The
two lovely characters belong to Thomas Harris. I just borrowed them for fun.
There is no profit involved. Just admiration.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Unabridged Audio of Silence
Dr Chilton woke up on the charming terrace of a beachfront house in the Island
of Bimini.
He was strapped to a chair, yards and yards of tape bounding his body, arms,
and legs kept him immobilized more efficiently than the straightjacket and
shackles once used on Hannibal Lecter.
Terror invaded him at the thought of Lecter.
He ran his eyes over his body to account for its parts. He appeared to be
unharmed, his vision was good, he could account for both his hands, however
tied, and his legs and feet. He felt no pain, aside from the discomfort of
being tied down. His mouth felt numb, as it does when leaving the dentist
office. He clicked his teeth; they were obviously all there.
He was not about to call out. He didn't want to rush anything.
How did Lecter catch him, anyway?…He remember receiving a note from Dr Allen
Bloom, inviting him to join him for dinner at his beachfront house. He had
always wanted to meet Dr Bloom. At the time he wondered if this could mean he
was finally going to get professional recognition?
He drove his rented car there…Then nothing. He remembered nothing.
He was thirsty; but didn't want to call. If he did, he feared Hannibal Lecter
would respond. Not a pleasant thought.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dr. Hannibal Lecter was preparing dinner. A nice piece of meat was braising in
a lovely All Clad petite braiser. It smelled wonderful, and he
congratulated himself on his excellent choice of seasonings. The final result
will be delicious, he was certain, and truly hoped Dr Chilton would appreciate
his culinary skills.
He opened a bottle of Chateau d'Yquem and poured two glasses.
"Good evening ," he greeted politely, entering the terrace.
Chilton opened his mouth as if to answer but though better and closed it again.
He didn't attempt to say a word; his mouth felt numb anyway.
Dr. Lecter approached his guest and stood in front of him.
"I hope you enjoy my hospitality during the few days you will be staying here.
I will help you eat and drink, and will be happy to help you with you dignity
pants….Remember the dignity pants, Freddy?" he smiled a chilling smile…. "I
certainly do, I loathed them. But it was preferable to the alternative…." He
laughed. Dr. Chilton shuddered.
Chilton took a sip of wine from the glass that Dr. Lecter offered him.
Curiously he couldn't taste much, he wondered if it was the result of the
chloroform Lecter had used to capture him. His mouth felt….well…empty. Empty
and numb. He had a slight difficulty swallowing the wine.
"I hope you enjoy the wine," said an affable Dr. Lecter, always the gracious
host. "I would have offered you a straw, but you might have difficulty handling
it in account of the anesthesia"
Dr. Chilton had determined to give him the silence treatment, such as
the one he had received from Lecter all those years at the dungeon.
"Okey Docky," said an unshakable Hannibal Lecter. "Lets get ready for the main
dish."
He left the terrace and came back with the petite braiser, then, on a
second trip, with a huge serving platter with fluffy mashed potatoes at one end
and roasted vegetables at the other.
He set the whole paraphernalia on the table, beside Dr. Chilton.
Removing the main course from the braiser, he started to cut the meat in
thick diagonal slices. The meat seemed to slice like butter offering no resistance
to the knife.
Dr Chilton eyes widened and he started to thrash on the chair while attempting
to yell. All he was able to produce was a grunt.
"Let me describe the menu we'll enjoy during your stay." Offered an unflappable
Dr. Lecter. "Today we'll have braised tongue in a wine sauce with Mediterranean
vegetables and mashed potatoes."
"Tomorrow, after a small surgical procedure, I'll secure us some cheeks;
you know, the chunks of meat below the eyes? Very desirable from large mammals
and fish. Delicious!... The day after tomorrow, we shall see."
He cut the meat in small pieces and, forcibly opening Chilton's mouth,
patiently began to feed him.
Chilton, unable to scream, proceeded to make some unearthly noises, as, with
the help of his host, he was fed his own tongue.
Hannibal Lecter felt curiously at peace, as he continued to feed his guest,
alternating the meat with the potatoes and veggies.
Fin
