by H. Caswell
My dearest son,
I have not allowed one day, to pass without thoughts of you. I guess I shall explain in this letter my life’s events, since my departure. Please know, as you read this, I will have proceeded on to another place.
I found myself, a quiet city in New Hampshire. I had no thoughts, as to what, I was to do here. For several months, I made my way among this city and its people. Though I could not find the heart, to begin a new life, with any other or engage in replacing my dear friend, I did find, acquaintances. I found myself no longer wanting, to practice psychology as my means of living; I did find myself, inquiring as a college professor at a local university.
For five years, I taught students the course. Oh, of course, my heart longed to prove my theory of the, Unbreakable Gene chain and childhood experiences from their history, I had not found the courage to engage fully, in the conversations, with my class. During my last five years, I began to research, secretly, with experimenting upon myself, effects of drugs and self-hypnosis. One afternoon, I accidently stumbled upon a colleague’s research, of an enzyme, which the name shall remain secret, even from you, for now. It permits’ the mind to recall life events, it as I found out; works wonderfully. I began to introduce my theory of the unbreakable genes we are all born with, and the possible childhood memories of occurrences. To my amazement Dear Alfred, my class became eager to discover the truths with me. A young, and very attractive student named Kate, who is now with you, she excelled in class. A month before, she began to work alongside me, in our class studies.
I did keep the secret of my accidental findings, as I could not let my knowledge of my stumbling into this advancement, as the work was not of my own.
The more eager and involved Kate, became, the more I realized there was far more to her life, than she was admitting. The months and hours of our working together had earned me her trust. We as a class began to practice Hypnosis. Kate would be my partner, if you will. As I put Kate under, the class would take notes, their attention drawn to their writing; I began secretly injecting Kate, with this enzyme. My lord Alfred, the hidden secrets began to appear endless. The students became so enthused. I soon realized too much of Kate’s life would spill out, to her peers. They would come to class, asking Kate questions she could not answer.
A month or so passed, I had convinced Kate; to come my studio apartment, so we could work more on these theories. At first our meetings were twice a week. They soon became nightly. As Kate would be under, I would inject her. I had no idea to the extent, of permanency, of this enzyme in her system. Soon she would come to class; we would be teaching and with no help from me, she would regress; back into another time. She began disappearing for days. I became worried and followed her nightly.
From what it appears to me Alfred, she believes she is in the past; observing it as if it were, real. It came to myself I needed to send her off. She could not be here any longer. It became a strong realization that if someone figured out my work, grave things could come about. It was my reading, of your local paper the Daily News that I saw an article written of an island, and the man who runs it.
My son, I am deeply proud of you and your achievements. I knew the only place where Kate could go, is with you.
As I have done many times now, I followed Kate. She led me to a green apartment building in Manchester. It was during her time in the back alleyway, where she stood. I knew my time was now. I quietly approached her and gave her a shot of a very powerful sedative; knowing it would keep her out for couple days. I placed her within the yard of the building and phoned the local police.
I have a so called friend within the station that I knew would be on duty. I explained that if the instructions with the girl were followed, an envelope, would find its way; containing something that would increase his pockets. I hid within the darkness and followed as he and a fellow officer loaded Kate, into his car. I followed them to the docks where they boarded a boat. I kept my words and he, at this moment, should be opening his gift; containing a large sum of cash. I now fear for my freedom Alfred. My connections here are not as they were back home. So with my heart; heavy, for having to travel on, I find myself happy, with my knowledge of Kate now with you.
Please know my son, my love for you is deep. I shall always think of you. It is with sorrow that I must say goodbye, possibly now forever. Sincerely, Father T.
Alfred sitting quiet, reading his letter over and over with his heart ‘flipping with happiness’ as sorrow consumes him, in the ending. A boy, loves his father, Alfred will never deny, his feelings for his own.
Chapter 14
Alfred had been unaware of his father Thomas giving Kate, a heavy sedative, at the time he and Claire prepared her. The extra shot, Alfred had given Kate has kept her out, for three days. They would periodically check her, to see if the medication had yet, worn off.
Alfred decided to place a film recorder, ‘as he has so many times in the past with all his guests. He has many reels of film, of all the woman and occasionally; watches them alone; they are his secrets, even Claire knows nothing about. ‘Of course, Alfred has kept a few hidden secrets from Claire and the rest of them. Only he knows of these. One just may save his own life.’ He sets up the film recorder in his private study, and within the closet adjacent to the shower. They are his study methods and at times his self-gratification means.’
The recorder he has placed now is inside a small closet behind the concrete wall of Kate’s room. He drilled a small hole large enough to put the lenses inside. It is in a dark corner for no one to find. He needs not to worry of anyone finding these reels, of movies, for they hidden beneath in a secret compartment, he created under the floor boards. The torture table stands, covering the passage in his, secret room. A lock on the closet beside Kate’s room only, Alfred, holds the key to. No one has asked Alfred or perhaps dares, about the contents of this closet, after all he is in charge. He would view the reel and return it each day.
The days of waiting have become stressful to Alfred. He wants badly to hear from this girl, Kate, who has spent so much time with, his father. Occasionally, he would stand watching her sleeping body. At times, he would fondle her as she slept, while he relieved himself. He found her, to be so, delightful. Wanting very much to enjoy her, in his private place, yet reminding himself, of Claire’s warning of care. The day would come; he just needed to be calm.
Chapter 15
Movement, begins to stir upon Kate’s bed. The room is dark and cold, as she tries to open her eyes, seemingly impossible, they are so heavy from the drugs. Sounds of soft, moaning come from her; echoing off the walls, as she tries to awaken.
Silence, in the air, with a small glimpse of light periodically circling. Her eyes finally, begin to open as the struggle begins to loosen, slightly. She tries to rub her eyes, suddenly realizing, she cannot move her arms. She begins to pull at them, only hearing the sounds of the chains‘clack’ as they hit the metal frame of her bed ‘Her eyes, growing wide with fear’ as she raises her head slightly‘darkness’ to see where she is. Her head ‘throbbing intense pain’ pounding, she is so weak that her skull, ‘thud’ falls limply. She tries to move her legs as the ice cold grip on her ankles and the sounds of the chains, ‘clanking’ as they hit against the frame. She lays there briefly‘her heart pounding’ as she tries to recall how she has gotten to where she is. Nothing comes to her ‘mind swirling with confusion’ hollering out into the dark,“Hello … Hello …is anybody there?”
Silence greeting her ‘mind spinning’ she begins looking around the room she is in, trying to see anything. A small circle of light; begins to move slowly, from one area across the room illuminating briefly the walls of concrete she held captive. She continues to raise her head to watch as the light makes it way about the room. She is so weak; she is only able only to hold her head up a few seconds at a time ‘ah’ with each pass, she comes to realize‘where?’ she is in a small room, with one large dark door, to her right. Now more freighted she beg
ins‘franticly’ pulling at her arms and legs. The cold grip, upon her, loudly banging fiercely; pulling and twisting at her arms and feet; only feeling pain of her struggles. Tears begin to flow down her hot, face‘sniffling’ full of fear. Her energy only coming in small bursts, to her. As she feels the urge, she pulls and twists harder and harder‘grinding her teeth with the pain’ trying to free herself. The burning pain begins to intensify as the cold metal cuts her skin. Her body now covered in wetness, she grows tired, as the blood trickles from the wounds, upon her wrists and ankles. Her chest rising quickly as her heart pumps harder and harder. She lays still for a while. But the fear begins to build deeper‘tears swell and release’ and deeper, it keeps her struggling. Sweat beads upon her brow now fall mixing with her tears, falling down her cheeks, tracing the contours of her face, gliding like a small river, circle her ears and fall to the bed. She summons all her strength“COME ON” and again pulls with all her might‘holding her breath’ to free herself, with no prevail. Now exhausted from her fight she feels the energy‘light-headed’ as it is swept away, she drifts‘unwillingly’ off to sleep.
Kate begins to dream. Her mind has drifted to some place she does not recall. It takes her to the scene of a hospital room where a woman lays upon a bed. She feels herself move ‘her body shakes on her bed’ closer to the woman. As she looks upon the figure that lays still, she does not recognize her. The woman is very pale, and thin, with no hair. She appears, to be asleep. Kate struggles with the feeling of knowing this woman,‘hollering out, as Alfred’s recorder catches Kate’s movements and talks’ yet having no memory of who she is. Kate becomes certain she does not know the woman.
As Kate awakens, she is confused to her dream. With no energy to try to free herself, she watches ‘eyes burning’ the small light, as it slowly‘seemly hypnotizing’ works its way, around the room. As her eyes follow the light ‘slowly’ she falls asleep again. She drifts deeper and deeper into a deep sleep.
Kate finds herself feeling extreme sadness‘crying in her sleep’ as she stands before a tall green two story home. The front of the yard contains small patches of green and brown grasses‘whimpering’ that follow along the narrow pathway leading to a couple cement steps. Kate gazes upon the building. The green two-story house, dressed in white shutters aside four windows that are equal on the first and second floors. A white door is in the center of the first floor, with an octagon shaped window, which sits center on the second floor. As Kate observers’ the odd shaped window,‘her head twisting franticly’ she senses she knows the story behind it. She begins to walk the property. The left side of the building sits an adjacent blue three-story home, something inside Kate brings her attention to the right side. She is walking down an unattractive dirt driveway. The feeling of uncertainty and extreme sadness‘she moans’ sink into her stomach, yet she walks on. Alongside the drive is an enormous tree that stands in front of a long, deep brown fence. Kate’s eyes follow the tree, it is so big. With its big strong, heavy branches, filled with leaves. Which blocks the sun’s light from penetrating through. Giving the ground below a large shaded area. Over the fence sits a giant, deep brown Victorian home, its once grand appearance now, dwindled to ruins. Kate continues down the drive leaving image. The right side covered in overgrowth of vegetation that covers most of the existence of the fence. Kate looks upon the side of the green, building, to her left. A sick uneasy feeling comes over her. The yard is all but dirt. Slowly she makes her way to the very back of the house. A small closed in porch; sits high on a staircase of ten steps. The ground back there is much of the same, dirt and some old brownish dead grass, the walk way now broken, heaved cement. The same fence that lined the side of the house wraps, around the back, as well. Kate walks to an opening in the center of the fence. Carefully she looks beyond the fence that blocks the yard from a long alley way. Her attention is calling her back now to a small enclosed porch. The wooden steps rotted, and the paint; withered away, leading to a white paint chipped door with a window. The sickness feeling Kate senses has grown deeper with the sight of the area. The smell of rotting trash from the alley fills the air. She begins to feel as though she is not alone there anymore. Two little children appear. One a small chubby blonde boy about two years of age and thin blonde girl roughly four are present. They are playing in the dirt. Their clothing is filthy. The sunshine disappears, and dark clouds fill the skies. A loud roll of thunder crashes above them. The girl tries to open the door as the rain begins to pour down. She unable to open it, taking ahold of the boy, as they huddle under the steps while the rain floods the ground and the thunder rolls through. Kate watches and wonders ’screaming out … help them’ why no one comes for them.
Kate hears voices as the scene, quickly changes. The loud voice of a woman bellows out. She finds herself back to the front of the house. A woman sits upon the front steps as the little boy climbs over her. Kate looks to where the woman is gazing. The little girl from before is pacing back and forth along the sidewalk. Her head covered in a pair of small underwear while a big sign is tied to her body, reading ‘I am a piggy. I pee my pants, a few kids walked by laughing at the sight. Kate feels horrified. Kate yells to the woman to make it stop, ’STOP IT … Stop it now’ but the woman does not hear her. The woman finally walks to the girl, ripping the panties off of her. She is yelling, grabbing the girl, by her blonde hair and pulls her up the steps into the house.
As Kate dreams of these things, she speaks in her sleep. Alfred’s recorder captures the sounds, words and movements of Kate.
Her eyes open, realizing again she is trapped somewhere. She remembers nothing of the dreams. She begins again, with pulling at her arms and feet, but the wounds she has created burn deeply giving her so much pain. A low noise begins to‘scuffling’ creep closer. Kate looks to where she remembers the door being. A thin line of light begins to glow from beneath. She sees what looks to be a shadow within the light; she hollers out if anyone can hear her.“Hello,‘struggling to speak’anybody there”! A sound of something jingling‘keys clanking’ and the door begins to open. The light from outside the door now shining very brightly into the room, making Kate’s eyes tear. She wipes her eyes on her shoulders, as she tries to see who is there. A very large‘frightening’ silhouette begins to emerge. Claire has come, ‘clicking’ on the overhead light blinding Kate ‘ah’ further. The tears flow heavy from Kate’s‘burning’ sensitive eyes. “Ah, look who has awoken‘smirking’from the dead.” Claire’s bedside manner is not very kind, as she proceeds, walking over to Kate’s side. She looks upon the bloodied, mildly deep wounds‘shaking her head’ Kate has given to herself. She watches as a largewoman leaves the room screaming out “Where are … you‘her heart sinks’ going. The woman does not answer. Kate sees now; the room is, as she had seen in the darkclearly ‘gasping in shock’ as Claire enters back, carrying a small brown bottle and white gauze. Kate asks Claire “Where …am I?” As Claire begins by removing one shackle at a time, cleaning Kate’s wounds she explains the story, “Two men … they found you … in an alley faraway’ as she finishes with Kate’s wounds closing up the last shackle upon the white gauze continues the story, “They brought you …here.” Kate gives this woman she does not know a look of confusion “I do not‘her voice weak’ understand”. Claire explaining “It matters not if you … remembers, it only matters ‘smirking’ that you are here.Claire proceeds explaining of how life here will be with her and Alfred “You are Alfred’s. I will make sure you … follow the rules. Life here … well dear‘laughing’is most favorable for us … you … well not so much. I demandrespect and orderly conduct, or the consequences’ will be of most pain to you. Claire giving a final warning “You best givethe up most respect to Alfred” leaning inclose to Kate’s ear and whispers “If you do not, I will see to it, you pay ‘devils, eyes glow’ severely‘smiling’with so much pain.” Kate swallowing hard‘heart pounding’ as she looks into the woman’s deep dead eyes. Kate watches the woman as she picks up a small metal table
from the back corner, placing it down beside her. She watches Claire as she exits the room‘sighing; relief’ briefly; returning with a small cup and a clipboard. Putting the cup and board down Claire pulls from her pocket a pencil, flipping the paper over upon the board. Claire begins to take Kate’s vital signs, writing them down“Your pulse is quiet fast” lifting Kate’s head telling her “sip,slowly” feeding her water. The ice- cold water feels good as it flows down Kate’s dry throat.
Claire had notified Alfred of Kate’s awakening when she had gone to get the gauze. He was extremely excited, but, wantingtoview the film, before seeing Kate. He tells Claire “Give another low dose of the tranquilizer … want to do some reading before … seeing her.” As Claire was tending to the thirst and vitals of Kate, he had swiftly, changed the reel of film and gone straight to his loft, unseen.
Kate finishes the water as her head eases back upon the bed thinking ‘this makes no sense. Men … who? … Why?’ while watching, this woman placing the table back leaving the clip board upon it. Her eyes still burning, as the woman makes her way back; pulling a small syringe from her other pocket‘ she, swallowing hard’ as the woman explains “Alfred will be in to see‘leaning in’ you ‘smiling’ later” as she raises the needle facing up, and pushes the bottom making, some fluidspurt out. “Please… ‘shaking her head’ No!Please … no‘tears running down her cheeks’ pleading “Please” not to inject the needle, Claire squeezing some skin on Kate’s arm, she injects the fluid. A sudden cold sensation; runs through her arm. By the time, Claire reaches the door; the medicine has kicked in, struggling to keep her eyes open, with no hope.
Claire exits, locking the door behind her. As she makes her way, she checks in on Sarah; finding the girl needing to be changed from the excrement’s of bodily, waste. Claire gatherers new linens, and orders Randle “Come here … and help me with Sarah.” Randle maneuvering Sarah’s limp, body, Claire, stripping her naked, washing her up. Claire turning her attention, noticing her brother’s interest‘his toothy smile, ear to ear’ in Sarah’s naked bodyswiftly; slapping ‘thud’ his arm “Knock it off … Randle” his face ‘pouting’ turning red. “I will finish up‘her tone of disappointment’ you … just go” quickly, walking away‘his heart aching’ knowing he has done something wrong. “I suppose‘sigh’ I best have a talk with …the boy‘smiling’ laying Sarah down.