I wake up yet again in the cell, but this time I’m laying on a cot, connected to an IV filled with clear liquid. I hate needles.

“Arrrghhh” I try lifting my other arm to pull out the IV, but I’m only able to raise it a couple inches before I can’t hold it any longer and let it flop onto my front. A rustling sound comes from outside the cell, letting me know that there’s someone else in the room. With great effort I twist my head to see the tall woman sitting in the chair, furiously typing something out on a previously hidden keyboard.

This is my chance, maybe I can finally learn what this place is. I mean, they haven’t yet killed me, so they might be friendly enough to answer any questions I have. It takes a couple tries, but after a minute I’m able to form a short sentence.

“Where am I?”

Without turning around or stopping typing, she answers, “The infirmary”.

“What kind of infirmary has bars?”

“The kind for deadly criminals.” Wait, hold up. I’m not a criminal. I want to ask about that, but I also want to learn more about this place.

“What is this whole place?” At that she turns around and takes off her glasses to peer at me.

“Do you really not know where we are?” I shake my head, and she sighs, muttering under her breath, “Did they forgo an information session with this one?” She turn back to me and says, “This place is where the deadliest and worst criminals are sent to either die or go mad. We call it ‘The Carnival’.”

What. That’s the name of this place? It’s nothing like a carnival. She must’ve seen my ‘what the fuck’ expression, because after cracking a smile she explains, “You know the room we found you in, with the sleep-inducing cakes? Well, there are other rooms out there with other ‘attractions’. For example, there’s one room filled with balloons that, when popped, the edges of the plastic turn razor-sharp and cut into your skin like a knife, and there’s another that’s filled with cats.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.” I’m a hardcore cat lover.

“When I said ‘filled with cats’, I meant that when you open the door cats come pouring out.” Still doesn’t sound so bad. “And the cats have bad breath.” Still loving it. “And when I said ‘cats’, I meant tigers.” Ok, I’d probably die. But still worth it.

She shakes her head and keeps talking. “This is beside the point. There’s such a variety of rooms here that it’s almost like all the attractions at a carnival, except all of them end up with you mentally or physically damaged.” Oh. I’m starting to think picking that room was very lucky. She start to turn back around, but I still have questions.

“Wait! I was shot at the entrance to this ‘Carnival’ place. Do you know who that might’ve been?” She pauses to think for a second, then replies, “It was probably one of the sentry robots around. They keep prisoners from escaping.” She stares at me for a second, then continues, “How did you get outside? Also, how did you survive being shot?”

“I was originally outside. I came inside after finding the entrance.” This seems to leave her in shock for a moment, and as she rubs at her eyes she says, “So let me get this straight. You chose to come into this living hell?”

“I didn’t know what this place was. I’m...not from around here.”

“Even then, people from other solar systems know about this place. They even send their criminals to us occasionally. Where exactly are you from?”

I’m not sure how to answer, so I just say, “Umm, Earth…?”

“Never heard of it.” She gives me one last suspicious glance, then turns back around to face the screens. “Well, in any case, you’re going to die soon, so it isn’t of any consequence.”

What. Why can’t I catch a break lately?