Inverted

5. Captured

Freya is scared.

The hours of torture feels like days and has added years to her once innocent face. The unfinished concrete scratches her back as she struggles to move. She does not feel the cold steel of chains or the biting burn of a rope. Instead, it is a fight against her own body weight. The thick silver columns on either side of her hold massive discs looming over her. The bright green letters on each of the discs — CONTRIVITY — glow in the dim-lit room.

Taunting her.

Even though the Contrivity's power is undetectable by sight she could feel its power as it controlled the gravity around her pushing the local atmosphere onto her body. She had struggled the first hour and a half when she didn't understand what was happening. She had never seen a Contrivity machine before. Most people on the surface hadn't even seen them. Certainly the underground community had not yet acquired them.

The only relief she received from the crushing weight of the machines was when her captors would come in to "talk" to her. The door on the far side of an empty room opens splashing light onto Freya's face temporarily blinding her. She knows the next round of torture was about to begin. As the bright spots in her eyes focus into meaningful shapes she see a large man standing in front of her. He is wearing a white suit, but that is not the most striking thing about him. His thighs and calves are massive. Freya concentrates to ensure it is not just the light causing her to see things. No. All this man is missing are hoofs and horns and he would be a real-life satyr. As this thought consumes her mind her eyes move to ensure there are no horns. Her eyes widen as her eyes fixate on the back of his head. There are no horns, but the back of his skull is so large it acts as a backdrop for his face. Who or what is this? Her heart starting to race.

She reminds herself, Not. One. Word.

"You are a stubborn little girl I will give you that. Most people break under the pain of our methods. Hell, some break under the weight of the Contrivity machines. Those people are weak to be sure. Anyway, I am here to assure you that you will tell us what we want to know because if you don't, you will continue to suffer. We have no interest in killing you and I am not sure if you know this, but we have the means necessary to keep you alive. Forever."

Freya looks deep into his eyes. Is he bluffing? Surely my body will give out from exhaustion eventually. Can I stay quiet forever? She tightens her eyes so that her capture becomes fuzzy and her stare fierce. She wants to say something. She longs to tell him that he will never get what he wants so he might as well kill her. She wants to laugh at how ridiculous this situation is. She wants to ask him exactly what the hell he is. She wants to scream at how angry she is. Angry with her capture.

Angry with herself. Sad because she is sure her father would not be proud of her now. She hopes the myths of the religious are just that – myths of life after death. She does not want her father to be looking on her now.

So Freya sits motionless and without words staring into the face of this creature.

"I thought you would say that," the man grabs at his ear as he finishes his sentence. Then he fills a syringe with a liquid so green it seems to glow in the dimly lit room, "Consider this your promotion. Let's see just how tough you really are."

The man takes hold of Freya's arm but there is no resistance. He slides the long narrow needle into her arm and transfers the iridescent liquid.

"Have fun," he says as he leaves the room.

Freya sits and stares at the door wondering what the liquid was. What is going to happen to me? Was it poison? Have I been left here to writhe in pain for the next eight hours? Just then she realizes that she can move. She is free to walk around the room. Did he forget to turn the machines back on? She stands cautiously wondering if this was just a trick to get her to stand up first before using the machines to slam her back down to the ground.

Nothing happens and she begins walking slowly around the perimeter of the room. She is looking for any way out. She is feeling around for anything that could be used as a weapon. Other than the looming silver towers that had held her captive the room was empty. She made her way to the door and casually turned the handle.

The door opened.

What? How is this possible? At this point Freya realizes this is not a forgetful guard. This is a setup. What was that liquid he put inside of me? She wants to shut the door and curl up in the corner and wait for the substance to take over however it will. This is not an option. She knows that they want her to go through that door, but she also knows that she can't give up any opportunity to make it back to her mother and grandfather.

Freya leans out of her prison slowly looking down the hallway then turning her head to look the other way. She sees...nothing. No other doors. No art on the walls. No people. It appears to be a hallway that leads...nowhere. The walls appear to be green, but she wonders if this is just the effect of the injection. She walks down the hallway with trepidation her hand running along to feel for any possible opening. Suddenly there is a sound behind her. She turns on her heels to face it. Ready to fight. She sees an opening that wasn't there before and light shines into the hallway. A sense of doom overtakes her as she walks towards the light.

She stands in the opening and looks into the new chamber before her. At first the light overwhelms her vision, but as her eyes are able to focus she sees two people sitting in chairs. They are badly beaten with their faces covered in dried blood and their bodies obviously weak.

Who are these people? How can I help them? I could turn off the machines that bind them. I need to find a way out first. They are too weak to help. She makes the decision quickly, but she cannot just walk away without telling them. They need a sense of hope to survive. She walks closer so she can speak softly. As their faces come into view her eyes widen and she drops to her knees.

She is staring at her mother and grandfather.

[End chapter 5]

Who was the man?

What would you do if you were Freya?