In The Lift (5 word short story)

Word Count: 504

In The Lift

Ben steps into the lift of his apartment building, mindlessly presses the button to the fourth floor and walks to the back. His foot moves what sounds like a sheet of paper, he looks down to discover it’s an x-ray he picks it up to examine it.

            “What in the world,” he raises it to the light, it seems to be a human limb but there’s something different about it. He puts it under his arm as the lift comes to a halt, he steps off and starts walking over to his apartment he stumbles into another person attempting to step into the lift causing him to drop the x-ray and the stranger drops a magazine they were carrying.

            “Sorry,” the stranger bends down to pick up his magazine and spots the x-ray, he hands it back to Ben, “Where’d you find this?”

            Ben clears his throat, “It was on the lift,” the stranger pushes him against the wall, “Hey what the hell man!” the strangers hold on his shirt tightens, Ben tries to escape but the man is stronger, the lift doors open the man pushes him inside and closes the lift doors and presses the button to the basement.

            “Shut up, have you shown this to anyone?” Ben searches the man’s face; he’s never seen this man in his building before how did he get in? “HAVE YOU SHOWN THIS TO ANYONE?” Ben furiously shakes his head. The lift comes to a stop and the cold night air sends a chill down his back, the man drags him out, “You mustn’t tell anyone about this, it’s bad news.” Says the stranger.

“Okay, but what is it? Who are you?”

“My name doesn’t matter, just thank me. This is a little picture some bad men are looking for it’s for a little science project gone wrong. Humans should never play god.” Says the man.

“What- who are you?”

“Let’s just say, nothing can hurt you know, welcome aboard.” Says the stranger, bringing out a syringe from his coat. “ Now this will only sting a little.”

Soon everything goes black.

Ben wakes up in his room, dazed and confused he stands up reaches to his neck, it feels sore. “That was weird.” He turns on the television; pictures of several leaked x-rays similar to the one in his dream are splayed out on the screen. “The discovery of experimenting on humans has been brought to light soon to be presented before a jury, with these images many have been approached by a strange man and then start hallucinating.  We are in a state of quarantine,” said the voice form the television, “if you’ve been approached by this man,” a picture similar to the stranger from Ben’s dream pops up,  “Please contact-”

The sound of an alarm causes Ben to wake up, he’s in bed he immediately touches his neck, nothing there. He looks at his phone it’s Saturday morning.

“Just a dream, that’s it no more watching the science fiction channel before bed.”