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INSIDIOUS

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SANGEETHA KAMATH

 

The car juddered to a halt and refused to budge an inch forward. "Luke, I thought we had a full gas tank and the car was serviced just this weekend…what's wrong?"

"I have no idea, Stella…We're in the middle of nowhere and my phone has no signal! But look there. It says 'Baby Museum' on the signpost. Shall we go in and see if they have a landline to get us out of this mess?"

"Guess we have no choice. But I'm very uneasy, Luke. I just want to go home and rest. Our baby's due in a couple of weeks."

"I'm so sorry, honey. But look at the brighter side. We can check out this place in advance."

At the entrance were standees of Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. The lobby glowed with pastel pink shimmering lights. Mannequins of fairies lined the walls. Luke approached the front desk. 

"Yes sir, we will have it arranged. Meanwhile, why don't the both of you take a tour of our museum?"

Stella took Luke's arm and hobbled into the room beyond. It was done in darker pink, a fuchsia.Playpens and trampolines occupied the room. 

Why is the museum vacant– a thought did cross her mind but she brushed it off. The room further in was done in crimson. Stella instinctively took a step back.

"Luke, this looks very disturbing. I want to go out. I don't have a good feeling about this. Do you see these portraits on the walls? They hardly look human!"

"They're fetuses for god's sake! This is a baby museum! There's one more room and then we're done…okay?"

Stella had an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach as she tried not to give in to nausea. She agreed to go along clinging on to Luke, barely able to walk straight.

The room was deep scarlet with hives of fetuses…!

Gasping, she almost blacked out at the foreboding display. Swaying, she reached out for Luke but only clutched at thin air.

"Luke…Luke, where are you…"

Stella limped as fast as she could to the door but it was locked from the outside! Terror came in waves, the anxiety taking a new form of dread when realization dawned on her.

Betrayal! 

Paranoia 

Claustrophobia…

Slumping on to the floor as the scarlet coloured walls and ceiling seemed to close in on her, Stella’s heartbeat raced and blood pressure rose.

Fighting her dizziness with her last ounce of energy to stay conscious, she finally gave in to the blackness which overcame her. Her last thoughts were of the unborn child and its safety as she helplessly shielded her arms across her belly.

Outside, Luke bade goodbye and stashed rolls of money into his pockets. Stella’s cries for help went unheard from the soundproof walls.

©️ Sangeetha Kamath 

Pic Courtesy:Image by Silvia Gaudenzi from Pixabay

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