Bell felt for the door knob. She jiggled it. She was locked in a small empty closet. There wasn't even enough room to lie down. She leaned against the door and remembered how the Author behaved shortly before his death, 'He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.' She hoped she could be half as brave.

Suddenly the door opened and Bell fell sprawled backwards onto the floor. A strong man grabbed her around the waist and covered her mouth with his giant meaty hand. He whisked her out of the laboratory and down a long corridor. He opened and closed a series of three doors and plopped Bell down on a table. He whispered, "Don't move girlie."

Of course Bell didn't understand. She couldn't hear the man. She sat shivering on the metal table trying not to imagine the worst.

The beefy man threw clothes at Bell and briskly said, "Quick change clothes."

Again Bell did not grasp his intentions and allowed the clothes to lay untouched on her lap.

As the man peeked out the door he ordered, "Quick, girlie change dress! I no look."

Bell sensed the giant man didn't realize her limitations and she took a chance to explain. "Sir, I'm not sure what's going on here... You see I'm both blind and deaf. You will need to spell what you want on my hand. However if it is something deplorable I must warn you I'll not cooperate in the least." She held out her hand for spelling purposes.

The man grunted at his own stupidity. He couldn't spell a word. He had no time to try and explain his illiteracy to this young woman. He grabbed at her dress and began pulling it off of her.

Sensing danger Bell stood up on the metal table and kicked him square in the chin. She felt for the edge of the table, jumped down and began feeling for an exit.

"Stop girlie!" Once again the large man easily clutched Bell and covered her nose and mouth. He didn't realize his own strength and was suffocating her.

Bell choked and gasped for air. She believed she was about to die. This is it. I'm about to see my glorious vision face to face.

The burly man uncovered Bell's nose and stroked her hair to calm her down. He thought Bell was even prettier than the other two girls he'd let out. His affection only sent Bell into a shrieking frenzy. Dying was one thing but being manhandled beforehand was another. There was no way she was dying and being molested on the same day. Her claws came out and she left four even blood streaks across the man's face.

He winced and walked away. "Why you hurt me? I not hurt you." The big man touched his cheek. When he saw blood on his hand he cried like the little boy he was.

The over-sized man was highly functional developmentally disabled. He had come into Fat Camp a few months ago but and had found favor in the attendants sight. They kept him around for his muscle and to do the dirty jobs. His least favorite task was cleaning up blood. He was terrified of blood but as long as they fed him he did as he was told. He would do just about anything for a cracker. The workers knew if ever he got out of hand they could shoot him and then use him for the purpose intended. They even joked he could feed an entire regiment with is massive body. He had the mentality of a five year old but the strength of ten men.

Yesterday morning Henry found a piece of cake outside Bell's cage. He looked around to make sure no one was watching then he popped it into his mouth. Never in his life had he tasted blueberries. His body craved this brain food and his taste buds had been forever changed. In his limited capacity he imagined the pretty girl to be a magical fairy who made the cake appear. Now he would follow her anywhere.

Bell continued to feel her way around the room. She bumped into a swivel chair, knocked over a trashcan and a fell over a desk before fumbling to the exit. Henry admired her resolve but he couldn't allow her to get away. He'd lose his job and possibly his life if they found out he'd let another specimen go. They had no proof of the first two girls. Henry claimed he went to feed cage number four and the girls were already gone. Lying to his superiors, he blamed the guys on bath patrol. He said, "Uh... maybe they left the cage unlocked?" Since Henry was simple, and they couldn't prove anything, they dropped the matter but still harbored suspicions. Locking Bell a small utility closet in the laboratory had been their short term solution to the vanishing girls.

Bell was three steps out the door when her kidnapper grabbed her golden locks, pulled her back inside and bolted the door. As if playing Pin the Tale on the Donkey he spun her round and round so she would lose her bearings. Once dizzy she fell to the ground. As the man forcibly disrobed her she sobbed the entire time.

—-

"Come on Grace! We've got at least 11 miles to go." Speed lived up to his name and was at least twenty paces ahead of his partner.

"You go on ahead. I think I'd better head back to Fat Camp. My master is in danger."

"Of course she's in danger." Speed trotted back to Grace. "She's about to become people food."

Grace put his head over Speed's neck pinning him. He gave a low guttural growl. "Must you always make jokes? I liked it better when you just barked."

Speed pulled away. "I'm sorry... Look if you feel strongly about it I'll go back with you."

"No, you high tail it to Woodsburgh and get started on our new task. I'll catch up with you. Remember the woman you are searching for is Marina Woods."

Speed was impressed. "She must be pretty powerful woman, having a whole town named after her."

"Must be!" Grace turned around in the dirt and sprinted back to Fat Camp.

As Speed was about to take off in the opposite direction a giant brown beast blocked his path and roared, "Just where do you think you're going dog?"

"None of your business beast. Now get outta my way before I pee on your leg." Speed lifted his leg.

The beast called his bluff. "You think I'm scared of a little pee? Just smell me!" He lifted his hairy arms and roared a mighty roar. His breath and his body stank like rotting fish.

Speed backed off. "Well I'm not gonna be an easy meal if that's what you're after. I warn you I'll tear you up before you kill me."

The beast laughed.

"What's so funny?" Speed wondered why everyone always laughed at him, especially when he wasn't trying to be funny.

"For one thing you fight with your pee and another thing...you let me know if we were to fight you'd automatically be the one to die."

"Well look at the size of you. No doubt you want me for a midnight snack!" Speed backed up a few feet.

The beast followed him. "Who said anything about eating you? Why is it everyone I meet thinks I wanna eat them? That's rather presumptuous don't you think?" The beast sat down on the ground with a hmph causing a cloud of dust to rise up.

"I guess..." Speed hung his head in submission and inched closer. "But you do look rather ferocious."

"My curse..." sighed the beast.

Cautiously Speed sniffed the beast. "If you don't want to eat me, what is it you do want?"

"A friend... I'm Lonely."

-End of Chapter 13-

Author's note:
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