Breaking Me (Short Story)

Prologue                                       

The whitewashed walls of the circular trial room seemed to surround me like a never-ending cage. A circular desk surrounds me as the metal of the handcuffs dig into my skin.  A woman with gray streaks in her neatly pulled back bun stares down at me condescendingly.  Two slightly younger people sat next to her with equal looks of distaste plastered onto their faces. A shuffle sounds as the gray haired woman looks at the papers of what I'm sure is my trial folder.

"Alisa Motet a decision has been reached, because of your treason against the empire you have been sentenced to Blackburn Compound for the rest of your days. There is no chance of escape and when you arrive you will be reformatted to benefit society." Her words took a moment to sink in and when they did, I think I lost my mind a little. The black cloaked Specters swoop in and pin my thrashing body into a chair. The woman who had sentenced me to an eternity of hell inside Blackburn walked down to where I thrashed, screaming and kicking. She appeared by side with a syringe that without hesitation she stabbed into my arm causing my screams to increase in volume. As whatever was in the needle kicked in my eyes rolled into the back of my head and my world went dark.

                                                                                              ---

My eyes flutter open to reveal a large dimly lit room. As my eyes scan what they can, the memory of the trial room comes back and I can feel the blood rush out of my face as my mind replays the terrifying stories I had once begged my mother to tell me. As I relived the nightmares those stories had once plagued me; a Specter appeared at my side causing me to jerk and let out a shriek of pure terror. Specters are nasty creatures made by the government to keep the population under control. Its yellow teeth hovered next to me as its long scaly black arms undid the straps that were securing me to the bed.

"Where are you taking me?" My voice comes out hoarse, afraid to hear the answer. The Specter doesn't respond and quickly pulls out my IV causing a wince of pain to involuntarily make me move away. As I pull away the Specter grips my arm and drags me off the bed. Another cloaked Specter appears next to the first and it points towards a bolted metal door. Understanding that I had no choice I square my shoulders and walk to the door trying to mentally prepare myself for whatever awaits me on the other side of it. As the deadbolt releases and the door slides open with a smooth whooshing sound I'm greeted by the woman who read my sentence.

"Alisa, so good to see you again." Her voice slithers into my ear as I would imagine a snake's hiss would do. The evil that I sensed emanating from her was a clear representation of her true nature. Like a wild animal I bare my teeth at her causing a small jump of surprise. In response the Specters pull me back away from her.

"You're a savage." She straightens her brown suit and glares at me, her steely blue eyes slicing into mine. Not one to back down I hold her gaze until she looks at the Specters behind me. Without an audible word passing from her the Specters grab my arms and drag me away from the woman.

"Alisa?" She calls out to me. "I hope you like doctors." Her ominous laugh fills me with dread as I get a rough idea of what will happen to me now, and knowing it was pointless to fight one Specter let alone two I allow myself to be dragged to the doctor. A few moments later but what seemed like an eternity the Specters push open a revolving double door to reveal an operating room. An older man sat at a desk chair and watched as I was dragged in and dropped on the metal operating table. The let go of me and move to opposite walls. The doctor sets a manila folder down and sighs looking up at me.

"I don't think you deserve this Alisa." His voice unlike the woman's voice was reassuring and reminded me of the good days I had spent with my mother before she was killed. "From your file you seem like a nice girl. You had a bright future but you threw it away to get back at the Empire for the assignation of your mother." I wince as he mentions my mother.