The Innocent Life of Valerie Vale

Captured in Distraction

Captured in Distraction

Valerie lay in the cell. There was no movement – no slightest sign of life. The cold chain hung around her neck and secured her to the floor. She barely felt it. She was numb – numb to the world, to the sensation of life. The chilling light shone down from above and paralysed her completely. Deep inside, she was already dead.

The nurse assessed the ward. Walking now from cell to cell, she calculated numbers. Some of the vampires were nearly dead – they wouldn’t survive for long. Would the doctor need another batch or was Valerie enough for now? What of the master puppeteer, the one who paid the bills? Would he be wanting repetition? What effect would it have on her, what advantage would it bring? Phase two would lead to privilege. Better pay – a nicer place and more room for expense. New clothes, gadgets, prestigious things – dinner with the Mayor? No not yet – but maybe one day, maybe one day soon.

The nurse turned to Valerie now and gazed into her cell. Below, the examination room was ready. A set of blades and cutting tools were laid out on the trolley. A sharp syringe awaited her there. Yes it would be painful. Drawing blood always was – but that was a task that had to be done. Inside that precious juice of hers, there was money to be made.

Valerie opened her eyes. She found herself in the chair again. Strapped in and tied down – she couldn’t recall the trip. The doctor studied his files. The nurse prepared equipment. The vampire swayed into a lifeless sleep – there she wished to stay and hide, to linger in transient rest. She knew this would be painful.

‘Yes, I have a meeting with him tomorrow,’ the doctor said, ‘and if everything goes well today, then I see no reason why we can’t progress. I know the serum will work.’ Suddenly the light that lit the room flickered on and off. ‘Damn them,’ the doctor complained, ‘I told them to fix that.’ He was angry, it had happened twice before. ‘We rely on that light to keep them tame... a moment means nothing, but they get their strength back quickly. The polymer only works with continuous stimulation!’

‘Perhaps it’s a point to mention tomorrow,’ the nurse replied, ‘they’d be smart to listen to you.’ She wished she was part of the presentation. She desired invitation to the corporate suite. There she’d find a husband – someone smart, handsome and with the funds to fulfil her need. Someone content to take her body and please her human greed.

‘Quite right,’ the doctor said. He paused for a moment. His mind was far away. ‘Right, let’s get to it,’ he said, snapping himself awake. ‘Please begin the extraction.’

The nurse followed his command. The procedure was routine. Vampire blood was precious and a thorough analysis was needed. Taking the first syringe, she held it close to Valerie’s arm and slowly pierced her skin. With force, she pressed the thick needle into her flesh and sunk it deep inside. Valerie barely moved. She was too hurt to feel the pain.

Attaching the first evacuation tube and applying the appropriate suction – the nurse watched as Valerie’s body was slowly drawn of blood. Then she prepared a second syringe and pressed it down into Valerie’s hip. She was careless this time. The needle scraped against the bone as Valerie quivered in pain. Another syringe pierced her thigh – a fourth one for her lower leg. One for the torso, a sixth one for the wrist – a second set for the opposite side. Valerie lay in suffering fear with needles deep inside.

Time slowly passed as Valerie gave her blood. The nurse watched in silence. To the naked eye Valerie looked like a silver corpse, but as she focused, the nurse could witness movement – the slightest twinge of a finger, an eyelid flinching in grief, tortured strain on her beautiful face. Valerie Vale was helpless.

‘Quite amazing,’ the doctor said, ‘the speed at which they regenerate blood is astounding.’ The nurse mumbled a reply. She barely turned. She was transfixed. ‘Now, that should be enough,’ he added, checking the content of the medical bag, ‘you can stop it there.’

The nurse turned off the suction. She pulled the first syringe from Valerie’s skin and wiped the excess blood. Slowly she proceeded, withdrawing the needles, laying them out upon the trolley. Valerie opened her eyes. She noticed her blood, trickling down her swollen arm. The red against her silver skin glistened in the light. It was almost pretty. Valerie closed her eyes again – when would this be over?

‘Send the sample to my laboratory,’ the doctor instructed, ‘I want to get working on the analysis immediately.’ The nurse nodded in response, undoing Valerie’s restraint. ‘Then tell Dr. Hyde and Dr. Lang to meet me later,’ he added, ‘I want them to go over the results with me and in any case, I’ll need them to begin preparations for the serum... of course they’ll need the sample.’

‘Yes of course doctor,’ the nurse replied, packing the blood into a carrier case. ‘Ok gentlemen, time to go,’ she said, looking across to the pair of men who guarded the room in silence. Activated, they approached Valerie and pulled her from her chair. Valerie’s eyes suddenly opened – she’d been waiting for her chance! With all of her strength she attacked the men, punching one in the chest, kicking the other in the leg. The nurse jumped back in fear and cowered in the corner. The doctor looked over in surprise as the first man got to his feet. Valerie tried a second attack but he was stronger than her. Weakness consumed her completely – she was ready to collapse.

Blocking Valerie’s pathetic strike, the guard punched her in the face. Valerie was sent across the room, repelled by human strength. She grabbed the trolley for support but fell to the ground below. Taking the trolley with her, she littered the contents across the floor – medical equipment, blades and cutting tools. ‘Clumsy bitch,’ the nurse uttered, looking now at the mess to clean.

‘Get her out of here,’ the doctor ordered. He was angry with the men – their poor security, their stupid lack of focus. In these conditions, no vampire stood a chance – and yet on occasion, attacks like this would happen. Good men were hard to find and they were difficult to train – but then wasn’t that where he came in? A super soldier was needed – and a serum was required to make it so.

The men beat Valerie on the ground and dragged her from the room. She did little now to fight their grasp, all her strength was gone. Inside, beyond the pain, Valerie smiled with pride. Within her mouth was a small blade – hidden now beneath her tongue, captured in distraction. Escape was on her mind. She would use it to cut herself – to finally end the pain and hate. Escape was all she could think about – even if death would be her fate.

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