The House on Infinity Loop

by Bonnie K T Dillabough

  The two maids in the corner began to moan and wring their hands, but the one who had addressed her paused thoughtfully. "Come with me," she sent. And her fellow maids wailed even louder than before.

  They went out the door, Tidbit at Jenny's side. The maid led her the opposite way from how she had entered the suite, down the corridor to another staircase, narrower and steeper than the one she had come up nearly a week ago.

  Several floors down, she put her finger to her lips in that universal gesture of quiet. They entered another hallway that could have been an exact copy of the one from which they had come. Jenny couldn't even tell if any of the gruesome hangings were different. A few doors down the hallway, the maid tapped quietly on a door. As it opened, a liveried maid peered out. She and Jenny's maid conversed quietly in their own language. "Come," her maid said as soon as the other nodded.

  She walked into a suite very similar to hers, but all in dark grays and black. From an over-sized armchair with its back to the door a figure rose.

  Sam! She had been betrayed, again! Sam grinned. "This one will be rewarded for her faithfulness. The others will lose their lives for their cowardice."

  Sam was no longer dressed in her voluminous robes. She wore what her mom would have called a "cat suit". Black, spandex-like material hugged her every curve. Her blood red nails betrayed the only color. Around her neck, a necklace of ebony stones, like black diamonds, hung past her scooped neckline.

  Sam paced a circle around Jenny. "Well, well, well. You have decided to decline our hospitality then?"

  Jenny decided in that moment to continue her policy of silence with Sam. She just stood there impassively, her head up and shoulders back, waiting to see what would happen next.

  Sam put her hands on her hips, her mouth twisting in derision. "Still giving me the silent treatment, then? You'll find that won't sit well with my friends in the discussion room.

  OK, look. I tried to give you a chance, because of our friendship, but your chances have run out. I refuse to be responsible for what happens next." She pressed a button on the wall similar to the one on Jenny's former bedroom and a soft knock came on the door moments later.

  "My guards live in the room next door," she explained as her maid rushed to open the door.

  Jenny fleetingly wondered if the guards were there to protect her or to keep her out of trouble.

  The two guards went to one knee, awaiting instructions.

  "This one seems to think she prefers the discussion room to her quarters, and I intend to oblige her. Please send for the Chief Conversationalist. I will attend him there."

  "Come on, Jenny. I'll escort you to your next adventure." She said this with as much flippancy as if she were talking about lunch at the mall.

  They walked back down the corridor to continue down the narrow stone stairs for what seemed like 20 stories. "Elevators encourage slothfulness," Sam commented. "Strength is paramount in our kingdom. We'll soon discover how you measure up."

  As they exited the stairwell, Jenny realized they had entered a large indoor stadium of some sort. It looked as if it would hold forty or fifty thousand attendees. Once again, the ubiquitous torches lined the walls and hung from the ceiling. "Lights," Sam commanded and very bright, white lights sprung into being above them, reflecting off of the black polished marble in a way that made it appear to be nearly white.

  On the stage below the tiers of benches that ran around the amphitheater, were two black stone tables a few feet apart from one another with two guards standing on each side of each table and one standing at the head of both in a white lab coat, his hands clasped behind his back. "We've been preparing for this. I had hoped you would see reason, but I know how stubborn you are."

  As they arrived at the bottom and walked onto the stage, Sam said, "Do you wish to climb up onto the table, or shall I have my friends help you?"

  Tidbit hopped up onto one of the tables and Jenny followed his lead. She determined that she would put herself into her protected mental state as soon as possible, setting up her trance to collect all information like a tape recorder without having to invest any attention into any of it.

  "I have a plan," Tidbit sent to her. "Nothing that occurs here is what it seems. I have taken precautions. Guard your mind and all will be well."

  "I'd like to say I agree," she sent back, "but this looks pretty grim. Are you sure?"

  "I am. Guard yourself now. This will not be pleasant, but we will triumph."

  The guards grabbed her roughly and tied her hands and feet to leather-like straps attached to the table. The restraints gave her no room to move except her head. Tidbit passively allowed them to do something similar to him, growling that weird cat warning, part growl, part howl. The guards laughed.

  Sam stood silently while they made their preparations, oddly enough the whole scene reminded Jenny of an operating room. Trays of implements were laid out, rough looking towels lay in stacks, and the big man in the lab coat observed it all without expression. The brilliant lights, focused entirely on the stage, were eerie in contrast with the darkness that seemed to hover beyond its influence.

  "Allow me to introduce you to the Chief Conversationalist. He will assist me today." The man in the white lab coat nodded curtly at Jenny.

  Sam stood there, her hands clasped in front of her, a smile of satisfaction on her face. For a moment she transformed, her features melting like warm wax into the Sam she remembered. All of those happy days, giggling together, doing one another's nails, researching in the library or binge-watching their favorite old television shows rushed through her mind like an arctic wind. And then there was a rush of grief for her loss of what she had thought was such a great friendship.

  She knew there were times she felt she wouldn't have made it without Sam's encouragement. And now it came to this. She knew what Sam was doing. She knew this transformation was a move calculated to tenderize her. She knew there was no kindness or nostalgia in this act. It was one last, cold, conniving measure designed to make Jenny more receptive to their torture.

  But she knew Sam now. An evil princess out of one of the fantasies she loved to read, Sam was nothing now, but her nemesis, and she would treat her as such. Sam would not get the satisfaction of any answers from her, if it meant her death. She set her determination and began to go through her exercises, distancing herself from the ordeal to come.

  "You know I'm not going to make this easy." Sam's voice was almost a purr of pleasure. "This is definitely going to hurt you more than it will me. I've been looking forward to it, actually. Little Jenny perfect. Always top of her class. Always upright and honest. Never in for a little cheating or an unkind prank.

  Now I will break you. When I am finished, you will love me for what I am, and you will be my perfect sycophant. We will be besties again. Doesn't that sound wonderful? But, as they say, 'No pain, no gain.' And I promise you, there will be pain."

  Jenny listened, almost bored as she floated inside her protective mental bubble. She knew Sam meant every word, but she also knew that there were people counting on her. She must hold on. Tidbit had a plan. Then her key warmed on her neck. She almost felt Sam would be able to see it glowing, but Sam paid no mind. Was this an assurance from Miriha that she was doing the right thing?

  Jenny was surprised, then, when Sam turned, instead of to her, to Tidbit.

  "You, sly old cat, will be my tasty little sample. We want to give Jenny a preview of coming attractions, don't we? I've wanted to get my delicate, genteel hands on you for years. Do you remember Lizzie's friend Marie? That was little old me."

  Her features melted again and now she was a petite dark haired middle-aged woman with a bob hair-do wearing a checkered shirt and jeans, a pair of gardening gloves in her hand.

  "Remember all of those garden club meetings and shopping at the farmer's market? Oh, of course you don't. After all, Lizzie couldn't take a cat with her to a public place like that. It would have seemed way too weird. I worked on her for nearly 20 year
s, hoping she might consider me as the guardian of her gate. Evidently, I didn't measure up for some reason.

  It was always Jenny she went on about. I soon determined that it would be best for me to connect with Jenny instead. So, I ended up moving away to be closer to my grown children (who of course didn't exist) and just kept in touch with newsy little letters about my garden and news about impending weddings and grandchildren. That correspondence went on the entire time I was wooing Jenny."

  Jenny turned this over in her head. How old was Sam, really? She knew that lifespans of beings within the Alliance varied wildly, from hours to eons. Earthlings had a fairly good lifespan, but many of the beings she had interacted with were hundreds of years old. She still didn't know how old Tidbit/Tarafau was, but she knew he was old when he met Lizzie, over 60 years ago. And where was Sam going with all of this reminiscing?

  Sam reached out and chucked Tidbit under his chin. "Why is it that you haven't transformed, my little changeling? Why aren't you the great beast you are when you aren't on Earth? I had hoped to have more to work with, but then, we can get creative, can't we? Let's start with all of this fuzz and see what powerful muscles lurk beneath? I think you need a shave."

  She gestured at one of the guards who handed her a straight razor.

  "Now hold still, I'm not sure how sharp this little guy is, and I'd hate to cut you…before it's time." The nasty smile on her lips that Jenny could only see from the side before Sam leaned over Tidbit gave her chills even deep in her mental protection.

  Sam lifted his face and started at his throat. For a heartbeat, Jenny thought she was going to slit his throat, but she didn't. Carefully she shaved the fur from his neck and then from his belly. She didn't speak as she worked, concentrating on removing every bit of fur from Tidbit's body and finally his face, without cutting him once. He lay their very still, the golden orbs of his cat eyes fastened on Sam's face the entire time he was facing her. When she had thoroughly stripped his underside, she had her guards turn him over on his belly, at which point he gazed into Jenny's eyes, nearly unblinking.

  "She hopes to un-nerve you, by harming me. Remember, I have a plan. Remember, I have never failed you. Remember, you are the key to everything. You are loved. You are respected, and you are valuable to the entire multiverse. This doesn't end here."

  Once Sam had stripped him of every vestige of fur she turned to Jenny. "What a handsome cat, yes? Now that we can see what we have to work with, where should we start? Not so intimidating without your armor, are you, kitty cat? Now that we have removed your armor, let's remove your weapons."

  Without his fur, Jenny could see even more clearly the muscles rippling under his black skin. He looked smaller without his fur, but something about his attitude still made him look larger than life to her.

  Sam reached for something similar to pliers and grabbed a toenail on his forefoot. "Let's see if we get a reaction from this, oh stoic one."

  She started to pull, not quickly, as one would if they were trying to minimize the pain, but very slowly, extending the claw until you could see the base of the nail starting to ooze blood. The somber Chief Conversationalist nodded approvingly, as if he and Sam were having a mental conversation, not directed to Jenny. Tidbit's entire body shivered with the pain of it, but he did not cry out. One by one Sam pulled each of his claws until all four feet were bleeding. By the fourth foot, Tidbit was yowling in pain as Sam pulled the last five claws.

  "Now that we've got the claws, the only thing deadly about you are your fangs. I'll need a stronger implement for that, but first I need to clean up this mess we've made."

  She grabbed the top towel off of the stack and wiped up the blood that was strewn across the surface of the rock slab. Now, she had the Chief Conversationalist hold Tidbit's head. The end of his now snake-like tail lashed in frenzy and Jenny could see the effort with which he clamped his jaw closed.

  She wanted to cry out. She wanted to tell Sam to stop and she would tell her anything she wanted to know, but she knew that Tidbit would not thank her for it. He had a plan. He had told her so twice, and she believed him, but could the damage Sam would inflict on him in the meantime be repaired?

  A long screech came from his mouth as Sam levered it open, stuffing a rubber dental dam between his back teeth, which held his tongue down and made his yowls sound even more odd than before.

  At that point Jenny saw what must have been a combination of the excruciatingly bright lights and her distress. Tidbit glowed briefly with a green tinged light. He was still yowling, but his eyes appeared unfocused and there was a slight change in the tone. More than likely the change in the sound was due to Sam slowly yanking at his fang. Tidbit's back arched and he squirmed frantically now. Jenny realized that tears were streaming down the sides of her face onto her ears as she looked away toward the ceiling.

  When the first one came loose, shooting blood onto Sam's cat suit, she cursed and used a towel to dab at it. The second one broke soon after she grabbed it with the pliers, evidently because she was angry at getting his blood on her, as if it was his fault. She then proceeded as she had done with his claws, grasping each of his fangs and pulling slowly and firmly, all the while Tidbit was making that gurgling howl.

  Jenny closed her eyes. She could no longer watch. Evidently Sam noticed this, so she kept up a stream of conversation about what she was doing, the look on the cat's face, the fact that his screams were fading and that he wasn't so tough as she thought, all in almost a drawl, as if she wasn't even interested in what she was saying, just talking out of boredom.

  Finally, there was silence. Jenny had no idea if it had been hours or days since they were strapped to their stone slabs. As Jenny opened her eyes, she knew what she would see. Tidbit lay there like so much meat, slices in his skin, his mouth still open with broken teeth and missing fangs. His flesh on his belly lay in tatters and there was blood everywhere. There were even spots of blood on Sam's face, or rather the face of Marie. Her assistant was also spattered with blood, once again standing at the head of the two tables, his hands clasped behind his back, staring straight ahead with no expression.

  For the first time, Jenny struggled against her bonds, wanting nothing more than to pound Sam's face into hamburger, to wipe that satisfied grin out of memory and change that smile into the look of terror frozen on Tidbit's face. She found Tidbit's growling yowl coming from her own throat. But she didn't speak a word. She would not give Sam the satisfaction of even one word coming from her mouth.

  "There, there, sweetie. He was just a cat. No big deal from a cosmic point of view. He must have used up all of those nine lives, though, I think. Either that, or he didn't want to come back for more of this." And she waved her hand negligently at the bloody corpse.

  "But what about our sweet Jenny? Will anyone miss you when you're gone? Besides that ragtag bunch of crusaders holed up on Earth. I imagine they have disabled my portal there by now. Not important, for, when you and I are finished with our little exercise, you will gladly hand me the Gatekeeper's key, and all will be well. My father will turn the multiverse over to the Insenium and will be exalted as the first power, just under the Insenium overlord himself.

  I will be given your dimension as a gift for my service and will live happily in your little house on Infinity Loop, with all of the resources of your universe at my fingertips. Not bad for a hometown girl like moi."

  And she morphed into her Sam guise. She grabbed one of the rough towels from the stack which was now shorter by about a fourth. She gently wiped at Jenny's tears, a look of mock concern on her face.

  "I don't want to miss a moment of our fun together and I am tired. I will go catch a cat nap and leave you to do the same."

  Jenny heard her footsteps fade away, followed by her guards. Obviously, Jenny was in no position to escape and she was fairly sure there were guards stationed outside the exits. As the door slammed behind them every light went out abruptly. Once again, she was in total darkness.

 
She floated in that darkness, her mind turning in her protective bubble. She had no desire to face the full impact of the last several hours. Even distancing herself from the pain and sorrow of her ordeal and the fear of the coming torture she was sure to receive at Sam's hands, she still felt unable to cope with what it would be like outside of her mental shield.

  She tried to relax, as Sam had recommended, realizing, if she was going to get through this with her resolve intact, she would need to be as rested and energized as possible.

  Then, suddenly, Tidbit's voice was in her mind. "I now release the memory of what I said to you in the 'thinking room'. Remember."

  And she did. It bloomed in her mind like a candle in the dark. There really was a plan! Tarafau had known all along that his torture and "death" would be used to soften her up. He also knew her response would need to be genuine. So he allowed her to suffer, knowing in the end she would be glad for his subterfuge.

  "Tarafau?" she queried into the darkness.

  "We're coming," he sent, to her delight. "Hold tight for a minute more. When we cut you loose, be prepared to access your staff. You may not need it, but ready yourself mentally and physically for a fight."

  Jenny nearly cried again in sheer joy. Fight or no fight, he was coming, and he was bringing others with him. She could face anything knowing that Tarafau was alive and on her side.

  She felt the air stir in the darkened space. She nearly jerked away when a hand gently touched hers. "Hold tight, I have to cut this," sent Arvid. "Stay very still."

  She didn't move, realizing he would be doing this by feel. As he cut the final bond holding her foot, she sat up carefully.

  "We'll get some light on the subject in a moment," sent Tarafau. Jenny wasn't really sure how she always knew the difference between Tarafau's sendings and Tidbit's, but she knew this was Tarafau and she knew somehow, he was standing right next to the slab upon which she now sat.