Blackened Eyes of the Beast-Chapter Two

second chapter

Chapter 2: System Change

It had been three days since the women had seen Ann-Margaret, and Granidine was starting to worry. She had only been in the housing facility a short time compared to the others, but Ann-Margaret was the closest thing she had to a friend at the moment. Mary and Barbara were always off talking in whispers about everything, and when Granidine got there, they seemed to shun her. But Ann-Margaret was nice to her, made her feel comfortable in their very uncomfortable situation. So when the older woman was taken for the tests and hadn’t come back yet, it sent a spark of panic through the seventeen year old soon to be mother.
She looked up at the clock, something she found herself doing more and more often, and frowned even more as she saw it was once again time for the lights to go out. They went out at eight p.m. on the dot every evening, and this evening was no different. The halogen lights flickered and then all went dark. Granidine laid her head on her pillow, but did not close her eyes. She watched the door like she had the previous two nights. She would watch it, in a silent vigil, to see her friends return.
Her eyes darted to look at the clock, it was only eight fifteen but she knew she would keep looking from the clock to the door. She must have done it for what seemed like hours, just watching the door then the clock, till finally her eyelids began to droop and finally close. The last time she looked at the clock it was just past ten p.m.
The seventeen year olds eyes snapped open as the loud creak of a bed echoed inside the silent black room. Ann-Margaret was sitting in her bed; her face looked sallow and pale in the dim cell. That was what it was, a cell for them, she truly felt that she would be dying down here. She went to sit up but saw her friend collapse on the bed and look right at her. Her eyes seemed to glow in the night, like a cats eyes did when they caught the light just right in the dark. Then those eyes were closed and the older woman was asleep. Granidine fell asleep as well, more slowly though, and in her sleep a terrible nightmare plagued her.
Cat’s eyes looked back at her, hungry eyes. Making her feel like a mouse, and that was what she was, a mouse running from a large cat. She was darting from place to place, under carpets to behind couches. The large cat seemed to always be there. Always clawing at her, wanting to devour her. She was hiding behind a chair now, looking around to see her next escape route, and there it was. Her home, a hole in the wall, she knew if she could get there all would be safe. She darted out at top speed towards her home, just as she got near it; it seemed to get farther away! She looked left and then right and to her surprise, there was no cat in sight. She pushed head long at the hole, knowing it was her only escape. It was finally within reach when a large paw slammed down on top of her! She looked up and screamed in horror, it wasn’t the cat, but a giant black shadow holding her down. She was no longer the mouse, she was herself; she was watching herself as this shadow tore at her clothes, keeping her pinned down, forcing itself onto her! She was screaming for help, screaming for anyone, but no one answered. Just as the worst was starting there was a flash of movement, there was a bright light and the shadow was thrown from her! Standing there was a man in a tan leather duster. His hair was fire red, but the bangs were as black as ash. His eyes were pitch black and almost vacant. His face was firm and determined, strong, a face that had seen hardships. His cheeks were discolored, black as his eyes, almost like scared flesh. He looked at Granidine then, offered a hand to help her up. When she accepted, a large hole exploded from her savior’s chest! She was covered in blood, his blood! She screamed and was then enveloped by the shadowed figure.
She was still screaming as the other women ran to her side, the lights turning on almost as suddenly as they shut off. Guards and doctors ran into the room. She was fighting them off in her sleep, her body moving harshly, trying to escape. The doctor nearest her produced a syringe and filled it with a clear liquid, a muscle relaxant more than likely, then injected her. Within the span of a minute she had calmed down and was sound asleep again. The women all looked confused, looking to the doctor and guards for answers, but none were given. The guards only motioned for the doctors to leave, and they soon followed. But a muffled conversation could be heard.
“Has she gotten the treatment yet?”
“No, only the farthest along has. The scientist said the reaction would be harsh, but from one that hasn’t gotten it yet, it seems odd.”
“That seems odd?” The first one chuckled. “We are taking these dirty worthless Jews and making them useful. They will breed our soldiers.”
There was some shuffling about outside the door and then all was quiet.
The next morning, the same routine was played out. The lights came on; the women went to the bathroom, then the shower. The four of them seemed to be back to the routine that they were so used to, but Granidine didn’t seem the same. She seemed in a trance more than anything, and appeared to be “just going through the motions” as Barbara mentioned to Mary. Her screaming fit from the night before had un-nerved both of the women to no end. It was Ann-Margaret that seemed the most worried about the young seventeen year old. When the ladies returned to the bedroom, it was Granidine that had the paper gown waiting on her bed for her.
The teenager stared at the gown as if there was a dead horse in her bed. She stopped in her tracks and refused to move. Her lip twitched and tears began to well up in her eyes as she finally inched toward her bed. She looked at the others for silent support, but found none. Not even from Ann-Margaret, the only one she considered a friend. Ann-Margaret wouldn’t look at her, as if looking into Granidine’s eyes would condemn her to death.
“They want you to go this time," Ann-Margaret said stating the obvious.
It was out of order, they normally went in order from farthest along to least farthest, and she had at least a week before they were to summon her.  Apparently not, she thought to herself as she started to remove her clothing. She pulled on the flimsy gown and moved toward the door. She took one look back at the other three and said a silent prayer that she would live to see them again. The door opened and she held her breath, looking at the two guards, she stepped out into the darkened hallway.
They had led her in the opposite direction this time to a doctor’s office. From the looks of the surrounding furniture, it was a psychiatrist’s office. She sat down on the couch that was there and looked around. There were tons of books on the shelves, but they looked like they hadn’t been read for a while. Some of the titles were in languages she couldn’t even read, but one that stood out above the others was one titled “Animal Behavior” in bold gold text. This was the only book that looked like it had been read recently. She glanced over at the desk and saw papers and a plaque that said “Dr. J. C. Svindenhardt” and behind that, on the wall was a diploma that stated he was a doctor of the mind. Granidine felt very uneasy sitting in such a lush office in nothing but a paper gown, but she wasn’t given a choice, if the doctor could deal with it so could she.
About five minutes later, the door opened and in walked a tall man that was slightly heavy set, short brown hair and thick round glassed. She would have laughed if she wasn’t so nervous. The doctor sat down behind the desk and looked down at a file folder he had opened on his desk, then at her. His glasses made his eyes seem much larger than normal, almost cartoonish. She had to stifle a laugh again.
“It says here that you had a very serious nightmare Ms. Vander Hoek. Would you mind telling me what it was about?” He had a soft voice, but there was an air of command behind it.
“It was nothing sir, just a nightmare," She said softly, not looking up at him.
“Well it seems as if the doctor thinks you may be taking the treatments badly. How is your emotional state? Are you being hurt? Treated badly?”
Granidine knew those last two questions were loaded questions. But all she did was shake her head no. “Everything is normal sir.”
He scribbled something down on a pad of paper and then looked up at her. “I am not trying to pry into your mind Granidine, everything you say stays between us here.”
Sure it does, she thought as she tried not to roll her eyes. The moment I tell you I dreamed about being raped by a shadow, you’ll run and tell the damn Nazi’s. She just nodded and smiled softly.
“Are you sure there is nothing you wish to say?”  He asked with a bit of urgency in his voice.
“I am sure sir.”
He seemed to hem and haw a little bit but then wrote something down on the paper again. He stood up and walked over to her; he had taken off his glasses and now stared her right in the eyes. Granidine didn’t like him being that close, it made her uncomfortable.
“I cannot help you if you don’t tell me what your dream was about.”
His breath smelled vile, like he hadn’t brushed his teeth in a year, she wanted him away from her; she would say anything just to get him away.
“It was about my attack sir," She squeaked out trying not to inhale too deeply.
“I see," That caused him to back away a little and he stood up and as if finally seeing what she was wearing, looked her up and down.
Granidine suddenly felt self conscious and covered herself up the best she could with the light gown.
“Was that all Granidine?” He spoke firmly.
“Yes sir, just reliving it I guess," She didn’t look at him.
It seemed to satisfy his curiosity as he nodded his hand on his chin as if pondering what to say next. He sat down behind his big oak desk and put his glasses back on.
“I don’t want you to be afraid of your dream Ms. Vander Hoek. All it was; was a dream. It can’t hurt you anymore.”
But it could hurt; it would hurt her every day after the baby was born. A reminder of what happened. She was being forced to have a rapist’s baby. Forgetting the fact that it would be a Nazi’s child, this was still her life. What ever was left of it after they were done with her.
“I want you to go see the doctor now Granidine, we will talk more in the coming weeks," He didn’t even wait for an acknowledgement from her before opening the door and having the two guards come in and get her. It was time for her treatment.
She had gone from one office to the next; this one seemed more sterile though. She felt just as uncomfortable, but seemed to be dressed more appropriately for this room. She was sitting on the examination table when the doctor came in followed by a nurse with a tray of five syringes. The liquid in each looked like it glowed with some strange self illumination. As if the liquid itself was glowing. The doctor spoke harshly for her to lay down with her backside at the very end of the table. As she moved she felt herself become exposed and she blushed, she wasn’t embarrassed if she was honest with herself. She was more flustered. Here was this doctor that had no bed side manner to speak of, with a tray full of needles, and he barks an order at her. She felt like she should say something but thought better of it. She remembered the beatings that Mary had received because she spoke up.
The doctor was firm in his movements as he placed her legs in stirrups and moved into a more accessible position. He mumbled something to the nurse and she handed him a syringe filled with an orange fluid. He looked at her and said politely but firmly “You will feel a pinch.”
She held her breath as the doctor moved, she imagined him getting closer and closer and each time the needle got bigger in her mind. By the time she did feel the pinch, her imagination and made the needle at least a foot long. It wasn’t too painful as he pulled back some, a soft tingling seemed to radiate from her hips and then fill her body. Granidine blinked her eyes and smiled, she could see spots, like little flashes of light in front of her, and she actually tried to grab one and giggled as it slipped through her fingers.
The nurse handed him the second syringe, this one was a blood red color, but translucent. He mentioned the pinch again, but Granidine was too busy trying to catch the spots in front of her to even notice. After the doctor moved back, there was a pain that started to replace the tingling; it crept into her arms and legs, all the way into her mind. For the first time Granidine wanted to gouge out her own eyes! The spots were now zooming at her, causing her to flinch and try and move out of the way! She was so focused on that, she didn’t even feel the third pinch of the needle. This one was higher than the last two, just about where her uterus was resting, with the growing life of her baby inside. She felt a tremendous burning after that, like fire was licking at her insides! The spots had turned into stars and the tingling was gone. Instead there was burning, intense burning that forced its way into her every pore. She wanted to scream but was afraid to let herself make a noise.
The fourth pinch was in her arm, she saw the needle, saw the doctor, but couldn’t control her movements. She thrashed and shivered. She whimpered as she saw the blue fluorescent fluid drain into her. It took only a second, but the burning had stopped. She actually felt cold, like she was sitting on ice. Granidine couldn’t take too much more, her mind was being sent so many signals, it was overloading! Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she started to spasm. The doctor didn’t look the least bit worried as he injected her with the last of the syringes. A bright yellow color moved into her body as she felt the familiar tingle race through her limbs. It seemed to relax her a little.
Then it happened.
She felt a flutter in her stomach, like a million butterflies all swarming inside her. She swallowed, her mouth was dry, and she tried to rub her tongue around to moisten it up but to no avail. She looked at the doctor, then the nurse and bolted upright. She held her stomach as she started to dry heave. She coughed and sputtered trying to catch her breath, each time she felt like her lungs were going to collapse! Finally after a deep heave she expelled what seemed like a gallon of bile. Falling back her eyes rolled up into her head again and she passed out.
The doctor looked at the nurse and smiled. “The first phase will be finished by tonight. We shall know by morning if it took hold," He then stood up and walked out of the room, leaving the nurse to clean up the girl and the floor.

Author's Note

please, opinions only

Reviews

[James Watts]

“Everything is normal sir.”(“Everything is normal, sir.” Sorry, man, had to leave something constructive lol. You do this throughout. Just remember when addressing someone in dialogue to use the old comma)


So far this is pretty good. In my opinion, it has a hook that asks me to read more. Not bad.