Page 24 of Milk & Malice: Vadik

???

I was numb when he put me back in bed. He talked. Soothed. Coaxed. Calmed.

My tears were gone, along with my mind.

I stared at the wooden beams, blinking slowly. One. Two. Three.

His face tried to block my path, but I stared through him.

He called my name.

But that wasn’t me anymore.

He lifted my eyelid and flashed a bright white light.

I was proud that I didn’t flinch.

Didn’t move.

Didn’t think.

I closed my eyes.

Sleep.

???

He came and he went.

Poked and prodded my limbs.

Horns.

Sucked and touched.

I didn’t respond.

I didn’t care.

Day, night, week or month.

Drugs. Pain.

Nothing mattered.

I was no longer human.

Chapter 10

Vadik

I hadn’t accounted for dissociation to this degree. I anticipated resistance. Tears. Even a suicide attempt. But this was…vacant. A limp puppet who blinked on command and drooled during stimulation.

Unacceptable.

Still, while she floated somewhere behind her eyes, I made use of the time. I re-read a few case studies on trauma-induced catatonia and dissociative stupor. Refreshed my memory with some monographs. Efficient. Necessary.

And during that window, I installed her tail.