The Russian Sleep Experiment
Towards the end of the 1940's, soviet researchers sealed 5 prison inmates into a air tight sealed room to test the prolonged effects of a gas to test the effects of prolonged sleep deprivation. There behavior was monitored through a 2 way glass mirror with there conversations being electrically recorded. They was promised freedom if they could stay awake for 3 days straight.
The first few days of the experiment went of uneventfully, however by the fifth day of the experiment, The subjects started to show signs of stress and were overheard moaning about there circumstances.
They stopped talking to each other, instead starting to give information about each other over the microphones. Apparently to win the favors of there captor researchers.
Paranoia set in.
On the ninth day, screaming could be herd coming from the chamber, First one of the subjects, then another and then the third. They was observed running around the chamber screaming at the top of there lungs for hours on end. More disturbing was the quieter subjects, whom began ripping there books apart, smearing the pages with there feces and plastering it over the mirrors, just so there actions could not be monitored.
Then just as suddenly it started, it then stopped. The Subjects then ceased all communication, even with each other for 3 long days straight. The researchers, fearing the worst tried to talk to the subjects on the intercom but to no avail. “ Stand back, we are opening the chambers door” one of the researchers said. “step aside or you will be shot on site” said another. Compliance will earn you your freedom.
A voice was herd from inside.” We no longer want to be freed”
Two more days went by with out any communication, The researchers worried, debated on what to do. Finally at midnight on the fifteen night, the researchers decided to end the experiment and flushed the gas form the chamber and was replaces with fresh air in preparation for there release.
The subjects not pleased at the idea of leaving the chamber and fearing there lives, begun to scream at the researchers to turn the gas back on. Instead the researchers unsealed the chambers doors and sent in armed soldiers to retrieve them.
Nothing could have prepared them for the carnage that they was about to look upon.
One of the subjects was found dead, lying down in 6 inches of bloody water. Chunks off his flesh had been torn of and stuffed in the drain, Perhaps to stop the flushing of the gas. All of the subjects were found to have been mutilated, in fact, what's worse, was that the wounds seemed to be self inflicted. They had ripped open there own abdomens and disemboweled themselves with there own hands.
Some had even eaten there own flesh.
The four that was left alive, Seemed to be terrified of falling asleep and refused to leave the chamber, Again, they plead with there captors to turn on the gas and lock them in. When the soldiers attempted to remove the inmates by force, they fought back so furiously there could not believe there eyes.
One suffered a ruptures spleen and was loosing that much blood, there was nothing left for his heart to pump but yet continued to flail for 3 minutes, until his lifeless body collapsed.
The remaining subjects was subdued and transported to a secret medical facility for treatment. The first to be operated on, fought so furiously against being anesthetized that he torn his muscles and broken his bones while struggling. As soon as the anesthetic took effect, his heart stopped beating and he died.
The rest went under the surgery with out any sedation, Far from feeling any pain, however, they laughed historically on the operating table. The doctors fearing that the subjects would harm them, administer a paralytic drug to stop them from moving around.
After the surgery, the subjects was asked, why they had mutilated themselves and why they wanted to stay in the chamber with the gas so much. Each in turn gave there answer, I must remain awake.
The researchers considering euthanizing them to cover all trace of the failed experiment, but was over ruled by the commanding officer, whom order to resume the experiment immediately. With three of the researchers joining the remaining inmates in the chamber. Horrified at the prospect, The chief researcher pulled out his pistol and shot the commanding officer point blank. He then turned and shot one of the two remaining inmates. Pointing at the last one left alive, He asked, What are you, I must know!
Have you forgotten so easily, the last subjects said, smiling. We are you, We are the madness that lurks in you all, Begging to be free at every moment in you animal mind. We are what you hide from your beds every night. We are what you sedate into silence and paralysis. When you go to the nocturnal heaven. We can not tread.
The researcher fired a bullet into his heart. The EEG monitor flat-lined as the subject murmured there last words. So nearly free.