Museum of Horrors Part 1

A Story by LittleMeeper

What would you do if you woke up on a cold floor, unable to open your eyes, and forced to participate in a sick Museum of Horrors. Could you survive the trials ahead or would your mind crumble?

I can feel the cold floor against my bare flesh…but wait, why am I on the floor? I try to open my eyes, but they feel pinned shut. I try to move my limbs, but they feel like they weigh a thousand pounds.

A groan escapes my lips, but it only sounds like a faint sigh. My lips feel cracked and swollen. I try to lick my lips to ease the pain, but even my tongue feels too heavy to cooperate. Panic beings to constrict my chest. Something is wrong. This has never happened before. Think, Rose, think! I fight hard to brush away the cobwebs that seem to stick to my brain. Finally, I groggily remember being somewhere crowded.

A bar perhaps? A club? I remember pulsing music and flashing lights. Then…ouch! What the? Something sharp pricked my arm. A fog starts to envelope my memories. No no no! Stay awake! Stay…a…wake…

***

I don’t know how much time has passed, but I no longer feel like I’m lying on a cold floor. I can see white lights through my closed lids. I try to pry my eyes open, but still, they refuse to budge. I try to wiggle my fingers, and they move! Slowly, I work some feeling back into my limbs. When I can finally lift my whole arm up with ease, I gingerly lift my hand to touch my eyes. When my fingers graze my eyelids, I jerk them back immediately. Surely it wasn’t what I think it was. It couldn’t be. I gingerly reach up again, and tentatively touch the foreign object. Stitches. It feels like stitches!

I can feel a scream bubble up and I desperately try to open my eyes. This isn’t right! No no no! “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” suggests a voice in the darkness. “If you rip them out, we’ll just have to sedate you, and stitch you right back up again. But by all means, cause yourself more pain and discomfort.”

My fingers froze from their frantic mission. How long has this man been watching me? “What is going on? Why am I here? What have you…” I try to spit out the questions as fast as I can. Each one making me become more agitated. “Enough!” he yells. “You are to never speak unless spoken to. In this glass cage, you are no longer human. You no longer have rights. You. Are. Mine.”

I slowly lower my hands in mute horror. How did this happen? What has he done to me?! “There now, that’s much better. I am known as The Man. Identity is sacred in this Museum. Whomever we are out in the real world, we abandon at the door. We are whoever we want to be.” The Man pauses for effect and waits for me to process this new information. “Now then, let us establish some ground rules. 1.) Always be ready to perform. Those that are useless to me are immediately eliminated. No second chances. 2.) Never try to engage the customers unless specifically instructed to do so. Otherwise, punishments will be doled out accordingly. 3.) Don’t ever try escape, or else you might end up with a few more…let’s just say a few more unwanted surgeries. Do I make myself clear?’

“Yes” I whisper. What more could I say? For now, all I can feel are that’s different are the stitches in my eyelids. What else might have been done to me? “Good girl. Let’s see how you do tonight as a trial run. I’m having a private audience attend my little exhibits. Do well, and you’ll be rewarded. Break even one of my rules, and you’ll suffer the consequences.” I wait to hear more, but I’m greeted with silence.

Gingerly, I stand up from the soft padding I was placed upon. Unable to see, I hold my arms out straight, and take a few steps forward. 10 paces forward and I’m greeted with a cool glass wall. Turning to my right, I try again. Again, I meet the same wall after 10 paces. My heart sinks. I’m in a solid glass cube. With nothing else to do, and still feeling whatever medication they shot into my body, I ease myself back over to the thin mattress.

As I settle down onto the lumpy mat, so many questions begin to swirl around my mind. Instead of focusing on what I don’t know, I try to remember what I do know. I remember being in a crowd before all of…this, happened. I remember getting hot and wanting a drink.

Then, I can recall turning around, and accidentally dumping my drink on a man when I bumped into him. He gave me a dazzling smile, brushed off the incident, and offered to refill my drink. I thought it was quite sweet (considering that I was the one who got him wet), and accepted his offer. After that, I remember vaguely chatting to the handsome stranger, and then things get fuzzy.

He must have spiked my drink! It was no accident. He planned it! Oh why did I have to go to the club instead of studying for my finals! Such a stupid, stupid mistake! I knew better than to accept a drink from a stranger.

In the middle of mentally kicking myself, I hear a low rumble of voices. I freeze on my cot and listen closely. The crowd is slowly getting closer to me. I can hear them discuss something on display, and then move on to something else, “Look at the size of his horns!” exclaims the first stranger. “They’re so long and sharp! And those muscles, look at how they ripple and move so fluidly. What a mighty specimen!”

“Yes, it is a sight to behold” remarks the second stranger. “Almost like a creature from the mythical times. Centaur right? Maybe The Man will indulge our fantasy the next time we come to visit.” Stranger 1 gasps, “Oh shush! Don’t speak so quickly. It has barely healed from the last suggestion you gave to The Man. Give It some time to heal!”

Horror seeps through my body like cold water being poured over me. Horns? Suggestions? Heals?! What is going on in this place?! My never ending questions are interrupted when the strange couple steps close to me.

“Look Dear! There’s a new lovely little creature.” Says the second stranger clapping in excitement. “Just look at It! It’s such a small, delicate little thing. Yet, I don’t see any signs of abnormalities aside from the stitches on the eyelids. Am I missing something my Dear?” From out of nowhere appears The Man as he slaps the back of the second stranger. “Welcome back! I’m excited to show you my new project! As you can see, nothing has been done yet. That’s where you come in! See that little notebook on the stand? That’s where you put your suggestions! At the end of the night, I’ll choose the best ones for our new little pet.”

I can hear an excited squeal come from stranger one, “Oh bravo! That’s such a wonderful idea. How exciting and fun! Come now darling. Let’s think of something new!” This disturbing scene played out all night. Hearing The Man explain me away as if I wasn’t there. Listening to the sick people take joy in participating in whatever sick experiments they want me to have.

I remembered The Man’s threats from earlier. I dared not speak a word in defiance least my situation be made even worse. ON and on the night seemed to drag. Eventually, I could hear The Man ushering everyone out. The noises of the crowd became dim as they moved on until all was silent.

“Well done!” exclaimed The Man. “You just might survive this thing yet! Since you behaved so well, I’ll make sure not to select the more…grotesque suggestions. Defy me, and that just might change.” With that parting remark, he left me to whatever fate the strangers left for me.

Out of nowhere, a hissing noise emits inside my cage. A sickly sweet smell assaults my nose. I gag at the smell and try to cower down, but there’s no escaping it. A cloak shrouds my mind and I feel heavy darkness sweep me away.

Author's Note

I am slowly turning this short story into a book. Every week, I will try and add another part to this story, but I will need your help. I'm looking for honest feedback so I can improve my story, and give my audience exactly what that want. I hope you enjoy the Museum of Horrors!