Basement Jeff

My name is Jeff and I used to be an everyday office worker till She caught me. It has been 3 months since I last been outside. She keeps me locked down here.

I was coming back from a pub one night, celebrated my best friend’s engagement. I was quite drunk, so when a dark Mercedes stopped next to me, I did not think too much about it.

“Hi, where are you going so late?” I just laughed and bent into the window. “Heading home.” And she just smiled a sweet smile. “Do you need a lift?” And stupid old drunk me, could not say no to a pretty face and got into the car.

“My name is Jihye.” She offered me a glass of water. “I’m Jeff.” I smiled and took the glass. “Do you often give strangers rides?” I asked, drinking. She just smiled at me and leaned back into her seat. “Do you often get into stranger’s cars?” I placed the glass down. “Only if they are as pretty as you.” She gave a silent laugh, and at that point I realised, she had drugged the water. Tat was my last memory of that night.

I awoke in a dark and damp place. There was but one dim lamp in the middle of the room. A laptop was on the table with but one accessible website that led to a justjihye stream page. The stream was fun and upbeat. I tried to write for help, but all my messages were blocked by the mods.

I just kept trying. “HELP ME!” And trying. “SOMEBODY PLEASE!” but none of the messages went through. It was later that I found a paper with messages approved by the mods. I was being harshly moderated, and everything was filtered. I tried finding loopholes in her system, but if I said anything that was let through, Jihye would come down and punish me.

I am being fed each day unless I misbehave. She would punish me by either taking away days of food or just taser me and then beat me. Every day is the same. Wake up, add to her stream, and pray to not hear the door lock click.

It has been months since I got here. Two months ago, a glimmer of hope shone when someone started saying ‘Free Jeff,’ but apparently it was just a joke. From hope to a mocking. Each time I read it now, I feel increasingly depressed as I realises, I am not getting out.

“I wonder if anyone is looking for me?” I said to myself. A voice came from behind the wall. “Not after all this time.” I glued myself to the wall. “There’s someone there?” a chuckled could be heard. “Yes, you are not the only one here. She has brough many of us here to support her streaming.”

“How long have you been here?” The laugh vanished and dread filled the air. “Months, years, who can tell. At one point the days just blur all into one.” “Have you tried getting out?” A laugh came from different place. “Jerry once got out of his cell.” A silent moment came. “We never heard from him again.” “Maybe he got out/ Then there’s a way out.” I exclaimed in hope. “If he had gotten out, he would have called for help. I am quite sure she got him and killed him.” I fell back into a chair.

“He got out of his cell. How did he do it?” “He broke the locking mechanism little by little till one day; the door didn’t lock.”

I ran over to the door and tried to get to the locking mechanism. “I need a screwdriver.” There was no hope to fin and actual screwdriver. “Jerry used a metal insert from his boots.” I checked all my clothes, but there was no metal anywhere. I collapsed on the table in despair, till something shone sun in my eyes. It was a small metal piece, dropped by Jimmy when he tried to escape. I grabbed the piece and started messing with the lock.

The day had ended, and I heard the dreaded sound of her heels on the cement stairs. Jihye walked slowly down the hallway, running her taser stick along the wall making a sound that made everyone in their cells back away from the door.

She stopped in front of my door and turned the lock. She stepped in. Her 5-foot 4 body with the curves in all the right places, copper red hair and a pretty face would make you almost forget the monster she was.

“Jeff, Jeff, Jeff.” She said swinging her taser around. “You have been skipping on your duties. Almost no messages from you today.” She walked closer as I back and aligned myself with the back wall. “I-I-I wasn’t feeling so well.” I stuttered out. “I’ll do better tomorrow.” Jihye walked closer, zapping her taser. “I know you will.” She smiled. “Because I will teach you what happens if you don’t.”

I came back to about three hours later. She had tased and beaten me so bad I passed out and wet myself. Dried blood was still on my face and on the ground below me. A voice behind the wall spoke after I coughed. “I see you’re back to your senses.” “Barely…” He laughed. “That was quite the beating. She must really like you.” “Weird way of showing it.” “Well, nothing about this is normal.”

I spat some blood out and got up. “At least I managed to damage the lock.” I walked over to the door. I grabbed the handle. Although God has never been my thing, anything would help right now. “Please God, let it be open.” I pressed the handle and the door opened. “It’s open.” “Another false hope goes out the door.” A man chuckled behind the wall. “False hope is still better than none.” I left my cell.

The hallways were brightly lit, cement pathing and white concrete walls on every side. The hallways, same as the rooms, had no windows, just a set of doors at the end of the hallway.

Jeff climbed the stairs. There was another hallway up there and as he walked down the hallway to find the exit, he was met with a thick, locked metal door. “Fuck!” he exclaimed. After walking down the stairs, a ding came from behind the door. “Why is she here again?” Jeff hid in one of the hallways.

Jihye came down and saw Jeff’s door open. “Naughty boy, are you trying to hide from me?” She walked looking into the multiple hallways on this floor. “Come out, come out wherever you are.” She chanted in a sweet tone. “If you just give up, I promise to punish you lightly.”

Jeff ran from one hallway to another, constantly hiding and afraid. “Come on Jeff.” She zapped her taser. “You can’t run forever.” She walked closer. “You’re a crazy bitch.” Jihye just laughed. “That’s not very nice.” Jihye walked in closer to where Jeff was. “I just wanted some help with streaming.” Jeff scuttled backwards. “You trapped so many people.” “They’re all my bellowed followers.”

Jeff ran down a hallway. “Now where do you think you’re going?” Jihye saw him come out of the hallway near the stairs. “I’m getting out of here.” Jeff ran up the stairs. “Run, run as fast as you can, but you can’t outrun this place my man.” She slowly followed Jeff.

The beating Jeff had gotten, made him lose breath and slow down. “You’re not getting out.” Jihye said as she climbed the stairs. “Nobody gets away from me.” Jeff slow ran towards the door. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, the door is locked.” Jeff reached the second set of stairs and climbed up. “There has to be a way.” He whispered to himself, but the door was locked. “I have the key.” She jingled a set of keys. “Give me the keys!” Jeff shouted. “Come and get them.” She triggered the taser.

Jeff slowly walked down the stairs. “Good boy. Now, go back to your room.” Jeff stopped 4 stairs from the bottom. “I won’t.” Jihye laughed. “So brave, so dumb. There is nothing you can do. You cannot get the key from me.” “I’ll get it.” He jumped on her from where he stood.

Jihye barely reacted to the jump with the taser and shocked Jeff mid jump, but the inertia kept him going, and when he reached her, the shock was shared between both bodies. They both collapsed on the floor. Jihye was first to start moving, but her small stature and being tackled by Jeff weakened her.

Jeff slowly got up. Kicked Jihye and took the keys. “I told you I’m getting out bitch.” He climbed the stairs. “And I’m getting people to free the others.” He entered a key into the lock and unlocked the door. The door was heavy, but he managed to move it.

“I’d say it’s been a pleasure, but I hope you rot in hell.” Jihye laughed. “You really think you’re getting out?” Jeff looked back. “There’s nothing you can do to stop me.” She started getting back up. “You fool, have you not thought of a simple question?” Jeff looked at her confused. “What question?” She smiled. “How did I drag your body into the cell?” The door behind Jeff slowly opened and he turned around.

“I wasn’t in this alone.” A large strong built man stood in the door and whacked Jeff with a bat. “I… I should have known.” He said flying down the stairs. The big man walked down and stood next to Jihye. “What should we do with him?” Jihye looked down at Jeff. “Toss him in the grinder, guess there’s going to be some meat on their menu.”

The big man picked up Jeff and started to walk away. “Oh, and one more thing.” The man looked back. “Thank you, Jerry.” “For you, My pleasure.”