As The World Turns Cold

The Trouble With Torture

Mercy was detained and therefore weak at the moment, but if she was to die here she was going down swinging.
    Mercy lay still on the dank, concrete flooring.  She scowled up at the wall she was facing.  She hoped this hindrance of a man was behind it.  Mercy prayed that he would see her defiance.  All of a sudden shock coursed through her body. 

She convulsed on the floor in panic and pain.  She could see electric flurries flitting down from the ceiling to her, locking onto the flashing collar around her neck.  She could feel the heat of the electricity pouring through the collar to her neck, drying her throat with the sheer impact.  Her nerves ticked and her nervous system went into overdrive sending flaring pain signals throughout her body.  She cried out and bit her bottom lip.

The fear she showed would make them believe they had more control over her.  From the moment she was taken away from her family, she knew no one should ever have the ability to see how shaken she could truly become.

  She lay on the floor, wracked with violent shockwaves.  She counted, hoping it would alleviate the pain and take her mind off of the unholy situation.  She didn't know how long she'd been counting, but finally the shocks stopped. 

    Mercy tried to roll on her side, to move anything, really, but the electricity that coursed through her body was too much.  She could feel it vibrating within her. 

No matter the fact that the man had stopped tormenting her, the pain was still there.  She closed her eyes and saw bright blue streaks.  No matter what she did she couldn't escape it.  Mercy's eyes opened slowly and she stared upon at the ceiling, defeated 

    "Ready to talk now, Ms. Baudelaire?"  The voice was back.  "I'll only say this once more.  If you don't cooperate, I'll shock you again.  Do I make myself clear?"

    Mercy nodded with great effort.  It wasn't easy to move even her head.  

    "Why did you run away?"

    Her eyes were still glued to the ceiling, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. "I needed to get away from you disgusting creeps."  She said with as much malice as she could muster.

"Yes.  I'm sure that was a reason, perhaps, but I want the real incentive.  Tell me more."  The voice chimed with glee.  Mercy knew he was waiting for another chance to strike her.

She hesitated and sensed a single tear roll out of the corner of her eye.  One single tear would go unnoticed by the man controlling her torture chamber, but to Mercy it was everything.  She shook her head.  Another act of defiance that would not go unpunished.

The man hit another control and Mercy could feel something tugging at her legs.  She glanced down.  A pair of black, thick cords was coiling around her, constricting her movements and making her beg for release.  She uttered a guttural sound low in her throat.  The sound squealing to the surface as she fought against the coils wrapping around her.  She arched back off the floor, her fingers digging into the flesh of her palm.

Her arms moved, pushing against the confining fabric of the jacket, praying for release so that she could move.  She wanted to fight, but the sting of the electricity and sharpened, magnetized power was breaking her resolve.  The man waited until she spoke.  "I need to be free." Mercy wailed in agony.

"That is a rather interesting answer, but I believe you can do better."  Mercy heard him tap another button.  The cords released and Mercy crumpled to the ground.  She panted heavily.

  Her breathing was labored as her heart beat ferociously in her chest. Each beat sounded like drums banging inside her head. The sound alone was worthy of making her cringe as she felt how much her heart was hurting from the shockwaves.