The Experiment

The Door

“There was only one rule: don’t open the door!”. Professor Flitcroft shuddered as he surveyed the room. Broken furniture lay strewn across the blood-stained floor leaving a trail of destruction ending at the ajar door.

It had seemed such a harmless experiment when he brought the students together to study the psychology of suggestion. Five bright young minds eager to impress and spend an hour in a room with a simple instruction – ‘don’t open the door’. It’s what the professor had omitted to tell them that had had the profound effect on the volunteers.

As he stood in the chaotic room the sound of a child’s voice came from beyond the open door,

“Help me, please. I’m locked in. Please let me out. I’m frightened.”

Professor Flitcroft stepped through the shambles of broken furniture, slipping on blood pools making his way towards the door. As he did so he heard his own voice in a strict tone say,

“Don’t open the door”.

Once at the door, Professor Flitcroft saw bloody fingerprints on the handle and eased the door open with his foot. As he peered into the darkness beyond the open door again, he heard the pleading voice of the child,

“Help me, please. I’m locked in. Please let me out. I’m frightened.

Cautiously, Professor Flitcroft stepped into the darkness. Behind him he heard his own voice commanding,

“Don’t open the door”

He reached out to his left and felt for the light switch and as soon as he touched the wall the door slammed shut behind him. The blood froze in his veins as he fell back towards the door pushing and beating at it desperately.

“Help me please I’m locked in”, he screamed. as he felt a huge, clawed paw come crashing down on his head.