Where Spirits Roam

Chapter Eighteen Punishment

“The f*****g audacity, I saved these girls, gave them a home, and yet they try to run,” Ellsworth yells aloud throwing the closet object to him across the room.

He had gotten the call from his guards mere minutes ago and ran to his office to check the cameras. Every single one had been moved he was blind to the happenings in his home.

His eyes follow the object as it smashes into the wall, razor-sharp shards of broken glass spraying onto his carpet. He grows angrier seeing the frame crash to the ground. He had shattered a picture of his Constance.

‘Their punishment will be well deserved,’ he thought walking into his personal torture chamber and collecting a few of his favorite tools.

By the time he received word that his guards were on their way back with the runaways, he had prepared their chambers with restraints and filled his kit with everything he would need.

Waiting in the upstairs sitting room he repositioned the cameras. He spent some time moving them to new places before relaxing into the high-backed chair he favored.

Ellsworth's fingers drummed in time with the tick of the clock and he soon heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs.

The door slammed open banging against the wall and swinging back over halfway nearly blocking the entrance again. The body of Fauna is slung haphazardly over a guard's shoulder as he shoves his mass into the room through the small entryway.

A smirk crept onto Ellsworth’s thin lips seeing his men parading the girls through the doorway. They would never stand a chance at escaping as long as they were needed to reach his ultimate goal. Those that became unnecessary he would handle.

***

The sludge that filled Eviee’s mind began to lift tugging her from the warm caress of peaceful oblivion and dumping her into the cold confines of reality. Awaking brought back the memories. The fear that had evaded her during her drug-induced rest seeped into her from all angles clogging her airways at their soiled attempt.

She could feel the smooth leather ties looped around her wrists and ankles. She fought with her instincts resisting the urge to tug at them. Eviee refused to let anyone know she is awake.

Her time in the asylum flashed like a neon warning sign in her mind. Restraints were not a new concept, they were only new here. Panic flooded her veins rapidly making her heartbeat increase. Her lungs felt two sizes too small. Eviee willed herself to control her breaths and calm her racing heart keeping her features in a relaxed state and void of any emotion.

Eviee had not realized before this moment just how quiet the room could be. No sound came in and none went out. The silence was overpowering and the emptiness inescapable. Yet, it spoke volumes becoming the loudest sound.

Silence had always been her greatest enemy. It left her too much time to be consumed with her overwhelming thoughts. It is proving to be unavoidable nothingness. The quiet a deafening noise broken by the colliding of her mind like broken glass. The lack of life outside her own to break the deafness. Her now ragged breaths and the erratic beating of a human heart grew as darkness crept in and her screams inside her mind became their own noise along with the silence.

Eviee’s body was submerged in a tub filled with ice. Shivers racked her tiny frame as the shock hit her. Orderlies pushed her head under and her eyes widened. Her arms were restrained within the straight jacket leaving her little room to move. Her lungs burned like a fire had been set ablaze inside her being and she had nearly given up when they hauled her from the water. Later, she would realize hydrotherapy wasn’t the worst that could happen.

Snapping back to reality the silence reigned. Eviee imagined the ticking of a clock counting the seconds.

Three thousand four hundred and sixty three…

The metal head brace of the tranquilizing chair closed over Eviee’s head and she clamped her eyes shut. The contrivance held her secured with strong metal cuffs around her wrists and ankles. She often counted the seconds until she was freed distracting herself with the activity while her limbs numbed until she couldn’t feel them anymore. When she was released a million tiny needles prickled her skin spreading over her entire being.

‘Whatever he can throw at me, I’m ready, I’ve been through worse,’ Eviee thought losing track of the high number she had counted too.

“She was just brought in Dr. Fulton, where would you like us to take her?” An orderly asked.

“Send her to the active treatment room in the north wing,” Dr. Fulton replied sending Eviee a sadistic smile. Her terrified scream rang in the empty hall echoing off the concrete walls. She begged for reprieve. None came.

A chill ran up Eviee’s spine and her body shook causing the red light of the camera to click on. Ellsworth could see the young girl had awoken.

He left his torture chamber sealing the door. He pat his hands dry buttoning his clean shirt as he walked. When he came to his desk chair he threw the soiled rag onto it. The last one had bled by the time he was done. She had confirmed his suspicions though. Eviee was the one who had warned them.

“Why did you try to run away?” Ellsworth asked in a calm tone leaning over Jamie.

“Because you're a psycho,” she screamed trying to will her restraints to open. Her powers seemed to be unreachable and she felt hot tears as they trailed down her cheeks.

“Little girl I would watch your tongue if you plan to keep it,” he spat seething.

An audible gulp left Jamie and she bit her tongue to keep from replying.

“Smart choice. Now tell me whose idea was it to leave?” Ellsworth questioned her.

The girls had made a pact, Jamie would not tell him anything that could put them in harm's way.

“Last chance,” he said in a sing-song-like voice as he untied the strings of the leather roll he had brought into the room.

“Or what?” Jamie couldn't help but ask.

Ellsworth didn't answer her. He unrolled the soft black leather bag enjoying the sounds of his assortment landing on the table. The instruments glinted in the harsh light and he pulled a fillet knife from the sheath.

“Oh God, please, no,” Jamie begged her tears streaming faster and pooling on her neck.

Ellsworth had not risked playing with the others too much they would be needed for his plans, oh, but this one, she no longer had a purpose.

“Tell me what it is I wish to know,” He said with a lilt to his voice.

“We all planned it,” Jamie answered quickly choking back her sobs.

“I wouldn't lie if I were you, or do,” Ellsworth informed her caressing her ribcage with the sharp knife and slicing a thin layer of skin from her abdomen.

Jamie's screams filled the room and her blood pooled at the wound dripping in large droplets onto the bed.

“I'm-I'm not ly-y-ying,” She sobbed her heartbeat talking on an erratic off-rhythm beat.

His knife slid gently along her skin until it found its destination cutting into the mound of flesh and severing it from her body.

A deafening scream pierced Ellsworth’s ears and he laughed maniacally. Blood coated her chest soaking the shirt that lie open around her.

“Fa-fa-fauna planned it,” Jamie stuttered. “P-pl-please stop,” she begged.

“Who's idea was it, Jamie,” Ellsworth asked pulling a different tool from his arsenal. The cleaver's large wooden handle settled nicely into his hand.

Jamie fought the urge to pass won't from the pain and blood loss. Her eyes tried to focus on the glistening blade but her vision blurred. She struggled to listen with the sound of her blood rushing in bed ears. It sounded like being underwater the waves of the ocean crashing into her eardrums.

“Focus,” he bellowed tugging right her hand onto the end table. He chopped her index finger off with one smooth motion.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh,” she screamed. Blood spurted in a quick stream splattering the button-down shirt Ellsworth wore.

“We can make it two if you continue to not answer,” He threatened. Secretly he wanted her to keep denying him. He enjoyed the game more than the answer.

“It w-was Ev-eviee,” She managed to say.

“See, now how hard was that,” Ellsworth teased replacing the cleaver.

Jamie sighed in relief assuming the torture to be over. Her eyes closed of their own volition.

Ellsworth couldn't have her telling the others of this though. He scanned his collection. Bowie, karambit, Gurkha kukri, fifteen-inch hinting knife, a copper machete, the Rambo variations could handle this easily, his Damascus steel curved knife worked too. Pulling his karambit from its holder he balanced it in his hand before deftly drawing it across the girl's throat.

Her eyes widened in shock as her blood spilled in waves.

Ellsworth unlocks Eviee’s door pushes it open and enters her room.

“Rise and shine sleeping beauty,” he says his measured cadence never conveys his underlying wickedness.