Mastering Id
JD Bennett
Smashwords Edition
Copyright ©2010 by JD Bennett
All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-1-4523-8263-0
The club was called “The Factory” which seemed to Jacob a rather perfunctory title, as this was what the complex of buildings used to be anyhow. But that was more than twenty years ago and the facility was reduced to a dark labyrinth of buildings protected by an impotent chain link fence and overgrown vegetation, rotting boards protecting broken windows and rusty chains securing doors falling off their hinges.
The Jeep bounced and swayed as Jacob navigated the many craters marring the pavement. Without the glow of a nearly full moon to aid him, he was positive he would be investing in a new set of tires come Monday. Only one structure, a squat red brick building in the center of the compound, was illuminated. He pulled the Jeep to a stop near the back of the crowded parking lot and turned to Phil. “Doesn’t look like much.”
Jacob met Phil Dawson at TechOne, a software development firm where they were both employed, about a year ago. Phil was short and thin and wore thick round glasses. He was in his early thirties, like Jacob, and their friendship started out of necessity; TechOne’s offices were cramped and being trapped in a cube less than five feet from one’s neighbor facilitated hasty acquaintances. Once the pleasantries were established, they moved on to movies, gaming, politics, and eventually embarking on a quest to help one other find “the perfect girl”…or the closest approximation thereof. So every Friday for the past eight months they had set out together, braving nightclubs, double dates, and Internet dating to accomplish this goal. Jacob met Trish five months ago; Phil was still in bachelor status.
Phil smiled. “Yeah, right? But you gotta admit the place has a lot of character.”
Jacob nodded. “Well, if we strike out here there is always mail order.” He switched off the engine and stepped out into the chilly February night.
“Don’t think I have tried that.”
The two men joined the small, but steady streams heading towards the entrance. Jacob folded his arms across tightly across his chest. “Other than a creepy atmosphere, what else does this place have going for it?”
“Oh you know. Beautiful women, expensive drinks. The usual fare.”
“Sounds exclusive. You sure you are going to be able to get inside?”
“Don’t worry. Money spends the same, even if it’s from the non-beautiful people.”
They arrived at the front of the brick building, where the constant pulse of music throbbed beneath their feet. The letters “T” and “U” were carved in a flowery script and flanked the large doors at the entrance. The second and third stories were rings of glass, all painted black. Three metal flagpoles, devoid of any colors, were on the left. A podium was on the right, staffed by two large men in overalls, black boots, and construction hats.
One of the men, whose blue sleeves were rolled up to reveal a beautiful web of tattoos, waved them forward. “IDs and twenty each.”
Jacob and Phil provided the necessary papers and paid their fare and headed inside. The music slammed into their chests like an invisible wave and threatened to deposit them unceremoniously back into the parking lot. They pushed further inside, fighting the music and the small pockets of people gathered around the entrance.
All of the original walls had been removed, as had the second and third stories. The ceiling was glass sheets and offered unobstructed views of the night sky. A narrow catwalk was suspended above the room in the shape of a giant “X”. Brave souls had climbed ladders in the corners and were gyrating to the music some twenty feet above the floor. The whole club was illuminated by deep blue floodlights lining the floor but every few moments a bright yellow shower of sparks would erupt from a metal ball hanging from the center of the room ceiling. A throng of people danced below the catwalks, different colors and shapes, all moving as one.
“Wow”, Phil said.
“What?”
“I said, WOW”.
Jacob nodded. “Want anything from the bar?”
“Yeah, ear plugs.”
“Now I know we’re getting old. I’ll be back.” Jacob spied the bar to their left, a massive structure constructed with sheet metal and rivets. Silver stools wrapped around the bar and each had one or more occupants per seat. Nearby were portable bathrooms, each with a blue or pink belt around the center; it appeared the designation was more of a suggestion than a rule.
The bartender closest to him, a pretty woman whose long blond hair was pulled tightly into a pony tail, pointed to him with an inquisitive “what’ll you have expression.” He held up two fingers and said “Beer”. She disappeared below the bar for a split second and emerged with two ice cold bottles.
In between the masses of arms and legs, Jacob spotted the DJ near a blinking “EXIT” sign. Jacob watched as the DJ moved seamlessly between songs without breaking stride or rhythm, almost robotic in nature, before locating Phil near one of the corner ladders. As Jacob moved closer, he could see Phil was talking with someone.
“There you are, thought you got lost”, Phil said. He took the bottle Jacob offered. “This is Mary.”
“Nice to meet you”, Jacob said.
Mary had straight dark hair, which covered most of the left side of her bronze colored face. “Hi there!”, she shouted back.
“This is Mary’s first time here as well”, Phil said.
“So I guess that makes us all virgins”, Mary said, giggling, as she took a sip from the cup in her hand.
Phil launched into his standard playbook of First Date Conversations (“Chapter 1: So, what do you do when you aren’t here?”) and Jacob had heard them so many times he could tag Phil out and take over at any moment. His mind went to Trish.
She came on a double blind date with a friend, Rachel or Ann or something like that, who was there to meet Phil. She was almost as tall as Jacob, with long brown hair and eyes that danced with life. Every bit of laughter, anger, surprise, sadness, all of it began and ended with her eyes. That night, their first unofficial date, she had jokingly told Jacob that when she went on blind dates but wasn’t in the mood for a relationship, she wore her tallest heels and this usually had the desired effect of scaring off any potential suitors. That night, however, she was wearing flats.
Jacob wondered if Trish, somewhere across town, was growing as bored as he was. Hopefully Phil would hit it off with Mary and he could meet up with Trish later. It certainly looked encouraging at this point; Phil was already up to “Chapter 3: How long have you lived here?” and Mary was still smiling.
“I’ve been here about three years”, Mary said. “After I graduated college, me and my roommate sort of threw a dart into a map and we landed here. Would you like to meet her?” She nudged Jacob in the arm.
“Oh? Me? Sorry, I’m spoken for. But thanks.”
“No problem.”
“If you two would excuse me, I think I’m going to look around”
Phil winked at Jacob with his right eye; a very good sign. Had it been the left, it would have been cause for alarm and immediate evacuation.
Jacob hugged the wall, slowly making his way through the crowds towards the back of the building and the blinking sign. In the pockets of shadows between the blue lights there were dark sofas draped with people, like living throw rugs. Human-sized speakers marked the perimeter of the dance floor. He stopped near the center of the club to watch the sparks explode from the ball. Like a swarm of angry bees they descended on the crowd below, extinguishing only seconds before they reached their victims. He drained his beer and deposited his bottle next to the collection around one of the sofas.
As Jacob was watched, the beat slid over to him and captured his feet. He was drawn closer to the mob, and with each step his body fell more under the control of the robotic master. His legs succumbed next, then his arms, his chest, and finally his head. He joined the mass on the floor and became lost in the unearthly rhythms throbbing around him.
Blast of sparks. The beat, like a heartbeat itself, forced Jacob’s to beat faster, trying to keep time. He was absorbed into the crowd, becoming part of the being which swirled around the room. The master pressed them harder, faster, until in a frenzy. Blast of sparks. The being was near exhaustion before the master relented and allowed them a respite.
Jacob backed away, intending to locate a section of sofa where he could catch his breath. The master urged them on again. Shower of sparks. Then he saw her.
A goddess was pushing through the crowd towards him. Her auburn hair was bushy, wild. Her eyes flashed with intention, purpose. She had full breasts and hips and the green dress she wore strained to retain a modicum of her modesty, but was mostly failing. “Dance with me”, she whispered in a throaty voice, almost a growl.
They began swaying together, slowly. It was earthy, primal, lustful. Jacob became aroused, but not embarrassed. The beat quickened. She noticed but was not offended or repulsed but rather drawn towards him. The beat quickened. He pulled her close; he could almost feel the texture of her nipples on his chest. She wrapped her arms around him and drew him even closer. The beat quickened. She pressed her lips to his and they kissed…
Shower of sparks. Jacob emptied. He would have crumpled to the floor, useless and weak, but she held him firm. The beat faded and she led him to a free spot on a nearby sofa.
“Look I…shit”, Jacob stammered. “I’ve been thinking about--”
“My name is Iris. What’s yours?”
Jacob stared at his feet. “Jacob.”
“Nice to meet you Jacob. Would you like to go somewhere more…private.” The last word rolled slowly off her tongue.
Yes! “Uh…I want to but, I…” Jacob paused and he knew this automatically made him guilty of something. Finally he said, “I’m sorry. I have a girlfriend…Trish.”
“Is she here”, Iris said, coyly glancing around the club.
Jacob looked up. She was just inches away from his face. She smelled warm, feminine. No she isn’t here! She is halfway across town. How would she know? She couldn’t! “I want to, I do. But…look we’ve been going together for a while and I…I care about her. I’m sorry.”
A man stumbled and bumped into the back of the couch. “Sorry you two.” He winked at Jacob and gave him a thumbs up sign. “Nice catch sport!”
Iris flashed her eyes at him; it was a cruel, expression, one meant to disembowel the intruder. The man wandered off and instantly she focused on Jacob, gently purring in his ear. “It’s just you and me right now.”
Jacob looked into her eyes, those playful, green eyes. His place was twenty minutes away, only fifteen tonight. Trish would never come by without calling first. Would she? No, of course not! He sighed and stood up, keeping one hand in front of his crotch. “I gotta go. I’m…uh…meeting a friend.”
Iris tugged at the ends of her hair, slowly rubbing thick strands between her fingers. “I’m sure the women your friend is with will take good care of him.”
Of course Mary would! Phil could be charming when he wanted to. Or hell he could just get a cab. Jacob would pay for it if he had to! “Uh, maybe? But…how did you know?”
“I’ve been watching you since you came in. I…I can’t explain it. I just want you tonight.”
You don’t have to leave! Look around, no one here recognizes you. “I’m sorry. I should go.”
Iris’ hand shot out and caught his. “Wait. Would you…at least let me buy me a drink?” Her eyes moistened slightly; was she about to cry?
Jacob glanced around for Phil, but he was nowhere in sight. “Yeah. Yeah, OK. I at least owe you that.” He smiled. “What’ll you have?”
Iris stood and gently kissed his cheek. “Allow me. Don’t run off.”
Jacob watched her disappear into the fog of dancers around the bar. When she had completely faded, he took her place on the couch. It still housed her warmth, her scent.
Iris returned carrying two glasses, filled to the brims. She squeezed in next to him, her bare leg brushing up against his arm. “Cheers”, she said, handing him a glass.
“Cheers.” Jacob held it up and took a sip. It was strong, but had a nice mix of flavors. The rum and lemon were easy to spot. But there was something else in there too. “Mmmm. That’s pretty good. What is it?”
“Lone Wolf. Lemon, rum, Southern Comfort…something else, I forget.” Iris took a delicate sip from her glass.
Jacob finished his glass and added it to the pile on the floor. He coughed several times, shaking his head. “Guess it went down the wrong pipe.” The music became annoyingly louder. “I…it was nice to meet you Iris. Thanks for the drink. Good night.” He stood up, too quickly he guessed, and nearly lost his balance.
The couple next to them on the couch began laughing. Something was happening. Their laughter was…slowing down? Jacob blinked several times. The music was so loud in here now, the air was so stuffy. Too loud. Too many people. Too much movement. If he could just get outside, to the night, to the quiet. Too much…everything.
A man’s arms wrapped around his shoulder, steadying him. “Are you OK sport? Would you like to lie down?”
“Yes. No. I can’t. My friend…my friend…he is waiting for me. I have to go.”
The man laughed. “You aren’t in any shape to go anywhere sport. Need to pace yourself a bit more. Come on, you can crash in the back of my car.”
“Yes. No. I…” Jacob looked at Iris. He was surely making an ass of himself after just one drink, but she wasn’t smiling anymore. There was one final blast of sparks before the club went completely dark and silent.
Jacob was lying on a daybed comprised of silk sheets and thick, fluffy pillows. He was dressed in soft lines and barefoot. He rubbed his hands through his hair; it was soft and his skin was as smooth as the pillows.
A window was across from him and the warm afternoon sun shined brightly in his face. Two sheer white curtains lazily flapped back and forth in the cool breeze. A wicker nightstand was next to the bed and it matched an armoire in the corner. There was only one visible door.
This place reminded him of a posh hotel in Miami he stayed at once. TechOne had sent him to a software conference there two years ago. Sure there were many lectures and product demos to see during the day. But, like most attendees, he was there for the week away from the office, the exotic location, and the meet and greets, which was just code for open bars and late nights.
Jacob walked over to the window and peered out. A sandy white beach stretched out for miles in both directions. The dunes were covered in sea oats that were busy keeping rhythm with the curtains. The beach was deserted, but he didn’t mind. He could listen to that surf for hours. He stretched his arms and legs; he must have slept funny because for some reason he was sore. He laughed out loud; perhaps he needed another nap. Something stirred, outside his room, and Jacob turned around. “Hello?”
Another sound. This time, he was sure it came from the other side of the door. “Can I help you?” He walked over to the door and peered out through the eyehole. A dense jungle, thick and dark, was on the other side. The trees were knotted and old, twisted in agony. Thick vines stretched between them like primitive power lines. There was no wind, no movement. Only stillness.
Jacob pressed his ear to the door and listened. Must have been the wind…or something. He shook his head and walked towards the bed. The sound came again, this time like scratching. Something was definitely on the other side, clawing its way in. “Hello?” he shouted. He peered out again, his eye rolling around the hole, straining to see what was there but no matter how he positioned himself it remained hidden.
Jacob knelt down and put his hand to the door. Whatever it was it had to be the size of a large dog. Maybe larger. He banged on the door with the palm of his hand. “Get out of here!”
The scratching stopped and was replaced with rapid sniffs, like the first time an animal greets you. Jacob banged on the door with his fist. “Go one, get out of there!”
The animal growled; a low rumble which vibrated the door. The clawing resumed, this time with more ferocity. The wood on the other side of the door began to splinter and the animal pulled large chunks out with its teeth.
Jacob backed away from the door, scanning the room for a weapon. He flung open the armoire but it was empty. All of the drawers and the bed were likewise devoid of anything useful. He went to the window and looked down; he had to be ten or more stories from the ground.
A large chunk of the door was suddenly ripped out. Jacob spun around and saw it, a huge black paw with nails an inch in length, pushing through the hole and groping the air before retracting again. The clawing and biting resumed.
Jacob dashed to the armoire. If he could turn it on its side and push it in front of the door, that could buy him some time until he could somehow escape to the beach below. He pushed it hard, but it wouldn’t budge. Another section of the door gave way. He crashed into the armoire, throwing all his weight into it but nothing. He tried the nightstand and the bed but they were affixed to the floor with the same strength as the armoire.
The bottom half of the door was now gone and he could see the full length of the animal. It was much larger than a dog. It kept thrusting its front paws through the opening it made, swinging for something…the handle! The animal had opened a wide enough hole and its muscular arm was slowly reaching up towards its goal.
Jacob let out a shout and tried to intercept but it was too late. The handle turned and the animal removed its paw from the opening and thrust the door open with such savagery it became lodged in the wall.
The animal’s head was lowered and Jacob could only see top of it. It looked too small for the body it was attached to and was covered in fine, soft hair which didn’t match the thick fur covering the rest of the animal. The animal was the size of a small bear and its nails clicked on the fine ceramic floor as it drew closer. It was growling with each step, a low series of grunts yet there was a strange cadence to it.
Jacob slowly backed up with his hands outstretched in front of him. “Easy now.”
The creature was only a few feet away when it began to rise up on its hind legs, growing taller with each step until it was the same height as Jacob.
“Oh my God…”
The animal let out a slow laugh, like a hyena. It was Jacob’s face, somehow attached to this abomination. The beast was smiling with its mouth open wide, exposing a gallery of sharp, jagged teeth. Jacob let out a shriek as the thing lunged for his neck.
Jacob suddenly awoke, still screaming. The room was pitch black and smelled like urine and rotting food. He was lying on a hard stone floor, completely naked. His entire body was sore, but the left side in particular felt numb, he could barely move his arm. He reached over with his right hand and felt a savage wound over his shoulder. The gash was several inches long, but had been crudely sewn together with some sort of twine. The hair covering his body felt longer and thicker now.
Jacob blinked his eyes several times, hoping to adjust to the darkness but he couldn’t see anything. His head ached all over with a dull thud and his throat was dry and sore and it hurt to swallow. His stomach was cramped, like he had been doing hundreds of crunches.
Jacob stretched out his right hand and began feeling around. His fingers moved over the damp floor, finding small puddles of water, tufts of hair, much like his own, and bits of something hard, like plastic, which had a terrible smell. He turned in a small circle and located a wooden object close by. It was rough with splinters, and filled with a liquid which felt like water. He leaned his head towards the object to smell it, but jammed his nose into the edge and he let out a cry of pain.
“You should drink something stranger.” A man’s voice was directly in front of him, maybe six feet away.
Jacob pushed himself backwards across the filth until he rammed his body into something flat and hard. His hands scurried over the surface and he realized it was a wall. “Who are you?”
“My name is Don. I am not your enemy.” His voice was old and gentle, like a doctor comforting a sick patient.
“Where am I? What happened to me?”
“What is the date?” A different man, whose voice was richer and younger than Don’s called out from Jacob’s right, but farther away than Don. “Please man, can you tell me the date?”
“Just a moment Roger”, Don said. “We will get to that.” He paused for a moment. “Now, stranger, what is your name?”
“My…my name is Jacob.” He pulled his knees to his chest and rubbed his body with his good arm, trying to stem the cold tide seeping into his body.
Don and Roger, joined by a new voice in the darkness, repeated his name three times in slow succession.
“Where am I”, Jacob shouted into the blackness. “Who are you people? What happened to me?”
“Jacob, please address one of us by our name when you speak. I am Don and my room is adjacent to yours. Across from you is Roger. And adjacent to him is Will.”
“What are you talking about? Where am I?”
“I hate the new ones Don”, Will said. He voice had a slight Southern accent.
“Give it time Will”, Don said. “Jacob…I… first I must say I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry for this. No matter where you came from or what your life was like before now, that part is over, forever. You must accept this before you can begin to understand what has happened to you.”
“I don’t understand! Where are we? What happened to me?”
“Jacob please direct your questions to one of us. My name is Don.”
“The date Jacob man”, Roger said. “Could you tell me what the date is? It’s kinda important.”
“Roger, please”, Don said. “Give Jacob a few minutes.”
“Yeah ok Don”, Roger muttered. “But you know Will and I have a bet going.”
“Christ where am I? Somebody help me, please.” The insides of Jacob’s stomach were churning now. “I…I think I’m going to be sick.”
“There is no Christ here Jacob”, Don said calmly. “Only Don, Will, and Roger. You need to drink some water Jacob. It will help. Can you find your bucket again?”
“HELP!”
“That won’t do any good Jacob.”
“HELP ME! ANYONE! Oh God…” Jacob’s stomach emptied. “Shit...” He vomited again, this time a dry painful heave.
“Jacob, please drink some water. It will help. You have to trust me.”
Jacob crawled forward, inadvertently through his own filth, trying to locate the bucket of liquid. He bumped into it with his leg as he was turning around. The contents shifted, but fortunately he didn’t dump it over. He reached in with his hand and took a sip. The water was warm and tasted like the wooden container but it was refreshing and soothed his burning throat. He bent down and started scooping more and more into his mouth.
“That’s better isn’t it Jacob” Don said.
“Yes”, Jacob said. “Yeah it is…Don.” He dunked his hands into the water and splashed some on his face. The coarse hair on his face was full, like he hadn’t shaved in a week.
“Good Jacob, good.”
“Don what happened to me?”
“What is the last thing you remember Jacob?”
“I was in a club. There was this woman…in a green dress. She had green eyes and long brown hair.”
“Bitch”, Roger said. “I knew there was something wrong with her.”
“Yeah Roger, we all know that now”, Will said, chuckling.
“Who was she Don”, Jacob said.
“The lure Jacob. She works with them, but not by choice.”
“We don’t know that Don”, Roger said emphatically. “For all we know they are the ones in control.”
“Wouldn’t that be something Roger”, Will said.
“No”, Don said and for the first time his voice rose above the others. “They are held captive, just as we are. Do not direct any animosity towards them.”
“Don she isn’t…is she here, with us, in this room…now”, Jacob said.
“No Jacob. They keep us separated. Part of it is to ensure the ritual is…spontaneous. The other reason is they fear some of us might try and hurt them, if given the chance.”
“Them? You mean there is more than one?” No one answered. “Sorry. Don.”
“Yes Jacob. We have identified at least four females.” Someone slapped a wall with the palm of his hand. “We think they are kept nearby, but we don’t know for sure. And there are usually four or of us.”
“So Don…I’ve—we’ve been kidnapped. OK. Why?”
“Jacob we are here to amuse our masters. The moon is nearly full, right?”
“The moon? I…guess so. Yeah it was almost full. I remember it the night I was taken. So what? There was also loud music and dancing and blue lights. I was at this club with my friend…my friend Phil.” Jacob wondered if Phil made it out OK. Iris said she was watching him when he entered. And she knew about Phil. Surely he made it and was helping Trish and the police…
Trish. Jacob could see her, hair pulled up, wearing her white robe and curled up on her couch with two large pillows propping her up. She always did that when she was upset. More than anything else, he just wanted to see her again. Even the picture in his wallet would be enough. He took a deep breath then said quietly “How long have I been here Don?”
“We don’t know hours or minutes Jacob. We don’t even know months or years. We measure time by feedings. We are fed three times a day. You were brought here five feedings ago.”
“So… yesterday?” Thank Christ. By now the police should have interviewed everyone he had contact with at the bar. The doorman. The bartender. The man who helped him…NO NO NO! “They don’t work alone, do they Don.”
“No Jacob. They don’t. I’m sorry…”
“Jacob can you please tell me the date”, Roger said. “I really need to know man. Please.”
“Yesterday was February twenty-sixth Roger.”
“How close were you Roger”, Will said.
“Not very Will. I thought it was January still. I must have lost count…”
Will whistled. “Well that’s one you owe me Roger.”
Jacob slid his bucket against the wall for safekeeping. He braced himself against the wall and stood up. His legs were wobbly and his left shoulder complained but he spread his hands out and slowly worked his way to the left, sidestepping his bucket along the way. “Why does it matter about the moon Don?”
“The ritual takes place the days before and after a full moon Jacob. What are you doing over there?”
“Having a look around Don.” Jacob took several more steps before the wall behind him intersected with another. He guessed he had traveled around ten feet. He transferred to the new wall and continued. After many more small steps his hand felt something smooth and metallic. There were several of them, stacked close together. Bars.
A hand suddenly wrapped around his. Jacob cried out and recoiled quickly, sliding back down the wall towards the corner. “What was that?”
“That was my hand Jacob” Don said.
“How…how did you know I was there Don?”
“The other senses compensate for our eyes Jacob. Yours will eventually. I could hear you approaching. Smell you approaching.”
“Christ don’t do that again!” Jacob moved back towards Don’s cell. “There are bars between us Don?”
“Yes Jacob. Our rooms are separated by them.”
“OK…what is this ritual you are talking about?” Jacob pictured a violent band of outcasts. Or maybe a cult, obsessed with blood pacts. Whoever they were he decided they had to be well financed, well organized.
“Very soon, two of us will be taken to the arena to fight for a…prize. We call this the ritual. Our masters take great pleasure in watching this.” Then he added softly, “You will be one of the participants.”
“Fight one of you? What the hell are you talking about? Why would I fight you? What the hell do you mean?”
“Jacob please address--”
“Fuck. I’m sorry. DON. What the fuck is going on here DON.”
Don sighed. “I’m sorry Jacob. Truly sorry.”
“Yeah we all sorry Jacob man”, Roger said.
“Jacob you will fight because you won’t have any choice. You will fight because that is our nature.”
“I’m not fighting anyone Don. I just want to figure out a way to get out of here.” Jacob resumed his slow walk and followed the bars. “Who are these people?”
“Jacob you must promise me you will not interact with them at all. Please, for your own safety.”
“Better listen to him Jacob man”, Roger said. “If they take you away by yourself you don’t come back.”
“Jacob, please. You must not try anything.”
“Can you at least tell me who they are Don?”
“We don’t know that much about them Jacob. We can’t understand their language and they don’t understand ours. We’ve all tried different ways to communicate with them, bribes, threads, pleas for mercy, but they seem to regard all of it as acts of aggression.”
“Are they foreign Don? Are they terrorists?” Neither Jacob nor his family had much money. Sure he was doing ok, but if they were holding him for ransom there wasn’t that much to gain. Were they trafficking in slaves? Or just using him to make some sick point to the rest of the world?
“They are foreign Jacob, but we don’t know where they are from.” Don feigned a laugh. “I never thought of them as terrorists before, but yes I guess they are…in a way.”
“Have you guys tried to escape Don?”
“Shit Will you win”, Roger said. “Last guy was here thirty minutes before he asked that stupid question.”
Will laughed. “That’s two Roger! I told you I could smell stupid on that last guy.”
“Yes Jacob”, Don said calmly. If he was as annoyed with the question as the others, he hid it well. “There have been several attempted escapes. When we are captured the rest are forced to…to watch the punishment. And then share in it.”
Jacob walked for a longer distance this time, maybe fifteen feet before the bars intersected with another row of bars. He followed the new set of bars towards the opposite end. “OK, well have anyone made it out of here Don?”
“There was one Jacob. His name was Mike. He told us he worked with the police and had special training. He was huge! Could barely fit through the door and ate like a horse. Anyway, one night after ritual he came back and said he saw something. A way out, he said. He tried to tell us about it but no one wanted to listen. We thought he was going to end up like the others, beaten and humiliated. Or that he would get us all in trouble. So we stopped listening. And eventually he stopped talking.
But that particular night, his last ritual as it turned out, something went wrong. We heard a commotion and then the masters were screaming, some in fear others in rage. This went on for…awhile. Finally they came down and took their rage out on all of us, screaming in their strange dialect the whole time. We never saw Mike again.”
“If he did escape, he never came back for you guys”, Roger said. “Just left you here to rot.”
“I hope he made it Roger”, Don said. “And I don’t blame him for not coming back. I’m not sure I would have the courage to come back here if I made it.”
“Yeah you would Don”, Will said. “Yeah you would.”
Jacob’s hands discovered a smooth metal plate. He reached through the bars and felt a one inch slot...a keyhole. He located the two round hinges attached to the bars. He couldn’t tell which way the door swung, but there was his way out. He pushed and pulled on the door, but it only gave slightly in either direction. He tried each of his fingers in the keyhole, but only his pinky would fit. He would need to find something to pick the lock. He moved past the door and continued following the bars until he found the stone wall again. The room was a rectangle he surmised, maybe ten feet by twenty feet in length. His cell was bordered by two stone walls and two metal ones.
“Feedin’ should be any time now Don”, Will said. “My stomach is growlin’ like a son of a bitch.”
“Jacob, listen to me very carefully” Don said. His voice was quicker now, agitated. “When they come to feed us don’t try and talk to them or touch them or stare them down. Just move back against the wall and stay there until they leave. Anything else they will see as a sign of aggression. Do you understand?”
“Don we can try and slip past them in the darkness, right? I mean I’m sure you guys have tried this, but maybe if you can cause a distraction I can--”
“Don’t try anything Jacob,” Will said firmly. “We only get the light during feedings. If you mess with them they will take that away. Depending on their mood they may do worse.”
“Please trust me Jacob,” Don said. “Do not do or say anything. Please.”
“But Don we have--”
Several fluorescent bulbs flickered and then ignited. The room was filled with a brilliant light and Jacob slammed his eyelids shut. He shielded his eyes with his hands and, though they were burning, opened them and looked around the room through the cracks in his fingers.
Jacob’s cell was much smaller than he imagined, really only five by ten. He was standing near the corner where he first stood up, the remnants of yesterday’s meals splashed around his feet. The stone walls were grey and dulled with age and stained with dried red patches. A pathway separated the eight cells, four on either side of the room. Just outside the cells was a narrow drain which ran the length of the room. A stall with a half door was between the two empty cells at the end, next to a large hose wound loosely around a metal valve. There was only one way out, a solid looking wooden door just outside his pen.
Don, the man next to Jacob’s cell, was older with patches of grey hair and a receding hairline. His face was marred with thick wrinkles or scars; it was hard to distinguish the two. He looked fierce, but his eyes were kind. Across from Jacob, Roger was sitting with his back against the wall with his head on his knees. He was younger than Jacob and only a half dozen or so scars covered his muscular body. Next to him was Will, who looked to be Jacob’s age. His thick frame was leisurely resting on the floor and it appeared he could scarcely turn around in the small space. All three men were naked and Jacob’s unblemished body looked stark in comparison
Jacob’s hands moved instinctively to cover his genitals, but the others didn’t bother or even notice. He examined his left shoulder. The gash was at least six inches in length. It was swollen and stained with many different shades of purple. “This wound Don. What did they do to me?”
“You mean this?” Roger stood up, leaned his left shoulder forward and patted it several times. “Don’t worry Jacob man, it will heal.”
Jacob looked over at Don, who bore a similar mark. “Christ…what is this place?”
“We don’t have much time Jacob,” Don said. “They will bang three times on the door before they enter. When you hear this go to the back of your room and sit with your back against the wall. Don’t say or do anything. Do you understand?”
Jacob looked at Don, whose eyes were filled with deep concern. Roger returned to the floor with his head back on his knees. Will hadn’t moved at all. Whatever experiment or torture employed here to break these men had succeeded. They could not, would not be able to help him. Jacob was alone. “I understand Don.”
Don smiled and nodded his head. “Good Jacob. Good. It will be easier this way.”
Three loud bangs sounded on the door. Almost in unison, Don and Will moved to the rear of their cells and slumped down.
“Jacob, hurry!” Don hissed.
Jacob moved to the wall opposite the bars and lowered himself down into a squatting position.
A lock clicked and the wooden door creaked open. A man pushing a large cart entered, followed closely by a woman. They were both pale, almost glossy, and their skin was smooth as polished stone. Their hair was dull and faded, the woman’s short and blonde the man’s black and slimy. Their eyebrows were slim and they bore no other visible hair. They were talking in a language unfamiliar to Jacob, but their body movements and facial expressions indicated a casual chat between friends.
The top shelf of the cart was covered in a pile of what appeared to be uncooked ground beef. A large wooden bucket was on the bottom one. The man fished around his jeans for something and pulled out a large old key. He spoke and pointed into Jacob’s cell.
The women peered in and nodded. She smiled at Jacob; her teeth were unusually white and large. She said something back and the man agreed with a nod of his head. The man opened Jacob’s door and flung a handful of the meat inside. It landed with a splat just in front of Jacob. The man entered the cell and bent down to pick up Jacob’s bucket.
Jacob sprang from his position and grabbed the man’s arm. The man offered little resistance and Jacob turned him around to face the woman, pinning the man’s arm behind his back. He expected the woman to start screaming or run for help but she just stood there, smiling. The man and the woman exchanged more words. “SHUP UP”, Jacob shouted.
“What have you done Jacob”, Don yelled. “Release him, immediately! For God’s sake!”
“Shut up Don. I’m not going to stay here and eat raw meat and participate in some ritual for these sick assholes. I’m getting out of here, now!”
“No you ain’t”, Will said. “You ain’t going anywhere friend. You’ll be lucky if they let you live.”
The man said something and the women cocked her head to the side, as if she were deciding something.
“I said SHUT UP”. Jacob tightened his grip but the man didn’t flinch.
The women smiled and nodded her head. Suddenly the man wrestled his arm free and pulled Jacob around to face him, dangling him like a rag doll. He looked into Jacob’s eyes a moment before placing both hands on Jacob’s chest and shoving him across the room.
Jacob crashed into the stone wall and crumpled to the floor. He landed on his left shoulder and stings of pain erupted along his body.
“I told you Jacob”, Don said, shaking his head. “I warned you.”
“Let’s hope they don’t turn on the rest of us Don”, Roger muttered.
Jacob grasped his shoulder. Several of the stitches had torn and blood was seeping onto the floor.
The man snatched the bucket from the ground and drenched Jacob with the remaining contents. The man tossed the empty bucket into the corner and then collected the meat he left for Jacob and returned it to the cart. The man directed a stream of what sounded like curses at Jacob and then locked his cell door.
The pair went to the remaining cells and deposited a hunk of meat inside each and refilled the wooden buckets from the one on the cart. After Will was fed and watered the pair left, continuing their idle conversation.
Don scurried over to the bars. “Jason, are you alright? Let me see your shoulder.”
Jacob rolled onto his back, clutching his shoulder with his right arm. He was dripping water and blood.
“Jacob can you hear me?”
“Yes Don”, Jacob said, gritting his teeth. “I can hear you fine.”
“How is your shoulder Jacob.”
“It hurts Don. It looks like one of these stitches tore open. He didn’t look that strong.”
“You’re lucky to be breathing”, Will said. “Monica must like you.”
“How do you know her name Will”, Jacob said. “Can you understand their language?” He pulled himself into a seating position with his back against the wall for support. “What are they saying?”
“No Jacob man”, Roger said with a smile. “Will here names all the females after his ex wives and girlfriends. Which one was Monica, Will? Was that the dancer or the flight attendant?”
“Neither”, Will said with a chuckle. “Monica was my cousin’s girlfriend and we sorta had a fling there for a while.” He stretched out and scooped out some of the reddish colored meat from the floor. He took a large bite and said “Nothing serious” in between chews.
“Yeah well whatever her name was Jacob man, you are lucky”, Roger said. He pulled two chunks of meat from his pile, formed them into a ball, and tossed it to Will, who happily gobbled it with the rest.
Don took a handful from his pile and brought it to Jacob’s cell. He stuck his hand between the bars. “Here Jacob, you need to eat.”
Jacob was hungry and he found the contents strangely appealing. “Don, I can’t eat that. It’s…raw meat.” It smelled delicious and he was fighting the urge to tear it out of Don’s hand and devour it whole.
Don smiled. “Don’t fight it Jacob. Your body needs energy to heal. Come, eat some.”
Jacob crawled to Don and took the meat out of his hand. It was bloody and cold, but very fresh. He retreated to the corner opposite Don’s cell and took a small bite. He had never tasted food like this before! Somehow it moved through his body, easing the fatigue and tension and anxiousness he felt. He gobbled the rest down in two large gulps.
Don started on his half. “You see Jacob, much better. Let me finish mine and we can share some water.”
“Thank you Don.”
Will and Roger finished their portions and were arm wrestling through the bars.
Don lapped some water out of his bucket and then slid it over to Jacob’s cell. “Hurry. They don’t like us sharing.”
“Thanks.” Don didn’t acknowledge him. “I’m sorry. Thanks Don.”
“You’re welcome Jacob.”
“Don why do you guys insist on always using a name? It seems well…unnecessary.”
“Because Jacob. It reminds us who we were. Who we are I mean. We never want to forget. We never want to lose ourselves here.”
Three more bangs. Don pulled his bucket away from Jacob and Will and Roger snapped into their subservient positions moments before the door opened again. The black haired attendant entered alone, this time carrying a metal pole with two leather loops at either ends, one much larger than the other.
“Just cooperate Jacob”, Don whispered. “He is going to take you to the stall and clean out your cell. Don’t do anything to provoke him. Please.”
The attendant opened Jacob’s cell door and moved towards him, the pole thrust towards him. His words were calming, soothing. Then with a quick motion, he slid the large loop over Jacob’s head and down around his neck. He pulled down on the smaller strap and the loop quickly tightened.
Jacob wrapped both hands around the strap and tried to loosen it, but it held firm. The more he struggled, the tighter the attendant pulled. His vision became blurred and his breath shallow. His grip on the straps began to fade and he collapsed to the floor.
“Stop struggling Jacob”, Don yelled.
“Better listen to him Jacob man” Roger said. “He doesn’t care about strangling you.”
“Come on Jacob! Let go”, Will said.
There was a loud pounding in Jacob’s ears now. Despite his instincts urging him to continue the fight, he dropped his arms to his sides. The attendant nodded and smiled in approval and loosened the strap a little. Jacob took a big gulp of air and chased away the blackness threatening to blanket at his mind.
The attendant pulled Jacob out of his cell. He rotated the strap so he was behind Jacob and pushed him into the stall. Inside was a single toilet, the bowl covered with hard water stains, which smelled like rotten eggs. The attendant removed the loop from Jacob’s neck and prodded him into the stall by jamming the pole into his back several times. Once Jacob was inside the attendant closed the door and locked it from the outside.
There wasn’t a sink or mirror in the stall and the walls were covered with rust. Jacob heard the hose unwind, the squeaky valve turn, then jets of water blasting at the stone floor. He peered under the door and saw the attendant spraying the inside of his cell. The rod with the straps was leaning up against the exit door.
After several sweeps the attendant man turned off the water and flung the hose on the ground. He retrieved the rod and turned around and caught Jacob watching him. He smiled and Jacob ducked his head back into the stall. The attendant unlocked the stall door and stood there with the rod pointing at Jacob’s head, his left arm outstretched, as if asking for a decision.
Jacob lowered his head and this seemed to please the attendant. He put the strap around Jacob’s neck, snug but not too tight, and led him back to his cell. He pointed and Jacob entered. The man removed the strap and locked the door, smiling and nodding.
The attendant performed this chore for the other prisoners, who moved with clockwork precision to the smallest gestures he made with his hands. They made use of their time in the stall but Jacob noticed only Don rinsing his hands with water from his bucket afterwards. When the attendant finished, he returned the hose to the wall and left. Within seconds the room became engulfed in darkness once again.
Jacob dropped to his hands and knees and crawled across the damp floor with his right arm outstretched until he found the back of his room. He sat with his back against the wall and his knees to his chest. He heard the other men rustling in their cells, presumably finding a comfortable spot to rest. He was exhausted and wanted to join them in sleep, but his mind refused to yield. How could he overpower the attendant? Would he be able to use that rod against him? He could easily crawl under the door of the stall, but what then? Could he feign an injury? Pretend to be ill? Maybe he could get the keys from the man’s pocket and toss it to one of the others. Would they even help him? Jacob curled up onto the floor, resting his head on his arms, and closed his eyes. He laughed to himself; he wouldn’t have to close his eyes to fall asleep anymore.
The banging on the door yanked Jacob back to consciousness. The overhead lights were on and burned his eyes before they adjusted. His body was stiff from lying on the stone floor, but otherwise rested. His shoulder had stopped bleeding and a scab had already formed over part of it.
The attendant had returned with his cart restocked. He waited outside Jacob’s cell; it sounded like he was asking a question. Jacob lowered his head and moved back against the wall like the others. The man opened Jacob’s cell and tossed some of the meat inside. He strode into the room and retrieved the empty bucket. He paused for a moment and Jacob could feel his eyes on him. Jacob didn’t budge. The man filled the bucket with water from the cart and returned it to the center of the room. He praised Jacob with foreign words and then proceeded to take care of the others.
When he had finished the attendant pulled two pieces of white rope from one of his pants pockets. He tied one to a bar outside of Will’s cell and the other Jacob’s. He wheeled the cart out and locked the door behind him.
Jacob tore into his food immediately but none of the others had much interest in their portions and were instead fixated on the pieces of rope. “What does that mean Don?”
“The participants for tonight’s ritual have been chosen Jacob.”
“The ritual? Is this the fight you were talking about Don?”
“Yes Jacob.”
Looks like it’s you and me Jacob”, Will said.
“I’m not going to fight you Will. I’m not going to. I don’t care what happens.”
“We have to fight Jacob.” Will tore a small piece of meat from his pile. “We don’t have a choice.”
“What the hell are you talking about Will? Of course we have a choice!”
“You won’t understand until later Jacob man”, Roger said. “Then you will know everything about this place.”
The attendant banged on the door and returned with the rod. He entered Jacob’s cell and pointed the rod at him. Jacob bent his head low and the man slid the strap over his neck. Jacob feigned a smile and put his arms up halfway in a sign of subordination. The attendant nodded, said something pleasing, and led Jacob to the stall.
Once he heard the hose undock, Jacob peered under the door and watched the routine again. The attendant was humming a familiar tune, something Jacob knew but couldn’t quite identify, as he washed the bits of meat and small pools of blood into the drain. The rod was in the same spot, but useless; Jacob could never get to it in time. The attendant switched off the hose and Jacob quickly hid behind the door.
The stall door unlocked and Jacob lowered his head once again. The attendant smiled and led Jacob back to his cell. As he shut the door, the man pulled a small piece of additional meat from the table and threw it inside. Jacob happily ate the treat and this seemed to please the man. Once the others were taken care of, the attendant left and the darkness resumed.
Jacob waited for what seemed like long enough to ensure the man had gone. “How long do we have until this ritual Don?”
“We never know for sure Jacob. Sometimes it’s a feeding or two before they collect us. Other times it seems like its right afterwards. We think they do it like that on purpose…to keep the adrenaline going.”
“What do they do if you don’t fight Don?” Jacob wondered what they would do to him when he didn’t participate in their barbaric ritual. Would Will just beat him to a pulp as he laid on the ground, shielding his head with his arms? Would they torture him? Threaten to kill him? They had his wallet and his license now; would they track his family down and use them to make him fight? Did they know about Trish? She had a key to his condo after all. Jacob hoped she had gone to stay with her sister while the police looked for him.
“They don’t do anything Jacob. All they do is watch.”
“This is bullshit Don. You need to tell me what is going on here. Now. Don’t give me any more crap. I want answers God damnit!” Jacob smacked his palm against the stone floor. “Please. I just want to know what is happening here.”
“Jacob, I’m sorry”, Don said. “We don’t have the answers to your questions. The only difference between us and you is the amount of time we have been here.”
“No”, Jacob said. “There is another difference. I’ve never been in a fight before. Ever. Not even as a kid.”
“Don’t worry about Jacob”, Will said. “It hurts like a son of a bitch. But it’s over quick and you don’t have to fight again for a while.”
“Has anyone ever been killed in one of these rituals Will?” The pause gave Jacob the answer faster than Will could. “People have died in this ritual, haven’t they?”
“Yes Jacob”, Will blurted out. “It’s rare and we never mean to do it. I mean, shit, we are all we have in this place. We are family now, you know what I’m saying? And they don’t like it either because that means they have to go get a replacement.”
“So that’s why I am here? Isn’t it? Don? I’m here because one of you died, right? I’m the replacement.”
“I’m sorry Jacob--”
“I know Don. You’re sorry. Can you tell me what happened?”
“It’s just like Will said”, Roger bellowed. “I didn’t mean to kill him! You think I planned it that way? I don’t know what happened!”
“Roger I didn’t know--”
“What the fuck do you want from us Jacob man! We don’t know why you are here. We don’t know why we are here! All we know is we are in Hell now and death is the only way out. You feel better now?”
So that was it. Jacob would either end up murdered or a murderer. He crawled to the corner and tucked himself into a ball. He became hyper sensitive to the slightest noises around him, convinced they would be the harbinger that would lead him to his execution. His heart was racing and would not slow; he was going to die soon. Jacob started counting seconds, but he could never make it past thirty.
After his tenth or hundredth iteration, the lights overhead switched on, their humming matching the one in his ears. The wooden door opened and the attendant entered, followed by two thin men carrying thick metal chains attached to leather collars. There was no cart. It was time.
Jacob stood up slowly and pressed his back against the wall. He wasn’t going anywhere with these men, not if he could help it. His knees were slightly bent and his arms were tucked close to his body.
The three strangers were pointing at Jacob and talking between themselves. The attendant stood there, shaking his head, while one of the thin men lazily swung the chain in a circle. Finally, the attendant opened Jacob’s cell and the man swinging the chain entered. He held up the collar and pointed to Jacob’s neck. Jacob shook his head back and forth quickly. The man sighed and advanced towards him.
Jacob threw a punch at the man’s head, which he easily dodged. He grabbed Jacob by the arm and twisted it until it felt like it was going to splinter in two. Jacob cried out and the man forced him to the ground, twisting his arm even further as he did. The attendant and the other prisoners began frantically begging for mercy, but the man waved them off with a flick of his hand. Jacob wailed louder while the man calmly secured the collar around his neck. He pulled both Jacob’s arms behind him and slid a plastic band around his wrists, tightening it with a quick motion.
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