"Why You SHOULDN'T Touch Plastic Cups" | CLANCYPASTA Original

[00:00:01] The phone on my nightstand buzzed at a steady rhythm for far longer than I would have appreciated.

[00:00:07] I opened my groggy eyes and stared at the pitch black nothingness above me.

[00:00:12] For god's sakes, who would be calling me at this hour?

[00:00:15] This better not be some scam or anything.

[00:00:17] Not again.

[00:00:18] Last week I got a call from this weird number claiming to be from the automotive committee at about 10pm.

[00:00:24] Call me an idiot, but I was so tired after a long day at work, I didn't catch on to the fact that the call was obviously fraudulent for a few minutes too long.

[00:00:34] Luckily for me, I didn't give out any personal details, but my god has it made me exceptionally suspicious lately.

[00:00:43] I rolled over to my left and grabbed the glowing phone, seemingly bright as the sun, though I know that's just relative to the suffocating darkness around me.

[00:00:52] As my eyes adjusted to the new light, I saw first that it was currently 2.22am, and second that I was getting a call from my old pal Alan.

[00:01:03] We go way back, though the details of our friendship are probably nothing more than a snoozefest to you.

[00:01:09] All you really need to know is that Alan is not exactly the type of friend your parents want you hanging around with.

[00:01:16] He was always unknowingly and unapologetically rude at the worst times, and got me involved in some not-so-scrupulous activities when we were in high school.

[00:01:26] That was years ago now, though, and these days, we don't talk all that often.

[00:01:32] The closest we get to hanging out is sitting in an Xbox Live party together, playing Halo Reach every once in a while like we used to years ago.

[00:01:40] It's a fun little nostalgia trip, but I haven't really heard much from him outside of stuff like that.

[00:01:47] After a moment of consideration, I answered the call and pulled the phone to my ear.

[00:01:52] Hello? I said, as I pretty much always do when answering a call.

[00:01:57] Hey, Jackie, how's it hanging, my man?

[00:01:59] Alan asked in an excited tone.

[00:02:02] It's hanging alright, I guess, man, but I was kind of in the middle of sleeping.

[00:02:06] What's going on?

[00:02:08] Ah, sorry, man.

[00:02:09] Alan said both quickly and dismissively.

[00:02:12] Listen, I need you to come by my work for a minute.

[00:02:15] There's something you've gotta see.

[00:02:18] Alan, if you need a ride home, I can't give you one right now.

[00:02:22] I'm tired as fuck and need to get back to bed.

[00:02:24] I asserted, trying to speed up our conversation.

[00:02:27] Dude, I'll give you 15 bucks right here, right now, as soon as you show up here if you come.

[00:02:33] I don't need a ride home.

[00:02:34] I've got a car now.

[00:02:35] I just need to show you something.

[00:02:37] It's super important, dude.

[00:02:39] Please, just get in your car and drive over.

[00:02:41] My work is a straight shot from your place anyway.

[00:02:43] Just down south on Clover Reed Lane about five minutes.

[00:02:46] You're not gonna regret it, dude.

[00:02:48] I promise.

[00:02:50] And if you do, I'll throw in another 15.

[00:02:54] Alan's offer was, unfortunately, tempting.

[00:02:57] I've been trying to get more hours at work to earn a little extra cash lately, but the bosses aren't having it.

[00:03:03] I don't really have it in me to work a whole other job either, so I'm just kind of stuck in this weird no-man's land right now.

[00:03:11] So 30 extra dollars sounds pretty alluring.

[00:03:15] And yes, I would be taking the whole 30, because I know Alan is full of shit.

[00:03:21] He always has been, and he always will be.

[00:03:24] But that's all part of who he is, I guess.

[00:03:26] And I'm not sure if we'd even have ever been friends if it weren't for his more than mildly shady behavior.

[00:03:34] I got in my car and drove down Clover Reed Lane for about 13 minutes, not five, like that son of a bitch told me, until I got to his work.

[00:03:43] He worked at some factory that makes disposable plates and bowls and cups and shit like that.

[00:03:49] I think they supply the generic brand they sell at Walmart or Target or something, though it might have been Kmart.

[00:03:55] I don't know, it was one of the big ones anyways.

[00:03:58] I pulled into the desolate parking lot and shifted my gear into park.

[00:04:03] I looked around for a moment and took in the utter and complete silence and emptiness around me.

[00:04:09] As is the case with these huge factories that pay workers shit their entire lives,

[00:04:15] only to cripple them from the hard labor or kill them from the unsafe exposure to who knows how many unregulated chemicals

[00:04:21] that are going to be banned in the coming decades.

[00:04:24] The parking lot was huge.

[00:04:26] In fact, I don't think huge does this lot justice.

[00:04:30] The parking lot was fucking ginormous.

[00:04:33] It wouldn't surprise me if it was the size of a football field.

[00:04:37] I took a camel crush from my pocket and looked up at my clock.

[00:04:41] 2.55 AM.

[00:04:44] I lit the cigarette, took a few draws of the smooth, rich tobacco,

[00:04:48] before popping the little menthol ball in the center of the filter,

[00:04:52] effectively turning my plain cigarette into a refreshing menthol pleasure.

[00:04:56] I felt two buzzes come from my right pocket,

[00:04:59] which reminded me I forgot to turn vibrate off on my phone.

[00:05:03] It was of course Alan, saying,

[00:05:05] You here, man?

[00:05:06] I sighed and typed back A, be in in a minute,

[00:05:10] before taking a long drag off my camel and throwing it on the parking lot ground as I opened my rickety old car door.

[00:05:18] Walking up to the entrance, I could see Alan waiting for me on the other end of the glass doors.

[00:05:23] He was smiling that simultaneously innocent, yet devious smile he's always had,

[00:05:30] which instantly put my guard up.

[00:05:32] He unlocked the door and greeted me with a friendly,

[00:05:35] Get the fuck in here, Jackie!

[00:05:37] before grabbing me by the shoulder and pulling me inside.

[00:05:41] Walking up the stairs to the office where Alan's stationed,

[00:05:45] I forgot how long it had really been since we'd last seen each other in person.

[00:05:49] Could it have been years?

[00:05:51] It wouldn't surprise me.

[00:05:53] Despite his bad reputation in school, he surprisingly always had a baby face.

[00:05:58] Though now, just a foot or so away from me,

[00:06:01] I could see thick, unkempt stubble sprouting up all across his face and neck.

[00:06:06] Made me realize how long ago school really was,

[00:06:10] and how we were, supposedly, adults now.

[00:06:14] You know, I always thought as a minor that there'd come a time in early adulthood

[00:06:19] where I would begin to feel like, well, an adult.

[00:06:23] But I've come to the realization that that's just not how it works.

[00:06:27] You feel like a kid, not knowing what the fuck you're doing and barely keeping it together,

[00:06:32] until you don't anymore.

[00:06:34] I haven't gotten to the part where I don't yet,

[00:06:37] and I assume Alan hasn't either.

[00:06:40] Alright, Alan.

[00:06:42] You want to tell me why I'm here?

[00:06:43] I asked, following him into his office, which housed dozens of small television screens.

[00:06:49] He was apparently part of the overnight security here,

[00:06:52] making sure nobody broke in and stole some highly valuable and sought-after paper plates or something.

[00:06:58] He spent all night staring at the screens,

[00:07:01] and occasionally doing a walkthrough of the entire building

[00:07:03] to make sure no unauthorized individuals were hanging out on the premises.

[00:07:09] Alright, so check this out, Jackie.

[00:07:12] Follow me.

[00:07:13] He walked over to the other side of the room

[00:07:16] and opened a door labeled Employees Only.

[00:07:19] Come on through, I'll be right behind you, Alan said,

[00:07:23] insisting I walk down some dark hallway leading to God knows what.

[00:07:29] Bro, you've gotta tell me what the fuck's going on here, I said in protest.

[00:07:35] I can't, man.

[00:07:36] It'll spoil the whole thing.

[00:07:37] It'll only be another minute.

[00:07:38] Just trust me.

[00:07:40] Alan wasn't really the type of person I could trust,

[00:07:44] but I decided to fake it in an attempt to get this show on the road.

[00:07:49] Walking into and down the dimly lit hallway,

[00:07:52] I heard Alan close and lock the door behind us.

[00:07:55] I turned around to look at Alan, who just nodded his head forward,

[00:07:59] instructing me to keep on going.

[00:08:01] I walked for maybe about a minute

[00:08:04] before the hallway took a short turn to the left.

[00:08:07] There was a horribly old elevator there,

[00:08:10] and when I mean old,

[00:08:11] I mean you couldn't pay me to get on that elevator it looked so fucking old.

[00:08:15] At least that's what I thought,

[00:08:17] until I remembered the thirty dollars with my name on it

[00:08:20] if I played along with my buddy's little game.

[00:08:24] I begrudgingly got on,

[00:08:26] and took in the unbelievable sight.

[00:08:29] The floor of this tiny elevator room was shag carpeted,

[00:08:32] and the wallpaper on the sides of this small room were beginning to peel.

[00:08:35] I looked at the floor buttons,

[00:08:37] and noticed that despite this building containing well over four or five floors,

[00:08:42] there were only two buttons.

[00:08:44] One for the fifth floor,

[00:08:46] the one we were on now,

[00:08:48] and one for a floor label unavailable.

[00:08:52] I looked over to my friend,

[00:08:54] knowing full well which button I was supposed to push.

[00:08:58] I pointed at it just to make sure,

[00:09:00] and Alan gave me an excited nod.

[00:09:03] You got it,

[00:09:04] he said.

[00:09:05] This thing doesn't seem safe.

[00:09:08] Are you sure we should be using it at all?

[00:09:10] I asked,

[00:09:11] growing more concerned by the moment.

[00:09:13] Settle down, Jackie.

[00:09:15] I've ridden this elevator at least five times.

[00:09:17] It's totally stable.

[00:09:18] I mean,

[00:09:19] you might feel a few bumps and shit here and there,

[00:09:22] but it's no big deal.

[00:09:23] All elevators can be a little rough sometimes,

[00:09:26] right?

[00:09:27] I wanted to say,

[00:09:29] no,

[00:09:29] that's not how it works at all,

[00:09:31] but was shorted by Alan reaching over,

[00:09:34] and smashing the unavailable button.

[00:09:37] The door closed,

[00:09:38] and the elevator began its descent.

[00:09:42] I watched the numbers change from five to four to three to two to one,

[00:09:49] and then a horizontal line.

[00:09:51] I looked over to Alan,

[00:09:52] who seemed unfazed by this,

[00:09:54] so I just looked back forward towards the doors.

[00:09:57] The ring of an unseen bell indicated that this was our stop,

[00:10:01] and the doors opened.

[00:10:02] What I saw before me,

[00:10:04] I found greatly unnerving.

[00:10:06] It was a long hallway,

[00:10:09] with no rooms or exits of any kind on either side for the entire duration.

[00:10:14] At the very end was one rusted metal door,

[00:10:18] with about five locks on it.

[00:10:20] The lights in the ceiling of the hallways were dim and flickering,

[00:10:24] but even with that,

[00:10:25] I could tell that this door was heavy duty,

[00:10:28] and nobody was breaking their way into that room.

[00:10:31] One of my first thoughts was that this was some security room

[00:10:35] where they kept their valuables.

[00:10:36] Maybe the owner of this place is old as fuck

[00:10:39] and doesn't trust banks worth a shit.

[00:10:41] I immediately turned to Alan,

[00:10:43] prepared to scold the hell out of him

[00:10:45] after thinking he was planning on robbing the place,

[00:10:47] and decided to get me involved to do it.

[00:10:49] But I bit my tongue,

[00:10:51] and realized that I don't think a place like this

[00:10:55] would really have many valuables to store away to begin with.

[00:11:00] Alan, what is this?

[00:11:02] I questioned meekly.

[00:11:04] To be perfectly honest with you, Jackie,

[00:11:06] I'm not quite sure, he said,

[00:11:09] walking first past me,

[00:11:10] and then turned around.

[00:11:12] But we're gonna find out.

[00:11:15] Standing in front of the door,

[00:11:17] I could see just how beat up and worn down this metal door was.

[00:11:20] It was rusted to hell,

[00:11:22] and even the locks looked like one touch

[00:11:24] should land you in the nearest hospital

[00:11:26] for a tetanus shot just to be on the safe side.

[00:11:28] It was here that, finally,

[00:11:31] Alan decided to tell me

[00:11:32] what this whole charade was all about.

[00:11:36] Alright, so,

[00:11:37] I discovered this door here

[00:11:39] a couple days ago.

[00:11:40] Working nights like this gets pretty boring,

[00:11:42] so,

[00:11:43] I tend to wander around,

[00:11:44] go through drawers,

[00:11:46] explore rooms,

[00:11:47] stuff like that.

[00:11:48] Just harmless shit to help the time pass.

[00:11:50] Well,

[00:11:51] I had discovered the elevator

[00:11:52] at the end of that long hallway

[00:11:54] shortly after I got this job

[00:11:55] about two weeks ago.

[00:11:57] The employee that trained me

[00:11:58] told me there was nothing noteworthy down there,

[00:12:00] and that the elevator was busted.

[00:12:02] But,

[00:12:03] like I said,

[00:12:04] I got pretty bored.

[00:12:05] I walked down to the end of the hallway last week

[00:12:08] and opened the elevator doors,

[00:12:10] pressed on the unavailable floor,

[00:12:12] and watched them close right back up.

[00:12:14] A minute later,

[00:12:15] I pressed on the down button

[00:12:17] to summon the elevator back up,

[00:12:19] and the doors opened once again.

[00:12:22] I could tell by how long it took the elevator

[00:12:24] to open up again after I pressed the button

[00:12:26] that it was indeed moving,

[00:12:28] and it wasn't busted like the guy said it was.

[00:12:31] After a couple days of doing that on my shifts,

[00:12:34] I decided to gamble a little bit

[00:12:36] and take the ride myself.

[00:12:39] I got on,

[00:12:40] rode down,

[00:12:41] and lo and behold,

[00:12:43] found this door.

[00:12:48] That is pretty interesting, Alan,

[00:12:51] I said hesitantly.

[00:12:53] But,

[00:12:54] why did you want me here?

[00:12:57] To share the discovery with,

[00:12:59] ma'am,

[00:12:59] he said,

[00:13:00] almost giggling.

[00:13:02] Way before I found this door,

[00:13:04] I was rummaging through an old filing cabinet

[00:13:06] in another random little back room upstairs

[00:13:08] when I noticed that

[00:13:10] one of the drawers

[00:13:11] actually had a false bottom.

[00:13:13] I used a credit card

[00:13:14] to get some leverage

[00:13:15] on the fake bottom

[00:13:16] and lifted it up,

[00:13:17] revealing a small compartment

[00:13:19] with this keychain.

[00:13:22] Alan lifted a keychain

[00:13:24] with five uniquely distinct

[00:13:25] and ancient-looking keys on it.

[00:13:28] Pretty spooky, right?

[00:13:30] He said with a wink.

[00:13:33] So,

[00:13:35] I began.

[00:13:36] You want me

[00:13:37] to go through this rusted,

[00:13:40] shady-looking door with you,

[00:13:41] and you have no idea

[00:13:43] what's behind it whatsoever.

[00:13:45] You woke me up

[00:13:46] at two

[00:13:47] in the fucking morning

[00:13:48] to explore some unknown

[00:13:50] like we're kids again?

[00:13:51] I want to see my thirty dollars,

[00:13:54] man.

[00:13:55] He frowned slightly

[00:13:56] in disappointment,

[00:13:58] apparently expecting me

[00:13:59] to absorb

[00:13:59] some of the excitement

[00:14:00] that was oozing off of him.

[00:14:03] Alright,

[00:14:04] man,

[00:14:05] I've got the money,

[00:14:06] Alan croaked.

[00:14:08] But first,

[00:14:09] you've got to check out

[00:14:10] that room with me.

[00:14:12] I looked at the door

[00:14:14] that seemed to be

[00:14:14] aging a decade

[00:14:15] every passing minute.

[00:14:17] Whatever, man,

[00:14:19] let's just get this show

[00:14:20] on the road.

[00:14:21] A twinkle

[00:14:22] returned to Alan's eye

[00:14:23] as he found

[00:14:24] the correct keys

[00:14:25] for each of the five

[00:14:26] corresponding locks.

[00:14:28] Upon unlocking

[00:14:29] the highly secure door,

[00:14:31] he turned to me

[00:14:32] with a smirk.

[00:14:33] I returned the smirk,

[00:14:34] though mine added

[00:14:35] in a bit of nervousness

[00:14:37] as well.

[00:14:37] He turned the ancient

[00:14:39] doorknob,

[00:14:40] which I'm surprised

[00:14:41] didn't break off

[00:14:42] just from being rotated,

[00:14:44] and pulled the metal slab

[00:14:45] open.

[00:14:47] Inside

[00:14:48] was pure,

[00:14:50] unadulterated

[00:14:50] blackness,

[00:14:51] just like what I was

[00:14:53] first greeted with

[00:14:54] upon opening my eyes

[00:14:55] to his phone call

[00:14:56] about an hour before.

[00:14:58] You got a flashlight?

[00:15:00] Alan asked.

[00:15:01] No,

[00:15:02] I don't got a flashlight.

[00:15:02] I responded quickly.

[00:15:05] I did actually

[00:15:06] have a flashlight

[00:15:07] on my phone,

[00:15:08] but I didn't want

[00:15:09] to play into his game

[00:15:10] any more than I had to.

[00:15:13] That's alright.

[00:15:14] Hold on a sec,

[00:15:15] he said.

[00:15:16] He reached in

[00:15:17] and felt along

[00:15:18] the inside of the wall

[00:15:19] nearest him.

[00:15:20] His eyes darted

[00:15:21] to the upper left

[00:15:22] as he focused

[00:15:23] on his touch.

[00:15:25] Wait,

[00:15:25] I think there's

[00:15:26] a light switch here.

[00:15:27] Let me try to flip it.

[00:15:29] It's stiff as fuck.

[00:15:30] It's like it hasn't

[00:15:31] been flipped in a lifetime.

[00:15:33] After a little effort,

[00:15:34] I heard the loud click

[00:15:36] of the switch.

[00:15:37] He pulled his hand

[00:15:38] out of the room

[00:15:39] and we both watched

[00:15:40] in bated breath

[00:15:41] for the light

[00:15:42] to greet us,

[00:15:43] but after waiting

[00:15:43] for more than a moment,

[00:15:45] I had had enough.

[00:15:48] Alan,

[00:15:49] this is bullshit.

[00:15:50] I'm beyond tired

[00:15:51] and need to get home.

[00:15:52] Give me my thirty bucks

[00:15:53] so I can get the f-

[00:15:54] I looked over

[00:15:56] through the doorway

[00:15:57] once more

[00:15:58] to see a

[00:15:58] tiny light,

[00:16:00] almost like a candle,

[00:16:01] sitting on the floor

[00:16:02] off into the distance,

[00:16:04] maybe a hundred feet away.

[00:16:06] You see that?

[00:16:07] I asked.

[00:16:08] Yeah,

[00:16:09] I see it.

[00:16:10] Alan responded

[00:16:11] as he slowly began

[00:16:12] walking in

[00:16:13] towards the light.

[00:16:15] I was still

[00:16:17] too shook

[00:16:18] from the uncomfortable

[00:16:19] setting

[00:16:19] and bizarre circumstances

[00:16:21] to actually go

[00:16:23] inside,

[00:16:23] but I would

[00:16:24] gladly watch

[00:16:25] and share

[00:16:26] this experience

[00:16:26] with him

[00:16:27] if it meant

[00:16:27] I'd get my thirty bucks

[00:16:29] a little faster.

[00:16:31] Watch your step,

[00:16:32] man,

[00:16:32] I said,

[00:16:33] playing my part

[00:16:34] and helping him out

[00:16:35] in the tiniest of ways.

[00:16:37] I am.

[00:16:38] There's like nothing

[00:16:39] in here.

[00:16:40] I can tell by how loud

[00:16:41] my footsteps are

[00:16:42] on the ground here.

[00:16:43] But god damn,

[00:16:44] this room is huge,

[00:16:45] Jackie.

[00:16:46] Like,

[00:16:46] I mean really huge.

[00:16:47] You're hearing those echoes,

[00:16:49] right?

[00:16:49] Because man,

[00:16:50] they-

[00:16:51] At that moment,

[00:16:52] Alan was cut off

[00:16:53] by the light switch

[00:16:54] finally doing its job.

[00:16:56] The room was flooded

[00:16:58] with light,

[00:16:59] revealing this

[00:17:00] to be barely a room

[00:17:01] at all.

[00:17:02] The size of this place,

[00:17:04] I've never seen

[00:17:06] anything like it.

[00:17:07] Even though we were

[00:17:08] apparently underground,

[00:17:09] this room was seemingly

[00:17:11] twenty to thirty stories tall

[00:17:13] and was the size

[00:17:15] of a large warehouse.

[00:17:16] But that wasn't

[00:17:18] even the shocking part.

[00:17:20] At the very end

[00:17:21] of the warehouse,

[00:17:22] though it was so large

[00:17:24] it took up close to half

[00:17:25] of the space,

[00:17:27] was an unbelievably

[00:17:29] gigantic,

[00:17:30] oversized,

[00:17:31] red plastic cup.

[00:17:33] It stood well

[00:17:35] over three hundred feet tall

[00:17:36] and straight up

[00:17:37] looked like an optical illusion,

[00:17:40] identical to a cup

[00:17:41] you'd buy in a pack

[00:17:42] of twenty at the supermarket,

[00:17:43] except for the fact

[00:17:44] that it was about

[00:17:45] one thousand times bigger,

[00:17:47] and sat in the middle

[00:17:48] of this underground warehouse.

[00:17:51] In front of the

[00:17:52] big red cup,

[00:17:54] stood the lone candle

[00:17:55] that used to be

[00:17:56] the sole source

[00:17:58] of light.

[00:18:00] I stared at the anomaly

[00:18:02] in shocked silence,

[00:18:03] while Alan started laughing.

[00:18:06] Ho ho ho,

[00:18:08] holy shit dude!

[00:18:09] Alan started.

[00:18:10] What the fuck

[00:18:11] is this shit?

[00:18:12] A big red cup

[00:18:13] the size of Montana?

[00:18:15] I didn't respond.

[00:18:17] To be honest,

[00:18:18] I thought I was

[00:18:19] probably going insane.

[00:18:20] None of this made

[00:18:22] any sense whatsoever,

[00:18:23] and I was beginning

[00:18:24] to feel queasy.

[00:18:26] My queasiness

[00:18:27] wasn't made any better

[00:18:28] when the cup

[00:18:29] began to speak.

[00:18:32] Now,

[00:18:33] I wasn't one hundred percent

[00:18:35] sure it was the cup

[00:18:36] at first,

[00:18:37] and believe me,

[00:18:38] I looked around

[00:18:39] and really tried

[00:18:40] to pin down

[00:18:40] what it was

[00:18:41] I was hearing,

[00:18:42] but after the second

[00:18:43] or third time

[00:18:44] a loud,

[00:18:45] raspy,

[00:18:46] touch me,

[00:18:49] hissed out

[00:18:50] of the top

[00:18:50] of the gargantuan cup,

[00:18:53] I knew

[00:18:54] what was going on,

[00:18:55] or at least

[00:18:56] what was seemingly

[00:18:57] going on.

[00:18:58] I still hadn't

[00:18:59] ruled out insanity.

[00:19:02] Alan was about

[00:19:03] forty feet

[00:19:04] from the thing now

[00:19:05] and was continuing

[00:19:06] to walk towards it.

[00:19:07] I was still too shocked

[00:19:09] to say anything

[00:19:09] and watched on

[00:19:11] in stunned silence

[00:19:12] as he continued on.

[00:19:13] I think he's gonna

[00:19:15] do it.

[00:19:15] I think he's gonna

[00:19:16] touch that big cup.

[00:19:18] God,

[00:19:19] this is all so

[00:19:20] fucking weird.

[00:19:22] Touch me.

[00:19:24] The cup hissed

[00:19:26] again

[00:19:26] in a voice

[00:19:27] so malevolent

[00:19:28] and ancient

[00:19:29] it sent a horrible

[00:19:31] chill down my spine.

[00:19:33] Alan was right

[00:19:35] in front of the cup now,

[00:19:36] well within arm's length.

[00:19:38] He looked up

[00:19:39] and said,

[00:19:40] What do you think, man?

[00:19:42] Should I do it?

[00:19:43] Snapping out of it

[00:19:44] for a second,

[00:19:45] I responded,

[00:19:46] Why are you asking me?

[00:19:48] We both know

[00:19:49] you're gonna do it anyway

[00:19:50] because you're too

[00:19:51] fucking curious

[00:19:52] for your own good.

[00:19:55] We shared a silence

[00:19:57] and understanding.

[00:19:58] I saw Alan look up

[00:20:00] and say,

[00:20:01] Alright,

[00:20:02] I'm gonna do it, man.

[00:20:05] As he slowly

[00:20:06] lifted his hand,

[00:20:07] I saw something

[00:20:08] begin to bubble

[00:20:09] at the edge

[00:20:10] of the cup

[00:20:11] about 300 feet

[00:20:12] into the air.

[00:20:13] I couldn't make out

[00:20:15] what it was

[00:20:16] at first,

[00:20:16] it just seemed to be

[00:20:18] some sort of

[00:20:18] shadowy movement,

[00:20:20] but as he opened

[00:20:21] his hand

[00:20:22] to place

[00:20:22] against the dyed

[00:20:23] red plastic

[00:20:24] of the gigantic

[00:20:26] disposable cup,

[00:20:27] I saw

[00:20:28] what it was.

[00:20:31] Bubbling over

[00:20:32] the corner

[00:20:32] of the cup

[00:20:33] came pouring down

[00:20:34] a waterfall

[00:20:35] of red liquid.

[00:20:37] Alan was directly

[00:20:38] in its line of sight

[00:20:40] and would be

[00:20:40] completely washed away

[00:20:42] by the wave

[00:20:43] and so would I.

[00:20:44] Where's there to run

[00:20:46] besides back

[00:20:47] to that elevator

[00:20:47] where I'm gonna have

[00:20:48] to wait for it

[00:20:49] to take its sweet time

[00:20:50] and finally close the door?

[00:20:53] Alan was

[00:20:54] completely oblivious

[00:20:55] to the fountain of red

[00:20:57] that was soon

[00:20:57] to pummel him

[00:20:58] and as he pressed

[00:20:59] the soft flesh

[00:21:00] of his palm

[00:21:01] into the shiny plastic,

[00:21:03] I screamed his name,

[00:21:04] one last time.

[00:21:10] The phone

[00:21:11] on my nightstand

[00:21:12] buzzed

[00:21:13] at a steady rhythm.

[00:21:14] I opened my eyes

[00:21:15] to see the pitch-black

[00:21:17] nothingness

[00:21:18] once again

[00:21:18] surrounding me.

[00:21:20] How the hell

[00:21:21] did I get back here?

[00:21:23] Where's Alan?

[00:21:25] I grabbed my phone

[00:21:26] and looked

[00:21:27] at the caller ID.

[00:21:28] It was from

[00:21:29] an unknown number.

[00:21:31] Hello?

[00:21:32] I answered.

[00:21:34] Hi, this is Dale

[00:21:35] from the automotive committee.

[00:21:36] I wanted to talk

[00:21:37] to you about your Chevy.

[00:21:39] I hung up.

[00:21:40] I looked at my phone

[00:21:42] once more

[00:21:43] to see it was

[00:21:44] 2.22 AM.

[00:21:47] So,

[00:21:48] it was

[00:21:49] all a dream,

[00:21:51] I guess.

[00:21:52] One weird,

[00:21:53] bizarre,

[00:21:54] fucked up,

[00:21:55] yet poetically

[00:21:56] pointless

[00:21:57] dream.

[00:21:58] Those are the best ones,

[00:22:00] right?

[00:22:00] The ones you wake up from

[00:22:01] and just go,

[00:22:02] what the absolute hell

[00:22:04] was that?

[00:22:05] They're the most exciting,

[00:22:06] anyways.

[00:22:07] Even though they suck

[00:22:08] in the moment,

[00:22:09] it can be fun

[00:22:10] to reflect on the

[00:22:11] fictitious journeys

[00:22:12] you went on

[00:22:13] when the moon

[00:22:13] had the sky.

[00:22:16] I pulled up my text

[00:22:17] conversation with Alan

[00:22:18] and vented to him

[00:22:20] about how I just had

[00:22:21] the weirdest

[00:22:22] fucking dream

[00:22:23] about him

[00:22:23] in a text.

[00:22:24] I said it his way,

[00:22:26] knowing I probably

[00:22:27] wouldn't hear back

[00:22:28] from him until the

[00:22:29] morning,

[00:22:29] since it was so late,

[00:22:30] and who knew if he

[00:22:31] even worked at that

[00:22:32] factory in real life?

[00:22:33] I sure couldn't

[00:22:34] remember.

[00:22:35] But the next day

[00:22:37] came and went

[00:22:37] with no response,

[00:22:39] and so did the

[00:22:40] next day.

[00:22:41] Like I stated

[00:22:42] earlier,

[00:22:43] we didn't talk much

[00:22:44] these days as it was,

[00:22:46] so it didn't really

[00:22:47] alarm me that much

[00:22:48] at all.

[00:22:49] A week later,

[00:22:51] I decided to hit him

[00:22:52] up again by giving

[00:22:53] him a call.

[00:22:53] I know nobody

[00:22:54] actually calls each

[00:22:55] other anymore

[00:22:56] these days,

[00:22:57] but I really wanted

[00:22:58] to hear his voice

[00:22:59] after seeing him

[00:23:00] nearly engulfed

[00:23:01] by a gigantic

[00:23:02] waterfall of blood.

[00:23:05] After pressing

[00:23:06] call on his

[00:23:07] contact screen,

[00:23:08] I was met

[00:23:08] with nothing.

[00:23:10] No rings at all.

[00:23:12] Instead,

[00:23:13] I was met

[00:23:13] with a busy

[00:23:14] dial tone,

[00:23:15] kind of a long

[00:23:16] droning tone

[00:23:17] that never ends.

[00:23:18] I didn't actually

[00:23:20] start to get worried

[00:23:21] until I looked him

[00:23:22] up on Facebook

[00:23:23] to discover

[00:23:24] that his page

[00:23:25] was completely

[00:23:26] deleted.

[00:23:28] Okay,

[00:23:29] something bizarre

[00:23:30] was definitely

[00:23:31] going on here.

[00:23:32] The last time

[00:23:33] I checked,

[00:23:34] Alan was actually

[00:23:35] one of the few

[00:23:35] people I knew

[00:23:36] still active

[00:23:37] on Facebook,

[00:23:38] and I can't

[00:23:38] imagine a circumstance

[00:23:40] that would lead him

[00:23:41] to flat out

[00:23:41] delete his profile.

[00:23:43] After about

[00:23:44] two weeks

[00:23:45] in total

[00:23:46] of me trying

[00:23:47] to get in touch

[00:23:47] with him via text,

[00:23:49] phone calls,

[00:23:49] and a thorough

[00:23:50] social media

[00:23:51] search,

[00:23:52] I decided to do

[00:23:53] the one thing

[00:23:54] no one wants

[00:23:54] to do.

[00:23:55] I decided to

[00:23:56] reach out

[00:23:57] to his mom.

[00:23:59] I remembered

[00:24:00] her first name,

[00:24:01] Debbie,

[00:24:02] and was able

[00:24:02] to find her

[00:24:03] account on

[00:24:03] Facebook that way.

[00:24:05] I sent her

[00:24:06] a message asking

[00:24:07] how Alan's doing

[00:24:08] and if there's

[00:24:09] any way I could

[00:24:09] get in touch

[00:24:10] with him.

[00:24:11] After a day

[00:24:12] with no response,

[00:24:13] I decided to

[00:24:14] send her another,

[00:24:15] which,

[00:24:16] finally,

[00:24:17] after all this

[00:24:18] time got me

[00:24:19] a response

[00:24:19] from someone,

[00:24:20] though her

[00:24:21] response would

[00:24:22] only confuse

[00:24:24] the ever-loving

[00:24:25] shit out of me

[00:24:26] and change

[00:24:27] my perception

[00:24:28] of reality

[00:24:29] forever.

[00:24:31] I think you

[00:24:32] have the wrong

[00:24:32] Debbie, sir.

[00:24:33] I don't have

[00:24:34] a son named

[00:24:35] Alan.

[00:24:35] In fact,

[00:24:36] I don't even

[00:24:37] have a son at all.

[00:24:38] Sorry to be

[00:24:39] of any inconvenience.

[00:24:41] She

[00:24:42] couldn't

[00:24:43] be serious.

[00:24:44] I stayed

[00:24:45] the night

[00:24:46] at her house

[00:24:46] countless times

[00:24:47] throughout high

[00:24:48] school,

[00:24:48] smoking cigarettes

[00:24:49] and carving

[00:24:50] bongs out of

[00:24:51] old water bottles

[00:24:52] in her basement

[00:24:52] on the weekends.

[00:24:53] How could she

[00:24:55] try to tell me

[00:24:56] she didn't have

[00:24:57] a fucking son?

[00:24:59] I went on

[00:24:59] her profile

[00:25:00] and scanned

[00:25:01] through her pictures.

[00:25:02] Every single

[00:25:03] family photo

[00:25:04] was what I would

[00:25:05] expect.

[00:25:06] Alan's stepdad

[00:25:07] and her,

[00:25:07] her stepsisters,

[00:25:08] and their dog

[00:25:09] Sparky.

[00:25:10] God,

[00:25:10] I can't believe

[00:25:11] how old that mud

[00:25:12] is,

[00:25:12] but Alan himself

[00:25:14] was nowhere

[00:25:15] to be seen.

[00:25:17] Tired,

[00:25:18] confused,

[00:25:19] and at my

[00:25:20] wit's end,

[00:25:20] I decided to go

[00:25:22] to the factory

[00:25:22] Alan worked at

[00:25:24] in my dream

[00:25:24] and a last-ditch

[00:25:26] effort to find him.

[00:25:27] I thought maybe

[00:25:28] Alan was going

[00:25:29] through a tough

[00:25:29] time right now

[00:25:30] and just wanted

[00:25:31] to be a complete

[00:25:31] loner or something,

[00:25:33] which is fine

[00:25:33] by me.

[00:25:34] I completely

[00:25:35] understand

[00:25:36] wanting to be

[00:25:36] off on your own

[00:25:37] and not be

[00:25:38] bothered,

[00:25:38] but I just

[00:25:39] needed to make

[00:25:40] sure he was okay.

[00:25:42] I followed

[00:25:43] Clover Reed Lane

[00:25:44] south about

[00:25:45] thirteen minutes

[00:25:46] at about

[00:25:47] two-thirty

[00:25:48] in the morning,

[00:25:49] just like Alan

[00:25:50] had instructed me

[00:25:51] weeks prior,

[00:25:52] but upon turning

[00:25:53] off into the

[00:25:54] large parking lot

[00:25:55] that used to be

[00:25:56] Alan's workplace,

[00:25:57] I realized

[00:25:58] I was actually

[00:25:59] veering off

[00:26:00] onto a dead-end

[00:26:01] dirt road

[00:26:02] that led to

[00:26:03] a large,

[00:26:04] undeveloped

[00:26:05] plot of land.

[00:26:06] Where the factory

[00:26:07] once stood

[00:26:08] was now

[00:26:09] just a jungle

[00:26:10] of five-foot-tall

[00:26:11] weeds,

[00:26:12] and the paved

[00:26:13] parking lot

[00:26:14] was now

[00:26:14] just a small

[00:26:15] patch of dirt.

[00:26:17] Judging by the

[00:26:18] muddy,

[00:26:19] beaten-up

[00:26:20] realtor sign,

[00:26:21] I'd say it's

[00:26:21] probably been on

[00:26:22] the market

[00:26:23] for some time.

[00:26:25] I sat there

[00:26:27] in my car,

[00:26:28] just taking

[00:26:29] in the scene.

[00:26:30] My mind

[00:26:31] was pretty much

[00:26:32] turned to mush

[00:26:33] by this point.

[00:26:34] If I looked up

[00:26:36] in the sky

[00:26:36] and saw Venus

[00:26:38] pummeling towards

[00:26:39] Earth at the

[00:26:39] speed of light,

[00:26:40] I'm not sure

[00:26:41] I'd be surprised

[00:26:42] at all.

[00:26:43] I'd probably

[00:26:44] just stare at it,

[00:26:45] waiting to see

[00:26:46] what happened next,

[00:26:47] like a baby

[00:26:48] shown in illusion.

[00:26:51] I was pretty much

[00:26:53] ready to peel

[00:26:54] out of there

[00:26:55] by this point,

[00:26:56] but figured

[00:26:57] since I took

[00:26:57] the time to

[00:26:58] travel out here,

[00:26:59] I might as well

[00:27:00] spend a little

[00:27:01] more time

[00:27:01] checking it out.

[00:27:02] I got out of

[00:27:03] my car

[00:27:04] with the flashlight

[00:27:05] on my phone

[00:27:06] turned on

[00:27:06] as bright

[00:27:07] as it could go.

[00:27:08] I walked along

[00:27:09] the dividing line

[00:27:10] where the dirt lot

[00:27:11] met the overgrown wheat.

[00:27:13] I walked up

[00:27:14] to where I had

[00:27:14] parked

[00:27:15] just a few weeks

[00:27:16] prior,

[00:27:16] now just a

[00:27:18] lonely patch

[00:27:18] of dirt.

[00:27:20] Feeling

[00:27:21] slightly nostalgic,

[00:27:22] I followed

[00:27:23] my invisible

[00:27:24] footprints

[00:27:25] from weeks

[00:27:25] prior

[00:27:26] up to where

[00:27:26] the front door

[00:27:27] of the factory

[00:27:28] would have been

[00:27:29] if it were

[00:27:29] still there.

[00:27:31] Instead,

[00:27:31] I was taken

[00:27:32] to worthless,

[00:27:34] empty field.

[00:27:36] I couldn't

[00:27:37] believe it.

[00:27:39] Before turning

[00:27:40] around to head

[00:27:40] on back to my car,

[00:27:42] put the keys

[00:27:42] in the ignition,

[00:27:43] and drive back

[00:27:44] to my little apartment

[00:27:45] to never speak

[00:27:46] or even think

[00:27:47] of this again,

[00:27:48] I decided

[00:27:49] to instead

[00:27:50] turn my head

[00:27:51] down.

[00:27:52] I looked

[00:27:52] at the ground,

[00:27:53] at something

[00:27:54] glowing in contrast

[00:27:56] and reflection

[00:27:57] in my cell phone's

[00:27:58] bright flashlight.

[00:27:59] It stuck out

[00:28:00] to me

[00:28:00] like a piece

[00:28:01] of silver

[00:28:02] in a pile

[00:28:02] of coal.

[00:28:03] I crouched

[00:28:04] down and shoved

[00:28:05] my hand

[00:28:06] into the pile

[00:28:06] of weeds,

[00:28:07] searching and

[00:28:08] feeling for

[00:28:09] whatever it was

[00:28:10] I had seen.

[00:28:11] Finally,

[00:28:12] getting a grip

[00:28:13] on something

[00:28:13] I knew

[00:28:14] was not

[00:28:15] overgrowth,

[00:28:16] I pulled it out

[00:28:17] and held it

[00:28:18] in my hands.

[00:28:19] It was a

[00:28:21] shiny,

[00:28:22] little,

[00:28:23] red cup,

[00:28:24] the disposable

[00:28:25] kind you can

[00:28:26] buy down

[00:28:27] at the supermarket,

[00:28:28] the ones

[00:28:29] you might

[00:28:29] find at

[00:28:30] parties

[00:28:30] or office

[00:28:31] meetings,

[00:28:32] the kind

[00:28:33] you might

[00:28:33] buy if

[00:28:34] you're gonna

[00:28:34] have guests

[00:28:35] over but

[00:28:36] don't have

[00:28:36] enough glasses,

[00:28:37] the kind

[00:28:38] you might

[00:28:39] find in

[00:28:40] the basement

[00:28:40] of that

[00:28:41] non-existent

[00:28:42] factory.

[00:28:45] I knelt

[00:28:46] down,

[00:28:46] placing the

[00:28:47] cup back

[00:28:47] on the ground

[00:28:48] in front

[00:28:49] of the

[00:28:49] overgrown

[00:28:50] weeds

[00:28:50] and walked

[00:28:51] back to

[00:28:52] my car,

[00:28:53] darting off

[00:28:54] in the

[00:28:54] moonlight's

[00:28:55] glow.