Read Epiworld for Free Online

wheel me out. ‘Now stop your thoughts until we get to my office. I don’t want to run the risk of being heard.’
    Sister pushes me out of the ward, and we follow Alexander to his office.
    ‘Help him to the couch,’ he orders the nun.
    I knock her hands away. ‘I can do it myself,’ I snap. ‘Pathetic, synthetic doll! Ouch !’ That one hurts more than usual.
    ‘Leave us,’ says Alexander.
    ‘I’ve got a headache,’ I whisper. ‘I want to talk now!’
    He locks the door. ‘Keep using the pod. This place has ears.’
    It’s then I realise he could get into serious trouble for trying to help me.
    ‘What are you going to do?’ I ask curiously.
    ‘I’m going to induce a seizure. Make it so powerful it will set you free. I’m going to use ECT.’
    I don’t like the sound of that. ‘But the seizures make me weak; and what’s – that you said? I’ve never heard of it.’
    ‘Electro-convulsive therapy,’ he clarifies. ‘Shock treatment, an old, but very effective remedy used to treat depressives in the old days. It’s not used today, of course; the equipment is antique. The machine was left to me by my grandfather, who was also a psychotherapist. It delivers electric shocks through your brain.’
    I swallow. I sense his tension rising. ‘It sounds dangerous.’
    ‘No; it’s just a bit uncomfortable.’
    He takes out a small, grey box from a cupboard, which has a screen and lots of dials. There’s a strip of paper flowing out of the side with squiggly lines printed on it. He puts it on a trolley, pushes it towards me, and switches it on. The screen lights up with words and figures I don’t understand.
    I’m a mixture of emotions: scared, hopeful, confused. I can’t make up my mind which. I don’t want a seizure forced on me, but I’m desperate to get out of this place. What if it doesn’t work? I’ll be left sick and weak for nothing.
    ‘Can’t we just wait until I have a natural seizure on my own?’
    ‘I told you, it probably won’t be strong enough,’ replies Alexander, ‘and anyway, we may not have time. You may not have another one for days. Chase has probably set the wheels in motion for the operation already. We have to do this now.’
    I worry about my body in this life, and what will happen to it when I’m gone. Alexander doesn’t look at me while he fiddles with the dials. ‘I honestly don’t know what will happen to you here, Travis. It won’t be a magic disappearing act. If this works, it won’t really matter, will it?’
    My heart thuds. It matters to me. I’m scared Chase will write me off as dead, and bury me alive. Alexander might not be able to stop him.
    ‘Try to relax, Travis.’
    I sink back against the pillows, letting my mind drift towards thoughts of Hudson. He isn’t thinking back. Alexander intercepts.
    ‘He can’t go with you if that’s what you want.’
    ‘No, I know. It’s just – we’ve become sort of – well, friends. If I don’t come back I’ll always wonder what happened to him.’
    ‘In this place, Travis, inmates look after number one. If Hudson thought of a way of escaping he wouldn’t want you tagging along.’ He empties a couple of tablets into his hand before filling a glass with water. ‘These are painkillers. Take these first, then I’ll put the gel on your scalp.’
    ‘Gel?’
    He takes out a small white tube from another cupboard. ‘To help the electrodes stick.’
    I gulp down the tablets.
    ‘Now,’ he rubs on the gel and sticks down the electrodes, ‘stay still. I’ll apply the lowest current first, show you how it works.’
    He turns a dial. Suddenly intense heat shoots through my head, and my body shakes uncontrollably.
    ‘That’s it.’ Alexander turns off the dial. ‘Only the higher current will have a more aggressive effect. You’ll likely feel your probe working, too. They’ll think you’re fighting or something. We have to hurry before they come looking for you.’
    I’m panting. ‘It’s – I