The man unchained her hands from the chair and conveyed a bowl to her shaking hands. “Don’t spill it.” He said; irritation and triumph flowing through his voice. Jane sat there and fondled the bowl. It was torrid and had a thick liquid in it. The bowl scalded her hands, though she did not cower at its incandescence. The man deposited a spoon in the bowl and militantly said, “Eat.”
Jane challenged this, but she did not revolt, in fear that he would do more. She explored the edges of the bowl carefully and discovered the shaft of the spoon. She picked it up and blew on the liquid before she ate a spoonful. It was repugnant, vile, and absinthal. She replaced the spoon in the bowl and continued her silence
“Eat.” The man said again. “This is inedible.” Jane replied as she sustained, perched on the chair, the spoon still within bowl. The man cultivated his anger. “Eat!” he said bitterly as he banged his fist on the table next to her. She jumped and said, “No.” Jane put her head back down and sat in silence until the man clenched her chin and yanked her head up. Taking the bowl from her lap, he opened her mouth. The sludgy liquid poured down her throat, making her gag. He forced her to swallow the thick mixture and finally set the bowl down.
She wanted to vomit but she couldn’t, as if her body wanted this vile brew. She sat there leaning downward shaking. He couldn’t do anything more to her. Nothing could be worse than this torture. “Open your eyes.” He said softly. Jane raised her head, “What?” She heard footsteps circling around her. “Open your eyes.” “Why? There is no point in opening eyes that aren’t there.” He placed his hand on her shoulder and the hair on her neck stood straight.
“I have given you power. Open your eyes and see.” He whispered in her ear. He slid his hand to the arm of the chair and slivers of fear ran down her spine. He untied her hands, but she still couldn’t get up. She rubbed her wrists and cracks her neck. She sighs deeply and opens her eyes.
To her bewilderment, she saw the fluorescent light glowing from above her head and she lifted a hand to block the severity of the light’s gaze. She began to see blurred shapes and the outlines of objects. When her sight fixated, she saw the man grinning at her, clearly satisfied with the mutilation of this curious girl whom he had brought into his chamber.
She lifted her hand and watched herself move her fingers. She felt at her face and could feel the desolate space her eyes had occupied only moments ago. She placed a finger inside her skull and extracted a small amount of blood. She was too appalled to speak, and to angry to cry out. Her open hand flexed into a fist as she heaved it at the man.
He evaded her small fist by inches as he arched backwards and stood up, that proud smirk still plastered on his face. “You monster! Why have you done this to me?!” Jane screamed. “Me the monster? Why you are the monster my dear girl.” He ignored her question casually and watched her as the blood in her veins began to boil and her lips curved into a snarl.
The animosity inside her began to swell and she clenched the blood-stained chair arms to keep her from heaving herself, and the chair, at him. Jane wouldn’t be able to go back to her normal life because of this mongrel.
Her family would commit her to the hospital and in turn they would summon the government labs to pursue tests. Her work friends would do the same. And her boyfriend, Mike? She couldn’t even imagine what that senseless redneck would do to her. She was screwed no matter who she went to.
Jane let out the breath she had unknowingly been holding, bent her head down, and became placid. Her entire body went limp as she sat there in silence. The man’s grin vanished as she saw his one surviving experiment, his one remaining rose, had wilted in the steel chair and chains. He walked over to the small table at the other end of the room and picked up a small key and released her from her binds.
