The electric waves blasted through his forehead for the fifth time since he arrived at the asylum for the criminally insane. It made a high screaming sound in his ears. There was also a crackling sound as thousands and thousands of brain cells burned on the spot. His eyes rolled up into his head and he convulsed, epileptically. The leather straps stretched and rattled as his legs and arms shook in a spastic manner.
When it was over, after minutes had seemed to stretch into hours, Benjamin was as blind and unintelligible as ever. Like a puppet, unable to move on his own, he was lifted from the chair by the nurse and one guard. His legs were slack underneath his frail form. The skeletal figure was hardly a burden to drag across the floor back to its cage. He fell to the ground instantly, and slipped into restless sleep.
The room was full of students, each obediently silent at their desk. As the teacher slipped the perfect test onto Benjamin's desk, leaning over him, she seemed impossibly tall. She looked over her thick glasses at him.
"I'd like to see you after class, Benjamin."
Her voice echoed as if in a cave, foreboding. He felt the coldness of all the other students' laughter, and felt so small in his little wooden chair. They didn't know anything. They would all pay one day. They would bleed for him one day.
Suddenly they were gone and he was left to the wrath of his teacher. She told him that he must have cheated on the exam and demanded to know where he had gotten the answers. He explained helplessly that it wasn't his fault that he was smart. She threatened to beat him, claiming him a little liar. Finally she grew stories taller and menacing as anything. She grabbed a giant wooden paddle with the holes in it and held it at ready over him.
"I didn't cheat!!!"
His eyes flew open. As he moved to shield himself from the paddle, his arms stopped short, pulling tight the chains. Panting, he frantically searched his surroundings. He was back in the cell; it had been a nightmare. Oh god…why couldn't he remember what day it was?
The sweat chilled over his body, making him shiver in the useless inmate uniform. His mind forced him to be calm, not letting him think too hard. Every time his eyes darted to a spot on the stone walls, they took forever to focus. He moved to wipe his face, leaning over so the chains would reach, and found his hand weak and slack. He was dumb and useless, not able to fully control his limbs. They still tingled from the electricity that had been flying through them.
The year is 1887. I'm in London. No. I'm in, Tuesday, wait! No, Antarctica. Soon I'll be teaching a biochemistry class at Oxford. But they don't deserve my superior knowledge. No one does. Not even God! It's dark in here. By the 13% increase in humidity and decrease in temperature, I'd say it is about, wait. 15 in the morning? Yes, It's nice here. I think I'm staying forever.
His thoughts went on like this. Ramblings making their way into his desperate attempts to make sense. If nothing else, the science and math would keep him sane. Yes, it must. By now hundreds of formulas and experiments had been drawn onto the walls of the cell with a piece of coal. The sight of it was unnerving. One man had taken the time to meticulously plot out intensely complex mathematical equations and still unproven scientific theories. It was amazing, disturbingly amazing.
Feeling feverish and unnaturally cold, he drew himself into a little ball as far as the chains would allow. Holding himself tight, trying to capture any body heat left, he fell into unconsciousness once more, a few more thoughts crossing his mind; the ones it would allow at least.
You're insane, remember? They're helping you get better. They know what's best for you and these treatments are working to make you better. What did I do? I broke the rules. What day is it?
