The Menace

Stitches and Seizures

It was morning. I woke up on the cold stone floor of my cell. My wrists and ankles were red and had marks on them from the straps used to hold me down during aversion/conversion therapy. I slowly sat up and there was a sting in the back of my neck. I grazed that area with my fingers and it felt like there was a tiny electric ball inside of it. What the hell is this? I thought. I wanted to pull it put but I knew there would be dire consequences of doing that, so I left it. I still had my suspicions.

I felt like I was being watched. I wouldn't have been surprised if I was. That's all these people do. They watch other people. Some find it strange and some find it normal.

I finally gathered the strength to stand up and sit on my bed. I looked up and my pull-up bar was gone. "Shit." I whispered to myself. I laid myself down and stared at the gray ceiling panels. "I hate this place." I mumbled. My entire body felt backed up. It felt like the blood in my veins was moving a lot slower that what it usually was. My heart was heavy and my brain was in fire. My spine felt loose and my joints felt a bit slippery.
There was sharp pain in the lower back of my head. Again, I grazed my finger over it. I felt a stitched wound in my undercut. I dragged my finger down the scar and that led to the ball-like object in the back of my neck. "What the actual fuck is this?" I asked myself. I wanted to cut that thing out of me, but I realized that if I did, it would probably kill me. "Fuck, Gio. Think!" I whispered to myself.

I felt a presence near me. Sort of like the cold stare of a ghost, but I knew it was anything but. Was someone standing near my cell? I couldn't tell since the door it solid stone except for a small window in the top half of the door that I can look through if I stand on my toes. I stood up and slowly walked to the door and stood on my toes to look through the window.
I tried to look as far out as possible. The hallway was dimly lit as usual. Even the sunlight barely did anything. I couldn't see anyone or anything suspicious other than the other cell doors with their windows closed. Wait a second... I thought. Their windows are closed and mine was left open? That hit a big nerve. I knew they were watching me closely now.
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--𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐎--

As I was lying down in Gavir's room, I started thinking about Gio. I was betting that she was already at a billion pull-ups by then since that's all she ever did sometimes. I laughed at the good memories we shared before being pulled apart by our 13th "birthdays". The ones we celebrated at the beginning of every year since we only knew the year we were born in.

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2134

Gio and I were 7 years old. We were the first to be put into the room, monitored by the guards and doctors. We both sat on either side, far away from each other. We each have three different abilities, two of each being alike even though they have different names. In the very middle of the room stood a 50-pound block of stone. "You are to bring that stone to yourself." said Warden Moretti. "If you succeed, you are to kill the other. If you refuse, there is a dire consequence."

50 pounds may not seem like much at first, but as 7 year-olds, anything over 35 was a bit of a challenge.

We looked one another in the eye. She had the sheer look of fear on her face. I can't do this. I thought. I can't kill her.
She mouthed to me, Please don't.
I mouthed back, I have a plan. Gio hugged her knees, anxiously trembling in fear. This was one of those times I was incredibly grateful for telepathy. The camera... I thought.

In came her response in wavelengths. What do you mean?

I mean we both move the stone and smash the camera and the window.