Faces, Names, and Memories (completed)

Chapter 37 - Torture

While the rest of us stare in horror at our unconscious friend, Tressa moves to action, skittering across the floor to Kinnie, and putting two fingers on her neck, checking her pulse.

"She's not dead," Tressa announces, with a relieved sigh.

I swallow and nod, grateful that we haven't lost another friend today.

The moment of silent relief is cut by Tressa's quiet but authoritative voice, asking someone to help her get Kinnie onto the bench. Deen and she roll Kinnie onto her back, and she bends down to lift Kinnie by her ankles, but Cale stops her with his arm.

"I've got her," He says, lifting Kinnie up by her ankles easily, while Deen lifts her around her armpits. I don't think that lifting Kinnie is a two man job, considering she weighs much less than me, and I've been in a coma for a year, but Tressa nods as they set her gently on the metal bench. They're just being careful not to injure her any further.

Tressa kneels down next to Kinnie and places the back of her hand on her forehead.

"We've got to get her cooled down and cleaned off. She has a fever, but I don't know if it's from trauma or infection," Tressa says.

Spenzo and Cale go into the bathroom to look for something to clean Kinnie off, while Deen stands by the wall, looking at Kinnie, concern etched into his features with a hint of anger.

I can only guess at what Deen is thinking. I'm guessing his thoughts include negative ones against Zuke. I don't blame him. Even though it's not the real Zuke who tortured Kinnie, it's hard not to give him some fault. I'd feel the same if it were Cale who had been tortured.

Spenzo and Cale come back out and hand Tressa a stack of damp paper towels. She takes them and begins dabbing at the blood on Kinnie's face and arms, and her black eyes. She's trying to find the injuries. After the blood thins, the cuts and abrasions show. It's abundantly clear that it wasn't only Zuke's fists that he used. I swallow and look away, but that just prompts a new vision to come forward. My head pulses with enough pain to bring me to my knees as the flashback pushes itself forward. 

I'm in a hallway, sitting on a bench. My mom is next to me with her hand on top of mine, she looks frightened.

"Everything will be alright, Jade," My mom tells me.

I don't answer her, I just look at my feet; I can easily see my shoes since I'm small enough that my legs barely dangle off the end of the chair. I must be around 4 or 5.

My mom stands up and asks, "What did he say?" I look to see who my mom is talking to and see my dad. He's frowning deeply.

"He's alive, but, quite ironically, the electricity caused permanent damage to his brain and nervous system," My dad answers.

"And?" My mom asks.

"He'll be paralyzed and mute for the rest of his life," My dad says.

My mom gasps and puts both her hands over her mouth. Tears start streaming down her face.

"I had no idea this was going to happen," My dad says, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her. My mom doesn't answer, and starts sobbing.

I slide off the chair I had been sitting on, and silently walk past my mother and father, wondering why my mom is crying and my dad looks so grim.

I slip into the door that I assume my dad had come from, and two scientists are talking right in front of the doorway.

"I don't understand what happened," One of them says.