A soothing melody stirs a beautiful woman from her slumber. Batting her lashes, the burred world drains away as everything comes into focus. The gentle tune tickles her ears, begging her to search the room. With only a flickering lightbulb hanging from the ceiling, much of it is lost to shadows. Yet she discovers a toy carousel spotlighted on a wooden table nearby. Ivory stallions race to the music, while a brass key slowly turns its gears. With each revolution, the song slows along with the galloping steeds. Seconds pass, and everything comes to a stop.
As the silence continues to linger, panic starts to set in. Looking around, she spies an assortment of marionettes hanging from the walls, strangled by the same strings that give them life. Some of the wooden figures have their soulless eyes locked on her, never to avert their gaze.
“Where, where am I?”
Panic starts to set in, as the woman struggles to remember. Trying to recall the events that lead her here only yields hazy memories and a sharp pain in the back of her head. Slowly, she rises to her feet, finding the strength in her legs have been severely sapped. After a few wobbling steps, she walks forward only to have something cold tug on her leg. Gazing at her ankle, she finds an iron cuff hugging her ankle, binding her to the floor by heavy chains.
“What’s going on?” she speaks louder.
“The lovely lady is awake,” a cheerful voice calls to her from the shadows.
She turns in the direction of the voice. Whoever it is that she sees it sends her reeling. Her feet get tangled in the chains, causing her to tumble on her backside. Nightmarish horror fills her sight.
“You know me,” he jeers, gleefully clapping his hands. “The lovely lady knows me!”
She hugs herself, “What do you want with me?”
“Maria, Maria, my dear sweet Maria, you really do not know?” the childish voice sings. “You go out every night, to feel some excite, but leave your daughter at home. She fends for herself, no food on the shelf, and goes to bed alone.”
“My daughter,” her words spit like a venomous snake. “Did she put you put to this?”
“That would be great, but she’s only eight,” the merry tone dies. “I do this on my own. You’ve been a bad, bad mother Maria. Neglectful, selfish, abusive. No love for your sweet child.
“Ashley,” she shouts, her words having a venomous bite, “Did my daughter put you up to this?”
“That would be great, but she’s only eight, I do this on my own,” the merry tone starts to fade. “You’ve been a bad mother. Neglectful, self-centered, selfish. No love for your child. Your daughter deserves someone to stay by her side, and that’s what I’ll make.”
Casually, he strolls over to a workshop table where the marionettes hang above his head. Rummaging through the tools, he throws anything he does not need over his shoulder. Maria watches as saws fall near her feet. Water fills her eyes. She whimpers like a frightened animal. All of a sudden, she hears an “aha” as he raises his arms up in the air. Whipping around, the light shines of the jagged teeth of a buzz saw.
“No, no, leave me alone,” she shrieks, trying to crawl away.
“Now-now, my dear, do not fear, everything will soon be at an end,” he sings, stepping on the chain. “With these tools I’ll start to take you apart, and then you’ll finally have a heart!”
A flick of the switch spins the saw to life. The wailing of the motors drowns out Maria’s blood curdling scream as he kneels down to begin his work.