Relato Corto Blog Fiction

In pieces

I

Where am I? Steven wondered when he regained consciousness. But he didn’t remember how he got there. He studied the room from one side to the other, but the darkness made it almost impossible to distinguish objects at a close distance. So, he got up, straining to move his body, something seemed different.

Steven managed to take a couple of steps before he was out of breath, struggling to take one more, and a cold pain forced him to hold his right arm in front of his chest. His sense of touch seemed different, somehow. What is happening to me? he thought, feeling his head spin. Eventually, he also lost the strength of his left arm, forcing him to dangle his arms.

For some reason, everything seemed numbed, even his thoughts. He opened his mouth once he noticed his dry lips and heard the snap of a joint in his jaw. I have to get out of here, he thought, forcing himself to take another step. Steven struggled against a force that kept him from moving, he felt as if something was holding him down—turning his steps into an almost impossible task.

Eventually, Steven reached a piece of furniture against a wall, he placed his hands over its surface, but it felt like touching cotton. How is it possible? he thought, trying to grab an object. It was impossible, his clumsy hands stumbled on all the instruments over the wooden board. Steven lowered his gaze, but the darkness didn’t allow him to even see the floor.

There must be a door, he thought, walking again. Moving slowly while losing his balance with each step—walking without a clue where he was going. Come on, a little more.

In reality, Steven didn’t know how far he had to walk, or how long it would take him to find a door. The effects of the drugs keeped his mind and body numb. After a couple of steps, what little strength he had left extinguished—Steven lost his balance and fell.

It seems as an eternity until he reached the ground, and lost consciousness as soon as his head hitted the ground.

“What are you doing?” ask Tyler when he entered the lab. “And now, how am I going to get you up to bed? You’re supposed to be resting.”

Tyler took Steven by the right shoulder. “I’m going to need a little help,” he said, trying to lift his patient.

Steven regained consciousness, pushing himself up with his left arm.

“Where am I?” Steven asked with difficulty, his words slow due to the limited movements of his mouth.

“You can talk!” Tyler said in surprise, helping Steven to his feet. “Don’t waste any more energy. You’re in my laboratory, the experiment was a success.”

Steven stud with the help of the doctor. “Where am I?” he asked again.

Tyler looked at him in disappointment. “Looks like your ears aren’t working yet. COME WITH ME.”

Steven was surprised by the sound. It came differently from what he remembered. But he could only walk wherever the man led him.

Tyler managed to position Steven next to the bed where he conducted the experiment, then pushed him back to have him sit down. “YOU NEED SOME REST.”

Steven’s sight began to improve, the light in the room was no longer blinding. Little by little he became aware of the surgical devices and instruments in the room, while Tyler struggled to force him to lie down.

“It seems you got your strength back,” Tyler said. “You better …”

“What did you do to me?” Steven said, grabbing the white-coated scientist by the neck. And he noticed for the first time that his arm didn’t look as he remembered. Then, he turned to see his left arm and noticed it was different from his other one. His legs were also strange, and he noticed that his body was filled with cuts and stitches.

Tyler tried uselessly to free himself and breathe.

“I asked you a question,” Steven said, lifting the scientist with ease. Then he threw him against a wall. “What happened to me?”

But Tyler ran out of the laboratory.

Steven got up again, and found a mirror on the wall. He hurried to look at his reflection. “NO…” his scream was heard throughout the castle—Steven couldn’t recognize any part of his body.

About the author

Sebastián Iturralde

Writer of enigmatic tales, weaving captivating narratives that provoke thought and stir the imagination. Unveiling the depths of human experience through words.

25 comments

Relato Corto Blog Fiction

About Author

Sebastián Iturralde

Writer of enigmatic tales, weaving captivating narratives that provoke thought and stir the imagination. Unveiling the depths of human experience through words.