Catharsis

SEVENTEEN

There's a relentless throbbing in my skull like a frantic heartbeat. My eyelids flutter open but there's nothing to see besides darkness. As my vision adjusts, pinpricks of light show through tiny spaces between woven fibers. I'm blindfolded. I can still draw in cool air, so my mouth is still exposed. I try to rub the ache out of my forehead and something rattles with the movement. Metal clanging. Chains. I try to bend my legs and get up off my back, but they're immobilized, too. I'm in deep shit.

How long have I been out? Panicked tremors begin to rise up in me as I lift my head and move my shoulders as best as I can, trying to pull against the restraints. The chains rattle fiercely. Nothing budges, though. I'm on the verge of crying for help when Kaman's voice, soft and dead, speaks to me.

"How are you feeling? The sedative may have left you a little groggy. Don't worry it'll wear off soon enough."

"What the hell, man?" I rest my head back on the surface beneath me in defeat. Sweat trickles down my face. I force the air out of my lungs and through my clenched teeth. I can see it now, just like Jonah said: Jack Nicholson reading my eulogy. Shit.

"I just want to make sure that you stay calm and still through all of this," Kaman says cooly.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I ask.

He erupts in a fit of laughter that sounds more like an asthma attack. "Wow, you're bold!"

"Fuck off!"

"I only want to watch you suffer and...well, eventually you'll die," he coos. "That's all I want."

"Go ahead and do it, then! Kill me! I don't give a fuck." That's not true. I give lots of fucks, but he doesn't need to know that.

He touches my face and I jolt. The smell of latex fills my nostrils as he runs his finger gently down the side of my head, down my neck and my jaw tightens further. "I'd like to maim that pretty face of yours but it would probably be best to let your virus do the dirty work." The words are slow coming off his tongue like he's deep in thought and savoring the pleasure.

His finger jabs into the corner of my mouth and pushes my lower lip down exposing my bottom fangs but I snap my head away from him.

"Don't fucking touch me!"

"You're so feisty," Kaman says with a smile in his voice. "I like it."

"You're fucking insane!" I'm still trying to hide my fear but the words quiver as they come out and my heart threatens to burst with adrenaline.

"I want to see your teeth. Let me see." There's a disgusting pout in his voice.

"You've already seen it. What more do you want from me?"

"I wasn't lying when I told you that you won't be able to turn back into a human. The virus is progressing and it is going to happen faster than you think," he says.

There's a slithering sound, like the belly of a snake against the floor. He tugs at the fabric on my head, covering my whole face, then out of nowhere a sharp hiss. I'm blasted with icy cold water, first on my stomach, then the stream sweeps over my legs, my arms, then my head. The water soaks into the cloth and melds over my face. I try to breathe as it pours into my nose and mouth. Having some mobility allows me to twist my neck and let the water pour down, but the fabric is still soaking. The water is directed back to my chest. I cough the liquid out of my throat and blow it burning out of my nostrils.

"Fuck!" I sputter. "Fucking bastard!"

There's nothing I can do to stop the tears from welling up at this point. They roll down my cheeks, one by one. The hose is turned off. Rustling at the counter.