4 Part One: Oblivion | 4. Montgomery House

I woke up to my entire body aching as though I had been hit by a truck. Opening my eyes took more effort than it ever had and my eyelids felt like sandpaper. I reached for my phone to check the time, but all I found was pain shooting up my arms as I struggled to move them from behind my back. Something pinched the more I struggled.

I blinked my eyes several times to focus on my surroundings. I wasn't at home in my bed like I thought. I was on a pile of hay behind iron bars in some unknown place I never saw before. I discovered both my wrists and ankles were bound with black zip ties. I felt tape pull at my lips when I tried to part them.

The sound of movement brought my attention to my neighbor in the cage across from me. I scooted on my bottom trying to get a better look at them. My stomach twisted recognizing the silver ankle chain with half a heart hanging from it.

My neighbor was Jessica.

She was trying to slip her own zip ties, her cheeks stained with thick black smudges from her running mascara as she cried helplessly. I tried to make a sound but the tape kept me quiet along with my dry throat. She wouldn't look up. I banged my heel against the cage. That got her attention.

Her blue eyes went wide seeing me sitting there. They softened and flooded with tears. She sobbed, pressing herself against the bars as if we might somehow reach the ten feet between us despite being bound. I wanted to blame her for this, but it wasn't entirely her fault.

A door opened somewhere out of sight and we looked at each other in terror. It could only be our captor coming to check on us. Jessica was visibly shaking as heavy footsteps slowly approached where we were, but we couldn't see who it was.

The man that stepped out looked like an older version of Simon, if not a little more country with his flannel shirt and faded, dirty jeans. A pair of steel toe boots completed the look. He was huge like Elijah, built heavy with muscles I bet worked and weren't at all for show. He wiped his hands on his jeans and stepped toward us.

"Good morning ladies. You slept well, I trust," he said as if we weren't bound and gagged prisoners. We both tried to talk but the tape just made the words unintelligible noise. He held up a hand to silence us and Jessica looked furious. "I won't remove the tape until you can both cease with begging and crying. It irritates me to listen to it. So, for the first week, you will both be mute. If you are well behaved, perhaps you will be granted permission to speak again. Now, I know you're both wondering why you're here. That's very simple. You are in our community because you have been chosen as wives for a couple of the young men here. You are in these cages here because neither of you are ready to be part of our community, but that will change during your stay here at Montgomery House.

"We have rules here, ladies. Especially while you are in training here at Montgomery House. There will be no fornication with your betrothed, whatsoever before your wedding ceremony. There will be no use of foul language. Attendance at spiritual meetings is mandatory. Confession is mandatory. Examinations are mandatory. You eat every bite of every meal or you will starve the following day until you learn to be grateful and not wasteful with what the community provides for you. Failure to abide by these rules will result in punishment. The punishment will always for the crime and be at our discretion until you are married, then you will be your husband's responsibility.

"Both of you face the back wall and do not move until you are told to," he ordered and for some reason, I immediately listened. I honestly didn't want to find out what he meant by punishment.

Jessica, on the other hand, didn't comply. She glared at the man defiantly and refused to do as she was told. Of all times for her to be stubborn, now truly was not a wise choice. We were at this stranger's complete mercy, and yet she leveled her chin and glared daggers at him. I admired her courage and wished I had even half of it.

"You really want to start this way, Jessica?" he asked her. The fact he knew her name threw her off. She lost some of her confidence and fear resurfaced. "One last time, face the back wall and do not move until you are told."

Reluctantly, she turned her back to him and stared at the back wall. I heard a key turn over one of the locks and felt my heart rate go up anticipating it to have been my cage that was unlocked. I heard shuffling and muffled yelling, I couldn't help but look over my shoulder.

He had unlocked Jessica's cage and was now holding her up off the ground as she thrashed and kicked. My eyes widened watching her react so violently despite being utterly helpless against someone much larger and stronger than the both of us combined. I had never seen this side of her before, I guess her instinct was to fight, unlike me.

"I promise you will get tired before I do," he told her, but she didn't stop trying to fight him.

I watched as he carried her like a toddler throwing a tantrum to a metal table a few feet from our cages, almost out of sight. All I could see of her was the waist down as he dumped her unceremoniously onto the table. One at a time, he restrained her limbs to the table and tossed the cut zip ties aside.

Her restraints rattled as she struggled and I saw him circling the table, his shadow giving him away when he stepped out of plain sight. I couldn't help wondering what was going to happen next, especially after how she fought. But he continued circling her, like a predator with prey.

I could see her feet trembling after a few minutes of silence and his circling. She struggled against the restraints, the sound of metal grating metal echoed through the otherwise quiet building we were in. I wished she wouldn't fight. It seemed like we were in more danger of we didn't do as the stranger said.

A door creaking open wrenched me from my thoughts and I pressed against the bars trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening. The man stopped circling the table, his shadow stretching long across the dirty wooden floor beside the table where Jessica laid. Whatever he had been waiting for was here now. All I could hear was my heartbeat in my ears as another shadow slowly moved across the floor toward the stranger and Jessica. My primary fear was that I was about to watch my best friend be murdered.

"Oh, good, you're finally here. We've got two. This one wants to be trouble so she will go first," I overheard the stranger tell the newcomer.

"Two? That is a surprise. Eliza, my love, will you take notes for me?" The newcomer revealed himself to be another strange man. Although he had a pleasant time to his voice. Like the doctor you always liked going to see even if it meant shots because he was so kind.

"Of course, darling," a feminine voice replied.

I couldn't see what was happening, everything but Jessica's feet were out of my view. She was quivering in fear and I didn't blame her. These people were holding us captive, very probably insane, and even more likely they would kill us. We had seen the strange man's face, after all.

"Which bag is hers?" the doctor's voice cut through my swirling thoughts. I heard shuffling before hearing a snap that I knew was the front closure of Jessica's clutch purse. "Patient name: Jessica Marie Cartwright. Age: eighteen. Birthdate: January seventh. Height: five feet and five inches. Weight: one hundred pounds. More likely she's about one hundred and fifteen. Eye color: blue. Hair color: black.

"She has been on progesterone pill birth control, so we'll be doing an in depth pelvic exam. Muscles are firm, well shaped and toned. You are very good at taking care of yourself, Miss Cartwright. No fever, no sores or open wounds, no visible signs of drug abuse. Lungs and heart are top notch, albeit working overtime from fear at this moment. Blood pressure is where it should be given the circumstances. My initial examination is that she is a healthy young lady, despite her pretending not to be." I saw the shadow move on the floor, but he was careful never to step into my line of sight.

"Eliza, prep her for the exam, please," he said and the larger pair of shadows disappeared out of sight leaving the smaller shadow of the woman called Eliza.

"Hush now, don't cry. You will be fine, it's just an exam being performed by a doctor. I'm sure you have done this before in some sterile, cold office building. Now, be still and don't fight. Everything will go much smoother and easier if you behave how we say." Jessica thrashed on the table and I wondered why, I couldn't see what the woman was doing. Her shadow looked like she was only standing there, so why was Jessica struggling again?

"I'm not going to kill you. This is going to help you relax, otherwise the exam is going to hurt. And it will come as a surprise, but we do not wish to harm you. Now, now, fight all you want, these are asylum restraints and I'm well trained to deal with difficult patients. There we go, a little Diazepam will make it all better. Just breathe, Miss Cartwright, just breathe."

The door creaked open again, the pair of large men returning to the table. Jessica's feet were still trembling some but she seemed to have lost all will to fight them. The table moved, I realized they were turning it around and it squealed as they did so.

"I'm going to need to oil this table," the strange man from before commented before his shadow disappeared.

"Relax, Miss Cartwright," the woman said softly.

I whimpered helplessly as Jessica's head slowly rolled in my direction. Her eyes were glassy, but dilated with fear. Tears streaked her cheeks and I could hear them moving her legs. The most she could struggle was lifting her shoulder and wiggling. I saw a manicured hand pat Jessica's shoulder, the nails were blood red and filed into points. Almost like claws.

It felt like hours went by. All we could do was stare at each other. I didn't want to imagine what they were doing. The longer Jessica laid there, the weaker she became. She was reduced to sobbing and rolling her head, the rest of her body seemed to have simply given up.

"All right, they will be happy with these results. You did good, Miss Cartwright. Now, Eliza is going to help you back to your room," the man who sounded like a doctor said.

I held my breath hearing the restraints rattling as they released her. I thought for sure she would fight, instead Jessica walked gingerly toward her cage. The red nailed hand extended into a complete woman.

Her golden hair was pulled up into a black clip, her face reminded me of a porcelain doll, complete with wide, bright blue eyes. She wore a white doctor's coat over a red dress that matched her nails and a pair of expensive black pumps. Resting on the bridge of her nose were a pair of half moon glasses in dark wire frames.

She glanced my way with a sinister smile as she helped Jessica into the cage across from me. I couldn't look away. My best friend looked so defeated as the woman called Eliza laid her down on the hay pallet and turned her full attention to me. My blood turned to ice where I stood. That was not an expression anyone ever wanted to see on the face of a doctor.

She walked over to the bars, speaking softly, "Weren't you told to face the back wall until told otherwise?"

My heart pounded in my chest and I spun around to face the wall again. I heard the door to Jessica's cage open, then close and lock. The key entered the lock on my cage and I felt my whole body begin trembling. I shut my eyes tight and locked my knees to remain standing.

I screamed when I felt a hand on my arm and the woman's nails dug in before she pulled me around. I stumbled the entire way. My ankles being bound made it impossible to keep up with her strides. Every time I started to fall she caught my weight and forced me back up. The table felt miles away and my ankles burned by the time we arrived.

She hauled me up onto the table with frightening ease, pushing my shoulders down and one by one restraining my limbs until I was spread out. The woman circled the table and I shut my eyes tight again. I just wanted it to be over. I wanted to wake up in my bed and find this all to be a nightmare.

"Open your eyes," she ordered and I obeyed. The men were behind her. The man from before and the man I guessed sounded like a doctor. The doctor looked as friendly as he sounded, his dark auburn hair fell toward his ears, his dark blue eyes soft behind thick, black rimmed glasses. He had a moustache that complimented his features, and wore a white lab coat over his button down shirt and slacks with shiny black shoes.

"Miss Delaney, is it?" Doc asked me and I nodded slowly. "I have a very important question to ask you and I need a verbal answer, this means I must remove the tape. If you scream or start begging, you will be punished. Do you understand?"

Hot tears fell down my cheeks as I nodded. He ripped the duct tape free and I took in a gulp of air which turned into a sob. I wanted to scream and shout and beg. I wanted to know what was going on. Instead, I cried like a frightened child.

The doctor cleared hiss throat after a few moments, "Miss Delaney."

I looked over at him, biting my lip to quiet down. He spoke carefully, "How many of these pills did you take?"

I had lost track, to be honest. "The bottle was full when I took it."

"And you took that amount in one day?"

"Yes, starting at about eight thirty last night," I told him.

He nodded thoughtfully. "Is this a common habit of yours?"

I looked away, "I'm not an addict, if that's what you're asking."

"Then what are you?"

"Self-destructive, I believe is the term."

He looked me up and down before shaking his head, disappointment written in the lines of his face. "Unfortunate, but treatable. One last question, are you on birth control?"

I shook my head, "My parents would never allow it."

With that reply a new piece of tape came over my mouth, the woman smoothing her fingers along the contours of my lips. She smiled that sinister smile, "Thank you for your honest answers. Dearest, will we need another sedative?"

The doctor nodded as he moved out of my view, "Prep her for the exam, we'll work on the file while it's taking effect."

I felt a pinch on my thigh and a subtle burning sensation, then it was over. They were back to talking like they had done with Jessica.

"Patient name: Megan April Delaney. Age: seventeen. Birthdate: August twentieth. Height: five feet and seven inches. Weight: one hundred and twenty-five pounds. Eye color: hazel. Hair color: auburn.

"She is not currently on any type of birth control. Muscles are somewhat lacking, due to lack of use. Self-destructive tendencies to be monitored and treated as necessary. Otherwise she is healthy.

"Now, the pelvic exam," he said as he pulled on a pair of latex gloves.

I could hear them speaking quietly as they moved my legs into place. Whatever they injected me with made my limbs heavy and I couldn't fight them. I knew how Jessica felt now.

Totally exposed.

I sobbed softly as they continued looking and feeling around. I had never been so uncomfortable and helpless. They set my legs back down without commentary. Eliza lifted me off the table and into the floor. I numbly shuffled back to the makeshift bed and laid down.

The man from earlier entered, binding my ankles once again and putting my wrists in front of me. I heard the door shut and lock. They left us there. Curled up in feral positions sobbing until the medication they gave us and stress forced our bodies to submit to sleep.

The lock on the door turned over, the metal squealing as it was pulled open. I didn't have the strength to move. Instead, I looked at the person who entered. She looked our age. Her pale blonde hair fell in spiral curls passed her shoulders, her emerald green eyes glassy and empty. She had a tray in her hands, which she sat beside my bed on the floor.

She noticed I was awake and her eyes filled with empathy. She knelt down beside me, "Just do what they tell you, even if you don't want to. Do it. You don't want to be in here any longer than you have to be."

I moaned into the tape and reached up to rip it off. "Where are we? What's going on?"

She looked around suspiciously before whispering, "It's called Northern Heavens. There are nicer places than this here."

"What is this place?"

"Montgomery House."

"What's that mean?" I asked, still thoroughly confused.

She looked around again, afraid she would be caught probably. "This is where they bring the new spouses for training. Listen, just do what they tell you. I have to go back before Simon comes looking for me."

I was surprised to hear a familiar name, "Simon is here?"

She nodded and stood up, "Of course he is, this is our home."

"Our?"

"Simon is my husband," she said as she hurried to the door and shut it. She locked it back and set a second tray down in Jessica's cage. Without delay, she locked Jessica's cage and rushed out the door.

I lifted the lid on the tray and found food beneath as well as some water. I wasn't sure if I should trust it. Then again, why drug me when I'm already a prisoner. They seemed to care about such things as well. My stomach growled at the idea of food.

I looked over at Jessica. She had rolled over and ignored the meal. I didn't know if I had as much willpower to starve myself like she did. I wondered if I should listen to that girl. She had more freedom, perhaps she knew what she was talking about. I couldn't be sure and I was too tired to keep thinking. I curled up and went back to sleep.

Please, let this all be a nightmare.