Factory 1 “The Operating Theater”

The young teen who found the bodies assumed that the scene was the result of a late night of work on one of the many local independent films. It is in fact not that uncommon for amateur filmmakers to use the old factories, even without permission. However, something seemed off about the scene, so he called the authorities. Once the police arrived it did not take long to discover that the violence was real. Then the boy became hysterical, after realizing the skin on the table was someone's face.

Laid out in an arch were four surgical beds, a body set on each one; two females and two males in total. Separate medical trays were placed next to each and surrounding the whole scene were a set of bright lights. Off to the side, almost out of sight, was an old record player, the record still slowly turning. Things became chaotic when it was discovered that the bodies on the tables were still alive. The victims were brought to the hospital and instantly brought into emergency surgery.

The damage to the bodies was pronounced, and was above all else uniform in execution. The skin from the faces had been removed, along with the majority of the tendons and muscles. It seems that the only bit of tissue that was kept on the face were those connected to the movement of the jaw. The strangest detail was the sharp gleam of the light on the skulls, and it was soon determined that the bone had been polished.

The bodies of the victims had been cleaned and sterilized, and it seems that a great amount of attention had been paid to sanitation. The arms were sewn against the chest, the thread that was used being of medical quality. The technique, although clearly learned, was more reminiscent of the stitching one would use in the manufacture of shoes. The damage to the bodies continued below the waist, as all the flesh and organs around the pelvis and thighs had been removed, bleeding prevented through cauterization. The links between the spine and the lower body had been severed, preventing the body from going into shock during the process. The bones in the waist had also been polished.

Three of the victims died in surgery. The toxicology results revealed two sorts of anesthetics were present in their bodies. One was ether, and was found via a mucus swab, suggesting it was used to knock them out. The other was a more modern anesthetic, which was found in the blood. Unfortunately, the toxicology results arrived too late. When anesthetic was applied, three of the patients OD'd and died. The remaining victim, one of the females, remained in surgery for six hours before finally being declared stable. Skin grants were planned for the face, but the treatment of the bone and other tissues made such an attempt impossible without further planning.

The girl awoke several days later in a considerable amount of distress. It was not until another day had passed that she was calm enough to share what had happened.

“We went to the factory, just to screw around. We were passing through one of the side rooms, heading for the stairs. The door closed behind us, along with the door in front. Then there was a thick, hissing sound. The boys tried to break down the door, but after a few minutes I began to feel light headed. Then I fell down.

I awoke later. Looking at the ceiling. I turned my head, and saw the rest of my friends. They were unconscious. There was someone with us. He was tall, and wore a long black leather smock. His face...it was horrible...”

It took several minutes before she was willing to talk again. Eventually she continued.

“His face was flat...he had removed his nose and cheeks. His hair was all shaved. There was a long line of stitches running down the center of his face. His eyes...the flesh above and below were sewn together...left only a small hole for him to see. He had no ears ...he had made his face into a mask.

Somewhere far off I heard music...He spoke to me. His voice was deep and grating...'Don't worry,' he said in a thin tone. 'You won't feel a thing.'”

The girl has been unable to remember much else. The music was later identified as Pachelbel 1698, Canon in D. This song is most known for its use during the opening of weddings. The last thing the girl remembers before waking after surgery was the man, dancing along to the music. Plans are underway to heal the damage, and several surgeries are already scheduled. However, it is assumed that she will never be able to walk again.