WITHOUT

Hector.

"Pull the top up. Hold the paper here.    Arms and feet secured?    Good..."      Dr Rivers flicked a switch.     "Black ink will do.   I'll make small numbers here (He pointed to the back of Ethan's neck) And larger ones where they need to be seen.."       He pointed to Ethan's arms.   Dr Rivers checked the needle.     "I designed this needle myself.   I can mark X within minutes.     I used to like the time it took.   I'd state expectations, poke hard when I thought the message wasn't hitting it's mark.."         Dr Rivers made himself comfortable.

Mr Shore looked at the information on the paper, watched Dr Rivers take his first stoke.  Ethan gritted his teeth, flinched slightly as the needle dug deep into his skin.    He'd had a tattoo done before...It was a little painful, but an interesting experience.    This moment with Dr Rivers was anything but.

"What do you make of the tattoo on his back?.."    That tattoo was very impressed.    It had been done by needle, but it also looked like it was apart of his skin.   Dr Rivers glanced at his friend.

"It will be removed.  He's not to have that. I'll laser it.  Or...I'll peel his skin.   Or....Maybe. Just cut it out.    It can be a "lesson".    Who he was is no more.   X is what we decide..."

Two hours later.

Ethan was dragged from the white, bright room...A cream and spray gel had been applied to his "new" tattoos.    He had been made to kneel on his knees and repeatedly say he was X, he had been made to mesmerise his given barcode.    He had been electrocuted by a rod for everything he'd said wrong.    The attendants now unlocked a door, pulled Ethan into a room....It was dimly lit, it had small windows with bars on them.   It didn't feel like a big room.

There was a bowl concerted to a wall to one far wall.    There was a coffin in the middle of the room.   Ethan was made to stand in front of that.    The lid was lifted, Ethan was pushed into the waiting black hole of his enclosed resting place.    The attendants placed the lid back over the coffin, shutting Ethan's crumpled body inside.

For good measure, the the lid was locked.

Ethan lay quietly for a minute, turned slowy on to his back.    He lightly touched his head...No hair.    He then lightly felt the barcodes on him, they were slightly raised red marks now (They burned)     He suddenly hated Rex so much.   He even felt the edge of hating his mother.     His thoughts quickly turned to me....And, the tears just sprang out of him from no where.

"I can't stay here.    This can't happen.   But dick-shit!   It bloody well has!.."

A massive knot twisted in his stomach.   His head wasn't burning any more, but he didn't like the clarity of his mind at present either.    Dark spaces, all the time in the world to think.   Having no idea what to expect next (But, also guessing it wouldn't be good!)     Ethan closed his eyes took some deep slow breaths - Placed his hands on the lid above him.

He pushed. Nothing. He pushed again. Nothing.    Ethan kept right on pushing, using his knees too.     After a moment, he heard cracking of wood, then straining of metal.     Ethan took one deep breath....And pushed real hard.   The lid creaked up, the locks cracked open - Ethan slowly sat up.     The dim lights were still on, the floor was concrete and cold.   The room now looked large, once his eyes adjusted to the light.

There was nothing in the room, it was empty and cold. Ethan wasn't concerned with the coldness.     The lack of rest was a worry, but he knew not to ponder on that (It was quite possibly wise, if he didn't close his eyes for a second) His stomach grumbled, but eventually it would settle. He was too wound up to consider eating at present....Ethan walked around the room instead. There had to be a fault in the walls, the door....Anything to help him get the hell out, and allow him to run.