Young Writers Society

I watch as my friend, Mike, writhes on the floor. He grunts and mumbles intermittently, and I know it'll all be over soon.

The voice whispers in my ear, "Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts."

This room is so white, everywhere I look, gleaming white walls glare back at me. A red-hot sun shines above me, I can feel myself perspire. I think I see something move in the corner. No, it's just Mike. Red eyes stare at me from the walls. I turn in a full circle. They’re all around me, staring, staring, staring. They whisper at me.

"Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts."

A slow smile spreads across my face. I see it in the reflection in the mirror. Wait, is that me? It can't be. I don't smile like that. I feel myself going numb. Why is the world all black and white?

"Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts."

I dimly remember the events leading up to this moment. Caesar, the drug-lord, I think he put a price on my head. I can feel the weight of it now. Wait, what is that on my head? It looks like an enormous black spider slowly consuming my scalp. I have a sudden urge to shake it off, but I just stand there watching it.

I wrack my brain for memories. Who am I? Am I wealthy? When I think of that, I shudder. “We need money,” I mumble. Mike looks up. There is drool running down his chin and the whites of his eyes are yellowish. Ants crawl in and out of his nose and mouth. He gurgles, then starts writhing again. Aren’t we wealthy? Oh yeah, we were fired from, uh, something. But we created H.TH – because we were going to – to sell it on the black market. If Caesar found out, Caesar – was that his name? –would find us. Money falls from the ceiling. No, no wait, those are locusts. I scream and fall to the ground.

The voice is grows louder now. I think back – before – this – happened. H.TH! The thought hits me so hard I look around to see if someone smacked me. Jeez, the room is spinning, or are those still locusts.

"HAPPY thoughts, HAPPY thoughts, HAPPY thoughts."

I need to think. H.TH, oh! That new drug we were testing… I try to stand up, but the locusts drive me to the ground. Wait, um, how did I end up here again?

"HAPPY THOUGHTS, HAPPY THOUGHTS, HAPPY THOUGHTS!"

I think Mike is dead. He's not moving and there is blood coming from his eyes. Poor Mike.

Don't cry.

"Think happy thoughts."

Kristov bursts into my office, “They’re dead.”

I look at him. “How? Why?” I ask. Kristov shows me a newspaper. I gasp. David and Mike were found dead in that abandoned laboratory on the outskirts of town. I think, the last time I saw them, they had invented this new drug, the name of which escapes me now.

“You’re sure they’re dead?” I ask. Still not believing.

“Come with me,” he replies.

The lab smells of death. The lights are out but I can still see the outlines of testing rooms and… are those cages? I’m starting to wonder if this is a lab or not when Kristov motions for us to split up. We need to find the remains of David and Mike. As I go deeper into the lab my vision blurs and flies buzz around me. I can’t tell if it’s me or if I smell gas in the air. I see a large sealed room ahead of me. I look inside.

I scream.

“Kristov!” I shout.

“What is it?” he asks. Then riveted by the sight, he screams and backs away. “Is- is that David?”

A pale, bony figure stands in the room, his eyes milky white, blood dripping from his mouth. His left arm is missing. Crumpled in a corner is another figure. Half of its head is gone and its lungs protrude from its chest. I choke back the bile in my mouth.

Kristov points with a shaking finger at the floor ahead of us. Three security guards, their limbs strewn about the bloody floor. All that remains of their heads are eyeballs and cerebellum. I gag and let out a desperate wail.

“We need to go. NOW. Go, go, go!”

David, who has been pacing furiously, stops and faces me. I return his stare. I can’t look away. His mouth starts to twitch. At first it looks like a smile, then I realize he’s saying something over and over again. I can’t quite make it out.

Suddenly, he moves. The door bursts open. David stands a few yards away. He looks at Kristov then at me. I catch snippets of words he mutters to himself. What is he saying?

Kristov looks at me, “Maybe he remembers us.” But he doesn’t sound convinced. Nevertheless, he approaches the wraith-like figure that used to be David.

“Kristov no, he’ll kill you!” I shout at him to stop.

David looks straight at me. His expression curls into anger. A slow growl resounds. I hear Kristov scream as I run for the door. David closes in on me as I duck into a storage room.

Inside, rows and rows of files sit on tall wooden shelves. I wedge myself between two shelves and try to blend in with the shadows. I hear David approach, his breathing is shallow and he’s whispering those words again. I still can’t quite understand. Then it all stops. I stop breathing. All I hear now are footsteps.

“Tip, tap, top, tip, tap, top.” Something is dripping on the floor in front of me. Oh wait, that’s blood. I follow the line of dripping blood. I stop. He’s standing in front of me. Eyes white, mouth gaping. His arm spreads wide. Now, only now can I hear the words. A sinister smile spreads across my face. Oh what an ironic ending. Who would’ve thought this is what kept him alive. I can feel the pain, but now I’ve learned the trick. I repeat the words as the shadows close in.

“Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts.”