The Test

Now is your test, my dear, said the Iron Bitch with an icy smile. Cut bit the inside of his mouth. Are you ready?

No.

Are you prepared, at all? Her eyes narrowed. The other people at the table stared blankly at him.

Cut shifted uncomfortably. He glanced at Nny, who only glared at the Iron Bitch in hatred. No, I am not.

She turned and faced the table. Should he attempt, and the failure will be a lesson? Everyone nodded slowly.

It must be done, said Sparta. Do not fear, Cut. Failing and learning are nearly the same. You will be better off because of it.

At her gentle words he nodded.

The Iron Bitch smiled, and for the first time, it was a genuine evil smile, not the usual cold pull of lips over ivory teeth. She's going to enjoy this, thought Johnny. Whatever she's going to do, she's been looking forward to it. I hate her!

Cut saw the smile. Um-

This is your first test. We already know you're going to fail-

That's it, thought Nny, encourage him.

-but you will be strong. Clear your mind. Breathe. Feel your breathing leave you, and your heartbeat leave you. Feel your life become controlled, utterly, by a single want. You want to be clean.

He'd closed his eyes, but he nodded.

The Iron Bitch waited until he seemed calm. His breaths came, slow and deep, calm and focused. How do you feel?

Empty. Enlightened. Cold, he said monotonously.

Very good. Open your eyes.

He did. They seemed unfocused, unlike the rest of his body.

The Iron Bitch held out her arms. Come here, she said. Nny's jaw almost dropped. Her voice was without a shard of ice. It was warm and loving. It was... no. Couldn't be.

Cut obeyed, walking slowly to her. She placed his hands on her waist. How do you feel?

His eye muscles twitched. Slightly compromised.

Control, she said. He nodded. What do you want?

To be... clean. Nny saw his fingers dig into the Iron Bitch's sides.

She either ignored it, or didn't feel it. Good, the word came out lush and slightly risqué. The Iron Bitch slowly ran her hands up his arms. She completely transformed, exuding an exciting tenderness Nny could taste from where he sat. Her face brightened from within, giving her skin a glowing, honeyed hue. Her eyes softened and sparkled. Cut breathed in sharply as she touched his face. Tilting her head, she whispered, how do you feel?

I dunno. Nny could see he was afraid to tell the truth. She stroked his face slowly, watching him. You're so beautiful, he said.

Gag, thought Nny.

What do you want? she asked, her soft lips millimeters from his. He breathed heavily, shaking all over.

You, he said, and kissed her fiercely. He tightened his arms around her. Sparta gasped, and even Chance's eyes cracked open a bit wider.
Holy shit, he's dead, thought Nny.

As he watched, all the warmth and life dove back into the Iron Bitch. Her eyes froze over, widened, and she ripped him away from her.

Failure! she screamed. All her evilness was restored. The Iron Bitch's eyes flashed their horrible coldness.

No! I need you! Cut cried.

Pathetic! she kicked him, and he went down. She kicked him over and over, until he clung to her long legs, sobbing. Slender tossed her a baseball bat, and the Iron Bitch smashed him over the head. Failure! You have failed! Your feelings are vile and corrupted! They are wrong. You have failed. It is your fault alone you feel this pain!

For fuck's sake! screamed Johnny. You're going to kill him!

The Iron Bitch ignored him. The bat froze in midair. What do you feel? she demanded.

Cut sobbed. Pain. He wiped his face repeatedly with the back of his hand.

And what do you want?

He paused. Carefully he looked up, bruises forming over recent cuts. To get away from you.

What? The Iron Bitch looked down at him in disbelief.

I said, Cut stood up and grabbed the bat from her, to get away from you. His sonorous, velvet voice rose. You are a fucking psychotic bitch! All your training, all your intelligence, that's real. But the shit you pull? These tests? He raged, his eyes sparking. The Iron Bitch backed away a little. What the hell is the point of testing a student who isn't ready? To make him hate you? Good fucking idea! The bat swung down and made a horrible cracking noise upon impact with her skull.

Everyone at the table stood up.

Don't you fuckers move! screamed Cut wildly, or she dies. He kicked her limp form to the floor. After he was sure no one would disobey, he ran backwards to where Nny sat. Get up, Johnny, he said, cutting the restraints and prying the glue apart with a knife he pulled from his belt. Get up, get up.

I'm up. Johnny stretched his arms and grinned.

***

Where the hell have you been?

Shut up, Meat, Nny panted. He'd run all the way back to the house.
What happened to your hand? Meat asked, jumping off the couch towards Nny. Is that yours? He pointed to Nny's shirt, which had way too much blood on it to have come from one person. It squelched in his shoes, tracking his path in crimson.

Johnny sank to the floor, hyperventilating. Iron Bitch... spider... he could barely talk. The stench of the shirt was overwhelming, and it stuck to him, slowly congealing. He peeled it off and threw it out a broken window. He coughed, trying to undo the buckles of his boots.

What? What the hell? Keep yer clothes on! Meat implored.

Nny grabbed the little chubby thing and shook him like the maniac he was. These crazy fucks... no emotion... crazy- he gasped, his eyes wide and augmented by streaks of blood.

Woah, put me down! Meat shouted. Nny did. Now, just calm down. Breathe. Relax. Take a bath.

No way! screamed Nny, throwing himself from the floor. Exuberant, he kicked off the soggy boots and put on his favorite cd. There's no way I'm sitting down for a second! He spun a dial on the cd player.

What? Meat covered his ears with his hands. It's too loud! What?

The house shook. Violins and cellos roared through the foundation under a steady tide of booming drums. Nny danced and laughed all night long until, exhausted and happy, he dropped straight to the floor. He didn't wake up for three days.

***

I think I'd celebrate getting away by blasting music and dancing all night, too. Thanks for reading!

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