It was the smell. Always that smell. Of disinfectant and the cloying sweet of rotting flesh. It never left. They say you get used to a smell the more you’re around it, but not this smell. This one was always new. It always made your skin crawl and your eyes water. It made her gag each time they brought her in and strapped her down. The bald man with the broken face and rictus grin. They always cut into her. She tried to scream this time as they cut into her. She screamed into her head. Her mouth wouldn’t work. Her throat seized up. Always. Sometimes. She didn’t know anymore.

But this time was different. This time she could see what they did to her. She stared up into the surgical lights. The bright shine made her eyes water, tears leaking down the side of her face and along her broken nose. Normally she could close her eyes, but not this time. This time metal hooks dug into her eyelids, scraping and forcing them apart. When she tried to blink, pain shot through the side of her face like they were forcing a piece of hot metal through.

And then she saw him. The same broken face. There were new cuts and bruises. Always new cuts and bruises. But the same smile. The skin on his face was so dark and taught it was like looking at a mummy. Maybe it wasn’t a real smile, but it looked like a smile. It was evil and terror and despair all wrapped up into one.

He held up a shiny object. Light glared off of it, blinding her. She saw dark spots for a few seconds. Then. She saw. He brought it closer to her eye. And she couldn’t see anymore.

She tried to scream. She screamed into her head. Her mouth didn’t work. She wanted so badly to scream, to kick out, but the restraints held her. She felt her eyeball split open and spill down her face. She felt the burning ichor of her eye mix with the open wounds on her face, her broken nose. The pain.

Her world turned black.

So, do I have your attention now? Excellent. As many of you are aware, the RoS starts this Saturday, January 2nd, 2010. Our first round match is against House Revan. We will only be playing Revan for the first week. The format is we pick one event, they pick one event and a third event is randomized. The events are – fiction, poetry, gaming, acc and graphics. I need everyone to let me know what they’re interested in doing so that I can fit our choices both to our strengths and give everyone a shot at participating.

In other news Ronovi has been promoted to Prelate for her services to the Clan. Shardara was promoted to JH. Korras received an AK for servicing Muz and the Brotherhood. Wait. What?

Expect me to release some new stuff storywise for the Clan during the RoS. I’ve got 3 weeks until I start my new job as a Chef de Commis for an R&D kitchen in the Napa Valley (but, aren’t you a Doctor? Yes. But for the next 7 months, I have a break from school and decided to make my bones at a Michelin starred restaurant), so I’ve got some time on my hands.

Right, Oberst out.