Waiting a Lifetime (The Waiting Series Book 1)

by Samantha Peterson

  I smell urine, too. I can’t see it but I can feel that my white capris are damp and sticking to my legs.

  I still don’t feel any different. Besides my muscles twitching uncontrollably from the electricity going through me. My heart aches and struggles to keep beating after being interrupted by the currents.

  My head is spinning, too. I can’t keep my thoughts from going haywire. I want to focus on staying strong and not letting King have the pleasure of seeing me weak, but the electricity still in my body makes it impossible.

  I slowly lift my head to see him staring at me with that wicked smile of his. He loves making me suffer. He looks back to the monitors, seemingly pleased by the affect. I don’t feel any different, though. Maybe he’s just happy he gets to torture me.

  I’m not sure how much my body can take before giving up. Right now, I want to give up. I’m ready to. I want to tell him to just kill me already, or let me die, but I can’t control my muscles enough to even speak.

  Again, he pushes a button on the keyboard, and spirit energy and electricity flow through me once more. My body convulses and I throw up. There isn’t much in my stomach, so it’s mostly bile that comes up. Still, I’m vaguely aware of the cloth in my mouth keeping most of the bile situated there.

  Some of it escapes through and down my front, but most of it just sits in my mouth while I wait for them to take it out. I’ve never tasted stomach acid before, but I’ll never forget it after this.

  I’m not sure how long he keeps the current going this round, but I lose consciousness and black out before he stops. I can’t say how long I am out for, but it’s the strangest feeling I’ve ever had. Nothing. Absolutely nothing but black.

  When I regain consciousness, Natalie is standing in front of me with something pressed against my chest and I can hear the Captain mumbling something. She didn’t even bother to take the cloth out of my mouth.

  “Death is only temporary,” he says, cheerfully.

  I can hear him softly chuckling, too, not even trying to hold back his enjoyment. He’s typing something with the keyboard as he watches the monitor, and continues to taunt me.

  “We’ve only just begun today’s activities,” he announces, “We wouldn’t want you missing out.”

  I want to say something cruel to him, but I can’t muster the energy. Not that I could anyway with the stupid cloth still dangling from my mouth. I’m panting, unable to catch my breath, and my muscles keep twitching.

  The electricity has taken all my strength. I can’t even wrap my head around the fact I was dead. I’m super worried I’m going to end up with brain damage after all this. But what does it matter if I’m never getting out of here?

  I kind of wish he would have left me dead…

  “Natalie,” he calls.

  She faces him, and bows slightly to acknowledge him. He has the creepiest smile on his face. I know he enjoys torturing me, but is he really having fun killing me and bringing me back to life just to repeat the process?

  There is something seriously wrong with him – I’m sure of it now. There’s no way he’s right in the head.

  “Stay close in case we need to revive it again.”

  “Yes, Captain,” she confirms, stepping to my side and at the ready in case I can’t keep myself alert.

  King continues the process the rest of the day. I’m able to stay conscious for an average of three attempts before Natalie has to revive me. I lose count of how many times I die. Mainly because he doesn’t always announce when my body gives up. My only hint is when Natalie steps back from me, and the dense blackness I feel surrounded by before I’m revived.

  I want to ask him to stop, to let me die, but my mouth still won’t cooperate. With or without the cloth gag stuck in my mouth. I can’t even think straight right now with all the electricity and spirit power running through me every few seconds.

  Half way through the day, he’s broken me – like a horse being broken in for riding.

  Still, he doesn’t stop. Not even for them to eat in the middle of the day. He’s enjoying himself so much that he doesn’t even realize time is going by. But I do. I count the seconds between each shock in the hopes it’ll help me maintain my sanity. He makes sure to kill me several more times before he finally lets me return to my platform.

  Unable to walk myself, Natalie carries me over her shoulder while King continues to look over the data he received from his experiment. I have no idea what sort of information he gleams from his stupid trial, but there’s no way it’s useful with how many times I died.

  She sets me down in the middle of the containment area, replaces the glass, and walks out of the room. I watch her leave hoping she never comes back. That somehow time will stop, and I can just lay here and die.

  I’m exhausted and want to let go, but I’m afraid. I’m terrified that if I let my eyes close, I’m not going to wake up this time. Scared that I won’t even be able to see Degory once more before I give in.

  I adjust my body so I’m sitting hunched over with my legs crossed. It’s extremely difficult for me to move with my muscles still twitching, but I manage. I prop my elbows on my knees, and lay my head in my hands, trying to calm my body down.

  When the corner square is lowered, I’m so focused that I’m startled and jump. It is replaced with another square that has the washbowl, clean clothing, and the oatmeal-looking food.

  I drag myself over to everything, scooting across the floor. It takes me several minutes before I actually reach the square, though. I take off my snot stained shirt and piss ridden pants before laying them on the square in a corner.

  Washing my entire body the best I can, I don’t care that I’m practically naked and being watched while I do it. After dying several times in front of someone who enjoys seeing me suffer, washing myself in with that knowledge isn’t nearly as big of a deal.

  I scrub my skin but can’t rid myself of how disgusting I feel from being covered in my own snot, drool, urine, and vomit. I don’t even care that Natalie and Captain King are probably even recording this for analyzing at a later date and time.

  When I finish cleaning, I put on the clean clothing and slowly eat my oatmeal. I’m not hungry, but anything in my stomach is better than nothing. Throwing up isn’t comfortable, but I would rather have something to expel rather than stomach acids.

  Of course, if King does that experiment again, I’m not sure I want food sitting in my mouth until they finally let me go back to my platform, either.

  I force half of the small bowl down my throat before replacing it onto the square. It’s lowered down and replaced with a cleared one. I scoot back to the middle of the platform, where I plan to stay in order to keep myself awake for as long as possible.

  Though sustenance helps me feel a bit better, I can’t shake the feeling that I won’t wake up if I allow myself to sleep.

  Chapter 22

  Without the energy to keep myself awake, I pass out within minutes. My body leans to the side and I hit the platform with a loud thud. I’ll never know how I didn’t wake up from hitting the floor, but I did fall to the side.

  I’m startled awake several hours later – I think – and I have no clue when I laid down, nor do I remember falling asleep.

  I wake to the sound of someone pounding a mallet on a plank of wood. It sounds really far away. I’m surprised I hear it at all in my condition. A voice stretches across Eden and announces an emergency Captain’s meeting.

  I have no idea what time it is, but I still wonder what is going on that requires an emergency Captain’s meeting. I know that Degory will be there, even if he isn’t happy about doing so. The thought of knowing where he is gives me a little more strength. Knowing that he’s okay.

  I sit up and check my wrists. They are scabbing up and still extremely tender. I guess I tore a lot of skin away trying to get out of the straps. The bruising has stretched further above and below the scabbing, too. I lower my hands to my lap, sighing. There isn’t anything I can do to make t
hem better anyway.

  The door to the platform room opens. I’m slightly shocked, since there is no warning and an emergency Captains meeting taking place, but it’s Mary who comes inside. She steps up to my platform and bows. She’s breathing heavily, as if she ran the whole way here in a huff. She’s about to start speaking, but I lift my hand to stop her.

  “The audio is still on,” I croak, coughing on the words.

  I guess my throat hasn’t had time to heal from all the screaming. I move my arm in front of my mouth so I’m not completely rude while she’s here.

  Apparently, my voice is worse than the day before when she visited. I’m not really surprised, but I can see a hint of pain in her tone hearing me talk. I cough again onto my shirt sleeve, spraying blood onto my arm. I wipe what I can onto my pants before continuing.

  “I heard the announcement of the Captain’s meeting,” I admit, hoarsely, “but if you are here, then I have no doubt Regiment Nine’s Lieutenant is still lingering.”

  My voice comes out barely louder than a whisper. It’s clear my throat is damaged, but Mary seems too distracted to be as concerned as she was the other day.

  “Lieutenant King,” Mary calls.

  Lieutenant King? Natalie and the Captain have the same last name?

  She raises her voice to make sure she will be heard, but aims her words at nowhere in particular.

  “We agreed that I would be allowed privacy when speaking with Miss Siebel.”

  After a few moments, the familiar clicking of the audio surveillance system shutting down is heard. I wonder why Natalie is reluctant to turn off the sound when there’s clearly a previously agreed upon deal.

  Maybe there’s something going on that’s making her anxious? That would require her to have human feelings, though.

  I nod to Mary to let her know she can speak freely, although I’m sure she’s completely aware of the fact.

  “We should be safe now,” I choke, coughing up more blood and wiping it onto my white clothing, not caring it will leave a stain.

  I wonder how it looks to Mary as she stands there watching me like she has grown accustomed to. Of course, she’s too distracted by whatever is plaguing her mind to pay much attention, and I’m grateful. I don’t need this getting back to Degory, too.

  “Thank you for the warning,” she offers. “I wanted to keep you updated on the progress of your release, as well as what is currently happening…”

  “You sound distressed,” I acknowledge, sincerely concerned for her.

  “Yes,” she agrees with a sigh. “It is not easy information to digest.”

  “Please, take your time,” I croak again.

  “Thank you,” she acknowledges, pausing for a few moments to collect herself.

  She looks slightly disheveled, and definitely upset about something. I just hope it doesn’t have anything to do with Degory. As selfish as that may be.

  “We believe we will be able to get you out sooner than anticipated,” she continues, looking at the floor rather than at me when she speaks. “We have received knowledge that one of the Division Captains has secretly been devising a plan to get to the King’s castle. The King is who rules over Eden and has for many millennia.”

  Degory must have let her know that I would have no idea who or what that is.

  “His palace is located in a separate dimension that is guarded by many wards and Reapers to keep him safe,” she explains. “We do not exactly know why this Captain wants to go there, or how, just that it mustn’t happen. This is why an emergency Captain’s meeting has been announced.”

  “We are hoping to take advantage of the situation,” she elaborates. “With Eden focused on this Captain’s betrayal, it should serve as a good distraction for us.”

  I try clearing my throat before talking, but it just makes my throat sorer.

  “Can I ask which Captain is said to be the betrayer?”

  She pauses again, this time unsure of herself. It seems like she doesn’t quite believe that this person is doing something wrong. Or is capable of wrongdoing.

  “Shawn Arensmeier, Captain of Division Five,” she reveals, still watching the floor.

  “What Division are you from again, Lieutenant Hacker?”

  “Division Five…” she seems ashamed, yet confused.

  “I see, I understand your confusion with the situation, then.”

  I feel bad, too. I can tell that she really cares for her Captain, and even admires him. I wish there was a way I could help her. Concern shadows her features as I watch her.

  “With the current situation,” she goes on, desperately holding back tears. “We will be creating the best plan to get you out of Eden safely. Degory wants to go with you but I’m not convinced that this is the best plan. I will be back as soon as I can with an update for you once he is finished with the meeting and able to discuss the holes.”

  She bows, still not looking at me, and turns to leave.

  “Just so you know,” I start.

  She stops in her tracks, but doesn’t turn back to face me as I speak.

  “They have yet to bind my powers. I think he’s trying to find out how to focus and harness them.”

  She nods, acknowledging my comment, and exits. The audio clicks back on the instant the door is shut behind her. I stretch out my limbs. My whole body is sore from the last couple of days and extending them isn’t helping. I thought it might help, but it is another failed idea.

  There is nothing for me to do except wait and see, now. I never have been, and never will be, a fan of waiting. I try not to get my hopes up about getting out, though. I want to, but I don’t see the likelihood of it happening after our first attempt at running.

  With how strong everyone is compared to me? Even if they do succeed in getting me out, I know it will only be a matter of time before I’m caught again.

  I lay back down and get as comfortable as possible on the floor again. Sleep is the only thing I can think of that will help pass the time quicker. Thankfully, I have no difficulty falling asleep. I’m grateful to escape from the day’s ‘festivities’ this time, knowing I have something to wake up to now besides just death and torture.

  The next few days pass in a blur. There are no more tests and experiments done on me, and no one comes to visit. I sit in my glass case while food and fresh clothing are given to me periodically. I never see who controls the squares, but I assume it’s Lieutenant Natalie while the Captain is busy with the drama going on within Eden.

  I’m grateful I’m not abandoned to die of starvation and allowed to clean myself. Not to mention the amazing break from the Captain’s experiments. My bruises are turning yellow and fading a bit, and the scabs are getting itchy from trying to heal. I’m trying not to move them so that they won’t start bleeding again.

  I’m getting so bored waiting for anyone to come tell me some news, that I’m becoming stir crazy. I try to keep myself calm and collected, though, as it is so much better than the alternative. I’m grateful for the feeling.

  I expected something to happen by now, but I haven’t heard anything. No announcement of another Captain’s meeting, no Captain King waking me for more experiments, and no Mary coming in to let me know what’s happening. I’m starting to get worried for everyone.

  Well, not Captain King. I can wait a very long time before I ever have to see him again. I can die happy if I never saw him again.

  I’m lying on the floor in the middle of the platform, staring up at the ceiling, when I hear the door to the platform room open. I sit up, hoping that it’s Mary finally coming to see me, but instead, there’s a guy standing at the control panel to my glass case punching buttons.

  He’s tall, has medium length brown hair, and is wearing black, thick framed glasses. He is, also, wearing a white jacket that looks similar to Degory’s, but his has long sleeves and a different symbol on the back.

  “Who are you?” I ask, confused.

  He continues pushing buttons on the control panel with
out even acknowledging my existence. When he does look up, he gazes straight through me rather than at me. I’m nothing more than an object to this man. I’m less to him than even Captain King. Not even a bug worth stepping on.

  What is he doing here then, and what the hell does he want with me? I’m just a lab rat now. No, lab it.

  Either way, the glass casing disappears and he steps quickly towards me. I back away from him to the edge of the platform, but he keeps walking straight to me. He grabs the collar of my shirt and pulls me towards the exit.

  “What are you doing?” I cry hoarsely, scratching at his hand.

  I taste blood on my tongue, but ignore it.

  Trying to fight him off, his grip is just like everyone else’s in this place – too strong for me to get out of. That doesn’t stop me from trying though, I even attempt to dig my bare heels into the floor, but that doesn’t work. Not even a little bit.

  He pulls me out of the domed Research and Development department building, and down the street. After a few blocks, two other men start walking with us but I have no idea where they came from. The only thing I can think of is they used that shadow step technique and I was too preoccupied by getting away. Entirely possible.

  Either way, one of the men has short gray hair with a Captain’s jacket that is sleeveless like Degory’s, and the other has darker skin, black dreadlocks, and a white jacket that has long sleeves on them like the man dragging me behind him. Both with different symbols situated on the backs of them.

  “What have we here, Captain Arensmeier?” the gray-haired man asks, a strange grin permanently planted on his face.

  His voice sounds like he knows a big secret that no one else does, and that it’s a huge joke. It’s really annoying and a little creepy.

  “It is how we will escape unscathed, Grayson,” the man known as Arensmeier answers, calmly.

  This must be the one who betrayed Eden. What does he want with me? How am I going to help him get out of here when I can’t even get myself out?