This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/EclosionK2 on 2024-09-20 04:31:29+00:00.
Children. Dozens of children. Maybe hundreds.
When I regained consciousness that’s the first thought that entered my mind. Jesus Christ there’s a lot of them down here.
And by here, I mean some kind of underground amphitheater with nightmarish rows of seats. Each seat—a black cage of interlaced ribs entrapping a motionless child who’s had their eyes and mouths sealed with tight, shiny cables.
It was probably the most horrific thing I’d ever seen.
I myself was surrounded by the metal ribs as well, except that my tall, twenty-five-year-old torso extended beyond the smaller cage designed for children. I had a few limbs sticking out (thank god).
Judging by the uniformity of all the other cages, my guess is that I was placed via some automated process that had gone unchecked. Which meant that the black cables that should have been sealing my face were instead wrapped around my chin.
It was tempting to call for help. To yell and see if someone else would respond. But of course that might’ve been suicide.
I didn’t know where I was. Underground maybe?
I only knew that my supervisor, Usami-san, had paralyzed and sent me here.
That bastard.
I was stupid to tell him anything. I should have known he was part of the conspiracy among top brass at Bakery Park—they were all complicit in imprisoning the swathes of Japanese kids here.
I remember my girlfriend Aiko said that only three children had gone missing at the theme park. How wrong we were. Those were clearly just the three the public knew about.
I spent the first few minutes totally awestruck by the horror of it all. It was hard to believe I was staring at an inhumane prison designed exclusively for six to twelve year olds.
Cruelty incarnate.
At the center of the amphitheater-like floor was a heap of LED panels undulating in a faint white glow, supplying light to the rest of the space .
I watched patiently as one of the panels became bright pink and produced a hologram of a large cartoon pig with a cinnamon roll for a tail.
It was Bu-chan.
The light turned off, but the hologram remained, untethered to roam free. The pig squealed and spoke in aggressive Japanese.
“Rirīsu kapuseru 478-97742.”
Release capsule 478-97742.
A child cage only a few rows down from me lifted into the air. Several spider-like legs emerged beneath it, and skittered down to Bu-chan.
The pig snorted and inspected the young boy.
"Yokatta. Mada juku shi teru yo. Tsuite koi."
“Good. Still ripe. Follow me.”
The arachnid cradle waddled behind the hologram pig as he marched down an exit. The sound of the spider feet scraping and stabbing the floor echoed outwards until fading away.
Good lord. What have I gotten myself into.
With my free hand, I grabbed and twisted at each of the ribs holding my chest in place. The metal was strong and unrelenting.
But then I discovered an external hook-shaped appendage, and when I pulled. the whole cage opened.
I was free.
Count your fucking blessings…
Several pinprick sensations stung across my back as I stood up. On my seat I could see several loosely hanging needles and tubes. IVs?
I moved quickly, sliding between the rows of young victims, climbing over their cage casings sometimes.
If I wanted to, I could have pulled the same hook appendage and freed several children as well. The thought weighed me down. A small anchor of guilt.
But what good would that do? What if they cried out? What if I had to carry one?
I had no clue where I was supposed to go. For all I knew, freeing a child might’ve been condemning them to something far, far worse.
No. I was better off going alone, scoping it out. Rescue would have to be figured out later.
When I descended past the last row and stepped the gray, cave-like floor, I could see exits in at least five different directions. They were all sealed by tight aperture doors. All except for the tunnel that Bu-chan entered.
I took a deep breath.
The LEDs pulsated rhythmically, casting my shadow against the rows of young kids. My silhouette stretched into a long, scrawny shape across the helpless forms, like a spindly tree, incapable of supporting anything.
There was nothing for me here. I snuck down the tunnel.
***
It was very hard to see in the pure, unassailable darkness. Clearly the tunnel was designed for beings who could emit their own glow. Not for fleshy human escapees.
I kept my fingers sliding along the right wall, marching forward and making sure I didn't trip over anything. Eventually I did see a mix of glimmering lights at the end of the tunnel. They alternated between blue, yellow, and pink.
It might have been Bu-chan or more like him, which sent chills down my spine, but I ignored the feeling and edged closer.
Grime, soot, and I don't know what else clung to my fingers and clothes as I crawled along the wall. I was still wearing my ‘Mr. New York’ outfit, which I'm sure was now streaked with god knows what. They might have taken my phone and keys, but at least they left me my costume. I used the chef’s hat to wipe sweat from my eyes.
The lights danced brightly as I neared the tunnel’s exit. It gave the impression of some kind of nightclub or carnival. As I came even closer I could see indeed it came from a shimmering neon sign.
フォトニクスバザール
Photonics Bazaar.
What the hell.
On my immediate right, I saw a space densely packed with cryopod-like chambers. Inside each chamber was the glowing hologram of a child, looking at me with tired, defeated eyes.
There seemed to be no one else around at this bazaar. I went up and put my hand on the nearest chamber. The little girl on the other side placed her palm beneath mine. She was saying something frantically, I could see shimmering, translucent tears trickle down her shimmering, translucent face.
I wish I knew how to lip read. I had so many questions. What did they do to you?
I stepped away and looked at the sign centered between all these glass chambers
.プレミアムフレーバー 千葉エリア 半額
Premium Flavors - Chiba Region - Half Price
I re-read the text several times to make sure I translated correctly. But that’s what the words said.
This was a stall, a storefront, and as I looked deeper into the grand hall I just entered. I realized could see dozens of them.
Several storefronts each offering a different variant.
山梨の甘味
Flavors of Yamanashi
本物の東京の味
Authentic Tokyo Taste
神奈川の味 - 50% オフ
Kanagawa flavors - 50% Off
My bottom jaw had fallen somewhere along the floor. My hands clasped my head.
What. The. Fuck.
Through the middle of this bazaar hall was a long, connected row of tables and chairs—like you might find at the center of any food court. Except the furnishings here were clearly designed for beings much larger than humans.
I approached the first table and spotted a single chrome bowl left on the edge. Inside I could see a shimmering mixture of pink and cyan…
Pace quickened, I sped down the large empty hall, trying to process what I was seeing. In between the ‘flavor’ stalls were shops for all kinds of uncanny silver instruments. Spoons, bowls, knives, corkscrews, and other things I didn't want to look at.
And every now and then I’d spot a black column supporting the ceiling. On each column were glowing digital numbers. They said 8:57 like any old alarm clock on earth. In a few moments, they read 8:58.
I slid my way beneath the long cafeteria table, and kept a low profile, and I'm glad that I did, because when the clock hit 9:00, All hell broke loose.
The ceiling became an LED explosion of sparks and lights, descending hordes of shimmering creatures down into the hall.
But they weren’t ravenous, blood-thirsty monsters like I was expecting. No, If I had to describe them, I’d say they behaved more like obsessive shoppers at a mall.
I watched from the floor as a hologram monkey mascot (covered in donut sprinkles) prepared his shimmering pair of tote bags. There was a bipedal dog (with pancakes for ears) who ran over to some glass-chambered children for sale and started smelling each one. There was even a weasel (made of churros) who was giving out coupons for specific stalls.
They were all animals infused with dessert elements … which meant they were likely characters designed at Bakery Park.
But did that mean they were all harmless virtual mascots at one point? And somehow they now lived underground … enjoying humans as flavors?
“I want that fresh boyling from Kanagawa. The one with the glasses.”
“I’ve heard these creamy types from Shimado are the best. How much?”
“Where are the four star smart ones? I want a new pet. And then I want to eat him when I get bored.”
I could see their illuminated hooves, paws, and bird feet walk back and forth across the bazaar grounds. They were crowding around close to where I was hiding.
Tongue clenched between my teeth, I stayed beneath the tables and skulked forward, putting my heels down before my toes, making as little noise as possible.
With their attention on the merchandise, no one seemed t...
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