Eyes Wide Shut

Sleeping is an essential aspect of human life, a biological necessity that allows us to restore vital physical and psychological functions for optimal performance. The nature of sleep has long fascinated scientists and remains a subject of great uncertainty even today. Throughout history, researchers have tirelessly sought to unravel the mysteries surrounding sleep.

The Russian Sleep Experiment, a dark and controversial study conducted by a group of scientists in the late 1940s following World War II. The experiment aimed to test a new experimental gas designed to eliminate the need for sleep in humans. To conduct this trial, the researchers subjected five individuals, who happened to be political prisoners, to a continuous 15-day period of wakefulness using an airborne stimulant. These subjects were confined to a sealed chamber under close observation, furnished with books, blankets, water, a toilet, and an opaque window for data collection. Initially, the prisoners appeared relatively well-adjusted, engaging in conversation and maintaining a sense of relaxation. The researchers had promised their release upon completion of the experiment. However, on the fifth day, a noticeable shift in behavior occurred. Conversations turned dark, and the subjects began expressing dissatisfaction. Paranoia and suspicion permeated the chamber, causing the prisoners to exhibit bizarre and abnormal conduct. The researchers attributed these behavioral changes to the experimental gas.

On the ninth day, one subject commenced a three-hour-long screaming episode, only to be discovered later with severed vocal cords. Another subject followed suit, filling the chamber with ceaseless screams. Meanwhile, the remaining prisoners resorted to whispering, defacing books with their own excrement, and adorning the walls with these repulsive creations. Suddenly, the screams ceased, and the whispers faded. Three days later, unable to hear any sound from within, the researchers inspected the microphones, which were found to be in perfect working order. In a spontaneous deviation from the experiment's protocol, the researchers informed the subjects that the chamber would be opened, accompanied by the threat of lethal force if they resisted. Additionally, they promised to release one prisoner if they complied. Unexpectedly, the response received was eerily calm:

"We no longer wish to be freed."

On the 15th day at midnight, the researchers entered the room. The surviving subjects greeted them with desperate screams, their bodies gruesomely mutilated, muscles and skin torn away. They had resorted to self-cannibalism, consuming their own flesh. When the researchers attempted to remove them from the chamber, the prisoners vehemently resisted and demanded the reinstatement of the experimental gas. During the ensuing struggle, one subject sustained fatal injuries, bleeding to death. The remaining three survivors were transferred to medical facilities. Two of them continued to express a persistent desire for the gas, obsessively clinging to wakefulness at any cost. One of these individuals, undergoing a skin reimplantation surgery, repeatedly screamed,

"Keep cutting,"

while the other two succumbed to uncontrollable bouts of laughter. When questioned, their sole response echoed:

"I must stay awake."

In light of the experiment's failure, the researchers faced an ethical quandary regarding the fate of the subjects. Contemplating a re-administration of the experimental gas, they were met with an unexpected calmness. The subjects' brain activity appeared to fluctuate between life and death, exhibiting intermittent signs of revival. One subject lay down on a bed, closed their eyes, and perished instantly. With only two subjects remaining, the researchers entered the chamber, armed for their own protection. The subjects reacted with hostility, prompting the researchers to shoot one of them. A researcher then posed a question to the surviving subject:

"What are you? We must know!"

In response, the prisoner, wearing a chilling smile, declared,

"We are You? We are the madness that resides within every individual, yearning for liberation from the primal depths of your subconscious mind. We are the hidden terror that you suppress during your nocturnal slumber, where we dare not tread."

Pausing briefly, the researcher aimed at the subject's heart and fired. As the subject succumbed to their injuries, their final words whispered,

"So... nearly... free."

While no concrete evidence or official documentation substantiates the existence of this experiment, science fails to account for the enigmatic occurrences alleged to have unfolded. Some attribute this account to a mere internet forum story from several years ago.

Yet, the question remains:

What are your thoughts on this chilling tale?