The Pale Cage

Chapter 6

He struggled again, the whole time. He would not just sit still while they made him a guinea pig. He fought them and bit Martin. Life was not supposed to be like this. Life was not supposed to be treated like this. He swore to each and every one of them, they would be sorry. They would regret doing this. But they just laughed at him. “We're the ones who brought you back, be grateful, flesh!”

He looked to Roanby and Roangy in hopes of getting some sympathy, but to his surprise...they weren't event here. He freed his arm and knocked someone to the floor. He pulled free and tumbled away. He moved to the door and dodged passed the guard. He was barefoot and in only his pants, but he ran. He opened a door, hoping it was a way out. But right away he could tell...It wasn't the way out. Raeburn had managed to enter into another lab. Where he was standing the light was dim, but in the center of the room the lights blazed brightly. There was a woman laying on an operating table. There were tubes running in and out of her body. Raeburn couldn't see her face, but her hair was impossibly long and black. His eyes moved to the scientists surrounding her, their hands were bloody while holding scalpels and picks.

“What is this-?” Raeburn asked in horror. “What you have done?”

A voice pushed against the wall Raeburn had built in his mind. Go Away, get out, get out GET OUT! The voice in his head roared at him. Raeburn fell to his knees, his head felt like it was going to explode.

“Stop it!” Raeburn yelled, holding his head in his hands. The voice quieted and turned to muttering whispers. Get out, Get out.

A huge weight slammed into Raeburn sending sprawling to the floor, the wind knocked out of him. His hands were being bound behind him and he was being dragged away. But he held onto the voice in his head. Who are you? But the voice didn't answer back. Her voice faded and his mind was silenced.

They brought him back to his own table and successfully strapped him down. “I'll get you back for that.” Martin sneered at him, his nose was bloodied up. Raeburn didn't doubt his words. He just braced himself for the pain that was bound to follow. They were talking amongst themselves. They were touching him, his chest, explaining to each other on what it looked like beneath his skin.

“We're going to find out today, if a Time Lord can survive with only a single heart.”

Raeburn held himself, he would not allow himself to panic. But he knew...this was really going to hurt. With a strangled cry, his right heart came to a sudden stop. The scientists watched the monitors closely. Raeburn panted for air as his left heart worked over time. “Please” He begged, but the scientists were clapping and celebrating. “Please!” He spoke louder, trying get their attention. “I won't survive long like this!”

He gasped as his left heart stuttered. He worked to calm himself down. He would be able to manage one heart if he could just calm down. As long as he didn't exert himself he would be okay. He winced, his chest felt like there was a horse sitting on him. He closed his eyes. Maybe if he went to sleep he could keep the pain at bay.

A hand flew across his face causing him to jolt awake. He'd only had them closed for two minutes. Martin laughed at Raeburn's startled expression. And he had just managed to calm himself down. He took a deep breath to try and find his calm again.

“Nope, no sleeping.” Declared Martin. Raeburn looked to where he was restrained. He was surprised to see them undoing the straps. After all of this, dragging him and pushing him down corridors, binding his hands and pushing him in a wheelchair...they were going to make him walk on his own. “Get up, flesh. We're going back to your room for a bit.”

“You're kidding right?” Raeburn asked him. “You damage a major organ and then you expect me to skip-” He paused, his chest was burning. “To skip merrily down the hall?”