-1Ch 3 The Change
The three cast nervous glances at each other. The way the doctor had said it was just so… Creepy, though not in a good way. The doctor smirked at their nervousness then said "Shock you're a brave girl aren't you? You'll be first." He gave her a small push after rolling over to them. Shock stumbled at first, making her way to stand in the spot as the doctor instructed. Taking off her mask she set it down on the floor looking at it for a moment before closing her eyes to calm her self. Doctor Finkelstien smirked pulling a lever as the wires began to buzz and small sparks of blue darted out of them, then disappeared an instant after. "Your hat my dear," The doctor said before pressing anything else. The small girl slowly removed the hat from her head carefully setting it on the ground.
Finkelstien nodded pressing a single black button on the machine; the wires seemed to glow for a single instant. Slowly, slowly they began to lower. Shock winced as a buzzing noise reached her ears, her eyes shut tight and hands balled into fists. The fizzing wires reached her head some stopped there, while others continued downward. Some of the ones that were still going downward stopped next to her eyes and other stopped at her neck. The wires moved as if alive, and then attacked to the tope of her head, temples, right below her eyes, and top of her neck. All the young girl could see now was white, and then things flashed through her mind, memories of when they worked for Oogie, love of pranks. Then she was suddenly in a room, the walls painted with her memories. There was a flash, and she was suddenly standing in a white room, nothing there, she could remember nothing. Then there were new images, new memories.
Lock and Barrel watched as their friend twitched and shook, her face looked pained and confused, even though her eyes were still shut. Neither wanted to watch, while neither could look away from their friend as the machine did its job. If asked what was happening to Shock, neither Lock nor Barrel could answer the question. Shock, slowly opened her eyes, they seemed glazed over and dreamy. The wires withdrawing she stepped down uneasily, and giggled. Barrel and Lock just stared. Giggling out of nowhere, what was that about? She nodded and curtsied to the doctor… Like… Like a well mannered girl! Barrel and Lock, continued to stare in disbelief. She was just messing with them right? Shock wouldn't ever giggle out of no where when nothing was happening would she? "What an odd side effect…" Doctor Finkelstien murmured nodding to himself. Shock spun around once or twice and giggled again. Barrel and Lock just stared. "What's the matter?" Shock questioned her words a little slurred. Both boys were silent, both dumbfounded and one of the more than a little freaked out.
"Alright, Lock boy your next" The man in the wheel chair announced . "Wha? Why me? I'm not going in!" The devil boy protested, concealing his fear rather well. Finkelstien merely smirked "Would you rather the wires get you? They are more alive than they seem…" And as if on key the wires that were dangling in the machine hissed and moved. Locks eyes were wide as he left his mask and walked to the contraption. Wishing for a power outage or something to prolong the moment. Shock waved giggling as she did. "You an Barrel will feel much better afterwards" she encouraged spinning around again. Lock didn't even look at his friend, who seemed to be having a fit of giggles.
The wire came down attaching themselves like they had on Shock, though also attaching and wrapping around his arms, under Finkelstien's information, it seemed likely he would try and run for it. Lock's eyes shut after the moment the wires were on. Lock was suddenly in a grey room alone. Staring down at a book, unable to move his arms, only able to stare down at the large book in front of him. The books pages moved by themselves. The boy was able to read it easily, quicker, and quicker he read. Then as the end of the book came, and the last page was finished, the book turned over and started again. Though when it opened the pages were ripped and flew about. His eyes wide he tried to move his arms to catch the pages, he knew what the book was now. His life, his memories. But all he could do was watch as they continued to fly. The last page was ripped out, the town hall, votes, a decision. Now he could no longer recall what had been written. The boy sat there, un-able to move, knowing nothing. Then a new book appeared its cover a brilliant red. The book opened, he read it, even if the boy had no desire to read it.
Shock and Barrel watched their friend in the machine. Barrels eyes wide and scared, Shock happy and she seemed to be in La la land. Instead of twitches, Lock jerked as if trying to move, hands clenched in fists, opening and closing as if he was trying to catch something. His expression was serious one second and seemed enraged, and trying to move. The boys yellow eyes opened and appeared to be scanning the room over and over again. Then closed and he was still. The wires lifted from him, a few red marks were left where the wires had been. "See Barrel, he feels much better I'm sure" Shock said reassuringly to her smaller friend. Lock smiled cheerily as his eyes opened and he stepped from the machine, stumbling slightly. "Evening everyone" his voice polite. "That was one heck of a trip" he chuckled slightly standing next to Barrel. "You'll love it." More chuckling came from the boy in red. Lock seemed to be walking towards the doctor when he tripped over his own feet, nearly falling flat on his face. Laughter came from both Lock and Shock. Finkelstien took a mental note on Locks behavior as well, nodding to Barrel. "Your turn" his voice dull, he seemed to be getting bored of this already.
Barrel took a few steps forward, looking worridly at the machine, and then looked back to his two bubble-headed friends. Was he doomed to become a bubble-head as well? It seemed that way, as he looked back the machine he stumbled forward, falling down beneath the wires. Shock and Lock giggled nearly falling on the floor. "Barrel, trust us. It makes you feel so much better" Shocks voice straining to be serious. "Yah pal, nothing to worry about" Lock seemed more in control than Shock, well before he fell to the floor laughing. Barrel trembled looking up at the wires as his friends just laughed and laughed. The wires hissed and crackled as the machine was started up again. Barrel, eyes were shut instantly, he didn't want to watch the wires. He didn't want to watch anything.
They attached themselves, much like they had on Lock and Shock, though no wires wrapped around the boys arms. It seemed that Finkelstien trusted this one more than the other boy. Or maybe he trusted him less, for a wire wrapped around the smallest ones throat. Barrel was suddenly in a brightly lit room, a trunk sat in the corner. Before he even thought of walking over, his body did so. Barrel looked down at the trunk. It was brown, cracked and had no lock on in. His hands lifted the lid and it sprung open, empty… There was a stack next to the trunk, as if waiting, just waiting to be put inside and locked away. It was a different assortment of items, all had something about them, something familiar. Slowly he picked up one item and deposited in the chest. The boy had tried to look at it, but his arms wouldn't stop. He tried to speak, but all that came were odd little sounds. Soon every item was inside the trunk, his eyes gazed at the items inside, as if he were a pirate sadly leaving his treasure buried, forever. The lid snapped shut before him and would not open again. He stepped back without himself knowing, and the trunk burst into flames. Nothing survived, not even ash was to be found.
The boy found himself wimpering, as if sad the items were gone. He was leaning against a wall, when suddenly he fell, into darkness. He could see nothing, hear nothing, and feel nothing. Just an empty void. Landing on something soft, something bouncy. But then he began to sink. Encased in the gelatinous like substance as if filled his ears, nose and mouth. He couldn't breath, he couldn't move, nor do anything. Then just as fast as he had landed on it… It disappeared! The young skeleton dressed boy was back in Doctor Finkelstiens laboratory.
Shock and Lock had been giggling the whole while Barrel had been in the machine. He was doing a lot of silly things. Making little sounds, and shaking about. His hands flailing about, like trying to swat an invisible fly. Shock was nearly in tears, and Lock rolling on the floor. Though when Finkelstien shooshed them once the machine was done with its work, they were still having trouble with holding the giggles. Waving to their friend as he stepped out. He simply waved back, smiling dreamily. "Zat was great!" Barrel jumped up in the air. "Thank you Doctor" They chorused. Shock curtsying, Lock and Barrel shaking his hands. The trio thanked him once again before walking out. Whispers and giggling came from all of them as they walked out.