A Just Punishment

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The streets darkened and shadows fell across the landscape as the sun set into the horizon. Gregory Steeles zipped his jacket feeling the temperature drop slightly. This was his favourite time to walk around town, enjoying the shift into evening. A gradual change from bright, cheery sunlight to the dark, hidden shadows of night.

From an outside point of view Gregory was not a pleasant person. Mid-30s, slightly bald, slightly overweight, average height, average looks, and mean. Most people who knew him would consider him a mean spirited, sexist, argumentative, know-it-all. He also came off slightly bigoted and very snobby. None of his family stayed in touch with him, or actually wanted to talk to him for any length of time, he had no friends either. The best anyone would really say about him was "Yes, I know him."

What most people did not know about Gregory was his true view on women. To him they were simply a vessel for sex. He did not care about their feelings, wants or wishes. He only cared that they provided an outlet for his pent up frustrations. This view mixed with his unpleasant demeanor likely would not have been too much of a problem for him, had he not also been so absent in any empathy or concept of moral goodness, and unfortunately, due to these terrible qualities, a number of women suffered quite badly.

Tonight he was on the prowl again, looking for another vessel. Another outlet. His wandering took him closer to the restaurant and pub rich area of town, filled with crowds of people looking for a joy filled night on the town. This was one of his hunting grounds, but it had been a few months since he last visited. He walked casually, paying attention to the movement of the crowds, blending in with his lack of being anything special. Slight scowl on his face as he watched for her. The one he would pick tonight.

He saw her finally as he passed a small bistro near the end of a line of restaurants. She was walking alone, mid-length black skirt, three-quarter length coat slightly undone and black hair just below the collar of the jacket. She barely looked up from the ground in front of her as she walked towards the near-by parking lot, seemingly oblivious to his following of her. She was perfect, and he was already feeling his excitement grow with the anticipation of using her body.

As he stepped on the pavement of the parking lot from the sidewalk she suddenly looked back at him. He saw the panic in her face as she perceived the danger he posed and started to run. He ran after her and caught her just as she reached a black mini-van near the back of the lot. When he turned her around his face suddenly shifted to surprise, and then pain as the taser struck him in the shoulder. He heard the van door open and felt his sagging body being dragged into the rear of the vehicle, and then the painful prick of something stabbing his thigh. By the time the engine started he passed out.

When he awoke he found himself in a small bedroom. It was furnished very simply, with a single sized bed, a small window with bars mounted on the exterior, and a bed side table. Looking all around he discovered no clues to his location, the time of day, or anything else. The bed side table drawer was empty, the top had just a plastic cup of water. The bed was simply a mattress, and metal frame screwed to the floor and wall, and under that was a light covering of dust. The flooring was hardwood, well aged and in desperate need of refinishing. The door was solid, as he pounded on it, probably an exterior door as it sported a deadbolt lock, with the key side facing him. The handle was also very solid, and although he still tried his best to twist and yank at it, there was no movement. He looked out the window but saw nothing, there seemed to be some form of barrier mounted past the bars, maybe painted plywood, or some form of dark acrylic, it was hard to tell. He continued looking around the room, surprised to find no power of any kind either. There was light coming from the ceiling, he supposed they were embedded light fixtures of some kind, but ti seemed like the entire ceiling was just lightly glowing.

While looking around he heard a voice coming from all around him. "Welcome Gregory."

"Who are you? Where am I? What do you want with me? Let me go!" he yelled.

The suddenness of the electric shocks passing through his body surprised him and reduced his yells from anything coherent to pain-filled screams.

"We will not heed any unnecessary chatter from you. Shut up and listen." replied the voice.

"You have been brought here as an opportunity to be rehabilitated. Your actions in life have brought nothing but pain and misery to everyone you have ever encountered. We considered having you brought before the criminal justice system, but the jails today are overcrowded and we believe that prison would be too good for you. So you are here instead. We believe our program will provide you with the tools you need to be better. To become a well-adjusted functioning member of society, and over time hopefully you can repay all the hurt and damage you have caused."

Gregory was still whimpering in pain from the shock he had endured. "You can't hold me here. It's illegal!" Any more that he intended to say was cut off by another shock to his system and more screams. Tears started streaming down his face from the pain and the muscles in his arms and legs locked up as his body shook. He could not figure out what was causing him all this pain, but he bound and determined to figure out how to make it stop and get out of this room as soon as he could.

"You don't learn very well do you." the voice said. Gregory felt a different sort of shock and collapsed where he was, blackness overtook him as he passed out.

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Comments

Interesting

No mention of a shock collar. Maybe something implanted? This could get quite entertaining.

An interesting start……..

D. Eden's picture

Very much looking forward to seeing where this goes next!

D. Eden

Dum Vivimus, Vivamus