literature

The Jigsaw Effect - Sample

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The Jigsaw Effect

Chapter 1:
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Its usual silvery sheen was now stained with a soft, ethereal, blue wash, cast by the bi-lunar presence that lingered overhead. Trapped within a strange, celestial dance, vast, swirling arms of dust and gas, illuminated by the surrounding bodies, twisted and encircled the small chunk of finely – polished steel, glorious in its verisimilitude. It wasn’t there. Not in everyone else’s eyes anyway. They were well enough informed to know that everything they saw was just an illusion; never the less, they continued to observe with a profound interest, remaining concealed around the edges, which were still blurred for the majority, with only certain sections presenting a clear image.
“Who’s there?” But an echo, the question resonated throughout the void surrounding, no clear origin, nor end; an eternal mantra, spanning out across the dark expanse that enveloped all it encountered. No reply ever came, though the inquiry was registered repeatedly with those lurking nearby. They just simply glanced to one another, rolling their metaphorical eyes and sighing gently, their breath causing the metal capsule to shudder under the turbulence.

“He doesn’t know, does he?”

”Of course not! How could he?”

”But – but you know what they’ve been saying…the others…”

”They have no say in the matter whatsoever. Their theories are all elaborate delusions, intended to hinder our progress.”

”Yes, but I can’t help but wonder – “

”A doubtful mind only increases the chances of anomalous results. Restrain yourself!”

”What of the ethical situation? Surely you’re aware of the uproar this…this intrusion would cause!”

”What of ethics? This - this thing isn’t included. It doesn’t count. It’s not as if it is alive!”

A long pause ensued, where the Observers conceded and began to continue their recordings, silently delighting in the way the moonlight reflected off the curvaceous faces of the metal as it persisted in its journey.

“He spoke to me, you know?”  This time, the confession was left unanswered.
”During the last moon, I heard him weeping.”
”Be quiet!”

“He did it the moon before…and the moon before that. I’ve developed a thesis –I really think you should -”

”Do you wish to be removed from your position, Theocles?”

“I…I just…”

“I’m relieving you of your duty for tonight, I’ve had enough of your ridiculous babble. Go home, and forget these preposterous notions of yours, or else I shall have you permanently excluded!”

A series of strobe-like flashes erupted from the surrounding spatial scenery, bathing the silvery capsule in a pale, sickly-yellow light that only seemed to add to its already unnerving presence. The two blue moons that had previously been watching now cowered and hid behind a veil of floating debris that had so conveniently been placed within reach of their orbit.

“Project DEUS re-commencing in five…four…three…two…one…engage.”

Darkness returned.

~

Dimensional. Emotional. Universal. Study.
That was what he’d signed up for – an investigation! Not this…not this – this abuse! This complete and utter disregard for life that positively shattered the Universal Consciousness Protection Convention; given, the subject wasn’t conscious during the study, but that was no excuse to take advantage of that fact! He was capable of conscious; that was clearly evident from his findings; it was just that no one else on the research team seemed to acknowledge this fact.
Doctor Theocles grudgingly forced himself from his Observation post, casting a deadly glance to his colleagues as he exited the DEUS Unit. Casting his lab coat upon the back of his seat, he began his speedy descent down the series of spiral staircases, oblivious to all else around him. He saw no need in paying attention to where he was going, as he’d completed the same journey at least six times a day for the past twenty years, and nothing had changed. Still the same, titanium-white walls, stainless steel doors, and the same translucent glass in the portholes that brought light into the otherwise barren cells behind each chunk of rectangular metal. The slightly acidic stench of disinfectant mingled with the oddly sweet scent of blue-ish concoction that filled the intravenous drips, hooked up to each subject, pumping a cocktail of mystery chemicals into their systems; he’d never been allowed to know the secrets behind the mixture, but Theocles was fairly certain that the company who supplied DEUS with it, had little or next to no idea what it did, or the potential side-effects it could induce. In effect, the entire unit wreaked of an odd, sickly smell, though those who had been working there for some duration hardly noticed it anymore.
Storming out of the building, the dismissed doctor made a bee-line towards his home, not once casting his eyes back to glance at the institution he’d been sent away from. He knew he was right, even if no one else cared, or believed, something bad would always come when people found the compulsion to “play God”.

~



Burning white-hot heat danced around and penetrated the capsule, and yet, he shivered; no amount of warmth would be able to put an end to the cold emptiness inside. There was an empty space inside his head where he was sure there should have been something, though it was so long ago, and his memories were wavering…how could he be sure of anything anymore? He didn’t know where he was, when he was, who he was- not even a name. Nothing to recall, nothing to call his own, nothing to console himself with. Just a dark, barren landscape stretching out before him where once had been a seemingly endless wall of icy silver…

“Subject Nine  is entering the next level of the subconscious. You are all aware of the reactions experienced by the other test subjects, and I urge you all to take the necessary precautions in order to avoid such incidents in the future…”


Deep purple skies faded into view, a thick, blanketing atmosphere above a plain of red-bladed grasses that seem to stretch to eternity, no horizon. Eyes wide, he gazed round in confusion, not daring to move, despite the odd sensation prickling throughout him, urging him to move in some way or another, like someone was trying to give his muscles a jump-start. Cautiously, knowing he was now free of his previous enclosure, he turned full-circle, trying to gauge the stretch of his new environment, but to no avail. His entire world now comprised of never-ending, disturbingly bright shades of red and purple, almost like the innards of some great beast that had been strewn unceremoniously upon the ground, and left to decay, with him trapped inside. Again, he turned, and upon seeing no difference, and no immediate danger, he dared.
Limbs heavy with fatigue, he managed to wrench his right foot from the grappling clutches of the knee-high grassy tendrils, warily leaning forward slightly in order to set it down again, just a foot ahead of where he’d originally been standing.

“Professor, the monitors are detecting some sort of anomaly, sir.”

”Continue with the study…”

“But, sir! The study has been breached!”

A tall, wiry man, clothed in a smart, navy suit, with his arms folded, looked down at Nine with a sympathetic expression. His hair was stylishly mussed, though compared to the Observer’s standards, he appeared to have been subjected to some amount of electrocution. Reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, he sighed softly and took hold of Nine’s shoulder.
“I knew you’d come for me…”
The suited man remained silent, yet there was a definite hint of a smile teasing at the corners of his mouth, his bright blue eyes twinkling with a certain knowing, wisdom beyond his years.


“Professor, we have to abort!”

“No!”

“If only to save our own lives, we need to escape! Subject Nine is gone...”


The laboratory erupted in a chorus of cries, both fearful and outraged. The table which had restrained Subject Nine now lay abandoned, the straps still buckled up to their highest point, electrodes left dangling pointlessly from their machines, with the odd turquoise-blue intravenous solution still pumping over the surface, dribbling and pooling onto the floor.

~

Theocles lay face down at the dining table, his head resting in something vaguely resembling mashed potato, as his entire body twitched uncontrollably, eyes rolled into the back of his head, creating a series of unnerving strangling noises as he struggled with himself to regain control. His normally electric-blue complexion had utterly drained of blood, leaving him a strange, grey-ish colour, whilst his three-fingered hands seemed to be suffering some sort of spasm, desperately grasping at the edge of the table in an attempt to pull himself back up again.
”Doctor! Doctor, wake up! Please! Help me!”
That voice…he’d heard it before, crying out to him in the night…so lonely…so frightened.
A pair of pale trembling hands took hold of his ears, wrenching his face out of his dinner…
Warning: Anyone caught stealing anything from this will have vital organs removed from them in a most agaonising way. If uncaught, I warn you now: Don't ever fall asleep.

This is a cut from my A Level English language coursework, and - not to sound evil or anything- any plagiarists will not be tolerated.


Anyway! On a brighter note... Just thought I'd share, seeing as I haven't posted up any of my prose yet.

If anyone wants a synopsis, just send me a note or comment.

Any reviews would be greatly appreciated.
© 2007 - 2024 spiritofthebeast
Comments2
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DarkSideCookies's avatar
I value my vital organs and sleep so no piece of this shall be stolen :l

But doode...that’s brilliant! really like the flow in the writing and the description is highly proficient, jolly good, well done.

Though have to admit, in a matter of at least some criticism, I couldn’t really get into what the story is about. Its like watching a film from the middle onwards.

But, that’s just be having a short attention span :P bet this got good marks.