Microhorror Writing Contest

She opened her eyes but found herself in pitch darkness. The metal she woke up on was cold, but no colder than her skin. She seemed to be locked inside a container, but once her legs started to work, she kicked…and kicked…and the door gave way.

The blinding light forced her to shut her eyes. She tried re-opening them briefly but even with her hair hung down in front of her face, the light was too bright…painfully bright.

She managed to crawl out. It made no noise, but she supposed her ears weren’t working yet.

Falling to the cold tiled floor, she tried to call out for help.

Did she make any sounds? She still couldn’t hear anything.

She sat momentarily, forcing her hands to work again. It was hard and they felt stiff, but they worked enough to feel that she had nothing on.

Not nothing, there was something around her big toe. She felt for it, and it was a string attached to card. She tried to untie it, but her fingers were still clumsy.

She opened her eyes, and the light stabbed in again. The searing pain forced her to shut them fast. But it was enough to see that she was in a small room full of metal drawers like the one she kicked open.

Stand up.

Do it.

She finally listened to her own mind screaming at her and forced herself to her feet. Her joints felt stiff and painful, as if she hadn’t moved before.

She turned back to where she had crawled out, and tried to use her eyes once again—

Too painful!

The door had a tag — she had glimpsed it before closing her eyes.

It had a date on it which made no sense, and a name…Markie something…she didn’t catch the last name.

Is that me?

Am I Markie?

She remembered seeing a doorway and stumbled towards it in halting strides.

So very painful to walk.

One step…two steps…three…

Her hand found the flimsy smock that she had seen draped across a chair and she managed to slip it on.

She reached the door and felt for the handle.  It was locked.

A quick pull of frustration and the door gave way as if the lock was made of tin foil.

She called out again, but all that came out was an angry gurgle.

At least my ears are working.

Down the hallway…one step…two…definitely getting easier.

The hallway lights flickered on and off, she could tell by the burst of lights through her shut eyelids.

Tired…I’m so very tired…need to sit.

She stumbled into another room. It didn’t smell good inside.

My nose works.

She dared to open her eyes again and briefly saw the steel table with the hoses and drains.  Stains were along the walls and the floor looked as though it hadn’t been cleaned in years. 

So tired…

She slumped against the wall and sank slowly down.

Someone will come…eventually…I’ll just have to wait.