On Trial

The Cough

This chapter was originally going to be called "The Final Blow", but unfortunately the title just didn't fit, so I changed it.

It was the third time, they had flipped that switch, and electricity had flowed through her body.

Her screams echoed around the room, coupled with gasping sobs.

"Stop!"

The pain stopped, as Cassandra slumped forward on the chair, her body trembling, as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"How many more tries?" The man at the switch asked.

"Five."

Cassandra shook her aching head and struggled lightly against her restraints.

"Ready?"

The switch flipped again and another set of ear-piercing screams flew around the room.

Then it stopped again.

Cassandra's heart was racing by the time they finally untied her.

"Stand up."

The brunette just sat there staring down at her feet, taking deep breaths.

"I said, stand up!"

Cassandra tried but failed, her shaking legs unable to support her weight.

The nurses sighed, before dragging her to the medical bed. Cassandra's least favourite bed in the world.

They strapped her to it, paying no attention to her moans and whimpers.

"Get the Emperdine!" One of them roared.

"N-n-no!" Cassandra rasped, "p-p-please, n-no!"

A hand shot out and grasped her by the chin, forcing her head back. Cassandra screamed, as the memories of James, when he tried to cut out her tongue and the guards, when they force-fed her gunk, doing the exact same, haunted her mind.

A spoon of goopy, red liquid was jammed into her mouth and Cassandra let out a whine of protest, arching her body, and twisting her limbs.

"Stop struggling and swallow the darn medicine!"

Her nose was pinched, tightly and she squealed. She reluctantly swallowed, squeezing her eyes shut.

Air flooded into her nose, once again and she flopped down on the bed.

"You have ten minutes, before your ice bath," a nurse said, sternly, "and you are not to repeat what you did last time!"

Last time she'd been placed in the metal tub of raw, biting water, she put up a fight, kicking and screaming, doing whatever she could to get out of it. Her efforts had been in vain, however, and she was beaten.

Cassandra stared at the grey ceiling, trying to control her seemingly never-ending tremors. She coughed, feeling a slight ache in her chest, as she did so, but thought nothing of it.

When they wheeled her back to her cell, that afternoon, however, she was coughing more frequently.

"How long have you been coughing?" Madeline asked, sticking her hand through the bars, to feel Cassandra's temperature.

"Since, after the shock therapy. My chest aches a little bit, too." 

Madeline frowned, lowering her hand.

"You haven't got a temperature, but I'd keep an eye on it and let me know if it gets any worse, alright?"

Cassandra nodded, with a sniff.