interaction.
I ask it anyway.
“What do I have to do with any of this?”
Stonehart laughs. “Now, now,” he says. “You don’t think I’d give away the mystery so easily, do you? Everything has a time and place, Lilly. When the pieces are in position… when the actors are ready and the stage is set… all shall be revealed.”
“You want me to be frightened, don’t you?” I whisper. I’m not speaking softly out of fear, but out of the firmest resolve. “It’s all about power and control for you. It’s all about the damned head games. You kept me in the dark because it gives you pleasure to see me uncertain.” My voice is growing stronger and stronger with each sentence. “You did it to show how powerful you are, how strong, how cunning. Didn’t you, Jeremy? But I know your weakness. I know what you really want. You crave attention. Everything you’ve done with your life has stemmed from that, hasn’t it? You told me about your brothers and your father. You told me how he ignored you, how you were passed over time and time again. The story didn’t hold meaning to me at first because I did not know you as I do now.
“But now it does. I’ve seen your true nature. Dominance and manipulation give you a thrill. But I know your secret. You must be witnessed. You must be a spectacle.
“At the same time, you’re afraid. Afraid of losing control, afraid of not having that attention. That is why this —“ I tug angrily at my collar, “—holds such meaning to you. That is why you say you want to trust me but make no mention of taking the collar off. Because it guarantees my compliance.” I laugh, almost hysterically. “Of course it does. Of course! And how simple it must be for you. Push a button on your phone, and your poor slave girl will topple over in a seizure. Of course you’ll get what you want from me then. You’ll have your audience. Because, really…” I stare hard at him, “…who else can ever be allowed to see what you do to me, if not for the victim herself?”
Stonehart remains silent during my latest tirade. When I’m done, and breathing hard, he simply reaches into his pocket and takes out his phone.
My gut clenches up. The worst feeling of dread comes over me. Now I’ve done it. Now I’ve pushed too far. Any second now, the current will come on, and the most horrible pain imaginable will consume me…
“You think you understand me, Lilly?” Stonehart asks. He raises his eyes to meet mine and speaks softly. “You think I want you to be frightened?
“No. That’s where you’re wrong. I don’t want you to be frightened of me. I want you to be frightened of what I can do .”
A noise from the right makes me jump halfway out of the seat. My heart is pounding hard when I look over. I find a small LCD television screen being lowered from its hidden compartment above me.
“It is a fine distinction, Lilly, but I’m going to demonstrate it to you. Watch.”
The screen turns on. It’s a video feed of Paul’s room.
There’s no sound. But I see Paul walking around in small circles, gesturing with his hands, his mouth moving as if he’s in an intense debate with someone else.
“This is live, by the way,” Stonehart says. “As you can see, Paul’s mental state renders him unfit for regular interactions with most other residents. The doctors understand his hallucinations and schizophrenia. What they don’t understand… are the convulsive fits.”
Stonehart taps his phone. Immediately, Paul crashed to the floor. His limbs flail around wildly. His body convulses with the powerful current. He screams.
“No!” I cry out. “No! No! Stop it! No, Jeremy! Don’t!”
“No?” He perks an eyebrow at me.
Then he taps his phone again.
Paul goes still. His chest heaves up and down in labored breath.
I stare at Stonehart, horrified. Adrenaline is rushing through my entire body after the display.
“Oh, you’re going to love this next part,” Stonehart says. He turns
I ask it anyway.
“What do I have to do with any of this?”
Stonehart laughs. “Now, now,” he says. “You don’t think I’d give away the mystery so easily, do you? Everything has a time and place, Lilly. When the pieces are in position… when the actors are ready and the stage is set… all shall be revealed.”
“You want me to be frightened, don’t you?” I whisper. I’m not speaking softly out of fear, but out of the firmest resolve. “It’s all about power and control for you. It’s all about the damned head games. You kept me in the dark because it gives you pleasure to see me uncertain.” My voice is growing stronger and stronger with each sentence. “You did it to show how powerful you are, how strong, how cunning. Didn’t you, Jeremy? But I know your weakness. I know what you really want. You crave attention. Everything you’ve done with your life has stemmed from that, hasn’t it? You told me about your brothers and your father. You told me how he ignored you, how you were passed over time and time again. The story didn’t hold meaning to me at first because I did not know you as I do now.
“But now it does. I’ve seen your true nature. Dominance and manipulation give you a thrill. But I know your secret. You must be witnessed. You must be a spectacle.
“At the same time, you’re afraid. Afraid of losing control, afraid of not having that attention. That is why this —“ I tug angrily at my collar, “—holds such meaning to you. That is why you say you want to trust me but make no mention of taking the collar off. Because it guarantees my compliance.” I laugh, almost hysterically. “Of course it does. Of course! And how simple it must be for you. Push a button on your phone, and your poor slave girl will topple over in a seizure. Of course you’ll get what you want from me then. You’ll have your audience. Because, really…” I stare hard at him, “…who else can ever be allowed to see what you do to me, if not for the victim herself?”
Stonehart remains silent during my latest tirade. When I’m done, and breathing hard, he simply reaches into his pocket and takes out his phone.
My gut clenches up. The worst feeling of dread comes over me. Now I’ve done it. Now I’ve pushed too far. Any second now, the current will come on, and the most horrible pain imaginable will consume me…
“You think you understand me, Lilly?” Stonehart asks. He raises his eyes to meet mine and speaks softly. “You think I want you to be frightened?
“No. That’s where you’re wrong. I don’t want you to be frightened of me. I want you to be frightened of what I can do .”
A noise from the right makes me jump halfway out of the seat. My heart is pounding hard when I look over. I find a small LCD television screen being lowered from its hidden compartment above me.
“It is a fine distinction, Lilly, but I’m going to demonstrate it to you. Watch.”
The screen turns on. It’s a video feed of Paul’s room.
There’s no sound. But I see Paul walking around in small circles, gesturing with his hands, his mouth moving as if he’s in an intense debate with someone else.
“This is live, by the way,” Stonehart says. “As you can see, Paul’s mental state renders him unfit for regular interactions with most other residents. The doctors understand his hallucinations and schizophrenia. What they don’t understand… are the convulsive fits.”
Stonehart taps his phone. Immediately, Paul crashed to the floor. His limbs flail around wildly. His body convulses with the powerful current. He screams.
“No!” I cry out. “No! No! Stop it! No, Jeremy! Don’t!”
“No?” He perks an eyebrow at me.
Then he taps his phone again.
Paul goes still. His chest heaves up and down in labored breath.
I stare at Stonehart, horrified. Adrenaline is rushing through my entire body after the display.
“Oh, you’re going to love this next part,” Stonehart says. He turns
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