It felt as if they took forever to remove the skin they wanted, and Bradley thought, when they were done, they would move to him next. He strained against his bindings, desperately, but there was no escape.
Still, the doctor and nurse ignored him as if he wasn’t there.
“Next, we attach the new skin to the old skin and allow it time to heal before proceeding.”
Bradley’s eyes widened as they lifted the black skin removed from the cadaver and placed it gently on John. Dr Brock then picked up a threaded needle and attached the black skin to John’s own. Bradley puked again, not caring where it went. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. This was immoral, illegal, and against every right in the book. Good God, John was going to be pissed when he woke up.
Exhausted and sore, he was dozing off by the time he felt the table he was against tilting back. Wide awake once more, he realised it was his turn. He swallowed hard, tasting rancid vomit. He could taste his own fear.
Panicked, he looked up at Dr Brock and shook his head, tears leaking from his eyes. “Please,” he said, “please, oh please, oh please God. I’ll behave. I’m sorry. I’ll be good, I promise.”
“Give him a sedative and knock him out,” Dr Brock said to Karen.
She dutifully came forward with an injection, and despite Bradley’s pleas she stuck the needle into his neck and pressed down on the plunger. Bradley fought the sudden fatigue threatening him, but it was no use. The drugs were too strong, and soon, his eyes were closing.
——
When Bradley opened his eyes, a thumping headache echoing through his head, he wasn’t sure where he was or if what he had just seen had been a nightmare. It felt like someone was knocking against his head constantly, and he groaned.
“Room service,” a sultry voice called out, and he realised that the knocking he heard was actual knocking on his room door.
He sat up, rubbing his head, and comprehended he was in his shared cell with John. John! He recalled what he had witnessed the night before and got up quickly, feeling a little unsteady on his feet. He looked over to John’s bed and saw he was asleep, his back to him.
Bradley sighed, relieved that it was a nightmare.
There was another knock on the door, and he moved towards it, opening up to a beautiful naked woman. Suddenly he wasn’t sure that he had woken up at all.
“Hi there, honey, you order room service?” she asked, tossing her hair out of her face. She licked her lips and reached up, running a finger down Bradley’s shirt front.
Bradley swallowed hard and smiled. “If you’re the room service, then hell, yeah, I did,” he said, not caring if it was just a dream; it was a fantastic dream.
“My name’s Molly,” she said, tilting her head to the side and smiling. “And you must be Bradley. I’ve heard all about you, convict.”
She walked around him and into his room, looking around. She ignored John on his bed and instead turned to face Bradley.
“Well? Are you going hungry or not?” She sat on the bed and spreading her legs.
Bradley licked his lips, shut the door and quickly pulled his pants down, already rock hard. He climbed between her legs and spat on his hand, rubbing it on his erection.
“You ready?” he whispered.
“Oh, honey, I’ve been waiting a long time,” she murmured, pulling him down for a kiss.
He pushed into her with a groan and instantly moved his hips, feeling more manly and in control than he had since he arrived at this hell hole.
He didn’t know where Molly came from, or if she was a patient here, but he didn’t care. He pumped his hips hard and deepened the kiss, licking at her tongue hungrily. He pulled away to smile at her, and that was when he saw it.
Burns all over her body, the flesh melting off of her.
He gasped and leapt backwards, moving into the corner of the room with his now limp dick hanging in front of him.
Molly pouted and with half her face melted off, teeth and jaw showing, she said, “What’s wrong, baby?”
Bradley shook his head and pulled his pants up. “No! No! No! It’s a dream! It’s just a dream.” He repeated to himself, “It’s just a dream!”
Molly got up and walked towards him, chunks of her flesh slipping off of her body and landing with a loud splat on the floor.
Bradley shrieked loudly, “Go away! Go away!”
He closed his eyes, hugged his knees and buried his head in his arms, still shrieking. As he moaned his fear, he remembered Molly coming to him in solitary. How had he forgotten? Was this a nightmare? What kind of drugs did these people have access to?
After a few moments, he didn’t hear anything anymore and hesitantly peered up. The room was empty. Molly had disappeared along with any trace that she had been there.
Bradley burst into tears and curled up, sobbing his heart out.
He was going mad. He was absolutely losing it.
Eventually, he got up and went to John, shaking him. John’s body rolled over, his eyes wide open and discoloured, and his lips blue.
Bradley’s own eyes widened, and he pulled the blanket back, exposing John’s naked body. There were places where his skin had been cut off and replaced with black skin. Bradley turned away and puked on the floor, gasping for air afterwards. He doubled over, holding his stomach, but not even the smell of puke could wipe out the decay that emanated from John’s body.
Bradley went to the door of his room, but it was locked now. He banged against it, calling for Cooper and Kevin to come. He banged as hard as he could, begging them to come.
The door suddenly swung open, and Cooper and Kevin were standing there.
“What do you want, convict?” Cooper demanded.
Both looked as fresh as could be, with not one sign of having been in a physical altercation with John or Bradley.
“John’s dead. You killed him and left his rotting body here.”
“John?” Cooper asked. “Who the fuck is John?”
Bradley turned and pointed to the … empty bed in the corner. “He was just there. His body was just there.”
Bradley went to the bed and pulled back the covers. There was nothing there. No sign that anyone had been there.
“What are you guys giving me? What drugs are you giving me? I’m hallucinating. I’m fucking freaking out here.”
“I don’t know what you’re on,” Cooper said, “but it sounds like good shit.”
Both he and Kevin laughed and then Kevin said, “Come on, convict, it’s time for the day room for you.”
Bradley followed them out and down the corridor, looking behind him every now and then.
——
They left him at the door of the day room, and he went in and sat near the window, staring outside. That was how he spent his whole day, simply staring outward until Cooper came to collect him for his session. Bradley was a bit apprehensive about it, but Cooper escorted him to the room where he had his previous sessions. They left him there waiting for Dr Brock as though nothing unusual was happening.
Dr Brock came in and sat opposite Bradley. “Good morning, Bradley.”
“Morning,” Bradley mumbled, staring at his hands.
“What do you want to talk about?” Dr Brock asked.
“What did you do to John?”
“John?” Dr Brock asked. “Who is John?”
“My roommate,” Bradley said. He went on to explain, “We were in a fight yesterday with Cooper and Kevin, and we were taken downstairs to the basement, and you sliced off his skin and replaced it with a black man’s.”
Dr Brock stared at Bradley, but Bradley couldn’t make out if he was remorseful or worried.
“I saw what you did,” Bradley said, “and John was dead this morning. I don’t know what you gave me, but I know you killed John.”
“John was never real, Bradley,” Dr Brock said at last. “He is a figment of your imagination, brought on by a deeply set psychosis we have been treating.”
“Treating?” B
radley asked. “Treating with what? Hallucinogenic drugs?”
Dr Brock made some notes on his journal and then looked up again. “You’ve been taking medicine every day since you’ve been here.”
“I haven’t,” Bradley argued. “I also haven’t eaten.”
“So you’re saying that you’re suffering from short term memory loss - interesting.” Dr Brock made a few more notes. “Perhaps we can shake up your medication to help with that.”
Bradley frowned. “No, I’m not saying that. I’m saying that I haven’t been given any medication at all except for the times you guys have injected me with God knows what.” He wanted to slam his hands against the table, but he couldn’t since they were restrained. He clenched his fists. “And I haven’t eaten. You want to know how I can tell? Because I’m fucking starving. I need food. I need meds, and I want to be transferred to another facility.”
“I’m afraid that can’t happen,” Dr Brock said. “The transfer, that is. See, you were sent here to get better, Bradley, and we can’t let you go until you are much better. As for the food and medication, according to our records, you have received three meals a day since being here and have been administered the drugs I have prescribed since seeing you, and that’s twice a day now.”
Bradley shook his head from side to side and then looked around, finding a spot and staring at it. “John was real.”
“Cooper tells me you have been talking to yourself a lot lately.” Dr Brock made more infernal notes in his journal. “Perhaps you only think you’re talking to this John.”
“John is real!” Bradley yelled. “And you’re just covering up that you murdered him!”
“Then how do you explain him suddenly disappearing from the bed?” Dr Brock asked.
Bradley thought about it. “I didn’t tell you about that.”
“Sorry?” Dr Brock asked.
“I didn’t tell you that he suddenly disappeared from the bed. How did you know?” Bradley smiled. “How would you know unless you orchestrated it?”
“Calm down, Mr Walker,” Dr Brock said, holding his hands up. “Cooper told me about your little incident this morning, and that’s why we have this session.”
“I didn’t tell that nigger either,” Bradley said gleefully. “I didn’t tell anyone!” He felt triumphant; something was finally going his way.
“Mr Walker, you will not use that sort of language in this institution. Cooper? Cooper, come take Mr Walker back to his cell.”
“This is a cover-up,” Bradley said as Cooper and Kevin came in and grabbed him by both arms, freeing his restraints and dragging him to his feet. “This is a cover-up, and I’m going to blow it wide open!”
He felt a pinch in his neck and knew they had injected him with another sedative, but he didn’t care. He knew the truth, and he knew he wasn’t going crazy.
——
Chapter Seven
When Bradley woke up, he wasn’t sure if it was the same day, or if he had slept through the night and they had started a new day. What was that? Day five? Day Six? Day ten? He couldn’t be sure at this point.
He sat up in his bed and looked around his cell. It was not the new cell he had shared with John, but rather a cell similar to the one he first stayed in, only this time it had a sink in it. He got up and drank some water, despite his stomach complaining about the lack of food. He was so starved he’d eat anything right now.
What he needed to do was speak to Dr Wellbottom and tell him everything he knew about Dr Brock’s experiments; that was sure to get him out of this place and somewhere more humane. Once there, he would be able to contact his lawyer and arrange to have his sentence completely thrown overdue to maltreatment.
How was he going to get to Dr Wellbottom? Maybe Cooper would take him there if he demanded to see a different doctor. Maybe Kevin would, although after the beat down Kevin probably wouldn’t want to help him. Then again, neither would Cooper, not after the number of times Bradley called him a nigger.
Bradley paced his cell for a few minutes and then finally sighed, banging on his door. “Cooper?” he called. “Cooper, come here, please.”
He did this every few minutes for what felt like an hour before he heard the lock sliding back. Cooper swung the door open. “What do you want, convict?”
“I want to see Dr Wellbottom,” Bradley said. “Can you take me to him?”
“Why would I help you?” Cooper asked, leaning against the door frame. “What? Do you want to complain about how we mistreat you again?”
“No,” Bradley lied. “I want to complain about how Dr Brock mistreats you. You got to know that what he is doing is wrong, and the fact he gets you to assist him is wrong.”
Cooper raised an eyebrow. “And?”
“And together we can get rid of him,” Bradley said. “Then you’re free from his tyranny.”
Bradley stared at Cooper, who kept silent for a few minutes and then gave a wide smile. “I’ll take you to Wellbottom,” he said. “Come with me.”
Bradley returned the smile and followed him. They walked along the corridor, not saying anything to each other as they descended the stairs. They walked until they reached the entrance to the basement.
Bradley stopped. “Why are we going down there?”
“That’s where Wellbottom is,” Cooper said. “He’s pissed with Brock, so they’re having a go at each other. Perfect time to interrupt, don’t you think?” Cooper smiled brightly.
“Absolutely; let’s go.”
He followed Cooper down the stairs and into the basement, but there was no one there. He could, however, hear distant screams - two men screaming at each other.
Bradley and Cooper looked at each other before they moved towards the sounds. They entered into a large room with a big window and saw Dr Brock at the window, staring into the other room with horror. Bradley and Cooper shared another look and then went towards the window. What they saw next, Bradley could not make up if he tried.
There was Dr Wellbottom, locked in what looked like a boiler room, with another patient.
“Aubrey,” Cooper whispered next to him. Cooper turned then and fled, but Bradley couldn’t tear his eyes from what he was seeing.
Wellbottom tried to crawl away from Aubrey, but Aubrey had yanked his pants down and was raping Dr Wellbottom, ignoring his screams and pleas. Aubrey appeared utterly psychotic as he did this. Dr Wellbottom seemed to pass out, and Bradley turned to look away as Aubrey got up, but even as he turned, he was facing the window again. He turned again, and still, he was facing the window. It didn’t matter which way he swung, he was watching Aubrey and Dr Wellbottom.
“Cecil,” Dr Brock called from next to him, “go take Aubrey back to his room.”
A patient that Bradley had seen before came into the room and escorted Aubrey out. They passed Dr Brock, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he entered the room, and Bradley watched as he checked for a pulse.
“Still alive,” Dr Brock muttered.
He glanced around as if Bradley wasn’t even there and then he sighed and quickly got a gurney. With much effort, he loaded Dr Wellbottom onto the gurney and wheeled him towards the other side of the room, where the furnace was.
“No!” Bradley screamed. “No! No! No!”
He twisted to run away, turning right around and running straight into the window again. He swung left, the same thing. Right, same thing. It didn’t matter which way he turned, he faced the mirror and it was as if some invisible force stopped him from closing his eyes as Dr Brock heaved Dr Wellbottom onto the metal slab and rolled him into the furnace, shutting the door.
Screams bounced off of the wall, and the smell of roast pork filled the room, making Bradley want to vomit again. He tried his best to look away, but he couldn’t. He watched as Dr Brock calmly started to clean up the blood and cum on the floor, as well as other evidence that Dr Wellbottom had been there.
Bradley was released from whatever had a hold on him, he could feel it, and so he high-taile
d it out of there.
——
Bradley sprinted up the stairs and turned left, running down a corridor he hadn’t been in before. He was lost but didn’t care. He needed to get away. He needed to make sure that Dr Brock never found him.
Finding a door with a sign on it that said DR BROCK’S OFFICE and hoping there was a phone inside, he slammed the door open.
He froze, staring at what was an absolute nightmare.
There was Dr Brock, sitting naked on his desk, with Clara, the little red-haired girl on his lap. They were kissing deeply, Clara with a pair of scissors in her neck, spewing blood on everyone. Everyone included Karen, naked as well, behind Dr Brock, pressing her body against his and kissing his flesh.
His melting flesh.
If Clara with a pair of scissors in her neck was strange, it wasn’t quite as strange as the fact that Dr Brock looked like he had sustained burns all over his body, and Karen, the nurse, was bloated and blue and decomposing.
Bradley shook his head, shivering from head to toes. He slammed the door shut again and started down the corridor once more.
He went up a set of stairs and walked into another room where he found Cooper and Kevin having sex with each other, their bodies also bloated and decomposing. They looked at him, and in unison, they said, “Come join us, Bradley.”
Bradley stumbled out, shutting the door and heading further upstairs. He needed to find someone who could help him find a way out. He was hallucinating, and he needed help.
He walked around the Asylum for what felt like the entire day but found nothing else weird or disgusting. Perhaps whatever medication they had given him was starting to wear off, but then he realised he should have at least have seen other people, other patients or nurses or doctors in the corridors, but it was empty; every room he walked into was empty.
Perhaps he was in a section of the Asylum that wasn’t being used yet. Perhaps that was why there was no one around.
Asylum Box Set Page 18