Nimda

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews, guys! Good to know that someone out there is enjoying this story. I started writing this at school, which is awkward because people kept looking over my shoulder. I can't write (even when it's not stuff like this) if people are watching me. It's like...get away *hiss*

Of course, whenever someone passed by and asked I just nonchalantly said “gay porn, go away”. It seemed to work. *thumbs up*

Trigana: Well, thank you for the compliments. A story is for the reader, so as long as you enjoy it, my mission is accomplished. Alex isn't too happy about all I'm putting him through, though.

Womo: Yea, I apologize for that bit in the beginning. I really tried to get people immersed in the world without doing info dump (basically make you guys read an encyclopedia) but I ended up settling on slowly immersing the reader. The world will be more revealed throughout the chapters and will, hopefully, become more clear.

Lisa: I'm not getting reviews in my inbox, either, even though I have that option checked. Maybe it's a problem with AFF? The strategy I'm going for here is one I've never tried, where I throw the reader en medias res (in the middle of things) and let them figure it out through little peeks. Whether or not I fail will be up to you guys.


Chapter 4: Daisy Chaining

Alex had only been beaten once in his life. It had been ten years ago on a playground for children of members of the political action committee. The parents had been discussing legislation and the one, underpaid woman in change had been too preoccupied with chasing other children to see the brawl. Alex could remember getting a bloody nose and black eye, though he had proudly given the bully, easily a foot taller than him, a split lip.

He wouldn't have exactly described this as a fight. It's hard to call it that when you're thrown on the ground, a fist slamming into your ribs. Jacob was much bigger than the bully, and far stronger, his punching and kicking methodical, giving evidence of a life of fighting. Alex felt the bruises all over, the skin swelling and pounding with pain, the dull thud of flesh against flesh singing in his ears.

He had never heard the a bone break before. The sickening crack sounded throughout the room and in his ears. Alex screamed, though the his throat constricted in pain, making him sound more like a dying animal. Blood trickled from his mouth, having forced its way up from his insides.

He's killing me.

Alex took a strange solace in that fact, wondering to himself if, now that it was happening, would it be all that bad? It would mean an end, an abandoning of this world. Even if there was no afterlife, at least where he would be going wouldn't be here and now where pain was all too real. The thoughts comforted him, even as he coughed up a little more blood, the room spinning between white and black.

The man towered above him, wiping his forehead free of sweat, his face looking contemplative. Alex idly wondered what he was thinking—if he regretted the damage he now had to clean up, or if he felt it had been justified. In the young man's mind, the look of surprise, of anger and immediate pain that had transformed the man's cruel expression had been well worth the the damage and bleeding. Even when all was said and done, that face would stick in his memories. Had he been able, Alex might have smiled to himself.

Jacob had left for a moment, digging around for something in another room, though when he returned Alex, despite his curiosity, made no effort to see what he had been looking for. The question was answered when he felt his limbs being tied together by what felt like a thin wire. The young man gritted in pain as he was moved around and he could feel the the broken ribs digging inside him. The wire was wrapped around the top part of his arms, moving them as close together as they could be, then the elbows, then the wrists with the same thing being done to his legs. Seeming satisfied, Jacob stood up, wincing and grabbing at himself where Alex had bitten him.

Alex couldn't stop himself from a strained laugh, though it hardly sounded like it. Still, the man must have heard it because he gave one last swift kick before turning off the light and leaving.

The room, which Alex had seen as an empty guest room with no discernible purpose was now pitch black. I must have made him mad...

It hurt to think, though he couldn't stop himself from doing it. His mind gathered information, compiling it together. He knew Jacob was going to go to sleep and leave him there, though for how long was still unknown. He now also knew the man's weakness. That cruel, cold mask could be broken if he felt embarrassed, like his power was slipping. Alex coughed, feeling the sharp stab in his chest and the blood in his mouth. The wires dug into his skin, making almost any position uncomfortable, but he tried, and through sheer exhaustion, managed to fall asleep.

///

The beach was perfect—the right temperature, the sun just bright enough and the waves gently lapping against the shore. Alex could feel the sand between his toes, soft and pliant in a way that reminded him of childhood. The salt air was so clean and crisp with a feeling of home. His heart rose at the senses that assaulted him, their familiarity hitting him deep inside.

“This is a dream.” He mumbled it under his breath, the sounds of the waves so close.

“Alex?”

He looked to his right, seeing a familiar figure lounging on the sand. Alex suddenly felt twelve again, his heart swelling as he barreled through the sand and into the arms of the man. “Dad!” There was a warmth spreading through him as his father's sinewy arms, well worn from a life of military and agent work, wrapped around him. Alex recalled a trip he and his parents had taken to the beach when he was a child, the very memories of it washing over him with nostalgia.

“Hey, where did you go? Mom went to get ice cream but you ran off.”

“What?” Alex pushed himself up, though he remained in the man's lap. “Dad, what are you...shit, that's right, this is a dream.” He shook his head. “You're dead, dad. I'm just dreaming of this as a form of escapism.” Alex squinted when his father raised a hand against him, though he only used it to knock him gently on the head.

“You rely on that eduction of yours too much. You've always lacked an ability to apply it.” He laughed, though it was subdued. “You can have all the knowledge in the world and not know how to use it.”

“Dad,” Alex noticed his own body was physically small, making his father seem even bigger. Suddenly he felt as though the world overpowered him, its sheer size and brilliance terrifying in scope. “What do you mean? I'm scared. I'm so scared.” He felt tears coming, childhood fears choking him, overwhelming him. “I'm so scared without you.”

His father embraced him, letting him cry into his chest. “You're a fighter. You've always been my little fighter, Alex.” He pulled him away, holding him by his shoulders and looking him dead in the eye. “Son, you have to fight this.”

“I'm trying!” Alex sobbed, his voice sounding higher, like that of a child's.

“You're not fighting smart. You're just digging your heels in the sand and throwing yourself around. Fight smart, Alex.”

Alex wiped his eyes. “Why did you leave me, dad. You left me and mom all alone.”

His father had a look of sadness overcome him, his arms wrapping around his son once again. Alex held on, wondering if he held on tight enough, he could bring his father back with him.

“Son, I can't help you.” He began to fade away, trickling through Alex's fingers like sand.

///

The room was still dark when he awoke, and though there was a distinct feeling of time passing, he had no way of knowing how long he had been asleep. Alex sighed, wincing at the pain in his chest and the acute hurt provided by the wires no doubt digging into his skin. It was uncomfortable, to say the least. The broken ribs were sharp, stabbing but also dull and aching along with the bruises and the wires were irritating and painful at the same time. He felt awful all over and not in a passive way where he could simply lie still and ignore it. Every moment hurt and every breath took effort.

When the door opened, there was a shaft of natural light that hit his face, making him blink. I must have passed out for a while. Still, he was thankful for the little sleep he had been able to snag. Jacob stepped inside, his walk looking stiff and uncomfortable. There was a person behind him who audibly gasped at that young man on the floor, though it was under his breath. The two had a hushed conversation until the other man approached and began cutting away at the wires.

Alex exhaled, relieved to be free of the damn things, though he still didn't move for fear of making the pain in his chest more unbearable than it was. Jacob seemed to mutter something about picking him up. The young man stiffened, wincing again at the pain of doing so and feeling his whole body tense up as the cruel man gathered him in his arms. It was strangely gentle the way he was handled, as though the blonde had realized how close he had come to killing his property. Still, Alex couldn't help but bite his lip as every little movement was translated to a feeling of being stabbed over and over again.

The bed he was placed on conformed naturally to his sore body, providing instant relief, the Smart Life computer no doubt sensing his injuries and providing comfort as best it could. Jacob muttered a few more things before leaving, the other man sighing as soon as the door closed.

“Jesus Christ.” Alex heard the voice clearly above his head. It sounded older, strained and unsure. The man stepped into his line of vision with a penlight in his hand and, for the first time, the young man got a good look at him. He had curly salt and pepper hair and dark skin, engraved deeply with wrinkles. His face was worn with experience and worry and he seemed to dip his eyebrows when he peeled back Alex's eyelids to shine the light.

He's a doctor.

The man pursed his lips, unbuttoning and lifting the oversized shirt, taking great care and delicacy. Alex was thankful, though he hissed when hands pressed against the bruises feeling for the injuries. “Sorry.” He heard the man say.

A metal plate with a black screen was placed over his bare chest, the man standing over it, fiddling with a few buttons. Alex recognized it as a Heisenberg Machine, though he had never had one used on him. He knew from memory that it caused molecules to move rapidly enough for a solid object to pass through them, thus allowing for “incision free” surgeries. It had been one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the century, and he had always hoped he never had to have one used on him.

The machine whirred to life and the doctor looked at him with concern. “This may feel strange. Have you ever...?”

Alex shook his head.

“Well, I suppose there's no way to really describe how it feels. Just lie still and try to relax.” Alex watched with apprehension as the man picked up a few tools and sank his hands into the machine's screen. Immediately he sucked in breath at the intrusion. There really was no way to describe other than 'It's like he's touching my soul'. He saw the doctor bite his lip. “Don't tense up. I'll be in and out as fast as possible.”

It seemed to last forever, though Alex was happy to have a reprieve from the pain as long as he remained completely still. The doctor worked methodically, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

What had felt like hours had only turned out to be thirty or so minutes. The man wiped his brow and sighed. Putting away his supplies, he returned with rubbing alcohol and swabs. “My name is Dr. Corbin. I only tell you this as I feel we may be seeing each other quite a bit in the future if this continues.”

“If what continues?” Alex sighed happily, realizing it was no longer too painful to speak, though he was still sore.

Dr. Corbin began sterilizing the wounds the wires had made when they cut into the young man's skin. “You keep pissing him off and he's going to to keep beating you within an inch of your life.”

“What else would you have me do?” Alex remained still, allowing himself to be lifted and moved around.

“I don't know. Look, right now is a frightening time for all of us. At any moment a group of men could come into my home and kill me for any reason they wanted to. If you want to survive, you're going to have to listen to his orders.”

Alex shook his head, feeling dizzy afterward. “No.”

“Then you'll die.” He had finished putting the supplies away.

He felt a lump in his throat. “So be it.” The words didn't sound as confident as he had wanted them to.

///

“Clearly, I was too lax with you before.” Jacob had come home to find Alex asleep on the bed and had chosen to preface the conversation by rolling him onto the floor. There were new cuffs in his hands, much shorter than the ones Alex had been wearing and they were quickly secured to his ankles. The young man sat up, grabbing at the still healing bruises on his chest and stomach, looking up into the eyes of the cruel man towering over him.

In his hand was a large stick with metal tips and though Alex felt like he had seen one before, he couldn't remember what it was. He wanted to open his mouth and say something, anything that would set the man off so that he could see that face—the face of humiliation—but Jacob's mere presence made him rethink this, and he remained silent.

“You are going to spend the next week cleaning my floors. Each morning you will wake up at eight and get a rag and wood polish and get every last square foot. After the floors are clean you may do what you like with yourself until the end of the day. If I see you slacking or if I simply feel inclined, I will use this,” he gestured to the rod in his hand, “to spurn you on.” Jacob paused, smiling. “Do you know what this is?”

Alex shook his head, not feeling up to challenging the man's authority over something so small.

“It's not used much anymore, at least in this form. It's called a cattle prod.” He jabbed in forward, letting it touch Alex's arm and deliver a powerful shock causing the young man to scream and jolt away.

Electricity...shit. He had always wondered what a truly powerful shock felt like. It was as though every nerve was being twisted and pulled at the same time, and he was unable to hide his honest reaction to it. Cradling his arm, Alex looked up again, only to be greeted with the same sickening grin.

“Now, get to work.”

///

Alex cursed himself as he worked, feeling an ache in his knees that wouldn't subside as he moved about, polishing the wood. He wanted to rest or to fudge it in a few spots but he figured the computer was him wherever he went, keeping track of when he sat back or didn't quite get everything. The short chains made it impossible to walk and so he was forced to crawl on his hands, dragging the lower half of his body everywhere, spraying polish and rubbing until the floor was perfect. In an hour, he had managed to do one room, a fact he cursed when he realized that most of the bottom floor was wood.

Alex paused to rub his neck and try to straighten his aching back, ignoring the growling in his stomach in favor of taking a break. The bruises and healing injuries didn't make things better and he always felt as though Jacob would walk in at any moment and shock him.

Another few hours and he had completed the hallway and a few off-shooting rooms. By then he was starving and his spine was aching so he took a moment to lay back and relax. Alex had been right about the computer watching him. After only a few minutes, Jacob entered the room, shocking him several times with the prod, only stopping when Alex was back to polishing. As he left, the young man dared a question, only because he was desperate enough for a break to ask it.

“Am I going to eat? I'm starving.” He said it quietly, though he knew Jacob had heard him.

“I suppose you can eat. It's the evening after all. After your meal you're to get right back to work. You can go to bed when you've finished.”

The meal was less than satisfactory, but Alex was grateful to be able to sit up and eat, things that appeared to him as luxuries now. His stomach still growled, hungering for more than some vegetables and chicken, but, knowing there was nothing he could do, Alex decided to get back to work.

It wasn't until midnight that he officially finished and, completely worn out, he fell asleep in the hallway, the rag acting as a pillow.

The next week was exactly the same. He would be awakened by a painful shock from the prod, and set to work, bleary and exhausted. He would try to rest but would be shocked after a few moments until he was back to working. At some point, Jacob would call him to eat the one and only meal he was allowed which did less and less to satisfy his hunger as the days progressed. He would finish in the evening and fall asleep wherever he last cleaned.

On the last day, when he had finished the last room, he collapsed. Alex realized he no longer cared about escape or death or humiliating Jacob. All that mattered to him now was reprieve, rest, a short vacation from his master's torment. He was ashamed at what the man had reduced him to, simply by starving and working him.

“I have your dinner ready for you.” Alex heard the voice and tense when he felt his ankles being touched, though he only became confused as the shackles were removed. Jacob picked him up, carrying him in an uncharacteristically gentle way, not unlike when he had taken him to the bedroom after beating him. At the table was a large meal consisting of bread, butter, potatoes and red meats enough to make Alex want to cry. He nearly devoured everything in front of him, and might have had his stomach allowed it. Finally felling full after what had felt like an eternity, the young man hung his head, fatigue taking over once again.

He didn't even notice being picked up and carried upstairs.

///

Alex awoke with a start, facing a blinding light that caused him to quickly shut his eyes again. Taking a few moments to process, he realized he was in Jacob's bed and that the man was gone. He also noticed that normal chains were back around his ankles and that he was wearing a clean set of clothing and that his hair and body felt clean for the first time since he had arrived. He wanted to be mad about Jacob touching him in anyway, but couldn't bring himself to be, simply writing it off as a bath. He stood, feeling wobbly on his legs, and wandered into the bathroom.

“Shit...” Alex stared at the large mirror, the thing in it staring back. He looked gaunt, as though he were on the verge of nothing but bones and skin. There was still some muscle mass and fat here and there but his high cheek bones and sunken eyes did nothing to help the image. Alex buried his face in his hands, feeling weak.

Jacob seemed disinterested in him, only informing him that there was more food in the kitchen. It was back to the vegetables and lean meats with a few red meats thrown in, though Alex knew it was best for him to eat that to get back to a healthy weight, and he was grateful to be able to eat again. He took comfort in knowing that the man wasn't attracted to him as long as he looked like a starving victim and he wanted to use the time to his advantage. Since Jacob no longer asked anything of him for the next few days, Alex spent his free time in the library.

The dream with his father and the doctor's words echoed in his head as he delved into different novels. Each protagonist seemed to echo the same truth as those men's words. Fight them. Beat them. Fight smart. Use your intellect.

He would. He decided that on the fourth day, when he was almost back to normal and Jacob's eyes seemed to harbor the old look of lust in them when he walked by. He would fight him by fighting smart.

He would win.

///

Christ almighty, this took waaaaay longer than it should have. Every day I tried to write it something ended up happening that set it back. I had school, then friends over, then school, then friends over, then Deaf Nation Expo, then homework and finally I said “Fuck it! I am going to finish this chapter today!”

And so I did. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I love them all even if you don't say much. If you have any questions I am more than happy to answer them and remember: criticism is appreciated and loved. Now, I'm off to finish my chores, do a test online and feed my dogs. Hopefully I'll make headway into chapter 5 tonight and tomorrow.