'Oh no,' she said. 'Wait. Don't…'
A clumsy bolt and bit arrangement was thrust into her mouth, chipping a tooth and reducing her words to infantile sobs and gobblings.
The footsteps advanced and the Encyclopaedia parted to make a passage. Shiny steel chinked slyly in a leather bag. L'Index leaned over and whispered in her ear.
'Remember, you may always consult me…'
She bucked and slammed in the chair but it was fixed to the floor by heavy bolts.
'Oh my sweet,' L'Index said. 'Don't lose heart now. Remember what you were: alone, lonely and discontented. You will never be lonely again.' His breath stank of peppermint and sperm. 'Now you can pass into a new world where nothing is forbidden but virtue.'
A bag snapped open. A needle was withdrawn. It rang faintly, eight inches long.
'Give yourself up now to the world of the Braille Encyclopaedia! Knowledge shared only by these few, never communicated. Knowledge gained by sense of touch alone.'
And she finally understood then, just before the needles punctured her eardrums. Her bladder and her bowels let go and the odors of her own chemical wastes were the last things she smelled before they destroyed that sense also. Finally her tongue was amputated and given to the angel to play with.
'Now go,' L'Index said, unheard. There was sadness in his voice. His tragedy was to be forever excluded from the Empire of the Senseless. 'Join the Encyclopaedia.'
Released from the chair, The Meat Chamber stumbled into the arms of her fellow entries in the Braille Encyclopaedia. Bodies fell together. Blind hands stroked sensitized skin. They embraced her and licked her wounds and made her welcome.
She screamed for a very long time but only one person there heard her. Finally she stopped, exhausted.
And then she began to read.
And read.
And read.
Author Biographies
Anderson's short stories have appeared in
California horror writer Brandner has twenty-seven novels in print, including the popular
Busiek's writing is familiar to comic book readers of
Byrne's prolific comic book career includes
North Carolina's Cantrell won the Bram Stoker award for her first horror novel,
Collins is the author of
Rhode Island's D'Ammassa is the author of
Gallagher's work includes the acclaimed
Garrett is an Alabama writing instructor whose published work includes
Garris's prolific screenplay writing credits include
California's Garton has penned over half a dozen novels, including his latest,
Gates is the author of
Gelb has authored short fiction for
Alabama's prolific Gresham has authored 11 horror novels since 1982, including his latest,
Kisner has penned more than eight novels, including
Los Angeles resident Laymon is the author of over a dozen horror novels, including
Masterton's popular horror fiction has seen print worldwide. The England resident's most recent works are
The prolific Miller has authored two non-fiction books and nine novels in less than five years, including the acclaimed Jack Eichord sextet. The Missouri resident's first short fiction was published in
