Life After Disney

Part 5: Mystery

I stared down at the crimson syrup that lay next to the fish. Please tell me this is just really watery ketchup. Xander began to walk away from me. I used all my might to call out but amid all the terror, my voice had left me. I threw a fry at the back of his head but all that did was get the waterworks going. I stood up and ran towards him.

"S-sir, what's the ma-matter?" I grabbed his hand and led him back to my table. I pointed down at the gooey substance left on my plate. Xander picked up the plate and tugged his hand from my grasp. "That's ju-just some an-animal b-blood. I'll go-go clean it off-ff" With that, the quivering waiter walked away. Animal blood? Is that really their excuse?Xander walked back with a clean plate but I had lost my appetite. What the hell is going on here? This many people don't just drop dead. People don't get massive cuts and bleed everywhere because of illness. Well, at least there is no known illness like that. Besides, you don't keep sick people in the kitchen.I noticed that the side of the battered beast was coated in blood. I refuse to eat the blood of innocent people.I inspected my side of fries, the only red was ketchup. I ate a few then headed to building 2. I climbed up the endless staircase and arrived at the 3rd floor. I searched for my room, 309. It took me about 3 entire minutes to put the key in the lock. I wiped the beads of sweat from my brow and promptly flopped down on my bed. I'm exhausted. However, I need to figure what's going on around here. I stared up at the peeling, stained drywall. Midnight, the perfect time. I reached over to a clock (at least I think it was) that must have been 50 years old. I fiddled with the ancient buttons and knobs until I had an alarm set for midnight. I lay flat on the comforter and drifted away.

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The blaring sound of an alarm interrupted my horrifying nightmares. For once, I was glad to be awake. I reached for my suitcase and pulled on a pair of dark as night jeans. I threw on a bunny hug and headed out the front door. I struggled to keep the silence that the night brought, but my endeavors were unsuccessful. The creaks of the floorboards plus my heavy breathing caused the orchestra that would get me discovered. I ran across the cold cement. I forgot shoes, god damn it. I pulled open the door to the dining hall. Why is it open? I'm not complaining. I made my way towards to kitchen. I pushed open the swinging door and got smacked in the head. The event that proceeded was worse than that. Oh my god! Xander's maimed body lay on the floor, bathing in his own blood. Bile forced its way up my throat, staying in the back of my mouth. I maneuvered my way around the disfigured mess. Blood oozed around my toes, creeping in every nook and cranny. I stumbled as my head span round like a horse on a carousel. I crashed into the counter, sending pots and pans crashing to the floor. How the hell has no one heard me? Someone has to be in here. I rounded the corner, expecting to see usual ovens, pots, and other kitchen items. What I witnessed was far from normal. A lifeless carcass was sprawled across the counters, dried blood streaming onto the floor. A bloody hatchet lay on the floor by the girl's feet and there were bloody cutting boards bedside her swollen head. Vomit breached my lips and soon enough I was on the floor, heaving. Oh my god. She had to have put up a fight. I stood up on shaky legs and began to walk away from the site of the murders. I was right. Something is going on here and I will find out what is going on.  I swiftly left the terriying murder kitchen.  I smacked right into a soft lump running equally as fast toward me.  

"Hey!"  The girl toppled to the ground, smacking her head on the rock hard cement.

"I'm so sorry!"  She looked up and I took a secdond to actually notice her.  She had soft features, cobalt eyes, and flaming coral hair.  Her lips formed a bright smile and she began to giggle.  "What?" Why? Was she laughing at me?

"I'm fine.  That's why it's funny"  She continued to giggle and the smile grew larger and larger. "You're cute."  A light blush reached my cheeks.

"Thanks."  She blushed as well, her cheeks the shade of a spring flower.  She's amazing.

"You need to stay away."  Her beautiful smile was wiped right off of her face.  Her eyes became stone cold.

"Wait, what?  Why?"  She approached me.

"You were in the kitchen.  You've seen what they're doing."  She gripped my shoulders.  "You've seen what they can do, what they will do."  She has a point.

"I can't leave.  They brought me here."

"Stay away Paxton.  Let them do whatever they want.  You can't die too."  With her final warning, the mystical girl walked away from me, leaving me in my own thoughts/  How did she know my name?  I stood there, staring at the place she once was.  After the confusion retreated, I felt a sense of dread move in.  Shit, I'm going to die.  I began to climb the stairs once again, terrified for my home, my family.  Are they okay?  What if they're dead?  I'm going to die, I just know it.

"Some dumb ass allowed to end up blood on the kid's plate."  The kid? " What are we going to do?

" Well we already killed the annoying as shit waiter who allowed that to happen." Wait, of course they meant me.  "  We just need to make sure no one messes up again."  So they're continuing to kill people just to fool me?  I approached the door.  I could hear everything they were saying, every single, solitary evil thought that they shared entered my brain.  

"Why did we bring him here anyway?" Yeah, why?

"To fool the entire state into thinking we actually cared."  How do you sleep at night?  "If anyone lets Paxton know anything else, he and the snitch will meet an untimely demise.  Got it?"  The room collectively mumuredas if to agree.  I leaned against the wall, my breath weighing a thousand pounds.  I'm going to die.  They're going to find out I was in the kitchen, they have to.

"What the hell are you doing here?"  Shit.