You’re wheeled into a bland anti-room and the homely-looking nurse murmurs something to the blank-faced orderly who places a restraining hand, gloved in dark rubber, firmly in the centre of your chest; there’s a momentary flash of crackling bright blue light, and the world of sharp senses swims away to be replaced by the sterile hums and beeps of medical machinery.
Later, consciousness returns and you find yourself lying in dimly-lit room, redolent with the unfriendly spectres of duplicity and distrust, hooked up to a machine; probes have been inserted under your skin, like tiny burrowing animals, connected to wires and tubes which snake away into the gloom.
You sense you’re not alone: others are in the room, you can hear them breathing – you try to shift position, but your limbs are leaden and you can’t move your head – a gloved arm reaches over and another shock is administered; you float on the edge of unconsciousness once again.
Someone’s speaking, you open your eyes to the yellow glow of sunlight and the homely-looking nurse smiles faintly and extends her hand to you; others are in the room, filing out through a great glass door into a patch of green garden, where there is even a hint of a breeze; you find your feet and follow.
You shuffle around in a silent circle, noticing that everyone looks alike; then you catch your own reflection in one of the windows – a face you don’t recognise.
A face that’s just like theirs.
Confused? You might be! Read previous episodes of The Facility here.
Written in response to two challenges:
– Di of Pensitivity101‘s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge – ANIMAL, FRIEND, TRUST
– Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge‘s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt – SHIFT
Photo credit: Scott Webb on Unsplash
Click here to read more Six Sentence Stories here – consider bringing your own too!
OMG! Now I want to know more!!
Chris, are you listening or rather, reading???
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I hear you, Punam! But I need a week (and the new prompts) to cook up another episode. 😊
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I know, dear. Take your time. I really love the direction it is taking. 😊
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Thanks, Punam!!
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You are welcome.
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Unnerving is the word of the day!
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Most definitely!
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OMG…………. this is gripping!!!
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I wasn’t quite sure where your words would lead me when I first saw them, but they worked they’re way in nicely. 🙂
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Very cleverly done Chris
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Thanks, Di. 🙂
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A nightmare that keeps going! Bravo! Makes me wonder if any of us will wake up? 😉
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Eventually, I think… 🤔 Thanks, Susan!
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Wow! this facility gets more terrifying the more I read about it, Well written, Chris.
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Thanks, Mason! I’m pleased you’re enjoying the series. 🙂
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I am it’s building very well. You have the mood and setting posed perfectly.
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😊🙏
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Good one, Chris. The Facility is becoming even more nightmarish. I wonder if the walk outside is to ‘show the goods’ (I’m still stuck on clones) to potential buyers, or simply a prison exercise break, or something else even? You know it’s good when we as readers keep posing the questions 🙂
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Thanks, Ford! Comments are most welcome – it’s wonderful to receive extra ideas to drop into my simmering plot pot. 😉
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“simmering plot pot” I love that! 🙂
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😁
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Oh wow, more things are getting scary. Great addition Chris.
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Thanks, Sadje! 🙏
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You’re welcome 🤩
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🙂
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👍
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they put me in a room
and home it was not
the nurses not so hot
so i left asap
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Nice one!
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like paul s grandaddy in the film, a room and a room etc
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Oh no!! This is getting scarier by the minute! You’ve really got us on the edge of our seats so to speak! 😀
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That’s encouraging to know! Don’t have nightmares. 🙂
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Very ominous world-building, Chris! Perfect blend of tension and uncertainty.
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Thanks, Tom. I’m really having fun with this series!
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Spooky!!!
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Hope so!
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This installment reminds me of the most terrifying nightmare I ever had. (My face was surgically altered on an Argentine cruise ship.)
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My goodness! That’s a heck of a dream, Liz. 😨
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I was going through a rough patch in my life at the time.
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The unconscious mind does play out some of the most difficult parts sometimes. 😔
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Yes, it does. Unfortunately, I’m not one of those people who knows she’s dreaming when she’s drearming.
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Nor me. Sometimes I’m so glad to wake up.
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I know the feeling!
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I am glad I am reading and not living this story!
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Me too, Geoff! 😉
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Not at all confused… fascinated and wondering when I get to read more, Chris!
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Delighted that you’re enjoying it. More next Wednesday!
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Looking forward to it!
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Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
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Thanks so much for sharing my little dystopian tale! 🙂
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I really enjoyed it, Chris…
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😀
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Reblogged this on NEW OPENED BLOG > https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks for sharing! I appreciate it. 🙂
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Thank you as well for writing. Enjoy a beautiful weekend! xx Michael
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You too, Michael!
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Remember that Movie with Cage & Travolta where they interchange characters with face plastic surgery?
I couldn’t help, after reading this part of the story, remembering the scene where the protagonists exchange some lines using the movie title: Face off!!
…Fac(ility)e…hmm.
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Oh yes, I remember the movie well! The basement of the place does seem well kitted out with medical equipment, so who knows? Another ingredient for my simmering plot pot! 🙂
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They are definitely up to no good. I wonder if there is still a mind that can rebel.
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There’s still the observation, so anything is possible, Frank!
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Yikes! I need to know more!
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More next week, Dyanne! Promise. 🙂
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Again, bravo
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Thanks, Paul!
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Super creepy! I loved this: “probes have been inserted under your skin, like tiny burrowing animals”
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Thanks, Liz! The ‘animal’ prompt word turned out to be an unexpected gift. 🙂
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Send in the clones indeed, Liz. One question: Is an anti-room an outside space? 😉
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That is a good question, Doug. At the moment we have more questions than answers!
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Very Twilight Zonish, Chris. In a way, your Six reminded me of the TZ episode, “Eye of the Beholder”.
Metaphor for the drive to make humankind more homogenous? Break down all avenues of self expression, eliminate individuality, instill complacency and compliance?
(Yes. Appears there are more questions than answers 😀 )
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Thanks, Denise, I like your thinking. 🙂
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Eeeeekkkk!!!! 😳
Oh my goodness, Chris. I’ve still no clue what’s going on, and now find myself with an urgent need to know. But I have to wait for the next part! 😮🙂
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Ah well, it won’t surprise you to know that I don’t know either yet, Tom. I’ll need to wait to see what horrifying opportunities next week’s words will offer. 😆🤨🤔
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I know! It’s all very fun, although oddly mysterious! 🙂
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More eerie with each week, you are doing very well with this!
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Thank you, Mimi! Hoping I can keep this up…
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Deliciously horrible, Chris!
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Thanks, Matthew! The horribleness will continue for a little longer yet… 😉
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I had the impression that it might 😁
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😁😂🤣
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Love the plot, love the writing.
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Thanks, C.E. 🙂
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Well, that was an unexpected twist, Chris. Well done.
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Thanks, Robbie!
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That twist at the end is an absolute belter, Chris!
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I’m pleased you liked that, Susan!
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oh! This is great, Chris, and it has me hooked!
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Delighted that you’re enjoying it!
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