Chapter 9: Puppets

I was laying down watching cartoons. I've been listening to Charlotte's IPod for a good 2 hours. I hide it underneath my pillow so they won't see it and decide to take it away from me. I don't know why they would do that but I rather be safe than sorry. After a good while of just sitting on my bed in front of the television. Charlie came back with lunch and a letter.

"I have a letter for you from Aaron." he said.

"Awesome. Here are my letters. " I gave him my three letters to Mr. Smiley, Salvadore, and Charlotte. What I notice though was this concern look on Charlie's face. "Is something wrong Charlie?"

"It's Aaron."

"What happened?" I immediately got worried.

"He's got the same scars you do." he said, "I think he gotten the same surgery from Dr. Carroll."

"Dammit! What is Dr. Carroll's deal? More of all why does Dr. Money want us to have these microchips inside us? What is the purpose?"

"I think that's just it. He wants all of the Prisoners to be controlled. Since the suicide rate in Blue Rose have gone so high he doesn't want to lose more people who are immune to the virus. But there's just something about Dr. Carroll that isn't right. When I first talked to him... It feels like he has another agenda."

He told me the story of this conversation with Dr. Carroll.

... (Charlie's Narrative)

I was sent to help clean up Dr. Carroll's clinic room. When I came in I saw some blood on the operating table. "Oh why hello Charlie!" he said with a gleeful smile while he was washing his hands. "I've just finished up performing on that Yamimash boy. He was not as cooperative as Markiplier but I got him to calm down. If you don't mind please clean up the operating table for me."

"Of course." I said as I rolled the operating table into the sanitary room. While I was cleaning it he came in and started a conversation with me.

He said, "You know, these prisoners really got something in common. They all love to play video games. Video games is a vice to escape reality you know? It's like their personal Wonderland they love to visit all the time. But take that away from them they all get trapped in the Abyss. It's a good thing Dr. Money allowed me to put the chips within the prisoners. What's great is that even if they tried to commit suicide or try to take them out, the microchips will stop that within seconds."

"That's quite amazing, Dr. Carroll." I said while putting on my best fake smile.

"Do you like to read books, Charlie?" he asked me a random question.

"Yes I do."

"One of my most favorites is Alice In Wonderland. I like the whole idea that we all have our own worlds to visit, but if you venture down far enough you'll end up being lost. I'd say that book is a good lesson to kids that they shouldn't wonder off away from home. Or else they all end up losing their heads.

"Another great book if you haven't read this one yet. Is Firestarter by Stephen King. The main character is named Charlie. She's like possibly 12 years old and she's on the run with her father from the secret organization called the S.H.O.P." He playfully pop the p at the end, "You see she has this incredible power of conjuring up fire, but if she gets too hot she will destroy all humankind with a nuclear explosion."

Is... Is he comparing me to the little girl Charlie? Or is he talking about Mark at this point?

"Sadly her and her father were taken. They were imprisoned, tested, she experience betrayel. She saw what she thought was her best friend kill her father right in front of her. Poor little Charlie it makes me cry every time I read about the death of her father. Keep up the good work Charlie."

He left me alone after that weird conversation. What's scary though, I think he hinted something to me I'm just not sure what.

... (Markiplier's Narrative)

"That's creepy dude." I said.

"Tch you're telling me. Anyway, I'll talk to you later. I'll visit Charlotte in a bit to give her your letter."

"Okay Charlie and please be careful."

"Come on, I'm always careful."

He left with a smile as he walked away. I open Aaron's letter first before I started eating.

Hey Mark

It's amazing to find out that you're here too. I guess we're one of the few that are immune to the virus. From what I've heard the Doc did surgery on you too. He had to sedate me to get me on the operating table. Do you know If any of our other friends are in here? Also do you know who is this Salvadore guy?

- Aaron

I put the letter away safely under my bed. Strangely though after lunch, suddenly the guy who takes me to Dr. Carroll at night opened my cell's door. He said, "Get up." It wasnt a request so I stand up and walked with him. He lead me back into the testing room, but this time I wasn't the only one there. Aaron was standing in the middle of the room.

The guard left as Dr. Carroll smiles at me. He said, "Mark, how are you today?"

"What's going on?" I asked not bothering to tell him my condition.

"This young man here known as Yamimash." he pointed at him, "Has not been a good patient. He caused me trouble with the surgery that nearly made me unintentionally kill me. Now to mention that I had to give myself stitches." He said that while placing a had on his right shoulder. Whoa, way to go Yamimash. That's what the doctor gets for messing with him.

"Anyway, you're here to teach him a lesson."

"What?! You can't be serious. You can't make me hurt him. I mean I'm barely recovering from the last test you've put me through!"

"Oh I know. That's why you're going to use this."

He toss me a stick that slided to my feet. I looked at it and I asked him, "What is this?"

"It's a Sjambok, an African whip. Mostly used for cattle but they use it on their own people too. They would whip them until they die. For Aaron's misbehavior, including for injuring me. You are to give him 6 lashes to the back. If you can do it on your own, you're done for today. I'll even add an XBOX One for your cooperation."

"... Aaron?" I tried to get his attention. But his expression is blank. Like if his soul isn't there. "What did you do to him?!" I shouted at Dr. Carroll.

"He's paralysed thanks to the chip in the back of his head. This is his punishment and you're the right man to deliever it. After all, what better punishment than to force a friend to carry out the pain?"

"You sick bastard! No I won't do this!"

"... How disappointing, and you were such a good patient."

He turned on the game pad controller. My own body disobeyed me and picked up the Sjambok. "Please don't force me to do this!" I'm trying the best I can to gain back control of my body. It hurts so much that I'm losing the fight. I'm cryiing from the pain, and the fact that I'm going to hurt my friend.

Once I walked around Aaron to have his back facing me. My arm raised up ready to whip him with the Sjambok. Surprisngly my other arm grabbed it to prevent it. I don't get it, that's not me doing this! I looked at the doctor and I see that he's just as surprised as I am!

"How are you doing that?!" said .

"I-I," I started to say until all of a sudden I started to laugh. That's not me! Who's doing this?! Why am I laughing?!

"Sorry Dr. Carroll I was just joking." I suddenly said, "Sure I'll give him the 6 whips but on one condition. You gotta throw in the Oculus Rift."

He was surprised but amuse to hear me say that. "I'm quite shock to see that you can overpower the microchips. Maybe there is something special about you. Alright, I'll throw in the Oculus Rift, but you gotta make sure each hit counts. I will inspect them."

"You got it Dr. Carrol."

Once he turned off the game controller I still felt not in control of myself. My smile is forced, my arm is still in the air. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?!

"Shut the fuck up and fall back in line." said a familiar girl's voice in my head. The girl from my dreams? "I'll explain later. Once you get the Oculus use it. I'll see you in the Rift." What the hell?

"Sorry Aaron." she said while using my voice.

No no no no! NO PLEASE DON'T!

She brought down the first lash across his back. It torn right through the shirt to make a long hideous cut.

STOP YOU'RE HURTING HIM!

The second lash went over the first. They're bleeding out pretty quick. It's too awful to watch.

Stop it please I'm begging you! Please he's my friend I can't do this to him!

"Trust me you don't want to recieve Dr. Carroll's punishment for you." she said in my head, "He's got a reputation for committing worst tortures than this." She made the third lash across his back.

I don't care what he does to me just please stop making me do this!

She ignored my pleas and finished giving Aaron 6 lashes upon his back. Dr. Carroll was appluading with joy as he said, "Wonderfully done Mark!" He walked over to us to see Aaron's back. He hissed at the sight as he said, "Well not to make this as a joke or anything, but you could've lighten up a little bit. I mean, I asked you to give him 6 good lashes not strip some of his skin off. Any harder you could've killed him."

That mother fucker! "Well hey, gotta make it count right?" she forced me to say.

"You're absolutely right. Well he'll live. Some stitching and bandaging he'll be alright. Sadly I can't do nothing else with him until he heals... Oh well that's my fault I suppose. I'll reward you as promised. I'll see you tomorrow night though."

"Fine with me."

I handed him the Sjambok whip back, and not long the guard came back to escort me to my cell. Once I was alone her control over me finally stopped. I started breathing heavily as tears flowed out from my eyes.

"Why did you do that?" I said, "Why did you made me do that?" She wasn't answering. "ANSWER ME DAMMIT!"

All of a sudden my own hand grabbed me by the throat and started choking me. "Shut up," she finally spoke but that was it. She let go so I can breathe again.

This isn't right. My body hurts, I don't have control here. I'm being played like a puppet on painful strings. I hope Aaron doesn't hate me after this. I wonder while he was paralyzed, did he heard everything I said that was not true?

Note:

I would like to thank you all for showing that you enjoyed my story. I'm in my dark hour of depression but writing these stories for you all to read is helping me cope. I want to just show my appreciation of thanks.