His eyes widened, and he swallowed visibly. It almost made me laugh.
There’s nothing more annoying than a monster who tries to act like he isn’t one.
Stepping up to him, I got as close as I could before he started backing up. “You better chain me up, Jarvis,” I hissed. “Because I’m smarter than you. And that means I willnot stopuntil you pay for what you allowed to happen to my patient.”
The sounds of footsteps bring me out of my wrathful reminiscence. Sure enough, it’s the assholes in question. Johansson and Hassan hustle into the room like they’re in a hurry.
Great. Let’s get this show on the road, I guess.
They shackle my neck, wrists and ankles, chains attached to the wall. I’m exhausted already, too tired to even hold myself up. But the feelings are coming on… Thememories.
Only this time, it’smetal, not rope. I can’t burn my flesh to get out of it.
Fuck…
Struggling to breathe without gasping, because I don’t want them to know they’re getting to me, I glare at Johansson while he hooks up his makeshift electroshock machine to the metal around my neck. And then he slips a bag over my head.
Fuckin pussy. Cover my face so you don’t have to look me in the eye while you do this, you goddamn cowards.
They begin with electric shocks, and the hot poker in tandem, and I disassociate as much as I can. That is, until Hassan starts fuckingtalking.
“Where’s your pretty, monster boyfriend, Lemuel? If only he could save you like you saved him… From Templeton.Andme.”
My blood is on fire, and every word from his mouth is another splash of gasoline.
Hassan is still talking shit, and I hear Johansson mumble a number. Based on what’s happening, it’s either voltage, or the temperature of that goddamn metal poker. Who knows, but I’m more enraged by having to listen to this prick than any harm they could bring to my body.
If it were at all physically possible for a human being to break free from steel chains, I’d be doing it right now. I actually visualize myself yanking an arm forward so hard they rip right out of the wall. Honestly, if I weren’t so weak right now, I think I probably could. But I’ve barely eaten in weeks, I’ve been sleeping on the floor—when I actuallycansleep, that is. The shivers make it hard to get any rest, unless it’s simply passing out from exhaustion.
I’m as weak as one could be, meaning it’s not the best time for me to be fantasizing about summoning my Lou Ferrigno strength.
In fact, I’m coming in and out of consciousness so much that when the bag is ripped off of my head, and I see Trevel standing there, I think I’m hallucinating.
But then I notice how much less severe he looks than any time I’ve seen him until now. There’s an expression on his face resembling my patient again; the one I used to treat in Riverwoods, then at my practice.
It reminds me of the first time I met him. How his eyes plead with me to understand him. Foranyoneto be on his side and see his brokenness for what it was…
Not a terminal disease, but rather a part of him. Just a part, like any other.
Trevel murmurs something while I’m remembering all this, and I blink him into focus.
“Now we’re even,” he whispers.
I barely have time to wonder what he means by that.
He whirls around, jamming the metal poker into Hassan’s neck.
My mouth actually drops open, like maybe I was going to say,“Oh, damn,”or something to that effect, but I don’t have the strength to cough up words.
Still, my eyes are wide, watching in fascination as he tackles Johansson, using the chain around my ankles to wrap it around his neck and pull. The distinct crunch of him snapping Johansson’s neck sends a chill up my spine.
Holy… fuck.
Vengeance comes in many forms. But we know the physical acts of seekingrevengedoesn’t quell the hurt like we think it will. More than anything, it’s something to keep us going.Something to hold our heads up when it would otherwise be so easy to give up.
What we really need is to find the strength to move on. That, and only that, will lead us to acceptance, to closure, and some semblance of peace.
I can see now that this is what Trevel has found in Byron. The strength of another to help him.
