part0033

The incessant lapping of waves filled her ears. It was an ever-present soundtrack. A torturous, looping meditation soundtrack, threatening to push her over the brink of madness.

But another noise infiltrated. The sound of footsteps.

The soft, distant glow of the flashlight appeared and began to define the square archway separating the room from the hallway. Black bars cut through the faint picture.

Zoe tucked her legs under her and rose to her knees. She crawled toward the opposite corner. She winced as her ankles cracked. The snapping sound echoed through the chamber like firecrackers. She paused and listened.

The footsteps had stopped.

Zoe stretched her arm out in front of her. She leaned forward until she felt something soft, then gently ran her hand along the contours of the flesh until she was able to identify the body part she was touching.

Clasping both her hands together, Zoe ran her right hand towards Lucy’s face while her left traced downward, toward Lucy’s hand. At the same time, she pressed her palm over Lucy’s mouth and squeezed her fingers. She gently shook until she could feel Lucy’s muscles tense and pull, and then relax.

Zoe waited an extra few seconds before letting go to let Lucy’s groggy mind process what was happening.

Slowly, Zoe released the pressure on Lucy’s mouth and placed her index finger vertically across Lucy’s lips. Lucy seemed to get the message.

Zoe carefully backed away and returned to her own corner.

The footsteps came again. With each thump, the light flickered and became brighter.

There was no way to know what time it was, but she hadn’t fallen asleep for several hours after dark.

Just like with Leigh, he was coming in the middle of the night to claim one of them. In a few moments, the Captain would open the cage and it would be time for them to make their stand. Zoe hoped Lucy was ready.

The light consolidated from a general glow to a discernible circle that jittered along the floor. The footsteps were just outside the room now. They should have brought terror, but they didn’t. Not because Zoe had all of a sudden found some inner warrior, but because it wasn’t the Captain.

Zoe had learned to tell the difference by sound alone. If it were the Captain, the footsteps would have been heavier, as if each foot flopped onto the ground. Like he was killing a spider with each step. The Doctor’s were softer, and each step was preceded by a scuffing sound, like he was walking on his toes.

As the figure appeared, Zoe’s suspicions were confirmed. Not that she could see him clearly behind the flashlight, but she could see his outline. The rounded shape of his head was enough to identify him. She had yet to see the Captain without that awful hat. But aside from that, it was the shape of his body. The Captain’s posture was straighter. His shoulders were broad and sat high beside his neck. The Doctor’s shoulders slumped downward.

Just by the way the Doctor stood, it was clear he was weaker than the Captain, more unsure of himself.

The light hit Zoe in the eyes, then moved across the cell toward Lucy. Through floating white spots, Zoe could see that Lucy’s eyes were open.

“How are you feeling?” the Doctor asked. “I brought you some food. Fresh water.”

“We’re okay.” Zoe yawned and stretched her arms to her sides as if she were just awoken. “Is it morning already?”

The Doctor scoffed. “No, it’s not. But I thought we’d get an early start.” He pushed two bags of potato chips and two bottles of water between the bars.

“I’m glad.” Zoe smiled. She bit her bottom lip. “I was just having a dream about you.”

“Is that so? Did I die in this dream of yours?”

“What? No. It was a happy dream. We weren’t in here. Somehow, we were at the water, only it wasn’t around here. It was like Italy or something. We were having lunch at a little restaurant. There were white tablecloths and music. You were holding my hand. It was romantic.”

“Interesting,” the Doctor said. “I wouldn’t worry about it. I think it’s a good sign. It’s just your impulses trying to escape from your subconscious. It’s the disease fighting against your progress.”

“But don’t you think it sounds nice? Just you and me, somewhere away from all of this. Away from him . We could be so happy.”

“Why would that sound nice to me? I’ll admit, the last day I ever have to see the Captain again will be the best day of my life. But being in a romantic setting with you? I couldn’t think of anything more repugnant. No offense.”

“But… you said you loved us. I thought...”

The doctor laughed. “I do. A doctor loves all his patients. You wouldn’t understand this, but I’ve taken an oath. To care for those who can’t care for themselves. Even people like you.” He shined the light on Lucy. “How about you? Are you having fantasies about me as well?”

Zoe closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Lucy had been right. It was a stupid plan. The Doctor wasn’t going to be swayed by a little flirting. In fact, it seemed to have the opposite effect. But there had to be a way to get him to open the gate. Maybe if she faked a seizure. Maybe if she were to injure herself.

The inside of her eyelids lit up as if they were on fire. She opened them with a flurry of blinks.

“Cheer up, Zoe,” the Doctor said. “You’re a very lucky young lady.”

She didn’t want to hear his sick reasoning for why she could possibly be lucky. Locked in a cage. Starving. In pain. It wasn’t exactly hitting the lottery. But even if she ignored him, he would tell her anyway.

“Go ahead. Why am I lucky?” she asked.

“Because it’s me here, instead of the Captain. He heard you, ya know? He knows you’ve been talking to Lucy. That you’ve broken his one rule. He wanted to handle it himself. But I convinced him to give me one last chance. I assured him I could address it my way. That it wouldn’t happen again. You should be grateful.”

“I am,” Zoe said, and she was. The alternative likely meant death.

“I wasn’t quite prepared for it, but we’re going to have to bump up your treatment. I’m going to need you to come with me. We’re just going to go into the other room. The treatment is quick, you’ll be back in no time.”

Zoe gasped. There was a chance, after all. He was going to open the gate. He was going to give her and Lucy the opening they needed. She needed to play it cool.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you. But please don’t do anything stupid. I’m going to help you, but you have to work with me. Promise?”

“Yes.” She swallowed hard. “I promise. I’ll do whatever you want if it’s going to keep the Captain away.”

“Great. I’ll be right back.”

Before the light completely left the room, Zoe made eye contact with Lucy. She mouthed the words, “Get ready.” She saw Lucy pulling her legs under her before she receded into the blackness.

The Doctor returned and trained the light on the padlock. He inserted the key.

Zoe stood up. She let her hands dangle at her sides. While her body remained still, her muscles vibrated from adrenalin surging through her veins.

The door swung open, and the Doctor stepped backward.

Zoe took small, tentative steps towards the open gate. For the first time, she was about to cross the threshold. The feeling was like no other she had ever experienced. It was as if she was being reborn. Squeezing out of the suffocating womb into the bright, wide world.

As she cleared the iron bars, she gathered all her energy. She channeled her hate. Her fear. Her regret. And put it all into one lunging movement.

Fingers outstretched into claws, she thrust her untrimmed fingernails toward the Doctor’s face. She let out a guttural yell as she threw all her weight behind the attack.

The Doctor grabbed her by the wrists and pushed.

She slammed into the wall and fell to the ground.

“You promised.,” he said. “I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

Zoe lifted herself to her hands and knees, then struggled to her feet.

The Doctor flipped the metal flashlight around and cocked it high above his shoulder. “I will, Zoe. Don’t make me do it.”

Zoe panted. She wiped the drool from her mouth and bent her knees. Then she lunged again.

She heard the clank of the metal as it contacted her skull. The searing pain followed behind it. She hit the ground hard.

As the room grayed, and just before she sunk into unconsciousness, she saw Lucy through the opened bars. Curled up in the corner with her eyes closed.