The Light That Follows Darkness

Put yourself in my shoes.

Imagine encountering a towering, menacing figure with a sinister smile, gripping a steel clamp tightly in his hand. Slowly, he approached me, opening and closing the clamp, the metallic sound echoing in the room.

My heart trembled with fear at the sight, and panic consumed me. This couldn't be happening. I desperately hoped it was just a nightmare, but my pleas for help fell on deaf ears.

No one came to my rescue, and it became painfully clear that no one would.

To confirm my worst fears, Rick, the imposing figure, seized my uninjured hand, his grip tightening like a vice.

In a state of terror, I mustered the courage to ask, my voice trembling, "Rick, what do you plan to do with me? Why the steel clamp?" Without any hesitation, Rick responded, his voice dripping with sadistic delight, "My dear brat, this is a torture room where liars are punished. I believe you understand what that means, judging by the look on your face."

His words sent shivers down my spine, and instinctively, I fought to escape, struggling relentlessly against the restraints that cut into my wrists and legs. But despite my efforts, nothing changed.

"Yes, that's it! Struggle more, panic more, cry more, beg moreee... How nice, how fantasticccc!!" Rick taunted, holding the steel clamp menacingly over one of my nails, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. "Now, brat! Answer my question without any lies. Did you or did you not commit acts of terrorism against the Japanese settlement?"

I was dumbfounded. Are they toying with me? This question again? Forgetting about the pain momentarily, I couldn't help but scream in frustration, "Are you nuts? What the hell are you asking? Weren't you there when your chief made it clear? Are you playing dumb? Or are you truly dumb?"

"It seems like you don't want to tell the truth," Rick replied in a calm tone, his demeanor shifting from jolly to cold and calculating.

"Well... you leave me no choice."

Without a hint of remorse or hesitation, he placed the clamp on my thumb's nail and ripped it out, causing searing pain to shoot through my body. "Aghhhhh.... Ahhhhhh, it hurts, it hurtsssss... Rick, I'll kill youuuuu. I will kill you if it's the last thing I do on earthhhhh!" I screamed in agony, my struggles intensifying.

"Hehehehehahahahahahaha. Well, join the line, you rat," Rick taunted, his sadistic laughter filling the room.

"There are plenty of other rats who said the same thing as you, and guess what? They are either dead, incapacitated, or broken beyond all repair."

The pain was unbearable, and I couldn't help but scream in defiance, "Ahhhhhhh ahhhhhh God damn it, Rick! I will kill you... I definitely will...." The pain from my fractured hand, fractured ribs, and torn nails overwhelmed me, pushing me to the brink of unconsciousness.

Oblivious to my suffering and lost in his moment of sadistic ecstasy, Rick ripped out the third nail.

However, just as he was about to inflict more pain, Carlo, another guard, intervened, grabbing Rick's hand and shouting, "That's enough for today, that's enough!" Rick paused, his sadistic trance broken, and acknowledged Carlo's words. "Yeah... yeah, you're right. I got carried away. Thanks for stopping me, Carlo.”

"It seems you must have misunderstood me, Rick," Carlo said, his voice dripping with malice as a sinister smile played on his lips.

"I wasn't stopping you because I was worrying about this piece of shit. No, no, no! My dear friend, I stopped you because it's boring just ripping off his nails. How about we try something else, bud?"

Rick's eyes gleamed with delight as he responded, "What a freaking genius you are, Carlo. Then, what do you suggest we use, mister smarty pants?"

Carlo's smile widened; his voice laced with wickedness. "How about shock therapy? Hehehehahahahah."

"Ohhh, great idea, my friend, great idea," Rick exclaimed, his excitement palpable.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Anger and disbelief surged through me, rendering me unable to think straight.

With intense murderous rage, I managed to utter only one sentence, my voice filled with venom, "Don't screw with me, you damn lunaticssss!"

Ignoring my angry outburst, Rick and Carlo proceeded to strap wires and electrodes to my skin, their laughter echoing in the room. Before I could even utter another word, they pressed a button, sending electric shocks coursing through my entire body. The pain was excruciating, and I couldn't suppress the beastly scream that tore from my throat, almost ripping it apart.

Unable to withstand the relentless pain and the shock, my vision started to darken and distort. I was on the verge of losing consciousness. Sensing my deteriorating condition, Carlo and Rick abruptly stopped, their sadistic amusement momentarily subsided.

"We had our fun today!" they declared in unison.

"The chief and the scientists told us not to break them completely, but to leave them on the thin line to insanity."