Asylum 77 (Book 1)

https://rumble.com/v4vlepx-asylum-77-part-1-by-ray-bush.html

                                             

                 Asylum 77

    By Ray Bush

“Call me Tank,” the man restrained to the table said through a bite proof mask. 

“It says here your name is Arthur,” the man with the blonde hair said. He wore a beautiful black suit but the rest of him was just plain and ordinary. “So I think I will continue to call you Arthur.”

“Please sir?” Tank asked, “My father was very abusive and he used to call me by name over and over while he beat me.” Tears pooled up in his eyes, “I prefer to be called Tank, that’s what my grandpa called me and I loved my grandpa.” 

“Well Arthur,” He responded condescendingly, “I went to school for a long time to become a doctor. Did you? Did grandpa?” He paused for effect, “I didn’t think so. That means that I know what’s best for your treatment.” Tank’s chest filled with hate and anger. That’s one thing that he didn’t think most people understood, extreme anger is not just in your mind. It controls your whole body. “I know that you're used to being babied, your last doctor was a joke. That’s not how things are going to work any more Arrrrrrttttthhhhhuuuuurrrrrr.” 

“I think I am going to need a different doctor,” Tank was fighting hard against the rage that came so naturally to him. He tended to black out when the anger came on strong, Tank hated it so much. He did not want to be that person, he did not like to lose control of himself. “I don’t know why you are purposely trying to piss me off, I didn’t know that doctor’s did that.”

“You’re no patient,” the doctor snapped back, that was the first time he was not condescending. “You are a murderer and a monster, I have no sympathy for you.” Tank was sitting at a table with his hands handcuffed to a thick bar in front of him. Tank fought, painfully, against his restraints but there was no give in the cuff’s or the bar. “Are you going to kill me, monster?”

“I am,” Tank was calm and spoke simply, “I can promise you that.” Tank knew that this was the scariest time when messing with an angry person. When the rage turns to calm then that person is in a lot of trouble. 

“Are you threatening your doctor?” The doctor’s outrage was fake. “Well we will put a stop to that.” He smiled the smile of every evil villain that had ever been on TV. Tank thought that was a fake actor's smile, but here it was staring him in the face. 

“Where’s Dr. Williams?’ Tank asked, Tank could feel the hate was still swimming through his whole body but the anger calm was a powerful thing. “Why did he just leave without saying anything to me?” 

“ Because he hates you,” the doctor said matter of factly. “Just like everyone that has ever met you, you are a garbage person Arthur. You should just accept it. You will never see him again and it is so cute that you think he actually cared about you.  Nobody cares, that’s why your dad beat you and your mom watched and laughed.” 

“Shut up,” the calm was going and the murdery feeling was back on a level that Tank had never felt. Dr. Williams had taught him so many techniques to deal with his anger but none prepared him for this extreme level. “Shut your damn mouth!” Tank's teeth were gritted and his jaw was tight.

“Or what,” the doctor was happy that the rage was back. “You are cuffed to a table that is bolted deep into the concert floor.” The doctor stood, Tank watched him. He hated this doctor so much that he could not take his eyes off of him. “Dr. Williams is not here because this is no longer a government facility. A private investor purchased the asylum and hired completely new staff. We’re not constrained to the normal rules and regulations that similar institutions are burdened with.” Tank was not the brightest kid but he was smart enough to know that he was in a lot of trouble. “You are going to be subject to any experiment/torture that pops into my brain and I have a good imagination. You are one of the lucky ones on the planet that does not have a single person that cares about you. In other words you illiterate dropout, I get to do whatever I want to you with zero repercussions.

“Dr. Williams was helping me,” Tank could not hide his tears anymore. Tank cried more times in anger than sadness, this time was sadness. “What are you doing?” Tank asked as the doctor walked around the table. 

The doctor said nothing, he simply punched Tank in the side of his head. For a skinny man the doctor had a solid punch, Tank saw stars for a minute. “I am doing whatever I want,” the doctor said as Tank’s vision cleared. Tank thought this doctor climbed to his third most hated list in record time, dad was still number one mom number two. Tank again yanked hard on the cuffs, again he had no luck and now each time he yanked it was starting to hurt. “Calm your big ass down, I thought Dr. Williams was making you better Arthur?” Tank made no effort to calm down despite the redness in his wrists. “Guards!’ The doctor raised his voice to the people outside. It did not take long for three men dressed like police to enter. “Teach him some manners,” then walked out of Tank’s bedroom without another word.

“Gladly,” the first one said then they all pulled eighties style police nightsticks from their belt. For the next ten minutes Tank took a beating that his dad would have been proud to give him. Over and over the sticks pounded into his body hard. He did notice that none of the blows hit him in the head. They either didn’t want to leave any marks or they wanted to destroy his brain in different ways. Either way this was the worst beating he took maybe ever but at least since the night he killed his mother and father. 

Tank was sobbing with his head on the steel table that he was chained to. The guards stepped back and a weaselly little man stepped between them towards Tank. “Get away from me,” Tank said but his voice and body lacked the strength to do anything about it.

“Shut up Arthur,” he said. Tank didn’t like the way things were going in his life. The man slapped him in the head then pulled a syringe out of his pocket. “Now,” he said, “This is a mix of a sedative and pain reliever. You’ll be surprised how quickly it works.” He stabbed the needle into Tank’s muscular arm. The doctor didn’t even look for a vein. It didn’t matter, the pain was already subsiding. “And this one,” The doctor pulled out another needle, “is a careful mix of human growth hormones, testosterone, and steroids. I’d like to tell you that you will be ok but you are the first subject so who knows what is going to happen. And if you die, nobody will miss you.” The doctor stuck the needle in Tank’s arm again. “Now go to sleep Arthur.” 

Tank did feel his eyelids getting heavy, this sedative was powerful. “Please don’t,” Tank begged as darkness took him. 

After god knows how long, Tank awoke in his bed and thankfully not cuffed to the table. It was Tank’s long time neighbor and friend Nat that woke him up. “Tank,” His voice was gentle but loud enough to get the big man awake. “Are you alive buddy?” 

For a moment Tank didn’t know. Then his vision swam into focus. “I think so,” Tank answered, he wished that he wasn’t. He stood and felt only a little pain from the earlier beating. Tank thought about what had taken place with the two doctors and their goons. His anger boiled inside him, he knew as well as anyone what it felt like to have anger bubbling to the surface. “They are gonna to kill me,” Tank could not hide the fear in his voice, “ I’m ok this time but that doctor is gonna to kill me.”

Nat hated hearing the fear and sadness in his friend’s voice. There was something else, Nat could hear the underlying rage. Nat would not want to be the new doctor. “Just breathe buddy,” Nat grew to love this big kid almost like a son. “They’re just trying to break you, don’t let them Tank. Don’t let them.”

“I don’t know man,” Tank said, Nat could hear the tears that were in Tank’s eyes. “He is feeding my rage.  That’s something that I have never had control of. They are abusing me and injecting me with crazy shit. I’m gonna snap, I know it. That is why my parents are dead, because I can’t control myself.” Tank did not even try to hide his crying. This was not the first time Nat had heard him cry and it would surely not be the last. Despite his size and strength, Tank was only nineteen and had been in this institution since he was sixteen. He had not learned how to properly deal with stress. It was either hate or depression.

“Your parents are dead because they were terrible people,” Nat hated when the kids took the blame for that. Nat was a bit older and much wiser than his friend who was run more by emotion. “You got this kid,” Nat encouraged, “I promise this won't last forever.” 

“Thanks Nat,” Tank said, still crying, “I know I just woke up, but I need to lay down for a while.” Nat knew this to be a sign of the depression Tank would fall into if he let sadness win out over the anger. One thing people without anger issues didn’t understand, with great anger comes great sadness.

“Try to keep your head up buddy,” Nat really did love this kid and understood that Tank was overwhelmed by everything.

“Wake up Arthur,” Arthur heard only seconds before he was hit with a wave of water. “It’s time for your next session.

Tank tried to breathe through the gasps of almost being drowned. It was the weaselly little doctor, Tank instantly wanted to kill him. That man kept calling him Arthur. That triggered memories of being beaten and thrown around his house while his mother cackled. Tank tried to jump out of bed, he would rip this doctor’s head from his shoulders. He could not move. Tank looked down and saw the straps that held him tight to his bed. The young man turned his head to see the evil smile on this horrible man’s face. It was actually a bit impressive how quickly this doctor flew past everyone on his most hated list. Tank even thought this man had surpassed his mom and was even closing in on his dad. “I am going to kill you,” Tank had never talked to anyone like this. Even the night he killed them he was more submissive than aggressive, if you can believe that. 

“No you’re not,” the doctor said then slapped Tank across the face. Tank's body had almost no soreness from the day before. His heart was already pounding as he pulled hard against his restraints. The doctor laughed, “What are you gonna do?” Then slapped Tank in his face again, Tank hated his face being touched. “I am not your mother Arthur. I am not a five foot woman that you can sit on and choke the life out of.” 

Tank had never been this angry, not even on November third three years ago. That is the night that it had happened. Tank had taken a serious beating. After spending an hour in his room he decided that would be the last beating he took. Either he or his parents had to die that night. “Or your dad that you snuck up on with a hammer like the coward that monster that you are.” The doctor smiled his sinister smile, “You couldn’t even face him man to man.”

“Shut the hell up!” Tank could hear how angry Nat was. Nat’s door opened, “Leave him alone you son of a …..,” the beating began. It had to be the goons beating his friend now. 

Tank could feel his veins trying to burst from his skin. He fought with every large muscle in his body to break the restraints. The sound of Nat being beat was maddening. He thought the straps gave but less than an inch, that was not even close to enough. “I’m going to kill you,” Tank said through gritted teeth while he stared with rage-filled eyes. For a moment there was a flash of fear on the doctor’s face. That made Tank happy. 

The doctor slapped Tank across the face again, but it had less vigor this time. “You’re not,” The doctor said simply, “because I am not a small woman or a man that you can sneak up on.”

“I will not sneak up on you,” Tank said, “I want you to see me coming. I want to see the fear in your eyes.”

Tank heard Nat’s door shut as the doctor climbed on his chest. “Now you can see what your mom went through.” The doctor wrapped both hands around Tank’s throat.

“You better kill me,” Tank said as he gasped for breath. Tank watched the doctor’s face getting blurry like looking through a rain soaked window. 

Just before Tank drifted off into the darkness of unconsciousness the doctor let go. “You,” he said as he rained a right punch into the side of Tank’s face. “Are,” This word was emphasized with a left punch. “Going to do a thing,” Each word exclaimed with an alternating punch. Tank felt a couple cuts open up on his cheek and felt blood stream down to his bed. His skin on his forehead split wide open when the doctor landed a final blow. This one was from his boney elbow. Tank smiled. “What are you smiling at Arthur?” The doctor made sure to emphasize the name Tank hated. 

“You,” Tank said plainly, there was no emotion in his voice. “I am smiling about what I am going to do to you. I may die here but not before you.” 

The doctor climbed off the wide chest of the young man. Tank was no longer fighting against his restraints. “You just don’t learn, do you? Well you are a high school dropout loser so you are probably pretty dumb.” The doctor walked to the same table that Tank had been chained to and picked up a clip board. “It says here that you are scared of snakes.” The doctor didn’t need to look at the papers, he had been studying Tank for months. “I’ll have to see what we can do with that. Guards!”

The door opened and the same men that had beat him yesterday, and more recently Nat, entered with their nightsticks. “Don’t forget doctor,” Tank spat after him, “ I am going to kill you.” 

The doctor did not look back, “ Handle that please.” He said to the guards.

His ten minute beating took place. When it finished  the other doctor came in, gave Tank his two shots and left with the guards without a word. Tank watched his door close then fell into a dreamless darkness.

When Tank awoke this time, he was in a very large fish tank type structure. He could tell the plexiglas of this coffin was thick. On the lid was a large tube that gave access to Tank’s stomach and genital area. He did not like the thought of that. As always he was strapped down, this time with the yellow straps his dad used to secure the ATV’s to the trailer. The room was brighter than Tank’s bedroom. It took some time for his eyes to adjust. The room was painted bright white. 

“Good morning Arthur,” the doctor said as he walked towards Tank’s see-through coffin. He seemed much cheerier than the last time that he saw Tank. “I have a special treat for you today.” 

“Go to hell,” Tank hated every wrinkle in that man’s face. He hated the smugness of his voice and those beady eyes. 

A guard, or more accurately a tormenter, walked to the tank, and to Tank himself with a large snake. Tank instantly tensed. He knew where this was going and he was right. The guard put the snake’s head in the tube and the snake did the rest. It slithered down the tube onto Tank's stomach. His balls shriveled up inside him. That was when he realized that he was completely naked. The snake slithered on the outside of his skin causing his muscles to slither on the inside of his skin. This was the worst feeling that he had ever felt. He could feel the snake's muscles working to move it towards Tank’s face. The snake’s tongue flick the inside of his nose.

“What’s the matter Arthur?” The doctor asked through a laugh. He nodded to his goon to make sure he saw how funny this was. Tank hated him more every time he used his birth name. “Don’t worry Arthur, nothing we put in here will be poisonous.” 

Another of the goons slid another snake in the hole, it felt bigger. This one crawled down towards Tank’s feet. He would rather be beaten by a hundred men than have to suffer this. His muscles were so tight that he thought they would tear at any minute. He fought hard against the restraints but that seemed to make them tighter and a little harder to breathe. Tank screamed, he didn’t know if it was in fear or rage, probably both. His mind was getting foggy, Tank knew that he was about to black out. 

Tank felt a sharp pain in his chest as the third snake was dropped in the tank. This one was small but it moved fast. Tank didn’t know which was worse, large and lumbering or small and fast. His body went limp, his mind calmed, and darkness took over his vision. Unfortunately the bliss was short lived. He was shocked back to life by what looked like a cattle prod. But it couldn’t be a real prod, those knocked people unconscious or could even kill. 

Tank’s eyes opened but he wished that they hadn’t. One by one the goons put in several large tarantulas. They were big enough that Tank could feel the weight of each footstep. He didn’t know how many legs were walking on him, but it was too many. Tank's body was convulsing, this was much too much to deal with.  Tank got another jolt back to life, this time before he blacked out completely. The big snakes slithered slowly, the small snake had entwined itself in the fingers of his left hand. The worst part was the constant motion all over his body. When you added in the footsteps of the nightmare spiders it was really too much.

“For your last treat,” the doctor said, Tank had forgotten that he was there. 

The goons dumped a mix of what had to be a couple hundred daddy long legs and wolf spiders. They scattered around Tank’s coffin, more and more he believed he would die here. The wolf spiders scattered through the tank quickly while the daddy long legs crawled all over Tank slowly. All the motion and legs on his body was a sensory overload. This went on for about an hour but to Tank it felt like an eternity. He would pass out, or get close to it, then get shocked back to life. Finally the goons removed the glass lid of his coffin.  

“Now Arthur,” the doctor said, “It’s time for your shots.” The other doctor walked over red faced, Tank knew he watched and laughed with the others. Tank felt the poke of two shots one after the other. The smaller weasel doctor walked away as the main doctor said, “As you know you will go to sleep now. I see you clenching your jaw to keep them out of your mouth. That won’t be an option for long. Good luck knowing that.”

The doctor and the goons walked away. Tank tried to use the constant motion to keep him awake. It worked for a minute, he felt every step from the tarantulas, every slither of the snake, and every tickle from the smaller spiders. He lost the battle eventually. The last thing he saw was a large snake head blacking out the light. 

Again Tank woke up in his bed by Nat hollering his name, “Tank, You alive buddy. Come on man,” Tank could hear the worry in Nat’s voice. 

“I’m alive Nat,” Tank felt weak and beaten and his voice reflected that. “I really don’t know what to do man, he is really trying to kill me.”

“If he was trying to kill you,” Nat said. “Don’t you think that you would be dead already? He is trying to reprogram you into something new, or maybe bring back the rage. The second seems more likely.” 

Tank told Nat about the coffin, the snakes, and the spiders, “That is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. If he does that again, I don’t think my mind will recover.”

“You gotta fight it kid,” Nat didn’t want to let these people break his young friend. Tank was too strong for that and Nat just needed to show him. The pain was obvious in Tank’s voice. For Nat it was like talking to his son that has been abused for months. Nat loathed this feeling. “So what are you going to do?” Nat wanted to see what this kid was made of.

“I don’t know,” Tank said then began to sob, “What can I do?”

“First thing is that you need to stop blubbering,” Tank was surprised Nat had never talked to him like that. “That’s not going to do any good for anybody. You have to put a stop to it, you have to fight back against everything. It stops when you decide to stop it and that is good news for you.” Nat could tell that Tank had stopped crying, that was very good. This kid might be made of metal after all. Or maybe he was sobbing silently so Nat would not snap at him again. Nat thought that he had stopped but either way would be ok. “Do you feel like you are at your limit?”

“Yes,” Tank said, he felt stronger and Nat could hear that clearly in his voice. 

“What did you do when you had enough of your father’s nonsense?” Nat asked knowing it would hurt his young friend but also knew that would lead Tank in the right direction. The bottom line is that Tank needed to be strong, that is what Nat needed from him. Tank did not answer, Nat had expected that. “What did you do, Tank?”

   “I killed them,” the strength from a moment ago was gone. “You know that I killed them. But here I am strapped down everytime I see the doctor. And trust me I try with all my strength to break free.”

“Before you killed them,” Nat corrected, “you let the anger take you. You let that beautiful anger take you. You see Tank, what you view as your biggest weakness is actually the tool you need to use to stop this.”

“That’s not what Dr. Williams wanted,” Tank had placed so much stock in the opinions of Dr. Williams. Like most people Tank didn't want to get mad, but unlike most people there was a part of him that did like it. But his anger also terrified him. “Bad things happen when I get pissed.” 

“Correction,” Nat countered, “Bad things happen to other people when you get mad.” Nat let that sink in for a minute. “How often did your dad smack the shit out of you before that day?” Nat wanted Tank to get to the obvious conclusion on his own. However he would steer the kid in the right direction. “Up until recent events it had been three years since someone laid their hands on you. To me that seems like something good happened when you lost your temper.”

Tank had never looked at things that way before. “The thing is Nat,” Tank explained, “When I am in the room with him I want nothing more than to rip his head off. But when I am alone and calm that doesn’t seem like a smart thing to do. But even still, they always have me strapped down and tight.”

“You’re not strapped down right now,” Nat pointed out the obvious, he laughed to himself at the density of this kid. “You just wake up tied down, is that right?” Nat didn’t need the big oaf to answer. “Well I am going to tell you what happens. They open your tray door and shoot you with a tranquilizer.” 

  Tank didn’t believe him, he would feel it if he were being shot with a dart. “How do you know that?” Tank asked but he really didn’t care how Nat knew, what mattered is now Tank knew. 

Seeming to read Tank’s thoughts Nat asked,” Do you really care how I know?” When Tank didn’t answer Nat continued, “ What side do you sleep on?”

“I sleep on my back with myyyyy,” Tank had to think about it for a second, “ My right side is towards the door.” 

“Do you feel the places where you get shot dailey?” Tank felt around his right side, he did feel the puncture marks. “That’s where you should have your pillow when you go to sleep tonight.” Nat advised, he wanted Tank to imagine the possibilities. “You may not be able to get the doctor but you will be able to get someone.”

“Then they’ll kill me,” Tank pointed out what he thought to be obvious. 

“So what if they do?” Nat asked in a voice that was as cold as ice. “Wouldn’t that be better than what they’re doing to you right now.” Tank thought that it would be. “And it’s better to die as a fighter than live as a coward. But I really do not think they will kill you. They are preparing you for something.” Like always Nat made a lot of sense to Tank. Do you trust me buddy?”

“I do,” Tank answered and that was the truth. Tank trusted Nat like he trusted Dr. Williams and that was the only two people in his entire life. 

“Then you know what to do,” Nat knew that Tank was on board. “Then go lay down big man but don’t go to sleep.” That is exactly what Tank did.

After hours of waiting Tank smiled when he heard the steps coming towards his room. He tried to picture the hallway but he had been in this room so long that he could not even remember what it looked like. Dr. Williams almost had Tank to the point where he would be able to socialize with the others. That was not going to happen now, of that Tank was one hundred percent sure. The footsteps stopped outside his door. His tray door opened, Just like Nat said that it would. He heard the, almost inaudible, shot from the tranq gun then felt the impact of the dart in the pillow. Tank did not move and for a long time nothing happened. 

Finally the door opened and footsteps entered the room. Still Tank did not move. They stopped next to Tank’s bed and he sprung into action. He grabbed the person with all his strength and threw them to the floor. Tank sat on their hips with his hands on their shoulders. Tank was screaming, it felt so good to unleash all this bottled up rage. He pulled them up so they could see him eye to eye and so he could see their terror. 

Tank froze when he saw the terrified face of his mother. “HHHHHoooooowwwww?” Tank stuttered as he dropped her to the ground. He fell backwards off the small woman onto his back. He was on his butt and used his feet to push him back first against the wall. “What is going on?” 

From the doorway there was a loud bang that Tank recognized as a shotgun. Tank’s shoulder exploded in pain. He looked down to see a bean bag shot lying on the floor next to him. The woman got to her feet and began to laugh, he had no idea how she was here. He screamed in a mix of terror and surprise when he saw his dad standing in the doorway holding a shotgun. His dad fired the shotgun and when the bean bag hit Tank his scream transformed from terror to pain. 

His mom walked over to him and smacked him hard across the face. Tank could not figure out what the hell was going on. He looked back to the door. His dad did not have the gun now, he was holding a hammer and coming Tank’s way. His mom climbed on his lap and wrapped her small hands around his thick throat the best that she could. His dad was pounding on Tank’s shoulders with the hammer and even brought it down once on the top of his head. That was when the doctor’s goons pulled the two of them off Tank. They also wanted to have their daily beating of Tank. They finished leaving Tank laying on the floor in a heap. 

Two of them drug him to the table and cuffed him to the bar. Tank had no idea how long he sat there before the smoke started pouring in through the vents. It smelled strongly of chemicals and the scent was somehow familiar. 

“Hey,” Tank yelled, “Hey get someone in here.” Tank was expecting Nat to say something also but Nat was silent. Maybe he was not in his room, hopefully he was not being punished for speaking up for Tank. “It’s getting smoky here.”  

“Yeah we know,” the doctor said through the intercom. The white smoke was getting thick and making Tank cough hard. His heart started beating faster. “It’s a mix of cocaine and meth smoke.” 

“What the hell are you doing?” Tank asked. He was scared, he had never done a drug of any kind. Furthermore he had never planned on it.

“We  want to bring your heartrate up for this next treatment,” the doctor said. “We also want you to be a little extra out of control. As a matter of fact meth and cocaine will become a part of your daily diet.”

“Why the hell would you do that?” Tank asked, obviously worried about the side effects. “So you’re gonna to inject me with roids and shit. Plus now you are going to hotbox me with meth smoke. Why don’t you just kill me?”

“And what fun would that be?” The doctor asked playfully, “No such luck for you my dense little friend. I am going to have some fun with you. How would you think I’d get bored of my new toy so quickly?” Tank's heart was pounding and he could barely breathe. “Ventilate the room please.”

Fans turned on in a far off room and the smoke began to clear slowly. Tank hated how hard his heart was beating, it was like having a lunatic bang on a bass drum. His breathing was also irregular and he was feeling sick to his stomach. He had no idea why someone would choose to feel like this. The smoke finally cleared and the door opened making Tank jump a little. He knew it would be that damned doctor with the sinister smile that was also happy somehow, he was not disappointed. Tank wanted to crush that skinny neck with his bare hands. He wanted to feel things inside there pop. Just like with his mom, but now he was even stronger. 

“Your eyes are so dilated Arthur,” the doctor said with a laugh hiding in his words. “Have you been doing drugs young man?” Tank was losing control of his temper much faster than he would like, he guessed the drugs may have something to do with that. “Thank you so much for the laughs,” the doctor was so damn cheery. “That went much better than I could have ever dreamed. When you saw your mom’s face, priceless.”

“Screw you,” Tank snarled through gritted teeth.He was sweaty and his eyes bulged from his head. “I am going to kill you!” Tank meant every word.

“Now, now, now,” The doctor said, still smiling, “I thought we had moved past all that silliness.” Tank yanked hard against his cuffs, for the first time he could feel how much stronger he had become. He guessed it was from his roids cocktail. “Would you like to see your parents?” The door opened and in walked his mom followed by his dad. Tank’s jaw hit the floor.

“How are you here?” Tank asked in a mix of amazement and horror. He felt like he was looking at the walking dead. “Who are you?” 

“They are part of the staff here Arthur,” the doctor answered. “I swear you could not be any stupider.” His fake parents laughed sending chills down Tank’s spine, they sounded exactly like his real parents. How had the copied laughs from beyond the grave?

“Hi Arthur,” his not dad said in his real dad’s voice. “Did you just tackle your mom to the ground ya little bastard. We will have to punish you for that, but you knew that.” This man was half of Tank’s size and could be snapped in half over his leg like a pencil. Despite that fact Tank flinched away when the man walked over to him. The man landed a hard right to Tank’s cheek. His not mom cackled wildly, he would have not been able to tell the difference between the two. She was enjoying herself just as his birth mom always had. She slapped the doctor on the shoulder and they laughed even harder together. 

“If I remember right,” the doctor said, “didn’t you like to beat Arthur with pool sticks?” Arthur got flashbacks mixed with some strong PTSD. “And your mom liked her cast iron frying pan.” Tank looked at the doctor pleading with his eyes, the doctor smiled coldly. No sympathy would be found there. “Guards!”

Three men in black suits walked in, two pushing a stand up pool cue case on wheels the other carrying three frying pans. There had to be at least two dozen cues in that case. Tank knew where this was going and he hated it. He knew this one was going to push his mind to the limits and that is why they gave him drugs that would intensify things. His mind went like two master ping pong players volleying his thoughts back and forth so fast that you couldn’t even see the ball, but he could see the multi-colored tracers streaming all around his brain. The goons exited as silently as they entered.

“Strobe please,” The doctor called and the room went dark for about ten seconds.  Blue lights began pulsing slowly then picked up speed leaving Tank feeling like a crackhead in a fun house. It was not a good feeling. “Mom, Dad,” The doctor’s smile looked extra menacing in the strobe light, “Have some fun.” The doctor removed a pool stick from the case, walked over to Tank, then broke it with a hard swing over Tank’s large shoulder. After that, he walked out of the room without another word but Tank knew he would be watching from somewhere and laughing. He hated that man.

His not mom cackled her hideous laughter, Tank wanted to shut her up. Tank was no longer scared of these people, he wanted to kill them too. His not dad handed a frying pan to his not mom and grabbed a pool cue for himself. “I hope you are ready for the whoopin of your life boy.” Tank’s heart was pounding on rhythm with the strobe and he knew that meant his heart was beating much too fast. 

Thoughts of that night in November came back to him in a wave. He saw his father pounding fists hard into his body while he was curled up on the floor. He could hear the cackle of his mom that sounded so similar to a witch. Then he saw himself sitting atop his mother while he felt her pulse weaken in his hands. He saw himself sneaking up on his dad and bringing the hammer down hard on the back of his head. He could hear the thud as the hammer made contact. He saw himself sitting over them in the kitchen eating a peanut butter sandwich. His last beating had been because he had the nerve to make himself a sandwich without asking. So he dragged them to the kitchen and made them watch him eat three sandwiches. 

The frying pan hit him hard in his shoulder blade bringing him back to the moment. Tank was in full rage/murder mode. He tried to stand and realized that his feet were chained to the table. Tank screamed, but not in fear this time, he sounded like a viking berserker. He was losing control and for the first time in his life he was loving the feeling. His not dad landed a hard blow on the back of Tank’s head, the cue snapped but did not break in half this time. Tank barely felt it, his adrenaline mixed with the drugs had numbed him completely. He yanked hard against the cuffs until they dug deep into his wrists. He didn’t hear that bitch cackling now, he hoped she was terrified. 

The frying pan smacked across the back of his head now. Tank screamed again, nobody mistook it for a cry of pain. Now she cackled, apparently she was confident in Tank’s restraints. The lights continued to flash, wreaking havoc on Tank’s brain. She would be terrified if she knew how close the cuffs were to breaking as Tank yanked on them. His mind had never gone this far into madness, he thought he would never be the same again. He welcomed it, he agreed with Nat, Tank would enjoy who he was. 

Another pool stick broke over his back, “You better calm the hell down Arthur. You better not scare your mother.” Tank would see this man dead also, and this woman. “Settle down worm,” That is another insult that his dad liked to use on him. The frying pan smashed into his head on the left side. 

His not mom cackled, “You better be a good boy Arhur, you don't want to make your father mad.” Tank did not care who was mad, these two had no idea how close they were to death. A pool cue smacked Tank right across the bridge of his nose. He felt it break and watched the blood fly in the strobe. It was kind of beautiful to Tank’s rage-filled drugged up mind. 

Tank screamed or laughed, most likely a combination of the two. The frying pan smacked him in the back, it was news from Jupiter as far as Tank was concerned. This was a whole new level of madness for Tank, and Nat was right the rage is what Tank needed to be whole again. He yanked hard against his cuffs, he felt the give in one of the links. That gave him new hope.

Somehow his not mom saw it, “He is breaking free,” She said then pointed to the cuffs. Tank had no idea how she saw it in the strobing chaos, but she had. 

“That’s not possible woman,” his not dad said, still sounding like his real dad. “Keep hitting him, you heard the doctor we are not supposed to stop.” His not dad locked eyes with Tank’s maniac eyes making him flinch back but only for a second. He had a pool stick and this time he broke it over the left side of Tank’s face. 

Tank’s vision flashed but he felt no pain from any of this. Tank laughed, this time he sounded like a crazed wildman. Tank yanked hard against his cuffs again this time the chain snapped making the chrome links flash in the strobe as they flew through the air. He fell back but managed to stay seated on the chair. Tank screamed in excitement and lunged at his not mom. Luckily for her his feet were still chained to the table. She was able to get out of his reach before he got ahold of her. 

His not mom was smart and got out of the room as quickly as she could. His not dad was not smart and decided to take another swing with another stick. Tank was ready for it, he caught the cue and pulled hard. His not dad fought but Tank was much too strong and pulled him across the table. When Tank lifted his big right hand to drop a punch in the man’s smug face, his grip loosened enough for the guards to yank his not dad out of the way. Tank punched the metal table hard enough to leave a dent. 

Tank pulled both legs against each other and the flimsy chain snapped. Tank charged around the table and towards the door. His not dad screamed as he was pulled out of the room by his feet. The door slammed hard in Tank’s face just as he reached it. This was the exact reason that automatic locks had been installed on the doors. Tank reached for the handle only to remember his door did not have a handle on the inside. Tank pounded on the door with both fists, “Come and get me!” He screamed like a madman.

His tray door opened and before he could react he heard the sound of the tranq gun and felt the poke in his leg. Followed immediately by another. Then he was hit with a powerful shock and he fell to the ground in a pile and before long blackness took him. 

This time when Tank woke up he was standing and strapped to something metal. The way that it felt on his back, he pictured a wide handcart. Of course his least favorite person was standing right in front of him. “Well Hello Arthur,” the doctor seemed genuinely happy and not condescending, “We are going to take you on a little field trip today.”

Tank wanted to tell him that he was not going anywhere, but he really didn’t have that option. “Dr. Williams said that I am not ready to be around other people, and after my time with you I think he has a point.” Tank did not want to hurt other people. He only wanted to hurt this doctor, and a couple others. “If you trigger me around other people I could hurt someone, Is that what you want?”

“Honestly Arthur,” the doctor said, “I would like nothing more than to see you hurt people.” He smiled at Tank, it was a game show host's smile. “And when are you going to get this through your thick skull? I am not Dr. Williams and I’m not your grandpa” He was now back to being smug. “We’re going to let you see some of your neighbors,” the doctor informed him, "then you get to meet someone very special.” The doctor was so excited, it was written all over his face. Tank wanted nothing more than to smash the doctor right in his white teeth. “But first, Doctor!”

The small doctor that always gave him shots walked in. Tank instantly wanted to smash him also. “Morning Arthur,” he was even more smug and condescending than usual. “I am not even going to tell you what this is,” he said, then quickly located a vein and injected Tank. It felt like he injected him with lava. “Now open your mouth,” the smaller doctor ordered. Tank clinched his jaws. “No matter,” the doctor said with a smile. “This is what is known as acid on the streets,” he sounded ridiculous talking like that. The doctor stuck three small squares to Tank’s forearm. “Luckily it can absorb through the skin.” 

Tank could already feel his heart pounding, he guessed it was from the shot. He needed to kill these two doctor’s. He couldn’t let them do this to anyone else. His face and his eyes let both doctors know exactly what he would do to them given the chance. “I will see you at the end of your tour, you big dumb animal.” Then the small doctor walked out of the room. 

“Have you grown to love us yet Arthur?” the main doctor asked with that damn smile still on his face. Tank hoped his eyes let the doctor know how he felt about them. They must have because the doctor laughed. “Well I promise you that you will like the man you are meeting today, he is very special. And he is already a fan of yours. Let’s go, gentlemen.” Tank leaned back then got pushed forward.

He felt like he was floating out of his room, he thought the drugs were taking hold a bit. It was strange to move without your vision bouncing with every step. Tank was hoping they would turn left out of his door so he could see Nat, they went right. 

Tank fought the straps, “Go left,” he said. He felt the guard's grip slip, Tank almost fell over. “I want to see Nat.”

“Unfortunately Nat is busy at the moment,” the doctor said from beside Tank. “He is having a special session with his doctor.”

“You better pray that I don’t ever get loose,” Tank said. The thought of what was happening to Nat enraged him. “If I ever get free I will take as many of you as possible, especially you.” 

“Oh would you shut up with those threats,” the doctor said impatiently. “Since you almost got the others we are taking extra precautions with you. Your new strength is impressive,” that sounded like a genuine compliment. “So what you need to do is zip your mouth and enjoy the free drugs that we provide for you.”

The hallway was completely white but the dim white lights gave it a dark feel. Other than Nat’s and Tank’s rooms the rest of the doors were a decent distance away from each other. Tank always wondered why Nat was the only one to ever talk to him. Tank was wheeled, nearly silently, down the hall and to the first door. It was made of heavy metal and had a thick glass window that covered the top quarter of it. The guards turned Tank towards the door so he had no choice but to look in. The room was full of the same white smoke that filled his room not that long ago. He could not see anything in this room. 

“Ventilate please,” the doctor spoke loudly, Tank guessed to one of the cameras. 

The room cleared slowly and Tank saw a young woman sitting in the middle of a mirrored floor. The walls and the ceiling were also mirrored, Tank thought that it looked like a terrible room to be locked in. She had no bed, no table, the poor girl didn’t even have a chair to sit on. 

“This is Hope,” the doctor said, “unfortunately for her she has none.” The doctor snickered, “get it, Hope has no hope.” Tank did get it and thought in no way that the joke was funny. “She was drunk and driving her family home from a company Christmas party. She got in an accident. She lost her husband, her kids, and her mind. She will get none of the three back.” Tank felt ultimate sadness for this young woman. “So now we pump her full of speed and leave her alone with the mirrors as well as her thoughts. She is extremely entertaining.”

Hope looked up and met Tank’s eyes, the doctor was right she had no hope. Tank’s eyes filled with tears and his heart filled with sympathy. He had never seen that level of pain in someone’s eyes. Not even his own at the height of his abuse, Hope was a broken woman. 

“Why would you do that to her?” Tank asked around the lump in his throat. He could not believe a place like this existed in this world. Even more, he couldn’t believe people would want to work in this place of torture. 

“Because she is broken just like you and every other lost soul we have come across,” the doctor answered with no sympathy in his eyes, per usual. “And we’re trying to build all of you back stronger.”

“Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night?” Tank asked. He could not believe that the doctor was trying to make himself the good guy.

Tank was not surprised when the doctor said, “I don’t need to justify myself to the likes of you Arthur. Moving on.” 

Again, the unseen guards leaned Tank back on the handcart and turned him a quarter turn. The walls and the floor seemed to be waving like the ocean. Tank would watch a wave come towards him until it passed and disappeared behind him. Tank closed his eyes tight to try to avoid the waves but the kaleidoscope in his brain was much worse. 

After a moment they arrived at the next door, Tank was beginning to feel some nausea. Again he was turned towards the window in the door. “This is Bryli, we found her leaving the hospital after being beaten by her boyfriend’s cousin,” the doctor explained. “She dumped him, thought he was stalking her, but he wound up saving her and almost killing his cousin. He was arrested on the spot, obviously. Her mom is dead, she has no siblings, and she never met her father.” The doctor chuckled a joyless chuckle, maybe he really didn’t enjoy this. How could he? “We give her acid and let her stay in our room with the yellow wallpaper.” 

Her back was to them and she made no effort to turn towards the door. “Leave me alone,” she said with no emotion. For a minute Tank could not tell what she was doing. Then she flinged a six inch strip of yellow wallpaper to the side. Tank looked around her room and saw about half the wallpaper had already been pulled off the wall. 

“Before long she will be a strong young woman again,” the doctor said with pain in his voice. 

“Why would you do this to people?” Tank asked, “There is no way that you like this.” 

“On the contrary Arthur,” the doctor replied with a charming smile, “I love nothing more than to bring joy into your life.” 

“I heard in your laugh,” Tank pointed out, surprising the doctor with his perception, “ You don’t like hurting her.”

“Her no,” the doctor said simply and with much sadness, “I love hurting you but Bryli….” He trailed off and Tank could feel the doctor's emotion. “She is my daughter.” Tank was stunned into silence. Before he could regain his composure the doctor said, “Those drugs should’ve a pretty good hold of you by now.” The doctor was one hundred percent right, Tank's mind was a cloud with rainbow fog. “Moving on,” Tank was again tilted back and turned a quarter turn.

He watched the wall waves come and go in silence until they came across the next door. Tank was getting dizzy and very anxious. They stopped outside of the third door and Tank looked into an exact copy of his room. On the bed was a skinny man strapped down just like Tank had been so many times. At the table was another skinny doctor nearly identical to the one standing next to Tank. He was holding a clipboard and reading some papers. 

“This is Arthur part two,” the doctor said, “his name is Roger. He is nineteen like you. Roger was a little different, he had a pregnant girlfriend but we took care of her also. And his babies are growing strong in the nursery.” The doctor seemed to be back to his cheery self now that Bryli was behind them. 

“His treatment is just a little different,” The doctor explained, “We are trying to splice him with some DNA. From what? We haven’t made that decision yet. We are trying to create a new race without using cloning technology.” Tank realized that Nat was right, they were trying to build him into something new. “He does still get the roids cocktail the same as you. We are hoping that he will be your bestest friend.”

“”You’re the one that needs to be locked behind these doors,” Tank was furious again, “How can you do this to us?”

“Is that right Arthur?” The doctor asked, “It's too bad that you are locked up and there is nothing you can do to me.”

The young man looked as tormented as Tank felt on a daily basis. “How long has he been here?” 

“Two days,” The doctor answered, “It doesn’t take us long to break our subjects down to nothing. It’s putting you back together stronger than ever, that is the hard part.” 

“Moving on,” the doctor said. As they turned, Tank saw a TV mounted on the wall. If his eyes were as sharp as he thought them to be, then he just saw a woman being beheaded with a hacksaw on the screen. 

The hallway was a wave pool induced by three doses of acid. “I hope you are excited,” Tank could hear the genuine glee in the doctor’s voice. “Next stop is your big surprise.” Tank knew that if the doctor was this excited about it then Tank was in for a world of hurt.

“I can’t wait,” Tank said sarcastically despite his blood boiling with rage. He was welcoming the feeling. He had been able to break the cuffs and the chains on his feet with his new found strength mixed with his embracement of the rage. Maybe he would also be strong enough to break these straps as well. He thought that now could be a good time to try while he was in the hall. It would make escape much easier. Then he remembered the other doctor saying, “I will see you at the end of your tour.” So he decided to wait.

Thankfully they did not stay in the hallway very much longer, they waves in the wall and the floor were making Tank sick. They stopped outside a windowless door on the left, after a moment Tank heard a lock disengaged and the door popped open. Tank knew that someone was watching from somewhere and pushed some button. The room was large, about the size of an elementary school gymnasium, and as dim as his room. The room was empty, well almost empty. There was a dark silhouette of a man in the far right corner. Before he could make out any details Tank was turned so he was facing the door. The guards came from behind Tank and stood on either side of the doctor with expressionless faces. The door remained open leaving Tank to wonder why.

Tank heard footsteps, presumably, from the dark figure in the corner. Tanks whole body tensed up he thought this was the beginning of a terrible night for him. Tank tensed even more when the footsteps stopped directly behind him. For a long time nothing happened, nothing other than three men looking over his shoulder with wide eyes of wonder at whomever stood behind Tank. Tank wanted to tear all six eyes from their sockets. 

“Hey buddy,” It was Nat standing behind him, Tank was worried now. What would they do to the both of them? Tank fought hard against his restraints, he had to get Nat out of here. The guards stepped forward and caught him before he tipped himself over. 

“You better not touch him,” Tank said to the doctor while giving him a death stare. He could take being tormented but he would not let them hurt Nat. 

“Don’t worry Tank,” Nat said from behind the big kid. “My main concern is what you’re gonna to do to me, big fella.” 

Tank was lost, why was Nat able to walk free? And what could he have done to make Tank upset? “You better not hurt him,” Tank reiterated to the doctor, “You better not. What are you talking about Nat?” Tank asked.

Tank sensed movement behind him. The doctor and his goons stepped back about ten paces, Tank’s eyes never left the doctors. The shadow man was tall, nearly the same height as Tank. When he turned, Tank did not see Nat’s face. He was wearing a seventies style hockey goalie mask painted with a yellow skull. “They aren't going to hurt me buddy," Nat said from under the mask. “They all work for me.”

“What the hell is going on Nat,” Tank was far too angry and drugged to figure any of this out.

Nat raised his voice, “Come on in here.” His not parents entered the room with stupid smiles on their stupid faces followed by the little weasel doctor. The door closed and locked behind them. How could it be Nat that is causing him so much grief? “I am the private investor that bought out the Asylum. It was because I found you here Tank, I need you by my side for the things I am going to accomplish.” Tank did not have enough brain cells left to even try to figure out what Nat meant by that. “I am collecting all the lost souls of the world, but Tank. You are my favorite.” 

“What could you possibly need with me?” Tank’s anger had been replaced with confusion. The doctor had been right. Tank's mind was blown. 

“I need your strength,” Nat answered, “But more importantly I need your anger.” The goons walked behind Tank, the skull on the mask on Nat’s face danced in Tank’s vision. Every line in the skull was wiggling like a squirming worm making it maddening to look at. “I am going to honest with you my friend, it is me that is behind all the torture.”

Tank’s heart shattered into a million pieces, Nat was the only person he ever trusted. “Why would you do that to me?” Tank’s eyes were full of tears, his mind was full of confusion, and his shattered heart was full of sadness.

“I told you kid, I need your anger,” Nat answered, “and now I need you to be strong. You are like a son to me and I hate to see you broken.” Nat let that sink into Tank’s, sometimes thick, skull. He hoped the kid would believe him and more importantly that the kid would understand. “I need you by my side, but I don’t need the old you. I need this beautiful powerful Tank. Nat looked around Tank to his goons. “I am going to give you a choice. You can kill me, I would completely understand, with no consequences. 

Now Nat spoke to the guards, “If he kills me you can not harm him. Lead him to the exit and set him free into the world. 

He again looked at Tank, “Or you can embrace the new you and join me. If you join me, I will give you a present. I will give you these four as tribute to the new you.” Tank looked at them one by one as they voiced their protest. “Loosen the straps and set him free.”

Tank felt movement in the straps and he hoped Nat was being honest. Tank planned on killing everyone in here.The straps were undone from the right and slid across Tank’s body to the left where they hung loosely. Tank took a step towards Nat, until this minute Nat forgot how big this kid was. Tank looked into Nat’s eyes with sadness and anger. Tank then looked over his friend’s shoulder to the four terrified faces. In his mind he could hear the constant smugness in the voices of the two doctors. He remembered the joy in that wicked woman’s laugh. Tank could see the blood from his nose spraying in the light of the strobe. He felt every tickle from the small spiders, every step from the tarantulas, and felt the snakes slithering across on his naked body.

He looked into the taller doctor’s eyes. “I told you I was gonna to kill you,” Tank said with a smile. He did not give anyone a chance to respond, Tank charged.

He had never been a fan of hurting women so he tossed his not mom to the side. Tank was so strong that she slid on the linoleum floor into the wall. He grabbed the smaller doctor and smashed his large forehead into the bridge of the little man’s nose. Tank felt his nose shatter and he cried out in pain. He pushed him back into the wall. The little man tried to fight but everyone knew that he had no chance of fighting off Tank. Tank punched him in the side, he felt at least three ribs break. Tank then punched the man in the face as hard as he could. The doctor collapsed in on himself.

His not dad and the other doctor scattered, Tank was going to enjoy the chase. He followed his not dad, Tank wanted to save the doctor for last. This new found strength was a treat for the young man. The man ran but he was not in great shape so Tank gained on him easily. Tank was enjoying the anger. 

His not dad must have felt Tank closing in so he turned around and begged Tank. “Please kid,” the man begged, “I was just doing my job. They paid me a lot of money and I have a family. It’s not like I enjoy it.”

“So you sold your soul to torture kids for money,” Tank said, his not dad was breathing hard from both the running and fear. Tank watched as the man sprinted to his left, Tank’s right. He was no match for Tank’s speed. Tank Tackled him hard and laughed when he heard the shin bone snapping.

 The man was laying on his stomach while Tank sat on his back. The man continued to beg despite the pain rushing through his leg. Tank dropped a large elbow into the back of his not dad’s head. The man on the bottom went limp. Tank dropped another, he felt the skull shatter this time. He dropped another and the back of his not dad’s head caved in. He dropped elbows until the back of the man’s head was closer to his face than his ears were. 

Tank stood up then looked around the room, his not mom was curled up in the corner sobbing wildly. He locked eyes with the doctor from across the room. Nat was watching with great interest, Tank had forgotten all about him. Tank walked calmly towards the doctor who made no effort to run. He actually put his dukes up as if ready to fight. Tank could see the terror in the doctor’s eyes, Tank loved that fear.

Tank towered over the doctor and was as wide as a wall compared to the doctor’s telephone pole frame. “I can do whatever I want to them?” Tank asked when he remembered that Nat was there. 

“That’s right buddy,” Nat said, clearly happy by the events that took place in this room. 

“Take him to my room,” Tank said coldly, he didn’t want this doctor to die quickly. Tank wanted to savor the death of this man. He then pointed to the woman, “and put her in your room.” 

Nat laughed a genuinely happy laugh, “That is what I hoped you’d say.”

“You can do what you want with her,” Tank was looking in the doctor’s eyes and could see his black soul. “But he is mine.” Tank then threw a hard punch that broke the doctor’s jaw and turned out his lights.

The doctor awoke to a bucket of water being thrown in his face. As he gasped and tried to sit up, the doctor realized that he was strapped down. 

“Good morning doctor,” Tank said and the doctor’s heart sank. “Are you ready for today’s treatment?”