Chapter 5: Set The Table (the_mischievous_pixie)
Allana stormed into her apartment building mad as hell. Work was shit, her manager was being a dickhead, her classes were killing her; she was so lost in her thoughts she didn't notice the hooded person following her. Slamming her door shut, she saw she had 4 new messages.
"Great, what now?" Hitting the voicemail button on her landline, she automatically felt a surge of rage.
"Hey Allana," it was that annoying girl from her Operating Systems class, "So, we have an assignment due next week and I need you to help me out with it because I don't know what the hell we're doing so call me back with the answers, thanks darling!" Allana deleted the message, after hearing messages from her mother, boss, and another drunk dial from her ex, Allana was just livid with anger. She was just glad it was Thursday night; having nothing to do until Monday she was gonna get loaded and have a friend over. After showering and changing, she went to the fridge and cracked open a bottle of wine. Once it was halfway gone, she called up one of her guys.
"Hey you, it's your lovely little pixie. You doing anything tonight?"
"No, not really." Her boy-toy said.
"Wanna come over and have a movie night? I ain't got nothing to do tomorrow."
"I'm on my way."
Allana stumbled to the bathroom to put on some makeup and make sure she looked sexy when her doorbell rang. Throwing on a hoodie, she went to answer the door.
"I didn't expect to see you here so soon!" she said as she opened the door, "oh you've got to be kidding me!" The pig-masked person standing at her door shrugged and plunged a needle into her neck. "I hate you Jigsaw, and your little pig-mask too." she murmured as she sank to the ground unconscious.
Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs again, Allana took a swig from her flask. Ah gin, she thought, sweet nectar of the gods. She rushed to catch up with the others as they approached another locked door.
"Ram it on the count of 3?" Amy asked.
"1,2,3 GO!" Izzy yelled, and she and Amy rammed the door, opening it. Izzy and Amy fell down, and a light turned on, illuminating a table. Allana's eyes widened, she had an idea what this was.
"Why am I thinking of my hospital stay all over again?" Getting weird looks from the others, Allana elaborated, "hospitalized for constant fainting, turns out it was caffeine overdoses."
They saw a tape on top of the table, Ricky picked it up and placed it into the player.
"Hello Allana, I want to play a game. No doubt you remember the table in front of you, the hospital's infamous tilt-table test," Allana shuddered as she remembered what happened last time she had to do this test, "You and I both know what happened your first go-round, and you seem to have changed since then. But is this change genuine, or are you still as angry, bitter, and frightened as ever? Well tonight you'll show me. In order to progress to the next room, you will need a purple colored key. However in order to get the key, the table must be standing upright. You know how to stand the table upright, and you also know what will happen to you when you do. Follow the proper procedure to get the purple key but keep an eye on your heart rate; for if the monitor reads over 150 beats per minute, the table will reset itself and you will have to start all over again. You all have 30 minutes to retrieve the key once she is strapped in. Let the game begin."
"What the hell?" Ricky asked, looking confused.
"Basically I get strapped down, lie down for 5 mins and then the table stands upright. The hospital version is designed to see how long it takes one to pass out and if it's related to blood pressure. Izzy, help strap me in." Allana and Izzy walked over to the table, Allana lied down on it, and Izzy fastened the three straps around her stomach thighs and ankles. Allana put the blood pressure cuff and heart rate monitor on her arm and finger, and Izzy stepped back to join the others.
The monitor read '75 bpm' as Allana lay there, suddenly without warning the table shot upright and 50 keys fell from the ceiling, dangling by bits of rope. Allana started to feel dizzy as all the blood rushed from her head. She suddenly fainted, dropping her heart rate to 40bpm.
"Quick, find the key!" Ricky yelled as he and Amy searched for the purple key. Suddenly Allana started screaming
"NO! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE ME AND MY BROTHERS YOU BASTARDS!" Izzy saw her heart rate shoot up to 100bpm and rushed over to calm her down.
"Allana, it's okay, no one has your brothers! They're safe, just calm down! It's okay!"
"Shut up you terminator cunt! What have you done with William and Thomas?" as her heart rate passed 150bpm the table tilted back down and the keys went back into the ceiling.
"Give me back…my brothers!" Allana tried to yell, but the blood shift threw her off.
"I saw the key!" Amy yelled, "Just get her to calm down and raise the table again and I can get it!"
"Are you sure?" Ricky asked, looking over at Allana muttering things in Gaelic, with Izzy trying to keep her calm.
"Trust me."
When Allana's heartbeat went back down to 80bpm, the table suddenly tilted upright again, causing Allana to scream.
"NO! YOU WON'T GET US! LEAVE US ALONE!"
Izzy grabbed her hand to calm her down, watching the monitor shoot up to 140.
"Hurry!" she yelled to Ricky and Amy. Amy was able to grab the key, but when she did, the tilt-table started to catapult up and down…almost like a mechanical bull!
"AHHHHH! GET ME OUT OF HERE DAMMIT!" Allana screamed, tears pouring down her face.
"Toss me the key!" Izzy yelled above Allana's tears. She found a lock at the base and was able to use the key to not only stop the table, but unlock Allana from all the straps.
"Come on, we need to move!" Ricky called out to Allana, but she was still frozen on the table with fear crying. Izzy and Amy each picked up a half of her and carried her to the door. Ricky unlocked the door, and they all stepped through, Allana still paralyzed with fear.