Phobophobia

Chapter 9: Pupaphobia

It's dark. I can't move. I'm in some kind of chair, and I feel rope around me.

I try to struggle, but stop in pain when I feel the glass seep further into my skin. I open my eyes as wide as I can in hopes they will adjust to the light, but close them shut when a bright light shines on me.

I open my eyes slowly as they adjust, and look around the room. The ground is all cement, and I can't see the walls. The small circle of light that surrounds me goes out a few feet, then turns to shadow, leaving me in wonder.

Suddenly, another light a few feet away from me flashes on, and in the center of the spotlight is a booth looking thing. On top was a wooden sign reading "Puppet Show"

The table had a shiny red fabric all around the base, and curtains made of the same material.

Before I can observe anymore, the curtains fly open, revealing two identical puppets. Immediately my heart beats a little quicker and I start to feel hot in my tight space.

The puppets have painted on brown hair and curved eyebrows. Their eyes are bright green and huge, surrounded by black paint resembling eye liner. The mouths are slightly curved upward in a creepy smirk, not exactly smiling, but not a straight face. Right in the middle.

Both puppets are staring right at me, making me even more nervous. I could feel my hands becoming clammy. They turned their heads towards each other when one started talking.

"Hello Bates! What are we going to talk about today?" The puppet on the left chimes, it's voice indescribable, but it sends shivers down my spine.

"Well Freddy, we are going to talk about respect!" The other one answered, it's voice the same.

"What does respect mean?" Freddy asked, question in it's creepy voice.
Just watching them makes my heart beat faster.
"Respect is when you admire somebody else for what they do and who they are. When you respect somebody, you are kind to them and do as they say." Bates answered, leaning closer to Freddy. I get slightly angered when they say their definition of respect, knowing the Psychopath had purposely made the show about respect. But the anger isn't enough to block out my fear of the puppets before me.

"Okay, I get it. So how do you be respectful to someone?" Freddy asks.

"One way is to show kindness and courtesy. Act how you want to be treated. Be nice and do as the other person says, especially if that person is more important then you." Bates answers, and I swear it's eyes turn to look at me.

My breathing quickens as I watch them go on.

"Another way to be respectful to someone is to be polite. When you are polite to someone, you won't get punished! Ways to be polite are to say please and thank you, don't curse, do as the other person says, don't talk back, and don't ruin any experiments." Bates continues. Still afraid, I get slightly angry again in the back of my mind. I can tell the Psychopath modified the show as if the puppets were teaching me about respect.

"Lastly, always follow rules. If someone tells you to participate, participate! If someone tells you not to curse, then don't curse! And if someone tells you you're not getting out of here, your not getting out of here!" Bates says. "Isn't that right," Bates starts, and both Bates and Freddy turn their heads towards me and stare right at me.

"Jess?"

My heart pounds in my chest and I start to feel sick. I try to move my eyes away, but I can't. I'm basically paralyzed by fright. The way they stare at me, the way they talk, how they look, the tone they set in the room, all of it swarms my brain making me terrified.

"When somebody asks you a question you answer them. Right Jessie?" A voice says in my ear. I freeze as something is placed in my left shoulder. I slowly turn my head to look right at a ventriloquist puppet staring right at me. It smiles as it's hand squeezes my shoulder.