Chapter Nine: Mind Games

Lee’s head was throbbing. The dull pain seemed to encompass his mind, reaching out and affecting his appendages. The effect of the strong drug was wearing off quickly but was leaving him with what felt like the worst headache he’d ever experienced. He opened his tired eyes and studied the thick darkness that crowded in around him. His head rested on the cold, dry cement floor of what seemed to be a room that was no larger than a broom closet. A musty smell mingled with blood lingered in the air. There was a very dull sliver of light coming from the corners of what Lee assumed was a door in front of him. He tried to lift himself up but the drug was still affecting his motor skills and he could barely wiggle his fingers, let alone lift himself up to his feet. He shifted his eyes around the small space, realizing that the pain he was feeling in his arms and legs was probably from being beaten. He could feel sharp cuts and the wetness of blood through his clothes.

Turning his attention to the sliver in the doorframe, Lee could hear heavy footfalls and terrified human screams in the distance. The consistent dripping of water was also heard coming from a small spout that dripped directly onto the floor and traveled towards a small drain in the middle of the room. Because of the damp and dark atmosphere, Lee suspected they were somewhere far beneath the Fantas house. Lee began to gain feeling in his arms and legs, but waited a moment before sitting up straight. He thought for a minute. The last thing he could remember was his Uncle Tash opening up the fireplace and being shot with a sedative. This had been a detour Lee had not anticipated and he was keen on getting Marten and himself out of here. But where was Marten? He imagined Marten’s lifeless body on the cement next to him, a puddle of blood beneath him.

Lee frowned at this imagery and shook his head. His uncle apparently didn’t take kindly to strangers or unwelcome visitors. Marten was probably dead somewhere down here and it was Lee’s fault. Tears started coming to his eyes but he fought them back with all his strength. He didn’t know that Marten was dead. What if they had only beaten Marten as badly as they had beaten Lee? He could still be alive, maybe in bad shape, but there was still hope. It was the only thing stopping him from giving up. Lee wasn’t fond of the chubby man, but he would never wish him any harm.

Lee was going to move his hands to wipe off the dust from his face, but found that he couldn’t. He felt around the floor and discovered that his hands were tied to a thick, round piece of rope that was connected to a metal ring protruding from the ground. He groaned loudly, and struggled for a minute to get free. The thing wasn’t going anywhere, and as long as it wasn’t, neither was he.

Lee stretched out his legs to their full extent and flexed his muscles, then relaxed for a moment. He had been in a cramped position for who knows how long in the stale darkness. He leaned back and rested his head against the wall behind him and stared into the abyss for awhile. He focused on his breathing for what seemed like an eternity. In and out, in and out; his heart seemed to pump with the rhythm of the dripping. Suddenly, from the other side of the door he could hear three men talking to each other. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but whatever it was he was about to find out.

After a few moments the door to the dark little cell swung open. The hinges seemed to scream out in protest as they conducted the action. Bright light poured into the room from the green cement hallway and collided with Lee’s dilated pupils. He winced and closed his eyes as his legs shifted on the ground uncomfortably. After a few moments of blindness, he could make out the image of a man standing in the doorway. He looked large, lean and very unpleasant.

“Well, look here,” said the silhouette, “He’s awake!”

Another voice spoke up from the hall, it sounded like his Uncle Tash.

“You look like crap, Lee. What have these gentlemen been doing to you?”

The light to the small room came on and two large men walked in, making the already cramped room feel like an overpopulated shoebox. Lee looked up at them and frowned profoundly, his soul felt like someone had tide a weight onto it and thrown it into the middle of the sea; he was drowning. He was a dead man breathing air. He stared at the men wondering if these would be his final moments.

“Have you enjoyed your stay here, Lee?” asked a deep voice coming from the man to his left. He was wearing dark aviator sunglasses. “We try to keep the beatings up to a five star standard here, but for you we made an exception. For you we are going to give you the VIP treatment.” He pulled out a black, eight-inch titanium knife from his suit coat pocket and smiled devilishly. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the blade firmly in his hands. He knelt down beside Lee. 

Lee’s heart started pounding wildly in his chest. He scooted away from the man with the knife and thought he probably looked like a coward, but this man seemed like he was going to enjoy killing him and he wasn’t going to do it quickly.

“Leave me alone!” he shouted. His limbs started to tremble with fear.

“I am going to gut you, boy!” said the bodyguard.

“Stop being stupid, Kaplen,” said Mr. Tash to the man in the aviator sunglasses. “Cut his ropes already. I don’t have time for fear tactics.”

Kaplen leaned over and cut his hands free. Lee felt his body go limp and weak from the emotional strain. Bitter stomach bile started to rise in his throat and coat his tongue. He wanted to be anywhere but here in this dungeon.

“Are you going to kill me?” Lee asked weakly. There was a knot forming in his throat now.

Mr. Tash smiled at this question.

“Well, that depends. Are you guilty of anything I should know about, Lee? Are you working for the police? Are you in league with the Rican family?”

“No, I’m clean!” said Lee promptly, sweat was starting to bead on his forehead.

Mr. Tash paused for a minute as if in thought. He rubbed the bottom of his chin slightly and narrowed his gaze; he looked like a shark ready to attack.

“How do I know you’re not lying to me to save your life?”

“I am not lying,” Lee said with all his strength. “I have come here to ask you for help… We need your help!” He could tell his uncle was enjoying his anxiety and pain. It was as if he were feeding on it like a vulture feeds on a dead buffalo carcass.

“We will soon find out if you’re lying or not,” said Kaplen firmly. “And I can’t say that it will help your fat friend any, either. You’re both in deep!” He grabbed Lee firmly by the shoulders and picked him up off the ground. Lee struggle to get free but found it futile; he was too weak to even stand on his own.

“Give me a hand over here, would you, Mark?” said Kaplen to the other bodyguard.

Mark walked over and grabbed Lee’s right arm and threw it over his shoulders. They both hauled him out of the closet. Tash stayed behind for a second and looked at the small cell that his nephew had been in. It looked so cold and dirty. Tash laughed to himself and then shut the door, turning to follow the guards. These next few hours was going to be a blast. 

 

*          *          *

The bright lights set into the floor seemed to be spinning around in circles like a dust devil, whirling and the green lining of the room blurred terribly in Marten’s mind like a hazy fog. It was as if he were looking into a kaleidoscope that wouldn’t stop turning.
His memories of the past few hours were fragmented and he couldn’t remember what had happened to him or how he had come to be here. He felt like he was going to be sick and all he could do to stop himself was breathe slowly. After a few minutes, the room stopped spinning and Marten could see normally again. He leaned back in the chair that he now noticed he was sitting in and observed his strange new environment. The room was very small, about the size of a standing close and on the wall in front of him rested a big silver mirror. Marten stared at his beaten and forlorn frame for a minute. He looked completely dirty and worn out and his white polyester suit was torn and frayed. 

How had he gotten here in such a shabby state?

 Marten looked up at the ceiling. Black metal pipes were jutting out of the walls around him and the cement ceiling above him like spikes. They looked like open mouths and from beyond their metal muzzles could be heard the sound of mice running and squeaking all over the place. The smell of cold, chlorinated water began to fill the room like a bad omen. Marten shivered uncontrollably at this. He looked behind him at the closed door. It appeared to be sealed tightly. He tried to stand up but found that he could not.

What is going on? He looked down at the chair to find he was fastened to it at the wrists, ankles and chest. He struggled to get free but found it completely useless. Whoever had trapped him in this small room had done a good job of it. Lee, if I ever get out of here alive I am going to ring your scrawny, little neck. I am going to pound you for even suggesting we go to this hellhole. I am going to… to …

Marten looked up and yelled at the top of his lungs.

“HELP!” He screamed, shifting in his seat wildly. “Can anyone hear me? I need help!” He looked up at the black pipes hanging ominously overhead. His heart started to pound more rapidly.

What did all this mean? Why was he her? And where did Lee get off too?

“LEE! ARE YOU THERE?” Silence was his only response.

Marten grimaced and looked at his face in the mirror again. He could tell that this was not going to end well.

*          *          *

Lee moaned and mumbled to himself as he was dragged down the green hallway to an undisclosed location. Kaplen and Mark whispered quietly to one another about something strange that had happened in the eastern wing a few nights before. Lee didn’t catch much but they mentioned something about a ghost with leering, red eyes. Their voices seemed to echo off the walls like phantoms running from the dim light. Mr. Tash followed closely behind the company and kept to himself for the moment.

Lee looked ahead at all the red doors that lined the walls in front of him. Some of the red doors they passed had interesting sounds coming from them. Clicking and light tapping was heard beyond the majority of them. Human shouts and moans tore through the air at random intervals and caused Lee’s skin to crawl and prickle.

The place was what Lee imagined the underbelly of hell must be like. This was the dungeon where human nightmares could thrive and survive. This was the place where monsters were created. Lee pictured in his head dark, distorted images of humans clawing at the cement wall of their cells; clawing for freedom and deliverance. A shudder ran down his spine as he considered the possibilities of him becoming just like them; distorted and sickly. Would he ever see the sun again? And would life be worth living if he succumbed to this monstrous state?

The company stopped at the end of the hall.

“Mark! Open the door,” said Mr. Tash.

 Mark let go of Lee’s arm and opened the door. Before them lay a wide stone staircase, it spiraled into the earth like a corkscrew. The smell of chlorinated water wafted up into Lee’s nose and burned his eyes. It was like he was staring into a bottomless abyss.

“I love that smell,” said Kaplen.

Mark grabbed Lee and they started to move down the stairs. Their footfalls echoed against the cold stones as they went.

Where are they taking me? What on earth is chlorinated water doing down here, thought Lee. Questions kept swarming his thoughts, stabbing at the back of his mind. He knew that he would be getting his answers shortly, and he knew that he wasn’t going to like them.

The stone stairs seemed to wind down forever. The length was amazing. The tops of Lee’s feet were beginning to throb with pain and heat. Every step felt like a kick to the foot. Lee was about to protest when they stopped. The company had finally reached the bottom. Before them lay another long hallway, but this hallway was different from the other one they had previously been in; this one had only two doors and both were resting at the other end; one blue, one black and both were inscribed with golden letters that Lee couldn’t make out.

“Come on, I don’t have all day,” said Mr. Tash from behind. “Get him through the door already!” He shoved Mark in the back. The bodyguard stumbled forward and straightened up. He looked back at his boss, a contemptuous look crossed his features.

“Give me a minute, would you? It’s not like I am moving a bag of feathers.” They started down the hall and when they finally reached the black door, Mark let Lee go and started fumbling through his pockets.

“Open the door already!” barked Kaplen.

“Give me a minute, cheese head; I have to find the key!”

Mr. Tash clinched his fists at this. He was getting tired of the setbacks.

“Mark, if you lost that key, I’ll–”   

“Found it!” said Mark as he held it up. “It was in the secret pocket.”

“I don’t care where it was, just open the bloody door!” yelled Tash. Kaplen shifted and gripped Lee more tightly. He was getting tired of carrying the man.

“Hold your horses.” Mark stuck the key into the door and turned it. It opened up smoothly and he turned to the others. “Tada… it’s open,” he said sarcastically. He grabbed Lee’s arm and was going to move forward when Tash smacked him in the back of the head.

“Stop being stupid!”

Mark grumbled and clinched his jaw with frustration. He hated it when little guys like Mr. Fantas pushed him around.

“Whatever you say, Mr. Tash.”

Kaplen laughed at this tone of voice, he could tell that Mark was pissed off. They walked into the room and set Lee down in a hard backed chair. The thing was bolted in the middle of the floor. Lee didn’t fight as they locked his legs and stomach into place. In front of him rested a table with a blue silken cloth resting over it.

Lee looked around to take in his environment. The walls around him were coated with a dark blue paint that seemed to sparkle and shimmer in the light and the floor was covered with a scarlet red carpet. The smell of chlorine was much stronger in here.

“Put your hands on the table,” demanded Kaplen.        

Lee looked over to the big bodyguard and then slowly placed his hands on the table. He could feel dome shaped lumps sticking up from the soft silk cloth.

“What is all this about? Why are you doing this to me?”

“Like I said, nephew,” Tash said walking over to the table and gripped the cloth resting on it. “We want to know if you’re lying to us.” He pulled the silk sheet away and revealed what was under it. Lee looked down and studied all the different buttons resting before him on the table. There must have been at least a hundred of them. They all had the same shape and size. The only thing that was different about them was their color. There were a lot of different colors. Some blue, some red, some green, and some brown.

Confusion set into his mind as he looked up at his Uncle Tash. The silver-haired man was now standing by a mirror on the far wall. Lee could see his beaten frame in it. He looked like the walking dead. Fear began to rise again.

“What’s going on?”

Tash smiled at the uneasiness detected in Lee’s voice. He walked over to the silver table.

“Well, Lee, I have methods of taking information from people; methods that I’m not proud of, but they get me the answers I seek.” He gave his nephew a hollow stare. He looked like a jackal. “I need you to play along.”

“I told you, I’m not bugged, I’m not working for the police and I am most definitely not lying!” Lee said, his temper rising.

Mr. Tash began to chuckle.  

“Oh, I know you’re not working for the police, Lee, I found that out when we searched your unconscious body.” He leaned over and looked at all the buttons on the table. “I just want to know why you are here, and for what reason you are bothering me.” Tash held up a hand and signaled to Kaplen. Kaplen reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a chrome revolver. He pointed it at Lee’s head.

Lee flinched at the motion. His stomach was churning with disgust and unease. He felt like he would be sick.

“Then let me tell you why I am here, Uncle! I only need–”

“No! Shut up,” yelled Mr. Tash. “Here is how things are going to go around here, and if you listen closely, you might have a chance at staying alive. You might even get out of here with that fat friend of yours. You hear me?”

Lee nodded his head.

Tash walked back over to the mirror resting on the far wall.

“I’m going to ask you a few questions and what you are going to do is press one of those little colorful buttons in front of you, and then give your response.” He turned and looked back at Lee. “Am I understood, nephew?”

Lee didn’t like where this was going, but he nodded his head and stared intensely at his uncle.

“Good,” said Tash. “The first question that I have for you is does your fat friend like to swim?” He flipped a switch on the wall and it lit up the mirror. Lee gazed in horror as Marten’s chubby frame came into view on the other side. He was trapped in some kind of holding tank. He looked tired and scared out of his wits. Lee’s mind started swirling around in circles. Everything seemed like a nightmare. He couldn’t hold his composure anymore. He bent over and threw up onto the table.

“Good,” said Tash coldly. “You’re grasping the gravity of your situation. Now, press a button or I’ll have Kaplen relieve you of your brain.” His words were demanding and heartless. His face was flat and emotionless. Lee could feel the barrel of the gun against his skull. He groaned and sat up. He looked down at the table at all the colorful buttons before him. They were covered in his vomit. He found a light green one that was clean and pressed it.

The sound of rushing water filled the room suddenly. The pipes above Lee’s head started to sing out and rush with water. The room grew dense with the odor of stale pool water. It was maddening to listen to.

“Here it comes!” shouted Mark.

Lee watched in horror as Marten’s cell started to fill up with water. The fat man was losing it; he looked frantic and cold. Gallons and gallons of cool blue water landed on his head and chest. After a few seconds it abruptly stopped.

“Wow, that was a good one,” said Mark. “You got it up to his shins.”

Lee looked at Marten. He was struggling to get free from the chair they had put him in. He looked like he was yelling for help. He had never particularly liked the man, but he would not wish this on even his worst enemy.

Tash laughed at the whole scene.

“Well, that was fun. Wasn’t it Lee?”

Lee looked at his uncle in horror. The man had built a tank and connected the pipes to the panel in front of him. It was obviously built for psychological torment and suddenly Lee realized how insane his uncle must be.

“Let me fill you in on the rest of the panel,” said Tash. “Two of those one-hundred colorful buttons will fill the death dank completely. Ten of the buttons will add fifty gallons of water to the cell. One will unlock the door, and one button will unlock your friend from his chair. Three buttons will drain the tank completely and the other eighty-three will keep adding twenty gallons to your friend’s life. So, choose carefully which button you push, nephew. It could mean life or death”

Lee frowned. He thought about the question he was asked.

“No.”

Tash looked confused at this response.

“What?”

“You asked me a question and I answered. No, he doesn’t like to swim. He’s afraid of water.”

“Oh, that was just a practice question, my boy,” Tash said as he walked over to the vomit ridden table. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped it off.

“Now, let’s get started.”

Authors Note: So we didn't post last week due to Christmas, but we're getting back on track in time for the new year. Thanks for reading. We'll post again next Friday!