The Tooth Fairy

FOR CONTENT WARNING - SKIP TO THE END.

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The receptionist smiled, wide and white, tapping at her keyboard.

"Have a seat. Dr Thorn will be a moment."

You sit on the plastic chair, knees jiggling, palms sweating. The ads leering down from every wall give you the heebie jeebies; half too white, inhuman. The other half rotten and gross, to scare you onto the straight and narrow.

Your name is called. Gathering your courage, you follow Dr Thorn through the corridors. The lights flicker. There are no windows. Every white surface seems to glow from within. With every step, your nerves rattle. Get out!

Deep breath. Another. It's just nerves. Step. Step. Breathe.

The door seems far away and close up simultaneously. Then it's there, in your face. It swings inward. The room yawns wide, swallows you in.

Before you know it, you're leaning back in the Chair. Can you remember when last you felt so helpless? A sound, like teeth chattering, on the edge of hearing.

"Open wide," Dr Thorn commands. For a moment, you're four years old again, staring and stubborn, pinching your lips shut. He doesn't repeat himself. He leans forward, eyes goggling, pupils getting larger with each moment until each iris is black. Inky tendrils spider out into the sclera and... your mouth opens.

The needle looks enormous.

It sinks into your gum, delivering a jolt of pain that spreads through your whole body. You gulp down a squeal of pain. Thorn's leer is obvious, even behind his mask. Now: numbness. It's not better. Every limb feels like lead. Your body is no longer your own. There's no nurse, here. No one to see. No one to save you. You're alone with this madman.

Your head lolls back. The ivory white ceiling looks like it's made up of rows and spirals of teeth. Gloved fingers stretch your mouth wider until it feels like your head might break in half. He's yanking something out of you, you're losing consciousness. The chattering is louder...

#

Later, someone who looks like you walks out of the clinic with perfectly even pearly whites.

You, the you that Thorn pulled out of you through your open mouth, is trapped in the Tooth Maze in his ceiling.

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Word count - 366

(NB. This excludes the title, subtitle, and authors note.)

Submitted on Friday 27th September at 23:27

****Content warning: dental stuff. You've been warned.****

The story behind the story: This is a story for Marie Sinadjan's Spooky Bingo, using the theme "Predator and prey".

A Year of Stories: I'm writing (and submitting, here) a story every day this year. This continues my 271 daily microfiction story streak since 1st January.

ONLY NINETY-FIVE DAYS TO GO!

Please consider lending your support to the other creators on this madcap "a story every day" adventure. They're putting out excellent content every day!

Rachel Deeming

Gerard DiLeo

Thank you

Especially if you are one of the wonderful people who has been staunchly reading these daily scribbles since the start of the year. I see you, and appreciate you very much indeed!

Thank you to those who leave feedback/comments. I'm going to be slower to respond to each one and reciprocate the reads, but I'll catch up in a week or two.

If you enjoyed this one, the very best compliment you can give me is to share it, or read another!

Five days left on my dollar challenge!

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Thank you again!