Interlude A
Invisible Woman
* * * * *
Her eyelids felt heavy and it took her several moments of concerted effort to force them apart. Harsh light streamed in between the fleshy seals and she quickly clamped her eyes closed. She had the makings of a world-class hangover.
After the world's longest minute - when bile attempted to dislodge itself from her throat and make its entrance into the world - she tried to open her eyes once more. First the left eye.then the right. She blinked once to prove that at least one part of her body was able to function without pain - but she wasn't even allowed that luxury.
God - what was in that drink, she wondered as consciousness crept up on her. Did somebody use my head for batting practice? She attempted to roll over onto her back and then groaned as she moved slightly, the tiniest adjustment in her position sending hot knives of pain driving into the backs of her eyeballs. That halted any further thought of moving, and she merely lay her back down, enjoying the feel of her left cheek against the cool, smooth surface of . . .
Cool, smooth, surface?
She bolted upright or at least attempted to, but pain exploded in her brain and every part of her body. Darkness swallowed her before she could pull herself up to a half-sitting position. As she collapsed back into a fetal position, she realized that she was in some type of a cage. Then nothingness.
* * * * *
When she awoke the second time, the heavy, oppressive pain inside her was less. She was able to roll onto her back, and massage the remainder of the ache from her temples. She slowly opened her eyes, taking a deep calming breath as she assessed her situation. I'm in a cage, my body aches, my head hurts.and my powers are gone, she thought as she reached out with her mind. She closed her eyes in absolute defeat.
Okay.okay.I can handle this. This isn't the first time I've been in tough situations before. It's part of the job. I just need to think. She sat up, fully, curling her legs to her chest, and looked at her surroundings. Her vision seemed a little blurred, and her head still hurt, but as far as she could see, she was in a completely barren room. It was fairly, dark; the only light was a pale yellow fluorescent that was directly above her.cage.
She reached out and stroked the bars, half expecting a shock or something worse. Nothing. She wrapped her hands around one bar, and tugged, testing its strength. It didn't budge, nor did the cage itself. She scooted around a little, trying to move it, but was rewarded with nothing. The whole thing must be anchored somehow. There didn't even appear to be a lock.
She rose unsteadily, to her feet and pressed her palms against the ceiling of the cage. Standing on her tiptoes, she could just reach it. She attempted to push the lid of the cage up and off, but it wouldn't budge either. She cursed silently. There must be a mechanism or something. She looked around carefully, studying her small, neat prison.
After a moment, her drug-addled brain figured it out. The bars, some, at least, must come up from the floor. That must mean there is a release or a lever or something that can cause them to lower. Perhaps if she could find that release, if it were in the room.
She began looking around then, in earnest. Squinting her eyes, she gazed through the darkness. If her powers had been operational, it would have been a simple matter to suss out the location of the lever. If only.If only.If wishes were breaths, she'd have wished herself out of here, too. But she couldn't and so what was the use of thinking about 'if'.
After several minutes of careful examination, she deteremined that there was nothing in the room except her cage and the light. Not even a door. "What the hell?" she growled to herself in frustration.
Just then, a sound behind her caused her to rethink the bareness of her environment. A crack of light appeared in the far wall, widening as a panel that hadn't been there a moment before slid silently open. A man- shaped object stood in the doorframe.
"Good morning and welcome," a cool unctuous voice stated simply. "I trust your accommodations were to your liking. Although I am sure they are not what one of your exalted status is accustomed to." As he stepped further into the light, recognition dawned on her. The sudden shock, coupled with her already tortured physiology was too much. The rest of what he was saying faded away into nothingness.along with her consciousness.
This story © 2002 Sherman L Taylor, II
Clayton "Tres" Darkmoon © 2002 Sherman L Taylor, II
The X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier, and all constituent
characters © 2002 Marvel Comics Group.
This story is not for sale and is not to be distributed without
permission of the author.
Please electronically mail comments to CommanderInChf@aol.com.
All constructive criticism is appreciated.
Invisible Woman
* * * * *
Her eyelids felt heavy and it took her several moments of concerted effort to force them apart. Harsh light streamed in between the fleshy seals and she quickly clamped her eyes closed. She had the makings of a world-class hangover.
After the world's longest minute - when bile attempted to dislodge itself from her throat and make its entrance into the world - she tried to open her eyes once more. First the left eye.then the right. She blinked once to prove that at least one part of her body was able to function without pain - but she wasn't even allowed that luxury.
God - what was in that drink, she wondered as consciousness crept up on her. Did somebody use my head for batting practice? She attempted to roll over onto her back and then groaned as she moved slightly, the tiniest adjustment in her position sending hot knives of pain driving into the backs of her eyeballs. That halted any further thought of moving, and she merely lay her back down, enjoying the feel of her left cheek against the cool, smooth surface of . . .
Cool, smooth, surface?
She bolted upright or at least attempted to, but pain exploded in her brain and every part of her body. Darkness swallowed her before she could pull herself up to a half-sitting position. As she collapsed back into a fetal position, she realized that she was in some type of a cage. Then nothingness.
* * * * *
When she awoke the second time, the heavy, oppressive pain inside her was less. She was able to roll onto her back, and massage the remainder of the ache from her temples. She slowly opened her eyes, taking a deep calming breath as she assessed her situation. I'm in a cage, my body aches, my head hurts.and my powers are gone, she thought as she reached out with her mind. She closed her eyes in absolute defeat.
Okay.okay.I can handle this. This isn't the first time I've been in tough situations before. It's part of the job. I just need to think. She sat up, fully, curling her legs to her chest, and looked at her surroundings. Her vision seemed a little blurred, and her head still hurt, but as far as she could see, she was in a completely barren room. It was fairly, dark; the only light was a pale yellow fluorescent that was directly above her.cage.
She reached out and stroked the bars, half expecting a shock or something worse. Nothing. She wrapped her hands around one bar, and tugged, testing its strength. It didn't budge, nor did the cage itself. She scooted around a little, trying to move it, but was rewarded with nothing. The whole thing must be anchored somehow. There didn't even appear to be a lock.
She rose unsteadily, to her feet and pressed her palms against the ceiling of the cage. Standing on her tiptoes, she could just reach it. She attempted to push the lid of the cage up and off, but it wouldn't budge either. She cursed silently. There must be a mechanism or something. She looked around carefully, studying her small, neat prison.
After a moment, her drug-addled brain figured it out. The bars, some, at least, must come up from the floor. That must mean there is a release or a lever or something that can cause them to lower. Perhaps if she could find that release, if it were in the room.
She began looking around then, in earnest. Squinting her eyes, she gazed through the darkness. If her powers had been operational, it would have been a simple matter to suss out the location of the lever. If only.If only.If wishes were breaths, she'd have wished herself out of here, too. But she couldn't and so what was the use of thinking about 'if'.
After several minutes of careful examination, she deteremined that there was nothing in the room except her cage and the light. Not even a door. "What the hell?" she growled to herself in frustration.
Just then, a sound behind her caused her to rethink the bareness of her environment. A crack of light appeared in the far wall, widening as a panel that hadn't been there a moment before slid silently open. A man- shaped object stood in the doorframe.
"Good morning and welcome," a cool unctuous voice stated simply. "I trust your accommodations were to your liking. Although I am sure they are not what one of your exalted status is accustomed to." As he stepped further into the light, recognition dawned on her. The sudden shock, coupled with her already tortured physiology was too much. The rest of what he was saying faded away into nothingness.along with her consciousness.
This story © 2002 Sherman L Taylor, II
Clayton "Tres" Darkmoon © 2002 Sherman L Taylor, II
The X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier, and all constituent
characters © 2002 Marvel Comics Group.
This story is not for sale and is not to be distributed without
permission of the author.
Please electronically mail comments to CommanderInChf@aol.com.
All constructive criticism is appreciated.