“Man, that’s amazing that you’re still alive,” said Leroy, “but you need to do your part to get your ass back to your regular cell. Our escape plan depends on it.”
“Yes, Deputy Jackson – I will lie through my teeth to Dr. Porter that I do not believe in UFOs and aliens. I would do anything imaginable to be back with my babe, Nataliee, again.”
Leroy glanced at his watch and said, “Say Anthony, I’ve been in here for much too long. Jurgen’s gonna get ‘spicious. Just a warning before I go, when Jurgen or Dr. Porter are around I need to act like I’m your worst enemy, but don’t worry – it’s just an act. I’ll fill you in on all the details on my next stop in here. When you return back to your normal cell, look for a small flashlight that I’m going to hide in your mattress. You’ll need it tomorrow night when the escape happens. I got to run now.”
The stern-looking Jurgen was waiting outside the padded cell when Leroy exited the room. He asked, “Vhy were you in there for so long?”
“Man, I just can’t stand stupid, UFO believers. I grabbed his face and placed my thumbs over his eyes. I pushed hard enough for him to feel pain. I told him to tell Dr. Porter that he made up all that crap about UFOs and aliens. I told him if he didn’t do so today, the next time I return I’ll shove my thumbs all the way deep into his eye sockets.”
Jurgen smiled slyly as he said, “Mr. Jackson, I like ze way you do business. It is very interesting – und effective. Dr. Porter will be very impressed.”
Leroy spent the rest of the day learning about procedures. He made sure to project a ‘tough guy persona’. Certainly, this was a place where only the assertive ‘alpha male’ types would be able to survive. He spotted an unmarked locked door. He noted that this was the only door without a number keypad by it. “Say Jurgen, where does this door lead to?”
“Nobody ever goes through that door. It just leads up to ze roof. A few patients have tried to escape by going up there, only to find out they are trapped. There is no escape from there without a helicopter. One desperate patient jumped down to ze concrete three floors below. He broke his spine und now is crippled for life.”
Leroy tugged on the door. It was securely locked. He asked Jurgen, “Say man, just in case of a fire, where’s the key to this door?”
“Ze key is hanging from a nail on ze wall in Dr. Porter’s office, right next to ze bulletin board.”
It was almost 3:00 PM when Dr. Porter stopped by her office. She kept a flexible schedule. She came and went as she pleased – after all, she was the boss. She usually went home rather early unless she was planning to administer punishment to a patient – or a staff member who had fallen out of favor. Disciplinary action always happened late in the evening when there were fewer distractions.
She spotted her employees in the hallway. She asked Jurgen, “How did our new staff member perform today?”
“Mr. Jackson performed remarkably well. He convinced our patient, Anthony Elliott, to rescind his ridiculous testimony vith regards to aliens.”
Dr. Porter turned her attention to Leroy… She asked him, “Mr. Elliott’s been stubbornly sticking to his irritating story about an alien abduction. Tell me, how did you convince him to change his mind?”
“It ain’t no thang, really. I just told him that if he don’t do it, I was going to gouge his eyes right out of his head.”
An excited Jurgen added, “Mr. Jackson has a perfect aptitude for this kind of career.”
“Perhaps yes,” commented Dr. Porter, “but let me be the judge of that. First, I want you both to accompany me to visit Mr. Elliott.”
The trio marched down the long hallway to Anthony’s padded cell. Leroy knew he had to put on a convincing ‘tough guy’ act. Otherwise, he could end up on the receiving end of the disciplinary actions.
They unlocked the door and entered the room. There was a lingering stench of fresh feces in the air when poor Anthony could no longer hold off his ‘nature’s calling’. Leroy seized the opportunity to act tough in front of Dr. Porter. He shouted, “Elliott – tell Dr. Porter what you gotta say, ‘less you want me to rip your eyes right outta your head.”
Anthony stammered as he looked at Dr. Porter straight in the eye, “I’m very sorry, but I completely made up the story about UFOs and the alien abduction. I never believed in UFOs. My girlfriend was missing and the town’s folk all thought I was a murderer. I didn’t want to go to jail, so I figured it’s better for me to talk about imaginary aliens. That way, I could avoid jail by being declared insane.”
Dr. Porter stood there for a few moments to contemplate Anthony’s speech. She said, “That’s not too bad. I don’t know if I believe you, but a deal is a deal – you may return to your usual cell – after you are given a shower. You certainly smell very bad.”
Suddenly, Leroy stepped in front of Anthony. He hit him in the gut with his Billy club. The blow was not particularly hard, but Anthony knew he needed to pretend being in agonizing pain. Leroy said, “Mr. Elliott – that’s for earlier spitting in Dr. Porter’s face. I’m just letting you know that I won’t tolerate any crap from you.”
As they walked back to Dr. Porter’s office, it was time for Leroy to clock-out after his first day of work at the institute. Dr. Porter said, “Mr. Jackson, Jurgen is quite right – you certainly have the right aptitude for this job. I’d like to personally invite you to participate in a private disciplinary party here tomorrow night. Will you please join us?”
Leroy was trying to projecting a masculine swagger. He bluntly asked, “So who gets to be our party’s piñata?”
“We’re going to punish Anthony Elliott,” explained Dr. Porter.
Leroy momentarily let down his tough guy persona and asked, “Didn’t he just say exactly what you wanted to hear?”
“Why, yes – he most certainly did, but don’t forget that he spit in my face. We can’t let him get away with such vulgar behavior.”
Leroy knew he’d better snap back into macho mode and said, “I wouldn’t miss tomorrow night for the world. I’ll make sure that Mr. Elliott gets everything he deserves.”
CHAPTER 14
Meanwhile, Todd continued to aimlessly kill time alone in his cell. As he reflected on how Dr. Porter used Eddie the Butcher and Dr. Jon Thorton to execute Hector, he realized that she had deceived him while he was held in solitary confinement in Texas. She had no interest in him whatsoever, other than to use him as a guinea pig for an experimental drug. Todd swore to himself, “If it’s the last thing I do, I want to torture that damn bitch, Dr. Porter.”
Todd was thrilled to see Anthony being led back to his old cell. After waiting to make sure the coast was clear, he softly said, “I thought you w-were d-dead fer s-sure.”
“Yeah, that makes two of us,” said Anthony who felt as though he had a new lease on life. After double checking to make sure nobody was around Anthony said, “Say Todd, the new, black guard is a friend. He’s helping me escape tonight. I don’t know hardly any of the details, but look for this facility to lose power tonight. I’m pretty sure the plan is for all the electronic cell doors to open at some point, so you can try to run away too.”
Before Todd could respond, he heard footsteps approaching. Instead of talking, he just signaled with his hands by making the ‘OK’ sign.
Dr. Porter arrived unusually late today – around 6:00 PM right after the patients had been fed their dinner rations. She typically arrive late on ‘Disciplinary Party Nights’, since she planned to stay up to enjoy the show. At 6:30, she told Jurgen and Leroy to take a dinner break. She gave Jurgen a credit card to pay for dinner at the Longhorn Restaurant down the street. She instructed Jurgen to buy an extra dinner for a special guest who was meeting them over there.
Jurgen and Leroy arrived at the Longhorn Restaurant before their guest. Jurgen excitedly said, “Mr. Jackson, ze man joining us for dinner vorks for ze CIA. It vould be a good idea for your career to really impress Mr. Herb Davis. You vant to display a strong showing of shear brutality vhen
you demonstrate your fighting skills on Anthony Elliott tonight.”
Jurgen spoke to the waitress, “Ve vill soon be joined by a third gentleman. Ve vill order three big Porterhouse steaks – blood rare, vith three bottles of German Beer, und hold ze salads.”
While the chef was lightly grilling the steaks, a tall man came to join them. Jurgen stood straight up and clicked his heels in Gestapo fashion as he extended his arm out to shake hands. “Good evening, Mr. Davis. Allow me to introduce you to my new protégé, Mr. Leroy Jackson.”
Leroy stood up out of courtesy and shook his hand. He said, “Pleased to meet you – so you work for the Feds?” Jurgen boasted about his protégé to Herb. “On Mr. Jackson’s first day of vork, he pushed on Mr. Elliott’s eyeballs vith his thumbs until he rescinded his story about ze aliens.”
Herb raised his beer bottle and said, “Cheers to you – Mr. Jackson. That is very impressive. I hope you will finish the job tonight.”
Minutes later, the waitress delivered three plates with large, blood-rare, Porterhouse steaks on them. Leroy thought his steak was obscenely undercooked. Bright red, bloody juice leaked out of the meat, but he needed to keep up the ‘macho image’. Jurgen asked, “Is ze meat too raw for your palate?”
“Hell no – I think it’s a bit overdone for my tastes, but I don’t want to make a big fuss over it.”
It was 8:30 when Jurgen paid the waitress. He said, “It’s time to go back to ze institution now. Mr. Jackson, ve are expecting a very good show.”
Jurgen, Herb, and Leroy were met by Dr. Porter at the steel door security checkpoint when they exited the elevator. Dr. Porter said, “Hello Herb. It’s so nice to have you join us… How was your steak dinner, Mr. Jackson?”
“It was a tad overcooked, but I got me a decent portion of pure animal protein. I feel like I’m ready to rip someone’s lungs out.”
“Ya – that’s ze spirit,” said an excited Jurgen. “So Herb, what do you think of my protégé?”
“So far, so good – but as they say, ‘it isn’t over until the fat lady sings’ – or in this case, ‘it isn’t over until the lean teenager dies’.”
Leroy tried to hide his nerves while he kept thinking, “My partner in crime had better hit the power switch – and it better happen real soon.”
Todd watched Dr. Porter leading Herb, Jurgen, and Leroy just outside Anthony’s cell door. He reached out and tried to grab Herb’s arm… Dr. Porter warned Herb, “Don’t get too close to the cage behind you. That’s the infamous Texas Chainsaw Masochist. We intend to continue our experiments on him in the near future – but first I want our new employee, Mr. Leroy Jackson, to prove his mettle.”
“What the hell is going on?” asked a frightened Anthony as Leroy was about to enter his cell.
Dr. Porter glared at Anthony. She reminded him, “Mr. Elliott, I hope you haven’t forgotten that you recently spit in my face. We do not tolerate such foul behavior around here. Mr. Jackson is here to punish you for your dastardly deed.”
Before they opened the locked, steel bar door Jurgen offered, “Mr. Jackson – I vould like to assist you to tie up his hands together.”
“Let’s give this dude a fighting chance,” replied Leroy. “I get more satisfaction if he’s free to try to defend himself.”
Jurgen nudged Herb’s arm and said, “Ya – I told you this man is good.”
Dr. Porter smiled and nodded in approval. So when Dr. Porter opened Anthony’s door, only Leroy stepped in. Herb was getting excited as well. In a poor ‘Michael Buffer’ impersonation he announced, “Ladies and gentlemen… Let’s get ready to RUMBLE!”
Todd was worried that his friend Anthony was about to get hurt – or even killed.
Jurgen acted like a coach and screamed, “Kick him in ze nuts und rip ze eyes out of his head.”
Leroy staged a decent looking, fake kick to Anthony’s groin. He doubled up in apparent, agonizing pain.
“Das is good – now go for ze eyes.”
Leroy tried to stall for some more time since he could tell that Robert Bates was running behind schedule. Still, he knew he had to continue to put on a convincing show. He grabbed Anthony’s head and placed his thumbs directly over his eyes. Anthony let out a very convincing, whimpering cry. He openly begged, “Oh please don’t blind me. I’m very sorry, Dr. Porter. I will never spit on you again. I’m so sorry, but please don’t let him blind me.”
Todd didn’t know that Leroy was acting, so he was pulling with all his might on the security door to no avail...
Leroy kept his thumbs over Anthony’s eyes and looked over at Dr. Porter. She stared at him without blinking and said, “Well, Mr. Jackson – go on. What are you waiting for? You promised me that you would tear the eyes right out of his head. Now, do it.”
Leroy knew that time was running out, but there was just no way he actually gouging out Anthony’s eyes. He applied a bit of additional pressure and Anthony started to scream louder. Jurgen got excited and nudged Herb’s shoulder, “Isn’t Mr. Jackson vunderbar?”
However, after a whole minute of continuing with the act, Jurgen suddenly looked puzzled. He shouted, “Vhat kind of dummkopf do you think I am? Either your thumbs are very veak, or his eyeballs are extra strong. Now rip out ze eyeballs!”
When nothing happened again, Dr. Porter said, “Mr. Jackson – I’m very disappointed in you… Jurgen. Herb. Taser them both, and then go finish them off. I came to see a good show, and I will not be denied.”
Suddenly, there was an announced on the intercom, “Emergency page for Dr. Porter. Emergency page for Dr. Porter. We have an intruder sneaking in downstairs.”
Dr. Porter knew something was drastically wrong. She said, “I need to go to my office to speak to the receptionist. Leave them locked up. I’ll be right back. I want to watch every blow.”
Just as Dr. Porter got the receptionist on the phone to ask about the intruder, there were multiple, metallic, clanging sounds coming from the hallway. She knew that somehow the master, door-unlock switch had been flipped down in the power room. A moment later, everything went dark in the entire facility. Leroy’s accomplice had successfully shut off all the electric power.
At this chaotic moment, all the inmates of the ward for the criminally insane were free to roam around the dark hallways. The filtered moonlight added just barely enough light to enable one to see silhouettes moving about.
In the hallway, Jurgen was feeling around in the dark with his hands held straight out. A moment later he felt a face which clearly belonged to a tall man. He asked, Herb, is that you?”
However, he suddenly felt agonizing pain as his right index finger had found the open mouth of Eddie the Butcher. Eddie loved the taste of human flesh, and he eagerly bit the finger right off and ate it.
Jurgen screamed even more loudly when he felt a sharp fingernail plunging deep into his left eye. It was a gleeful Dr. Jon Thorton, who was indulging in his eyeball fetish once again. They wrestled Jurgen down to the ground and tore him apart. Meanwhile, the patients throughout the hallway were loud and boisterous in alternating primal screams with blood-curdling cries.
Dr. Porter was uncharacteristically frightened as she cowered behind her office desk in the dark. She heard Jurgen’s cries of pain blended in with the patients’ cries of delight. She was unable to call ‘911’ since her phone required electric power and her cell phone was downstairs in her locker. She fumbled around in the dark to find anything she could use as a weapon. The best thing she found was a large pair of scissors.
As soon as Anthony found the flashlight hidden under his mattress, Leroy said, “We need to get the key to the roof access door from Dr. Porter’s office.”
They made their way through the crowd of the criminally insane until they reached her office. Leroy reached to open the unlocked door when suddenly a large hand with mutilated fingertips grabbed him by the arm. Leroy turned around and at first saw only the big chest of a gigantic man. He knew in an instant his attacker was the Texas Ch
ainsaw Masochist. Anthony held the flashlight at an angle that shone the light from below the monstrous face. Leroy cried out in horror as he gazed up at the disfigured serial killer.
Anthony turned the flashlight to illuminate his own face. He said to the Texas Chainsaw Masochist, “Todd, it’s me, Anthony – your best friend in here. This here is Leroy – He’s also my friend. He doesn’t deserve to be hurt. He is very nice, but for your information, the bad Dr. Porter is in her office. I think she wants to play a game with you.”
The Texas Chainsaw Masochist let go of Leroy’s arm and headed into Dr. Porter’s office with his friends. Anthony moved the flashlight around to look for the key on the wall by the bulletin board. Todd spotted a frightened Dr. Porter standing behind her desk, clutching a large pair of scissors. He moved towards her. In desperation, she tried to stab him right in the face, but he moved his head just enough to the side so that the scissors ripped through his ear instead. The pain didn’t even bother him and he easily wrestled the scissors away from her.
“So, D-Dr. P-Porter, you want to p-play a little g-game with me? I like to p-play games with you t-too. Let’s take t-turns hurting each other with these s-scissors. You just r-ripped up my ear – I like that, but n-now it’s my t-turn to hurt you.”
In the past, Todd always felt some degree of compassion for his victims, with the exception of the Mongol biker who killed his friend, Kyle. Dr. Porter was one of the few people who Todd truly hated. This time he felt no remorse at all as he began snipping away at her face. Her shrill cries of agony gradually faded as trauma set in. Although it was too dark for Todd to see the details of his torture, he delighted in feeling the scissors cutting away numerous, small pieces of flesh and the the sensation of warm, sticky blood flowing over his fingers.
Texas Chainsaw Masochist Page 10