Chapter 21 - Payback
Gail opened her tired eyes to find herself in a similar position to the one she had left Nick before, tied to the old apparatus, her clothes torn off. Angela stood in front of her, one hand around her waist, the other cupping her chin. As for the young paramedic, he remained stationary by the warehouse's entrance, back turned to them. He had made a promise to stay regardless of the consequences and honor bound him to it.
"I'm glad you're awake," Angela sniggered. "Now we can get started."
Not even the restraints silenced Gail's viperine tongue. "Started with what? Are you going to torture me, Angela? Because we both know you don't have it in you."
"I used to think the same way but after everything I've seen you do, I realize how blind I've been all along. I know you won't stop willingly so it's up to me to set things right again."
"Bold words but you're still the same weakling you've ever been. All the time you spent trying to 'help' people would have been better served playing them silly and exploiting them for fun. You did not seize the moment when you had the chance and that's why you've been nothing but a failure! It runs in the family!"
"Is that the best you've got this time around? I'm disappointed..." the therapist mocked.
"I've got plenty more to show you. Release me and we can go for another round."
"Nice try but this time I'm making the rules."
Gail pushed against the binds, an insane glint on her eyes. Nick turned his head to look at her for a second and flinched. Her mutated expression was straight out an ancient horror flick, veins popping everywhere, a gaping hole where once used to be a perfect row of pearly teeth. "Go on, do your worst then! I can't wait to see you lose your nerve when things get real!"
"You still think this is just a twisted game, don't you?"
"But of course it is! That's what Life is. We're all cast from the same shadows into this wretched place and it's our responsibility to make do with what we have or create the conditions to achieve what we want. My kink has always been power. I will always hold on to it, no matter what."
"And look where it led you..." Angela declared. "And it will only go downhill from here."
"Believe it, I've had worse and there's nothing you can do to make me change my mind."
"We'll see about that," Angela cracked her knuckles.
From an unknown position above, the homeless man looked down into the abandoned warehouse, surprised at the unexpected turn of events taking place. It was if as he was watching a family drama unfold now and he had little patience for those. Where were the kinky shenanigans? The raw displays of forceful dominance? At least the fight between the two women a few minutes earlier had been interesting, albeit brief. He yawned and hoped for their verbal diarrhea to end.
"I know where this is going but you won't be able to reprogram me, Angie! I'm not a loser like your brother! Besides, I worked for you for so long I already know all your tricks."
Angela leaned towards her, brushing a lock of hair away from her face and whispered:
"That's where you're wrong, bitch. Let me show you."
She snapped her fingers, and the world dissolved into a black void.
* * *
Gail opened her tired eyes to find herself in a similar position to the one she had left Nick before, tied to the old apparatus, her clothes torn off. Angela stood in front of her, one hand around her waist, the other cupping her chin. As for the young paramedic, he remained stationary by the warehouse's entrance, back turned to them. He had made a promise to stay regardless of the consequences and honor bound him to it.
"I'm glad you're awake," Angela sniggered. "Now we can get started."
"Wait..." the secretary cocked her head. "What just happened?"
"What do you mean?"
She didn't know. Not for sure. Perhaps déjà vu was the most appropriate word for it and yet it paled compared to the uncanniness of what she was experiencing. Everything was silent except for the two of them, a pale light descending from a hole in the ceiling creating a blinding barrier in the spaces between.
