”Honey, it’s time for your doctor’s visit! Are you excited?” Daniela’s mother pokes her head into Daniela’s room and looks at her daughter with anticipation. Daniela pulls her blanket over her head.
”Noooo mom. I don’t want to. Please? This is dumb.”
”Young lady, you will get dressed right now! We’ve scheduled this appointment half a year ago, we will not move it.”
”How about completely cancel it?” Daniela suggests. The outraged sound her mother produces as a reaction to this suggestion makes it clear that it isn’t an option. Still, Daniela is not willing to go through with it. ”Why don’t you go to the appointment yourself? You’ve been complaining for a while that you need your treatments renewed.”
”Dani, you know that it doesn’t work like that. This doctor is specialized in doing those treatments for children and teenagers. He wouldn’t take me as a client! Now move. I already regret that we didn’t go through with all of this when you were smaller and wanted to be a beauty queen. You wouldn’t have been so stubborn back then!”
A shudder runs down Daniela’s spine. Just the fact that her mom considered to treat her to this doctor while still being a child, too young to understand what’s happening …
Then again, this situation right now wasn’t better. She’s still being forced against her will to go through with it. She has tried to protest, has been protesting since her mother had made the appointment, all for nothing. @suesa
Her friends at school had asked her what she’s so afraid of. Most of them had had their treatments already behind them, they are happy. Or at least they acted like it. Sometimes though, Daniela feels like something is off. Some of them came back changed. Somehow …
”Daniela! Don’t just stand there and stare holes into the air, put on your clothes and come to the car. We’re going to be late!”
Mumbling insults, Daniela follows her mother’s request and pulls a hoodie over her head. A last attempt to show resistance, her mother hates when she wears anything that is not a dress. It’s not feminine enough.
The car ride to the doctor’s office is silent and awkward. Daniela chews on her lower lip and shoots angry glances towards her mother who ignores them skillfully. Finally, after a 10-minute drive that seemed to drag on forever, they park and get out of the car. Daniela’s mother grabs her daughter’s wrist and pulls her over to the door.
”Mom, let go of me. This hurts!” But her mother’s grasp only tightens. She seems to have been replaced by a weird robot. Fear surges in Daniela and she tries to break free. ”Please, mom. I don’t want to.” But her mother doesn’t react.
Behind the front desk sits a young man with a perfect face. Daniela has no idea how old he is, his skin looks like glazed porcelain. Perfectly smooth. He looks up.
”Daniela Arp?” He asks.
”Yes, that’s her.” Daniela’s mother pushes her forward and finally opens her hand. Daniela rubs her wrist. There are already bruises forming.
A nurse appears.
”Would you please follow me?” She asks with a fake smile. Daniela looks over to her mother who has positioned herself between Daniela and the door. The girl swallows closes her eyes. Then she follows the nurse into an adjacent room.
The doctor is already inside. Suddenly, Daniela realizes that she has no idea what he’s called. He has always just been “the doctor”. But it had always been obvious that it wasn’t her usual doctor. She wasn’t here for health reasons.
”Hello Daniela. I’m glad to finally meet you! Please, take a seat.” He gestures towards a chair and Daniela sits down.
Like in a bad horror movie, metal clamps suddenly close around her wrists and ankles, pinning her to the chair.
”What the hell?” She screams and tries to get loose.
”Shhhh. It’s alright, this is for your own safety. The procedure can be a bit … taxing. And we don’t want you to hurt yourself, do you?” The doctor opens a drawer and pulls out a set of syringes.
”You know”, he says, seemingly lost in thought, ”When this started people didn’t think of all the possibilities that would come with it. It took a while to unlock the full potential of the treatments.”
”What are you talking about?” Daniela is still trying to free herself. She isn’t really interested in what the doctor has to say but winning some time might not hurt. ”What is the full potential?”
”Ah, we have a curious one here. That’s nice. Now, my dear Daniela, what did you think you’re here for today?”
”I … My mom dragged me here for Botox injections. Everyone is doing them and she thinks I need them too to succeed in life.”
”She is right about that, you know? In a way at least. You see, originally, Botox injections were used to make someone more beautiful. To reduce wrinkles, mainly. Soon they found other applications for it, medical applications.”
”Yes, I know about that”, Daniela says. ”It can make you sweat less if you inject it in the right place. You can treat incontinence and crossed eyes. My mom has regular injections against her migraine.”
”Smart girl. You are right, the possible applications for Botox increased in number over the years. And as a result, more and more people wanted them. Why only treat people who have problems with excessive sweat? Why not make everyone sweat less? Why only treat wrinkles when they have already formed, why not prevent them from forming in the first place?”
”And then it became mainstream and everybody is doing it. That’s why I’m being forced to sit here. I don’t want any of it. Please release me.”
”Oh Daniela, it’s too late for this. We’re far beyond the point where those injections are on a voluntary basis. There are just too many useful effects that have been discovered over time. Do you know how Botox works?”
Daniela shakes her head. She’s lying but it feels like her restraints are slowly loosening a bit. Or maybe she’s just breaking her hands a bit. Doesn’t matter, maybe she can escape.
”Botox is a toxin, produced by a certain bacterium. It attacks the nerves by preventing neurotransmitter from being released. As a result, information can’t be transmitted anymore. It’s actually very lethal, you know? Too much of it and you’ll just stop breathing. But people still chose to inject tiny doses of it into their body.”
”People are weird”, Daniela remarks. The doctor laughs.
”Yes, they are. They are. But they also gave us the perfect idea. You see, there have always been conspiracy theories about the government poisoning people to keep them dumb and compliant. Additives to the water supply, vaccinations, all that stuff. Of course, it wasn’t the case, it would have been way too obvious! Still, hundreds of smart minds have been looking for decades to find a way to control the masses without them noticing.”
”So what is better than something they willingly inject themselves”, Daniela whispers.
”Well aren’t you an especially smart girl! That’s absolutely correct!” The doctor smiles a creepy smile. ”We modified the injections. Now they don’t just do the job desired by the patients, they also block certain areas of the brain which suppresses critical thinking. At the same time, it activates chemical reactions responsible for triggering the reward response. The more injections someone has, the more often that person wants to have them! This gets rid of the danger that the effect wears off over time. Instead, it gets stronger!”
”That’s sick”, Daniela says. ”Why would anybody want a population of zombie junkies?”
”The fact that you’re asking this question is the reason I still have to inject you. You just don’t understand the pleasures that come with being one of the few intelligent people, ruling over the dumb masses.” He picks up a syringe and walks toward Daniela. ”Don’t worry. You won’t remember any of this. In fact, you will be happier than you ever were.”
Sources:
Botox against excessive sweating
Picture taken from pixabay.com
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What a story!
That's the creepiest piece of dystopian scifi I read today. Cautiously following.
You're invited to dig through my blog, there is a lot more of this (between the science posts) :D
Don't mind if I do! I love science and science fiction. I wrote a nice dystopian short you might like a few weeks back. https://steemit.com/story/@techslut/a-lungfull-of-sacrifice-scifi-short-story-steemit-exclusive
Neat, I'll have a look!
wow i Like Story.....
I knew botox was used in some treatments but not all this. Nice storyline and very informative :)
Wish the girl escaped but wishes don't always come true :(
LOL,and also remember this is just a story.
Wow...her mother has already become a zombie now its her turn, could have love if she would escape and tell the ones not yet a zombie or find cure for the already turned ones, just like movies will do, but this not a movie ....lol.
Nice post @suesa #kisses#
I am not going to write about your post i just want to tell about the picture you attached in this post. I am an artist so i like this types of picture, if you don't mind I will take this picture from your post and i will do a painting with this so,i need your permission.
It's from pixabay.com and pictures from there are free to be used so sure, go ahead. I'm sure you could find even more great pics on that site.
Thanks a lot brother, keep posting this types of post and photograph.
Victory of the day..
Hallo nach langer Zeit! wie gehts dir Suesa?? Wow Respekt für einen weiteren tollen Text! Du inspierierst mich richtig - ich versuche mich heute auch mal in einem englischen Text! LG Martin
Viel Erfolg :D
Danke - das kann ich brauchen :-)
as a nice story... I enjoyed @suesa upvote at @joynalabedin
Weird stuff. This really freaked me out. Good work!
only without the sorry part :P
Perfect comment :D
wow that is a powerful and scary story! so much truth hidden in fiction. Ive often wondered what the obsession with botox was all about, and this story has confirmed my fears everyone has been brain washed as well as wrinkle washed! :O Great story :)
Well I hope the brain washing stays a piece of imagination :P
But it's incredible for how many reasons you can have Botox injections nowadays. I think it's only a matter of time before most people have injections for various non-health related reasons.
Medical emancipation anyone? Anna Fitzgerald did it on my Sister's Keeper. I think there is a law against having minors undergo some certain medical procedure. The part where Daniela was strapped to a chair brought back memories of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, the character in the series of suspense novels by Thomas Harris.
I think if everybody is brainwashed, nobody cares about your human rights anymore. You're correct, this kind of procedure should not happen in actual life. But there are some that still happen, despite this kind of laws. And it's not okay.
To even do it for such a flaky reason
Okay, this one actually got my heart racing. And my little cousin has a doctor's appointment on Monday... 😃
Keep an eye on your cousin! :P
I copied the post into word document to read again and share to friends, this is an excellent work @suesa more blessings
Let me know what they think :)
And remember not to post it online somewhere. Printing it and showing it to your friends is absolutely fine but plagiarizing is not.
Not saying this because I don't trust you but because too many people on steemit have stolen my stories and posted them as their own.
I will never do such a thing....and i will love to join the steemstem commuinity.
Great :)
And with all respect sorry to entrance into yours discussions...
Unfortunately this should happen when you are really good in what you have being done. So you are completely right in made this advice. Great!
Congrats for your post!
Sometimes I want to write a creepy story.
But when I read your stories, I know I can't write anything which can be compared to these. You are really good :)
You have really amazing writing skills, @suesa. You draw people into the story...
Hay suesa your this post story was good
And your this post was aslo amazing
Like your other posts..
I love your posts.....
Great story!.. a bit scary though as could be true. Probably flu shot or something at moment, but I could imagine in the future people signing up for a voluntary ''compliance shot" and even taking it with a smile.
"Ignorance is bliss", right? I doubt that the flu shot does that tho.
@mcfarhat was a bit faster than you :P
I saved the data by uploading gif ;-P
where can i get such a shot?
i strongly believe there will be vaccine to make you dumb one day, and it will be great sell.
Wow... just yesterday i was watching an entertainment channel, and i saw that a big brand just named a 25 year old to be the face of an anti aging cream, of course that came with some criticism even though the cream is actually made for young ladies...
Now botox... I'll have to digest this one,
Well the world has changed a lot, i definitely wasnt thinking about botox when i was 14, but I'll have to critically think about it and see if I'll want my 14 year old daughter to take botox injections...
Thank you so much for sharing!
Really, Evelyn? Your reaction to this post is to wonder if your daughter will go through it? 😃
You obviously don't scare easy!
Lol... am a very open minded person.... the world has changed a lot you know...
Am not saying i will...
I honestly don't recommend it, except for legitimate medical reasons.
Oh yes... but how about in terms of reducing excessive sweating and some random little cosmetic issues, i guess it all boils down to the individual and the doctor!
What do you also think about anti aging creams, does it hqve the set of active ingredients or its basically just a mild alternative...
Anti-aging creams are usually fine, they just moisturize the skin in most cases. Can be used early on to protect the skin from aging prematurely.
Nice post
Awesome ;)
What @techslut said! This is delightfully creepy dystopian stuff. Will wait with bated breath for the next chapter in Daniela's, um, adventure.
The one story in 3 months that isn't supposed to have a sequel and now everyone is waiting! D:
I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
Lol! She's such an engaging character, and we want to see her mother get her zombie comeuppance (I'm in a mode of the bad guys deserve what they get). Daniela is way too tough not to find a deus ex machina escape from this horrific situation, even if it means turning off (or on) certain parts of her brain she didn't know she had until the syringe was nigh. Just saying, because fiction. 😏😉
You clearly haven't read my other stories. Nobody escapes death and a deus ex machina is usually the devil in disguise :D
No but I think it would take away from this story to have a twist like that and continue. I think it's more of a punch in the stomach if that's it.
Fair point, and unfortunately not, I've only had the pleasure of reading one of your posts previously. Thought I'd make a pitch for Daniela's continuation as a character, but as a fan of the short story form I have to say you really nailed this one. You're right, it's a more effective ending to leave it hanging like that. Will have to follow your stories more closely!
I like your brief moments of simplicity, your dialogue technique is amazing, the language and most is quite okay. Science and medicine combined in writting is just beautiful, i love this
[At the end, your post is not far from reality; It's not so much fiction...
People have gradually been adhering to standards or stereotypes that are unnatural, and also imposed...
If we all stick to the same ... then where are the differences that make us unique?]
Just yesterday, I made a post, of a halloween makeup, that I think is related to your story!
I really liked your post @suesa. Undoubtedly, it invites us to reflection...
THANKS FOR SHARING!
GREETINGS FROM VENEZUELA!
What a sci-fi story! Just amazing and creepy and super-exciting. When I started reading it, I couldn't stop myself until I completed it. It is full of suspense and scientific information.
A blockbuster short movie can be made on this. 😉😋
Great work @suesa, you are a true artist and a great scientist. Good job! 👍
Wow! Posts like this are why I think you are one of the best authors on steem!
The creepyness factor at the end was incredible. It makes you think that such a scenario is not that unlikely at all.
Indeed... this is so true... @suesa is a great author, she has greatly inspired me to always put on my thinking cap and put out my best..
Wow. For some strange reason, this doesn't read like sci-fi. Good writing, but I get the fact that this or something similar to this is real. I am waiting for part #2.
Hmm not really planning a part 2 for this one, despite my tendency to have stories with several parts.
It would take away the creepyness of the ending, you know?
True. BTW, you just got a fan.
🤗🌌
wow that was such a captivating read...and scary too. Just because it's so close to reality. Only we're not using Botox, but the media and many other distractions instead to control and divide the masses. Awesome piece @suesa!
That is really a big conspiracy. the authority want to make a situation where the patient will take the injections willingly!
I have seen similar scifi movie or tv series. Nice fiction @suesa . I really enjoyed it.
That was one hell of a story. Well written and very thought provoking. It doesn't seem too unrealistic either, given what time we live in ;'(
Thanks :)
you are so much talented and superb writer. i like it.
I was thinking about what would have been the case or medical condition of the daughter, was it a dreaded disease or something really serious.
And there you go with her real condition hehe. I like it very much, the way you write the story.
Did you know that Botulinum toxin(Botox) is actually the strongest (compared to lethality of both organic and anorganic subtances) poison known to medical sciences?
Moreover the bacterium capable of producing it is actually not that uncommon, e.g. often appearing in conjunction with spoiled food or wound infections...
Yes :D and I plan to do a post on AB toxins tomorrow or so as a follow up to this story!
Tomorrow I'll mostly be busy having a Kung Fu exam but I shall be keeping an eye out for that :P
I always think writers have an unknown connection to alternate dimensions... in which their stories are actual facts. Maybe its just because its all relatable. Kudos...I'll be checking more.
Beautiful story and fiction with awesome picture.
Nice article keep it up
img credz: pixabay.com
Nice, you got a 86.0% @minnowbooster upgoat, thanks to @reggaemuffin
Want a boost? Minnowbooster's got your back!
The @OriginalWorks bot has determined this post by @suesa to be original material and upvoted(1.5%) it!
To call @OriginalWorks, simply reply to any post with @originalworks or !originalworks in your message!
You reminded me of the series "Black Mirror" . Thank you for the wonderful post!
I must confess, the series was at the back of my mind for this one. Had to re-write it several times because I caught myself following a certain storyline.
congratulations on your post
Thanks 😂
That's very interesting story, I have just read freely. It made me thought about some topics that a person has to think by himself and not blindly follow masses :)
Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage.
When her father comes home with the tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must go to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will.
creepy and very well written. I should have a look around your other posts
Beautifully written ❤️ It’s scary when the doctor said that it comes to the point where the procedures are no longer on voluntary basis. I hope that this won’t be like that.
I feel for Daniela and other young girls out there who feel that they are not enough, until they change their appearances. So they follow peer pressure and take the risk without having a full understanding of all the side effects.
How society can be so cruel to women and we need to struggle so hard and do so much to reach to the point that we can accept ourselves for who we are, that we are complete.
very true. Although I live in Sweden now, I'm actually from Bulgaria. In my culture, the norm is to not stand out especially if you're an adult. Tattoos, weird clothing, different hair.. it;s frowned upon. Sometimes it can make certain people lash out of they are a gang for example. Mostly the norm is for behavior and it's enforced by parents and close adults. I have been told to respect teachers no matter what, but when the teacher is on facebook instead of teaching, respect really doesn't come easy. But that is the overall norm: respect no matter what, never state your opinion loudly, and never take a lead in speaking ill about people even if they blatantly deserve it. Sheeple, basically, is the norm. In Sweden it seems to be similar: be quiet and do not show bad mood. People are sugary sweet here, esp. in stores but it's kinda see-through. It must be hard, I'm sure, to have to hide it so much.
I think in every culture there are certain norms which you should follow and some things that force you pretend to be something that you're not. Lucky for us, they are not always as strict, like even though in Sweden they have some things that you are expected to do - if you live differently, you don't get your head chopped off, like in some other countries it could be possible.
In Finland, it's common that people hide their good mood and happiness, as it might be seen as arrogance and pride ;)
wow, that's the complete opposite of what I've noticed so far in Sweden and what it was like in my home country. I'm the kind of person that smiles at strangers and says ''good morning''. I guess in Finland people wouldn't like that. In Bulgaria, old ladies lke it when I wish them a good day. These are things travel site simply cannot tell you about. Thanks.
Well it's not 100% true, but Finland and Sweden are somewhat different about this. It is a common joke in Finland, that if someone smiles in the streets, the one smiling is either drunk, crazy or a foreigner.
Finland is not that bad, actually, at least not with the current generation. I once smiled to an older woman (60+) and she stopped and asked "Do we know each other?"
We didn't, but I was surprised by the idea that you can't smile to someone unless you know them.
Right @apsu
great post
I want to join your group
wow beutifull @suesa
if you can visit to my post
I don't look at posts of people who don't add anything meaningful to the conversation with their comment.
An amazing story @suesa. I like it very much..
Awasome
Great story
Thankyou for sharing @suesa..
Resteem!