Suffer The Torment

Table of Contents Title Page CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER 9 CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER 11 CHAPTER 12 CHAPTER 13 CHAPTER 14 CHAPTER 15 CHAPTER 16 CHAPTER 17 CHAPTER 18 CHAPTER 19 CHAPTER 20 CHAPTER 21 CHAPTER 22 CHAPTER 23 CHAPTER 24 CHAPTER 25 CHAPTER 26 CHAPTER 27 CHAPTER 28 CHAPTER 29 CHAPTER 30 CHAPTER 31 CHAPTER 32 CHAPTER 33 CHAPTER 34 CHAPTER 35 CHAPTER 36 CHAPTER 37 CHAPTER 38 CHAPTER 39 CHAPTER 40 CHAPTER 41 CHAPTER 42 CHAPTER 43 CHAPTER 44 CHAPTER 45 CHAPTER 46 CHAPTER 47 CHAPTER 48 CHAPTER 49 CHAPTER 50 CHAPTER 51 CHAPTER 52 CHAPTER 53 CHAPTER 54 CHAPTER 55 CHAPTER 56 CHAPTER 57 CHAPTER 58 CHAPTER 59 CHAPTER 60 CHAPTER 61 CHAPTER 62 CHAPTER 63 CHAPTER 64 CHAPTER 65 CHAPTER 66 CHAPTER 67 CHAPTER 68 CHAPTER 69 CHAPTER 70 SUFFER THE TORMENT DCI ROHAN ROY SERIES BOOK TWO ML ROSE Copyright © 2023 by M.L. Rose All rights reserved. The right of ML Rose to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. Infringement of copyright by copying. (1) The copying of the work is an act restricted by the copyright in every description of copyright work and references in this part to copying and copies shall be construed as follows. (2) Copying in relation to a literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic work means reproducing the work in any material form. This includes storing the work in any medium by electronic means. (5) Copying in relation to the typographical arrangement of a published edition means making a facsimile copy of the arrangement. (6) Copying in relation to any description of work includes the making of copies that are transient or are incidental to some other use of the work. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. CHAPTER 1 How deep did you cut last night? Sixteen-year-old Emma stared at the words on her phone screen. They drew her eyes in and hypnotized her mind. It was pitch black in her bedroom. The glow from her phone was the only light that illuminated her face. As if by command, her fingers moved on the keypad. Deep enough to bleed. Her comment drew a flurry of likes and heart emoji. Other participants also posted, detailing how much they bled from their cuts, and for how long. Prove it. Emma took photos of the cuts on her wrists and legs and posted them online. Her photos drew another salvo of appreciation. Others also posted their photos. Emma. Her breath hitched as the Master picked her out. Everyone waited for him to speak further. He liked to take his time. Liked to make others wait. The three dots appeared, showing that he was typing. Blood liberates us. Washes away the dirt. A cacophony of likes and emoji of different types followed – colourful hearts, broken hearts, and red-tinged angry faces. We are here to press the Reset button. Agreed? Another chorus of likes followed. Several participants also commented, everyone agreeing. But I choose who gets to Reset tonight. Another pregnant pause followed. Everyone seemed to hold their breath. All the lost, trembling souls who had logged in from all over Sheffield, wondering if tonight was their time. Emma. Are you ready to start again? Her hands shook as she typed out the single word. Yes. You cannot take this decision lightly. Once you press the button, there’s no going back. Yes, I know. Are you sure you want to Reset your life, and live again in another world? Tears streamed down Emma’s cheeks. She could do this. She could show the world what she was made of. Yes, I do. Then we have tonight’s winner. Emma, get ready to Reset your life. I will send you a private message. The Master’s proclamation got oodles of likes, comments, and emoji. Emma was congratulated till she couldn’t look at the screen anymore. Then the ping arrived, the one bearing the six-digit code for the private chat room. Emma logged out of the game and went into the chat room. She now had a live video link with the Master. Hairs stood up on her arms, and a tingle of anticipation ran up and down her skin. The link was live, but she couldn’t see the Master’s face. Instead, a man wearing what looked like the head of a reindeer appeared. The mask looked lifelike, and very strange. Through her earphones, she heard the Master’s deep, sonorous voice. “Emma, can you hear me?” She had to clear her throat twice before she found her voice. “Yes, but I can’t talk. My mum’s in the other room.” “Okay then. Note the address I’m sending you now. Come down there ASAP. It’s not far from where you are. If you aren’t there in one hour, then you have lost. You will never be allowed back in the community.” “I’ll be there,” Emma said quickly. “Send me the address.” There was a pause, then the address showed on the screen as a link. Emma clicked, and the link opened up into a map. There was a knock on the door, and she froze. The shadow of her mother, Natalie, appeared, preceded by the smell of cigarette smoke. Her mother must’ve been smoking out of the window again. It was cold, and maybe she hadn’t opened the window fully. Emma had already shut her phone down, and she was snuggled under the duvet. Natalie came inside the room and stood next to the bed. Emma pretended to be asleep.