Shadow of Atlantis
Chapter 0
Voices. Slurred, indistinct voices.
My body wouldn't obay, my eyes and limbs are heavy, refusing to open, refusing to move. A groan escaped my lips; even though my limbs wouldn't move, the pain in them was very, very real. It was so extreme, it blocked out all other feeling my brain was receiving, only pain.
I didn't feel the prick of a needle in my arm, only the instant relief it brought. The leaden feeling left my limbs, the pain subsiding. My eyes fluttered upon, only to be instantly blinded by a white light. I closed them down to a mere slit, allowing time to become accustomed to the light.
When I looked again, there were three surgically-masked faces staring down at me. I stared back, glaring into each set of eyes individually.
"Well, it seems he's awake now." One laughed shakily.
"Of coarse I'm awaken, you stupid shit," I snarled, "now, tell me where the fuck I am." I tried to grab hold the boy, but to no avail; I was strapped, bare-ass naked, to this fucking cold table, straps across my chest, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles and across my neck.
"Don't you have the foul mouth." Another stated coldly, speaking like I was a small child.
"Oh, you haven't seen foul!" With that, I twisted as far as the bonds would allow, snapping at the closest hand. It was only a mere foot away, but the man jumped back. "Take that, you little shit." Little Shit backed away, frightened.
"Boy, calm down. There isn't a way he can hurt you. He's tied down." The one who had yet to speak said.
"True."
"Well, now, can we start with the procedure?" The cold-speaker said.
"Yes sir." The other two stated.
"What procedure?" I asked, beginning to panic.
"Muzzle him. I've heard enough." The cold-speaker stated, walking out of the room. One of the assistants walked over, a halter-like thing in his hands.
I growled dangerously, that thing was not going on my face. Fuck that.
He backed away again, but then I saw his eyes looking over my restraints and suddenly his confidence was renewed. "Hold him." He commanded. The other man walked over, but before he reached me, I snapped again. And this time teeth met flesh. The man yelped, but this one wasn't as spineless as the other.
With a bleeding hand, he pinned my head to the table, keeping his hands clear of my teeth. Suddenly there was a wooden rod the width of a thumb jambed into my mouth, like the bit into a horse's bridle. The straps were tightened, the leather under my jaw clinching tight, forcing my jaw to clamp shut. Another one ran across the bridge of my nose and around the back of my head to keep the contraption in place.
The only form of defense I had was taken away.
The squeak of gurney wheels took my attention away, as the third man walked back in pulling a gurney loaded down with...a diving suit.
No, no, no, no...Anything but this...
The assistant opened a thick steel door, from which thick steam and brutal heat erupted in waves. The doctor hefted a piece of the suit and tossed into the steam.
I watched through a small porthole into the door, as the armor began to heat up. Blinded by panic, I strained against my bonds, the leather cuffs biting cruelly into my skin. But this pain was nothing comparing to what was coming.
I heard the steam silence its vile hiss, and the rattle of chains as the heated piece of steel was lifted from the steam furnace. The two assistants struggled with the chains, finally manuevering the piece so that it hovered above me.
I fought harder, to no avail.
"Let's begin in earnest, shall we?" The doctor asked and the iron slab began to lower down toward me. I could see the heat rolling off of it, distorting the air around it, like a mirage.
The heat was brutal, now no more than three inches off my chest. My skin began to blister, peel apart.
Finally I stopped fighting. I was completely still. If I was going to be was of these...things...I might was well be the best I could.
A scream filled the halls of this hell, as my skin met metal, forever becoming fused with it.