The torture chamber

Albert stone had just sliced the top off the second of the soft boiled eggs on his plate, when the sound of the letter box opening broke his train of thought.

He debated with himself whether or not to go through to the hall to retrieve his mail, as far as he was aware he was not expecting anything important. It could wait untill he finished breakfast.

Pouring himself a second cup of coffee he removed the breakfast dishes to the kitchen sink, soft boiled eggs were definately his favoutite breakfast.

Going out into the hall he retreived an uninspiring manilla envelope from the carpet and carrird it through to the breakfast table, he sighed, looks like more junk mail.

Just then the phone rang, going through to the living room he picked up the receiver, Albert Stone speaking he said.

"Hi Albert a voice said, its Bert, just calling to remind you about the bowling match to-night".

"I hadn't forgotten he said cheerfully, been looking forward to it all week".

"Great bert said, see you later".

He got on with tiding up the flat and putting the breakfast dishes away, the brown manilla envelope forgotten about.

He glanced up at the wall clock, nine thirty, his shift started at mid-day, this week he was on backshift.

An hour later the envelope caught his eye, he picked it up and without opening it and placed it on the coffee table. "First things first" he mused, and going through to the kitched he put the kettle on to boil, this would his final doze of cafine for now. Sitting in his favourite chair he took a pull at the coffee, and then opened the letter.

He ripped the top off the envelope without much finesse, and removed the single sheet of paper it contained.

The heading at the top of the page had his full attention; he swallowed hard as he read, and moments later found himself breaking out in a cold sweat.

He checked the name and address on the heading twice...there was no mistake,it was addressed to him.

He had always known that one day they would send for him again, the last time he had sat in front of the tall gaunt man he had made it clear, that he was far from happy with him.

The next forty eight hours were torture to his already overworked imagination, his last visit to the room behind the blue door were still fresh in his mind. When they had finished working on him during that visit, he had needed help to reach home. To make matters worse, his appointment was for friday the thirteenth... bad things happened on that date.

On the day of his summonse he left homean hour earlier thad he needed to, even though his destination was only twenty minutes from his home. He needed time to steel himself for what he knew lay head of him.

Standing outside the grim looking exterior of the gothic looking building he lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply, "get a grip of yourself Albert he chastied himself,don't give them the satisfaction of seeing you afraid".

Grinding the cigarette stub under his foot he fished around in his coat pocket for a stick of chewing gum, when he came face to face with them he would do his best to look cool.

He turned and entered the dim narrow close and slowly walked towards the spiral stairway, he was in no hurry to reach the top where the dreaded blue door awaited him.

On reaching the staircase he stood in the depressing gloomunable to move, for some reason or other his legs refused to take him any further.

Concentrating all his willpower he managed at last to get his legs moving in an upward direction. As he slowley climbed the narrow stairway, he took in the heavy white tiles that reached from floor to celing, making the place look more like a morgue than a common stairwell.

As he climbedhe tried desperatelt to focus his thoughts on his recent holiday,blue skies warm sunshine and girls in skimpy bikinis.

He had just reached the top landing when the blue door opened facing him inwardly, and and the figure of a man lurched unsteadily through it. Even in the surrounding gloom, he could see that the pale face was pockmarked with dried blood around the mouth.As the figure passed him, sunken eyes filled with pity glanced briefly towards him.

Taking a deep breath he reached towards the blue door and slowley pushed it open, it swung silently inward on well oiled hinges. He hesitated briefly before stepping inside.

He found himself in familiar surroundings, a long passage with doors on either side streached left and right. From behind one of them a strangled scream reached his ears, that sounded for all the world like that of a child.

"Good God he said inwardly,what kind of monsters are they"?

In front of him was a glass-paneled door with a heavy brass handle, taking hold of it he slowley turned it anticlock wise, and stepped through it into a well lit room.

Sitting behind a desk a heavy set woman in tunic and trousers sat writing,she momentarily glanced in his direction, the eyes behind the heavy rimmed spectacles expressionless.

Taking the summons from his pocket he offered it in her direction, i'm Albert B...I know who you are she said coldly taking it from his shaking hand.

"Sit over there she said inclining her head in the direction of a wooded bench, they'll call for you when they're ready".

He was not sure whether it was his imagination or not, but he could have sworn there was a smirk on the thin featurless lips,

while above the rat trap of a mouth, was one of those looks that said i know what's in store for you.

The sudden sound of a buzzer startled him making hio jump.

The womanf licked a switch on the apparatius in front of her.

"Yes sir he heard her say, he's here now".

Getting to her feet she came around the desk, the smirk was back on her face.

"Right she said, there ready for you now"

He followed her along the narrow passage and into a white sterile room, to the right was a long narrow table on which lay an assortment of terrifying looking instruments that glinted evily in the powerful overhead light.

There were three people in the room,two of which stood facing him, no one spoke. Then almost as if a signal had been given they figures moved towards him, taking his arms they guided him in the direction of a chair in the middle of the room and strapped him in.

It was only then that the third figure turned to face him, he had stood with his back towards the whole time without speaking. He could not see his features for the mask which covered the bottom half of his face,he didn't have to,the eyes above the mask were the same lifeless eyes that had confronted him on his last visit a year before.

"Is everything ready" he asked?

"He's ready for you"a voice said.

Standing in front of Albert he asked in a quiet voice,,"you know why your'e here"?

"Last time you were here he continued before Albert could answer,i told you that i was far from satisfied with the way you refused to co-operate.

"Lets us hope for your sake, you will be more coperative this time around".

All the time he spoke he had stood with one arm behind his back,Albert had sat facing him his eyes rivited on the space where the mans arm should have been.

"What the hell is he hiding he asked himself?".

Suddenly and without warning the man took a step towards him, a large hand took hold of his jaw forcing his head backward.

As he opened his mouth to take in air he felt something bite deep into his gums again and again.

"Alright Mr Best he said, just relax and let the novocain take

effect, and then i'll begin your fillings.

"Lets hope that this time, you won't have to come back again"