The Mansion of Pain

Author's Note: This item was written for the Daily Flash Fiction Contest on 8/29/2009, using these prompts: mansion, search, string.
(Word count: 255)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Mansion of Pain

Marion floundered inside a mansion of excruciating pain. Escape seemed hopeless. Every door she opened, led to a room in which she found herself experiencing a different kind of torture. She was stretched on a rack in the Master Bedroom. She was strung up to a chandelier, hooks ripping through her back, in the Grand Salon. When she opened the door to the indoor pool, she saw herself drowning, and she gasped for breath. In the kitchen, knives ripped open her most private area; and as she had once moaned with pleasure so long ago, she now moaned with pain.

It required an enormous amount of concentration for Marion to force each door closed and lock it. The breathing helped. And the words of encouragement which floated in through the windows. She needed determination to stay the course and find the exit.

Another door opened, and Marion saw and felt hot pokers stuck into her gut.

Close it. Lock it. she ordered herself.

Marion searched and searched until she finally found the exit. But the shining door, which would release her from her prison, was stuck. She pushed and pushed, but she was exhausted from her long ordeal. She closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and pushed ONE – LAST – TIME!

Marion's newborn son came forth into the world, and was scooped up by the doctor's hands.

Marion smiled as he was placed in her arms. In her mind, her mansion of pain became a field of flowers and hope; in it, she danced with joy.