Culf: Oedipus? Whos that?
bored2death: Well, everytime i proof-read it i felt sick. I felt sick after writing it. I've read lots of Obi-torture, you learn from the best. That actually is the worst, descriptive, sadistic part. It gets better.....sort of...
Anna: You didn't see the whole Billy running into the group thing? I thought it stuck up heaps. I was concerned about bringing them together like that. Yeah, i'm afraid that scene really suits Caleb, thats why i put it in. He wouldn't have nicely surgically cut but he had to painfully rip. Nasty. Hope this reaches you early!
Yep, Caleb is a sadistic bastard. I hate him. I can't believe that monster that I have un-leashed on poor Obi.
Also, beware of the language in this one. And beware of running with scissors and other pointy objects! It's all fun and games till someone loses an eeeeyyiii!.....an eeeeyyyeee!!
Yeah, just ignore that.
I think i lost half of my readers on that last chapter.....sorry.
****Like a door that keeps revolving
In a half forgotten dream
Or the ripples from a pebble
Someone tosses in a stream
- The Windmills Of Your Mind
****Obi-Wan awoke to nothing. He couldn't see a thing. Gently he touched his face, making sure that his eyelids were open and he wasn't just imagining that he'd woken up.
He tried to get to feet and promptly collapsed, his ankles holding no weight. Then the memories hit home and Obi-Wan mutely curled up on the ground. He openly cried, cried like he hadn't before. Silver tear tracks ran down his cheeks and stained the ground beneath him.
Time ran together and the boy had no idea how long he'd been there. Slowly he realised that he was in some dark cell and the only reason he couldn't see was because there was no light. The only thing that the young teenager could hear was the sound of his own ragged breathing. He also found that he was naked, something that he regretted bitterly when the cell got freezing cold.
He learnt to live off the trickles of water off the walls. He learnt to eat the moss and lichen scraped out from between the stones. And very slowly he re-learnt how to walk.
That was the hardest thing of all. At first Obi-Wan was hopeful that his tendons would heal but as time went on, it became apparent that it was not to be. They were too badly damaged and only receiving a new pair of tendons would fix that problem. He painfully learnt how to walk. It wasn't fast, it wasn't efficient and it was slow. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't get his ankles to work properly, and they ended up dragging along the ground most of the time. Every step brought a new world of pain to the boy and he knew that he was never going to be able to run on his legs, ever again.
Time passed. Occasionally food appeared. Sometimes the guards checked up on him.
Then finally, Caleb arrived. Smiling.
(Not a good thing when the shark smiles. Tends to mean that it's going to eat something.) Obi-Wan groggily thought as his eyes painfully adjusted to the harsh light.
"Attempted escape is a serious transgression my slave. I'm afraid that you're the only slave in this household who has committed such a crime and hasn't been terminated. You should be proud of that fact, you have made it into the record book."
Obi-Wan didn't say anything. Caleb looked down at the boy and his smile grew even wider. (Sometimes, the best things in life are free). The boy was starvation thin, his ribs showing clearly through his pale skin. Caleb walked around to the back of the slave, swiftly bent down and grabbed the boy's legs.
Obi-Wan yelped and tried to draw in on himself but the older man kept a firm hold.
"Yes, I see that your ankles have healed just the way that I wanted them to. You can walk, but not walk far enough, am I right?"
Obi-Wan dully remained mute and continued to struggle to reclaim his lower legs.
Caleb laughed, "I'll take that as a 'yes'." The laugh died on his lips and he continued seriously, "Because of the seriousness of the crime, you will be taken out into the Sands and kept there until I find you fit to take back as my slave, understand?" When the boy didn't say anything Caleb viciously tugged on the boy's leg, eliciting a cry of pain as the still-healing muscles protested.
Obi-Wan licked his lips, "Y-yes."
"Good."
****Qui-Gon stepped down off the ramp and looked around the planet that they had landed on. Jabez.
It was a strange planet. There were patches of forest and sand dotted around. Some planets seemed to be either completely water, completely forest or completely sand. This planet was a mixture of everything.
The main thing that worried Qui-Gon was the fact that it also seemed un-inhabited. He could find no trace of any life-forms.
(But Caleb is here. The master was telling the truth.) Qui-Gon tried to convince himself as he watched Billy and River step down beside him.
"So, where is Caleb?" Billy innocently asked.
"I don't know. We shall have to locate him." Qui-Gon answered in a monotone.
Billy glanced at the man. (Even though he looks so cold, he is capable of much emotion.) She smiled softly (He tries to hide it, but for a Jedi – he does a pretty pathetic job).
"What? Look for the big, flashing, neon sign that says, 'Caleb the psychopath lives here!'" River joked.
"Pretty much." Qui-Gon said dryly and turned away.
"Huh?" River's mouth dropped open and Billy's gaze intensified.
"We don't have much time. The Force is telling me to hurry. Let's get searching."
****Obi-Wan lay on the ground, too weak to do anything. His head throbbed. He had been there for a whole two days. A whole two days in the burning hot sun, with nothing for protection. His naked body was dry, cracked and sore. Two days completely bare in the sun hadn't done much except give him terrible sunburn. He looked down at the chain binding his ankle to the stake in the ground. Earlier he might've tried to wriggle the stake out of the ground but now…….
What was the whole point? (It's not like I can go anywhere anyway.) Obi-Wan thought while looking at his scarred ankles. (It's not like I'm going to be able to walk properly. I'm never going to escape, never.) Obi-Wan's head drooped as the small thread of hope dwindled ever further away. (How can I hope to escape if I can't even walk?) Obi-Wan looked at the trees, far away. Too far away for him. With his ankles it would take him, at least, a week to reach the fringes of the forest. For a normal human being it would take them 2 days.
(Why didn't he just chop my legs off?) Obi-Wan let a tear of self-pity slide down his face. "Because he wanted to make sure that I would know how useless I am." Obi-Wan dragged himself into a sitting position. Turning to look back over the burning sand he screamed, "I hate you Caleb!! You have taken away what is most precious to me!! You have taken my freedom. I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!" Obi-Wan pounded the sand with his hands and sobbed.
"That's not a very nice thing to say, is it?" Suddenly, Caleb was standing right in front of him.
"Get fucked." Obi-Wan muttered vehemently, while looking down at the sand. He was rewarded with a punch that left him dazed and the next thing he realised he was choking.
"Take that back, my dear boy." Caleb forcefully pushed the boy's head further into the sand, slowly suffocating the boy. He voice was silky and smooth and Obi-Wan could easily hear the pleasure in it.
(NO!) Obi-Wan couldn't say it, gritty sand was filling up his mouth and flowing down his oesophagus. His lungs spasmed as they desperately tried to reject the foreign substance.
Caleb pushed the boy's head further into the sand, "You will not take it back? You no longer value your life? Well, then. What about the life of another? Would you condemn another innocent slave to death for the sake of your pride? Or will you take that comment back?"
Obi-Wan stilled, his brain was becoming sluggish but the main thoughts were still getting through (He can't kill another slave just because of me! What am I thinking? He will. He likes watching me squirm. Why me?. Why does everything happen to me?) Obi-Wan thought over the decision before him, consented and minutely nodded his head.
Caleb smiled, "Good boy. You are learning." He released the boy and watched as Obi-Wan weakly sat up, retching and coughing. He brought forward a bottle and said, "Here. Have a drink of water. It will soothe your irritated throat."
Obi-Wan froze and slowly looked at the man beside him, "Water?" (Why would he give me water now? Admittedly, I haven't any for 2 days……..)
Caleb half closed his eyes as he read the doubts and fears of the boy's mind, "You really need to control your face boy. Although it is beautiful, it betrays what you think all too easily."
Obi-Wan sidled backwards.
"Yes, water. After your last little act of rebellion we decided that some time in the Sands would be good for you. It's been 2 days – I do not want you to die……..yet." Caleb offered the bottle.
Obi-Wan's spirit still revolted against Caleb, "Why don't you just let me die?!? I am a useless slave. Why do you bother keeping me?"
Caleb's lips twitched, "I was wondering when you were going to ask that. I keep you because I want to break you." He sighed the word, deep with pleasure.
The fettered boy couldn't think of anything to say.
Caleb offered the bottle once again, "Do you want the water?"
Obi-Wan nodded slowly, his head still reeling from dehydration and the effects of the quick suffocation.
"Then lick my shoes." Caleb stood up over the boy and dangled the bottle tantalising above the boy.
"WHAT??" Obi-Wan couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"You heard what I said slave. If you want the water, lick my shoes. I want them clean." Caleb gestured to his muddy shoes.
Obi-Wan took one look at the shoes in front of him and revolted, "NO! I will not lick your friggin shoes! You lick them yourself, you arsehole!"
Caleb's face tightened and he let the bottle tip towards to the ground, letting the precious liquid fall to the dusty ground, "So be it, my dear slave. You will receive no water." He emptied the bottle and walked away.
Obi-Wan regarded the retreating back and realised that he had made a mistake. He badly needed that water. He needed to learn to swallow his pride or else he would not survive. (But do you really want to survive?) A voice whispered nastily and Obi-Wan pushed it back and concentrated on making it through the day.
The day passed and night followed it. The rapid change in temperature found the boy trying to bury himself in the once burning hot sands. With no clothes for protection Obi-Wan felt the cold badly. The sand was the only thing that offered warmth and Obi-Wan tried to make the best of it. Just as soon as the freezing night had passed, the blazing hot day returned and Obi-Wan found himself panting once more on top of the sand.
Obi-Wan was just giving himself up to die in the Sands when a guard appeared holding a bucket. Water isn't meant to have a smell, but a cool, clear smell wafted from the bucket making Obi-Wan look up with dry, crusted eyes.
"Water." The guard curtly dumped the bucket on the ground in front of the boy and Obi-Wan slowly heaved himself up to look into the bucket.
Sure enough, there was water in there. It rippled, and sunlight danced across its surface. It was the most beautiful thing that the boy had ever seen.
"F-for me?" Obi-Wan croaked, although he knew that the question sounded dumb he had to be certain.
"Yes, slave." The guard watched with contempt as Obi-Wan crawled forward and took a little sip. It was the real thing. Obi-Wan wanted nothing then to pick the bucket up and swallow the whole lot but he knew that if he did that he would be ill for certain.
The guard watched as the boy took another slow sip then deliberately kicked the bucket over.
(Huh?) Obi-Wan's brain couldn't focus but he watched mutely as the water seeped into the sand. "N-no!………W-w-why?" he managed to finally force out through his parched lips.
"Mr Caleb said it would teach you a lesson. To be so close, yet so far. He also said that since you managed to get a little bit of the water, the rest of the day will be spent thinking about what you have lost, and ultimately the decision that made you lose it." The guard's eyes had become glazed as he spoke, as if he was remembering and reciting what he said.
Obi-Wan didn't react to the guard but tried desperately to suck any moisture out of the sand. All he ended up with was a mouthful of gritty sand for his efforts. The next time he looked up, the guard was gone.
Obi-Wan watched the horizon from his prone position on the sand; it was blurring and moving in and out of focus – something that did not bode well for his body. He didn't know how much time had passed, while he had lain in the limbo but the sun was low in the sky when the guard returned with the bucket. The guard placed the bucket right beside the boy's head and said:
"Drink up quickly or else I will take it away from you once again." He tipped it slowly and Obi-Wan watched as a drop fell and evaporated on the hot sand.
(Screw being cautious, I need this) Obi-Wan forced himself up, grabbed the bucket and with one gulp swallowed half of it's contents. A split second later, he realised his mistake and tried to spit the water back out.
It was saltwater.
The guard gave a hearty laugh as the boy choked and gasped. "Bet you didn't see that one coming did you, slave?"
"W-w-water…."Obi-Wan tried to focus on the guard but was pushed back down into the sand.
"Maybe later!" The guard picked up the bucket and emptied the rest of it on the boy.
Obi-Wan retched as the saltwater burned all the way down his throat. (No…..I need water…..need……). He didn't think that it could've gotten any worse but he was wrong. The salt made him even more desperate. The night was the most torturous that he had ever spent. Physical beatings he could handle, that was only pain but this……this was mental torture. Obi-Wan realised that he would do anything for just a cup of water.
The saltwater made him sick and Obi-Wan couldn't stop viciously vomiting. Badly dehydrated and delirious Obi-Wan spent another sleepless night.
He started crawling out of the sand the next morning but gave up halfway. (What's the use of it? If I don't get water today, I will die.) He closed his eyes and felt his body burning as the sun intensified as the day wore on.
Caleb approached the boy and nodded his approval. The boy lay half covered under the sand, no doubt from burying himself the night before. The boy's skin was a dark brown and he noticed that the boy had flung his arm out and had his head resting on it. The boy's ginger hair had bleached to a very light brown, almost blonde. He reached the boy and prodded him with his boot. Nothing happened. Caleb probed the boy once again and watched with satisfaction as the boy stirred and looked up with muddled eyes.
"Water." Caleb stated and held out a bucket. Obi-Wan looked at him and slowly tried to crawl towards him. "Not so fast young one. Remember that answer you gave me to that decision? It was not appropriate. Now, the request still stands and you must accept it to receive the water." He smiled evilly and placed his foot beneath the boy's head.
Obi-Wan looked at the shoe, then at the water. (No more pride. No more self-respect. Just do it. You need the water.) He made his decision and slowly licked the man's shoe. It was more for show then anything, as any saliva had long ago disappeared from the boy's mouth.
"Good boy." Caleb purred and knelt down. He patted the boy like a dog and Obi-Wan sagged, too exhausted to do anything – he was ready to die. Caleb gently pulled the boy over to him and cradled his head in his lap. If Obi-Wan had any strength he would've pushed the man away from him but now………
(Go……..away……)Obi-Wan groggily thought as his eyes closed once more. His thoughts were overridden as Caleb spoke; "Now, we wouldn't want you to go dying on me." He softly placed the bucket on Obi-Wan's lips and let the water dribble slowly but consistently into the boy's parched mouth. At first, the boy choked as his throat tried to swallow but gradually Obi-Wan's mouth began working once more to the point where he was beginning to suck in the water like a baby sucking on a mother's breast.
Suddenly, the boy turned his head away from the bucket and violently thrust his head out of Caleb's embrace. The man's face tightened at this show of rebellion but relaxed as Obi-Wan started violently retching, throwing back up some water that he had taken.
"Easy boy. Easy. You shouldn't drink so fast. You know that your stomach won't be able to handle it." Caleb told the boy off and Obi-Wan tiredly looked up at him. Caleb started as the boy closed his eyes and passed out in his arms.
"What the……?" Caleb mentally counted the hours the boy had been without water. He had sent guard with a bucket full of the stuff only last night. The boy shouldn't be on the brink like he was. Caleb's eyes darkened as he thought what he would do if the boy died. He undid the chain, and easily picked up the boy in his arms, and walked back to the compound. As he trudged on with his small burden, he passed the barracks, where the guards were lounging around and laughing.
He stopped in front of them and watched with an expressionless face as they straightened up and bowed. "Who was the one that gave the slave his ration of water last night?" There were nervous glances and a single guard stepped forward.
The guard swallowed, "I did sir.P>
"Now, tell me truthfully. Do not lie and no harm will befall you – did you give the boy his water ration?"
"I did sir......but.......er......." The guard hesitated and Caleb raised his eyebrows.
"Not admitting everything would be classed as a lie, guard. But……….?" He left the question hanging.
"I-I salted it sir." The guard lowered his eyes and stared at the floor, fear consuming him.
Caleb's hand tightened, "You salted the boy's water without my permission?"
"Yes sir."
As quick as lightening, Caleb pulled a blaster from his pocket and shot the offending guard. "You almost cost me my most precious piece of merchandise." He snarled at the now dead guard. He looked around at the guards around him, "Let that be a lesson to you all – do not disobey me."