A Dream...

...Of Madness

By Mr. David R. Dorrycott

the usual suspects copyright Mr. Simon Barber

Maria Inconnutia fell into her nest, exhausted after the days exertions. It felt to the Italian bovine as though their instructors were trying to kill them sometimes. It had been more than a hard day, it had been a hard spine cracking four long days with no end in sight. She hardly felt the soft grass of her nest enfold her, for nest it was. A hole dug into the soft earth and wonders of wonders, she had managed to line it with fresh soft pili grass. ‘Heteropogon contortus’ her mind provided from some obscure corner. ‘Getting as bad as Alpha Rote’ she thought, even as she fell asleep. It was a thought that would rule her dream that night.

It was a dream, but to Maria it was real. She was on Cranium Island, helping to hunt the witches fragment. ‘Witches’ Maria thought, ‘My best friends are studying the local religion. I can not call them witches. I must find another word.’ It was just eleven fifty in the evening. She and the Chicagoan gun moll Molly Procyk, who was in truth now a trusted friend, had just taken over guard duty from Amelia and Helen. It was a heavy night, with a heavy looking full moon low in the sky. It felt like no night that she could remember.

Minutes later something just outside her view whined. It sounded much like a little puppy a friend had once had. It had been found lost in the dark and frightened, just as this one seemed to be. Though the native woman Saimmi had warned them all, still the sound of a tiny puppy pulled at the Italian’s heart. Motioning to Molly to keep watch of her she withdrew her own weapon, her crucifix hanging in the open from her neck. To Maria it was better protection from ‘ghosts’ that her firearm. Taking one step out from the caves mouth she checked first above her, then to each side. Songmark trained its students well, but this was one trap not even Songmark yet trained against. As she moved into the open a puppy stumbled into sight, its fur grey against the moonlight, one paw held up as it tried to move among the stones. Kneeling down Maria reached out to pick up the injured creature.

It was over before Maria could react. Abruptly she was high in the air, then a cracking roar that could only be Amelia’s T-Gew filled Maria’s ears as some great thing lifted her up. Up high above the ground. So high that she knew if it let go, her broken body would be found in the morning. She had one glance downwards before she was carried away. Another huge shadowy creature was reaching towards the cave. Towards Molly who fired again. Amelia’s T-Gew making a long tongue of white flame in the darkness. The doe must have changed rounds as her next shot released a brilliant flash that lit up the landscape, hurting Maria’s eyes even this far away. Incendiary round she realized as her heart nearly stopped. For there were hundreds of impossible shapes upon the ground the bovine realized. Then she saw no more of her friends. Her last memory was of some gibbering laughter as her twice blessed crucifix was torn from her. Twisted and ruined just inches from her eyes, finally discarded as though a worthless lump of wax. Mercifully she passed out not seconds later as a great pressure made as if to squeeze her body in the exact same manner.

She woke within a cage, alone and naked. From what she could see it was still night, though which night she had no hint. Any movement she discovered resulted in her body screaming its wounds. Even fighting her pain a careful search of her person proved that her most carefully hidden items were also missing. Every last one. Finally a sound caught her attention. Turning her head slowly so as to not induce dizziness she found herself looking at two figures. Both were minks, one male, one female.

“And what should we do with this new animal dear Sara” the male asked. There was no emotion in that voice. When he said animal Maria knew from his tone two things. That he was referring to her, and that to him at least, she was nothing but an mindless animal.

The smaller woman, and younger from her voice, seemed to ponder that question quite seriously. She was carrying a clipboard Maria noted, but the welding glasses over her eyes made deducing anything really important impossible. “There are but three choices father” the mink finally decided. “As your Orscalator is under modification it cannot be considered. You may waste her as food for your flytraps. You may turn her over to the Guardian, it has been asking for another soul Titto has mentioned. Your last, and in my opinion best choice is the Morris. It has been a year since you last gave it a female, and as I recall you have been trying to determine if it is cross-compatible.”

Leaning in towards the cell that older mink studied Maria as if she were nothing more than a side of beef. “Humm. Healthy. Intelligent, in its own way. You are right Sarah. To use such an animal as plant food would be a serious waste. Yes. Yes. It will be the Morris then. Have the cart brought. We will see what the Morris thinks of this. Will it be eaten like the last three, or finally accepted. As none have yet been.”

The two then turned away, and to Maria’s horror they started talking about her friends as though they were nothing but animals too. She stood, wondering why she hadn’t thought to while the two were watching her. Not modesty certainly. What had it been then she wondered, that kept her from acting. Fear perhaps? That was an option she could not quite ignore. Not yet. Now that the two were gone she quickly began studying her cell, searching for a way out, or at least a weapon. Time certainly was not on her side, and though she was functioning the bovine knew that shock was no more than a heartbeat away. Should she lower her guard even a moment. Perhaps even madness.

Eventually another sound caught Maria’s attention. The normal everyday sound of boots on stone. Stepping to the cell’s center she prepared to defend herself. Certainly no simple assistant could defeat her in unarmed combat, so when the two hamsters came into sight Maria almost laughed. Though obviously strong, neither one appeared even half a challenge to her. It was what they guided between them that caught the Italian’s interest. A platform, large enough to carry even her, floated nearly soundlessly just three feet above the ground. To her gaze it looked to be a foot or so thick and emitted a humming noise, but nothing else. They stopped in from of the cages door, studying Maria from a safe distance.

“She’s magnificent” the leftmost hamster observed. “Such a waste, giving her to the Morris.”

“I agree brother” the second hamster answered. “Would that the good Doctor have given her to us. Perhaps as a bonus for work well done. It has been months since the native girl was ours, and she did not last that long either.”

The first hamster laughed. “And if he did, do you think that he would get a single moments work from us again. At least not until she too wore out? No brother, it is the best way, and there are more women coming. Though they are headed towards Doctor Blum’s tunnel. Maybe we could trade her for that doe. Now there is a looker. A few hours adjustment in the Brain Scanner would make her the perfect pet.”

What irritated Maria the most was that both males were acting as if she were nothing. Just meat on the plate, ready and willing to be lead to her doom. “All right runts” she snapped. “Come in here and find out what kind of woman I am.”

“It still speaks” the first hamster noted. “Its mind is stronger than most. How interesting. I must report this to the good doctor when we are done.”

“Not for long brother” the second hamster noted. “Not after the Morris takes it.” He turned and walked out of Maria’s sight. A moment later her body collapsed to the hard floor, she found that she couldn’t even close her eyes. “Better now?” the first hamster asked from somewhere.

“Better.”

Maria heard the gate open, then paws were on her body. She was dragged unceremoniously out of the cage to be dumped face down on the floating platform, which had somehow lowered itself for the job. Then one of the hamsters did something and she knew nothing more as darkness overcame her.

To return slowly as she awakened in a tiny chamber. There were two doors Maria noted almost immediately. It was as if this was a entry hall or something. Dragging herself to her feet she rubbed her face, facing one of the doors. Now what she wondered. Moments later she discovered the what, as the door behind her opened. Spinning to defend herself she was horrified by what she saw. So horrified that she was unable to even attempt to defend herself, as if she had any chance to do so.

Her next thoughts were that she was the Morris, the Morris was she her mind supplied as her body moved deeper into the light blue mass that was her captor, her lover. The Morris, who knew everything, who did everything, who gave only pleasure, never pain. The Morris, who was so warm, so gentle, so soft. Not for the first time she opened her mouth, sucking in one of the appendages that slid across her lips. This was The Morris. Caring, loving, pleasing Morris. A better lover she had never had. Not once had she felt anything but pleasure. Mind numbing unending pleasure. She was aware that The Morris was within her, part of her, joined to her body and soul. And Maria Inconnutia was in heaven. Somehow she knew that from now on, no male could ever approach granting her this pleasure. Time did not pass for the Italian, for within The Morris’s embrace there was no time. There was only The Morris, and unending pleasure.

Then she awoke from her dream, sitting up slowly in the darkness. Her body was covered in sweat, her scent filled the nest she had created. Remembering. Remembering the wrench of emotional pain as she was removed from The Morris’s embrace. Remembering that she had felt no need for food or water, not even after over thirty six hours in The Morris’s sweet loving embrace. Remembering the keening cry of loss from that chamber. The Morris, crying for her return. Needing her. Her being dragged forcible from the chamber, being struck unconscious because she fought to return to her unearthly lover. Then awakening with the rest of her group. Dressed, but not by herself. Having to hide her shame from all. But was it shame for what The Morris had done, or that she was unable to stay with the creature?

The Morris... Maria shuddered at the sound of that name within her mind. Since her time with that creature no male had pleased her a tenth as much. No male had fulfilled even a tenth of her hunger, her need. And when she was with a lover, it was The Morris to whom her mind turned. Every time, without fail. The thought of trying a woman was unacceptable, for Maria was not that kind. She was also certain that no woman would be any better than any male. Useless. “I am ruined” she whispered in as low a voice as she could manage. “I need The Morris. I hunger for him. Oh God, what will I do?”

For some time she sat in her now uncomfortable nest, thinking strange thoughts while the night breeze thankfully carried her scent away from her friends, who slept in their own nests. Or watched for attackers in the darkness. A thought abruptly came to her. Doctor Blum she had been informed, had kept Saffina apart from the rest of her group for as long a time. He was a different kind of Mad Scientist, and though the African never spoke of it, Maria had to know. What had Doctor Blum done to Saffina? Did she too now have her own Morris to remember? Was her life forever stained as well? “I will ask her, when we next meet” Maria decided.

She had to know. She had too. And she had to get back to The Morris again. Just once.