Writing Prompt Wednesday: Excerpt from "The Good Thing"

Unfortunately, I’m so behind in my Camp NaNoWriMo word count for this contest entry novel that I can’t afford to spend any time or words on anything outside of that project.  So for this week’s Wednesday post, I have elected to share a small excerpt from that project.  The image here is model Sean O’Pry, my inspiration for the character Pavel Sokolov, who features in this excerpt.  This is a very rough draft, but I hope you enjoy!  🙂

 

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“Oh look,” Vince said, his tone mock-friendly, “he’s awake.”

“What?!”  The woman rushed around Vince to the vitals monitor and scanned the readings.  “It’s okay, it’s good,” she said, her body relaxing in obvious relief.  “The replacement chip is holding, sending and receiving signal normally.  His vitals are elevated,” she tossed a pointed look toward Vince, “but stable.”

“Good.”  The breeder’s right hand came down around Pavel’s left forearm, wrenching out a harsh cry of agony.

“Vince!” the woman shrieked, but he ignored her.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said to Pavel, not sounding sorry at all, “did that hurt?”  He lifted his hand and the pain washed up and down the length of Pavel’s arm in crashing waves, making him want to curl around it.  The restraints wouldn’t let him do that, either.  He clenched his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut against the well of tears.

“I’ll try to be more careful.”

The woman protested.  “Vince, you can’t just -”

“I need to talk to him alone,” the man snapped.  “I’ll let you know when we’re done.”

Pavel’s eyes shot open.  He shook his head, the heart rate monitor making his terror audible.  “No!” he croaked.  “No, don’t leave!”

The woman looked down at him, her eyes a deep, dark brown in the soft yellow light, and pursed her lips.

Vince, however, kept his gaze only on her.  “I’m not going to kill him,” he said.  “That would be… counter-productive.”

Her eyes went back to the breeder.  “Don’t hurt him, either.  He’s very fragile right now.”

Vince snorted, sparing a quick glance down.  “He’s a fucking city-dweller.  They’re all fragile all the time.”

The woman crossed her arms.  “Vince.”

He scowled, looking away from her.  “Fine.”

Pavel didn’t believe the man at all, but the woman seemed satisfied.  She put a hand briefly on Pavel’s shoulder, as if trying to reassure him, then moved briskly toward the door.

“No!” Pavel shouted, squirming in the restraints.  “No, don’t leave!  Don’t leave me with him!  Please!”

She turned just before the door, her black ponytail swinging around to land against the bright white of her shoulder as she smiled.  “Don’t worry,” she said.  “Just cooperate.  You’ll be fine.”

And she left.

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