the cheek with the paper clip was doing the honors. No surprise there. Maybe I shouldn't go around making people angry. It would make my life a lot easier and things like this wouldn't happen as often.

"Go ahead, Claire." Kara encouraged her gleefully.

Claire was enjoying this as much as Kara was. She held up the heavy duty dental pliers. I guessed that they were not for cleaning my teeth.

I wasn't ready when she dove for my back molar and ripped it out, not taking her time. I screamed and struggled against my restraints. The pain tore through my gums, throughout my whole mouth, and down my throat. My screaming only faltered when I choked on the blood running down my throat. I spat out the blood and felt tears streak my cheeks.

"Now that you have a taste of my methods, I'm going to ask you once, who did you tell about us, and what did you tell them?"

I could barely comprehend her questions; I was still whimpering from the pain. Blood flowed freely out of my mouth as I answered her, "No one!" I spat. "I didn't tell anyone about anything! I just wanted to get as far away from here as possible. I didn't want any trouble!"

"Now how do you expect me to believe that?" She paused and I closed my eyes, tired and exasperated. "Look at me!" She roared, "do you know what we do to liars? Do you?"

I moaned with pain, "Of course not! I've never lied to you or anyone here!"

"Wrong answer!" She motioned to Claire, who raised the pliers with delight.

"No! No, stop! I'm not lying! You have to believe me!" I was panicking now, but there wasn't much I could do. I was tired, hopeless, I had lost a lot of blood, and I hadn't eaten or drank anything since yesterday morning.

Claire didn't stop. My molar on the other side was being pulled out, this time she was taking her time. I screamed in agony as she yanked it out. When would it ever end?

"Ok, Victoria, tell me the truth this time or it gets worse."

Obviously not soon.

"I'm-" I paused and coughed up blood onto my shirt again, "I'm not lying. I swear! I would tell you anything to make it stop."

She looked at me carefully. "Why should I trust a girl who ran out on us a year ago?"

"Because who would I tell? I literally talked to no one!"

"Is that true? What about Karen? What did you tell her?"

I stopped and stared at her. How did they know about Karen? How did they know? Did they have someone on the inside? But Karen didn't know anything! I hadn't told her anything!

She must have mistaken my silent surprise for withholding information from her because she gave a triumphant grin. "What did you tell her?"

"I didn't tell her anything! I didn't! She doesn't know anything, she's just an innocent kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time." I tried to make her believe me, but I could see it wasn't working.

"Olivia, Claire! Let's move on to the next method. Not my favorite, but usually most effective. We are going to get this out of her." Kara gestured to them.

They removed my restraints and pulled me out of my chair. They had to drag me because I was too spent to make myself move only to be tortured again.

They got me half way across the room before Olivia, the bigger of the two, socked me in the jaw.

"Tell me, Victoria! You know you'll have to tell me eventually."

I didn't even bother replying.

I couldn't even say how many times I was beaten that day. I'm sure a couple ribs were broken, and I couldn't feel most of my face, especially with all the blood pouring down it from all the times my face split open. My nose felt like it was broken, but it was probably just extremely bruised. I'm sure I looked like a wreck.

I could barely breathe, let alone walk as they dragged me to a cell.

When they left, I just lay there. I never wanted to move again.

I was trying to sit up to drink the water they gave me when I heard whispers. It didn't occur to me that I was not alone.

I rolled over to look through the bars of the cell. I could see little shadows moving around in the dim light. It didn't help my vision when my eyes were swollen mostly shut.

"Hello? What do you want?" I asked the quiet voices. It went silent for a couple moments, then they answered me.

"We've heard rumors that you're Victoria?"

"What do you want?" I was extremely wary, I didn't trust anyone anymore.

"We've heard so much about you! You've given us hope that one day we can escape and be free. You can help bring down the Blood Iris! You're our only hope of freedom."

I didn't know what to say. I was not expecting them to say that, to hold me in such high esteem. I was speechless.

"We can help you get out again. We have a plan. You have to promise to come back for us, though. You escape, and then help free us and everyone else who is trapped and lost. Please! It's our only chance to live and be free! Please help us!"

I couldn't say no. I had to help them. Isn't that the same thing I'd always craved? To be free from the iron clutches of tyranny?

"Of course I will help you. How do you plan to get me out?"

There were excited whispers all around the room.

"Here's how it will go."