OUBLIETTE

Clemency

LUKAS KOVÁČ

The girl's volatile nature is as agonizing as her spontaneous moods; I need to behave accordingly and try my best not to antagonize her, for she could be the key to my survival. Our last conversation left me baffled, but it gave me a sense of hope; perhaps this is not the end for me. Perhaps I could see my mother and sister again someday, and tell them how much I love them. Or maybe I'm being delusional. How can I ever trust someone who derive pleasure from torturing people? and as a further matter, I don't even know anything about her, other than the fact that she has a volatile temperament. Fear builds up inside of me, but I know that I must keep it to myself. I have to show these people that I don't break easily. I have to stay strong, so that one day I can see my loved ones again.

The thought of me getting out of here alive and being reunited with my family vanishes into thin air as the sight of the girl holding a large semi-automatic handgun comes into focus. This is it, then. I'm going to cross the Great Divide any moment now. I am a fool for thinking that she would keep her word.

"Relax, I'm not going to shoot you." The girl says. But before I could heave a sigh of relief, she pistol-whips me across the face. A burst of bright light explodes right before my eyes, and then for a second or two everything turns dark. But to my astonishment, I am still conscious.

"Consider yourself lucky, 9713, for I know for certain that some of our viewers wish to skin you alive before cutting your limbs with a butcher knife." She says in a cold tone as she puts the handgun back on the table and then grabs an AK-47.

The buttstock of the rifle is dashed into my forehead right above my eyebrows. My head jolts backward.

***

Everything finally comes into focus after what it feels like hours. I remember being stricken hard with the butt of a rifle in the head and it was lights out upon impact; the world faded away until I was left with nothing but complete darkness. As I regain consciousness and vision, the excruciating pain comes again. My head slumps forward, overwhelmed by the pain she inflicted.

The girl murmurs something.

"Are those tears?" She asks.

She wipes the tears off my bloodied face. Funny, I don't even realize I'm crying.

"Hang in there, love. I'm just getting started!" She says with a sinister smile on her face.

I feel like saying a few words to her but my voice is muffled by the gag.

She leans forward and then takes it off.

"Are you having a good time?" I ask with a cold and sarcastic tone whilst trying my hardest to hide the pain I'm feeling right now.

"I'm having the time of my life, thank you for asking. What about you?"

"I'm having a blast."

"I'm glad you do!"

She shows no sign of remorse. I bet her so-called remorse earlier was just an artifice to gain sympathy; it was nothing more than a charade.

Resolving to break the silence, I open my mouth and asks, "What did you mean by 'taking me home' with you?"

"Well, I don't want to kill you just yet, and therefore I'm taking you home with me."

"You're not allowed to do that."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken."

"Aren't you aware of the con-

"The contract? yes, I am fully aware of that."