Elena walked out her apartment complex to go and put her two garbage bags in the dumpster around the back and unlocked the gate. When she got there she opened the lid and placed them inside and closed the lid.
However, the lid did not close all the way down, she looked at the sign and it said 'Make sure lid is fully closed before leaving, even if it means standing on the bags'.
So Elena then took the stool that was under the sign and went to stand on the bags to push them down.
When she was stepping on them she found it quite enjoyable.
When she thought she was done she began to move her foot out of the dumpster but then she felt it start to rise so she quickly jumped out and turned around. Some of the bags started to fall out as it looked like the dumpster was coming alive.
Elena was very slowly moving backwards as the dumpster she just put her garbage in magically grew arms, legs, a longer body and the lid became the mouth.
Elena stood there in complete shock and awe as the dumpster grabbed the garbage bags that fell on the floor and threw them into it's mouth like a monster eating humans. Elena quickly turned around and started to run but the dumpsters arm quickly lunged out and grabbed her. The dumpster brought her up to its mouth and looked at her.
Elena thought this was strange as she couldn't see any eyes.
Elena kept trying to break free but then all of a sudden the dumpster just threw her into its mouth and closed it. Elena then landed on some garbage bags, she then proceeded to stand up. However as soon as she stood up she could feel herself sinking into the garbage bags, she was falling rather slowly as she falling what seems to be a rather long way into the belly of the beast!!!
Elena quickly sat up in bed, startled and shocked.
Elena: That was one hell of a dream!!!
She turned around and saw that her clock said 8:46. She got out of bed and went into the shower and came out 10 minutes later. She got changed into her everyday clothes and rolled the sleeves up to her elbows. She went downstairs and then prepared some scrambled egg on toast.
She couldn't finish the last slice of bread so she stood up and walked over to the bin and opened the lid. She had forgotten that it was full to the brim as she forgot to take it out last night. She pushed it down enough to fit in the last slice of bread, she then took the lid off and pulled up the bag. As she tucks some of the bag around the bin, this meant there was some room for tying up the bag. She tied it up with a double knot and placed it on the floor while she went and lined the bin with another bag.
She then grabbed another bag and put it in her pocket I case something were to happen to the bag along the way. She picked up the garbage bag and walked out the door and down the stairs and out the main front door to the apartment complex.
She walked around the back with little knowledge of her neighbour Toby was behind her doing the same thing. Elena has never really spoken to Toby as they never really found the time despite being neighbours for nearly a year and a half.
Toby: Elena!!!
Elena stopped opening the gate turned around to see Toby standing there.
Elena: Oh hi Toby
Toby: I would ask you, why your out here but that's kinda self explanatory from what your holding
Elena: Yea I suppose it is
They finally reached the dumpster which now had a compaction unit on the end
Elena: I don't remember that being there
Toby: Well it has been out here for a week or so
Elena: Really??? I suppose living alone you don't produce much garbage
Toby: Do you not have a key for it???
Elena: OH that key. I didn't know what it was for so I didn't bring it
Toby: Ahhhhh don't worry. I have mine.
Elena: I'm gonna sound like an idiot now but how does this work.
Toby: Well you just put the bags down this hole and they then slide down that ramp into that plate. You put your key in here, turn it and press the green button to start and red to stop.
Elena looks over the side as it the compactor plate moves backwards with the bags falling into the hopper to get pushed and then it stops. Unbeknown to Elena that Toby had pushed the red button to stop it half way on the way back.
Toby: Oh no, it's jammed on something.
Elena: Well is it easy to get free again
Toby: Well it would be useful if I could see what it was. Maybe we might have to climb in and have a look.
Elena: surely that would be dangerous as the plate could suddenly come free.
Toby: Oh don't worry this light (falsely pointing at another random light) will turn green when ready to use again.
Elena: Do you want me to go and have a look.
Toby: That would probably be better as you are smaller then me.
Toby helps Elena through the hole on the side and watches her try to free the "stuck" compacter plate. Toby shines a torch down the compacter to help her. She has had to move the garbage bags to see better.
Elena: Wait I think I have something. Ah ha (as she pulls something out from under the blade). Was this it.
Toby: Well the light isn't on so it can't be that.
Elena: Blimey it sure does stink down here.
Toby: Well you are in a garbage compacter
Elena: I suppose.
Elena then sits back (still inside the compactor) and moves the bags back to where they originally where.
Elena: I can't see anything that would be blocking it off in the first place. I mean I can move all the bags so it can't be those.
Toby turns around and sees someone in the distance walking towards the dumpster. He leans in to Elena
Toby: Quick, Elena use the bag in your pocket to cover yourself, someone's coming.
She quickly whipped the bag out and pulled it over her body. The man got the the compacter and gave his bag to Toby to dispose off. Toby then vigorously throws in into the compacter knocking Elena over but keeping her hidden. Elena can make out some faint conversation but could not hear it. The man then left.
Toby: Sorry about that. Did you manage to find he cause.
Elena: No, sorry
Toby: Well it was a good effort.
And at those words he hit the green button and the plate moved towards Elena
She panicked and shouted
Elena: I thought you said it was broken!!!
Toby: Well, long story short, I lied. Bye bye you little piece of garbage
As the bags suddenly reach Elena's legs and slowly pushed her into the other part of the compactor with all the bags. Toby then went around the back of the compactor and grabbed some other bags that he had left there and threw them in to minimise Elena's chance of escape.
Now inside the belly of the compactor. In fact there was quite a lot of space inside so Elena had space to move around and accept her fate as garbage. However once you are in the compactor there is no getting out as you fall into a drop which was too high for Elena to reach.
She got the occasional light from when people would activate the compactor. And then bags just fell down on top of her.
She had used the bag from her pocket as a duvet alternative.
She had lost track of time and how many days she had been in there, and that was when she heard a noise that she couldn't quite make out what is was. By this point the compactor has approximately 3/4 full so Elena still had some space to move about it. And then all of a sudden all the bags start to fall down as a door is opened.
Elena then saw the garbage collectors standing there as they started to throw the bags into the hopper. Neither of them had noticed Elena yet.
When she they eventually saw her they were slightly confused.
Elena was cowering in amongst the trash, her skin glistened in places with trash residue and juices.
Her hair was matted with lumps of rotting food, food scraps and labels were now stuck to her skin. She had made herself almost at home now, small bed of soft bags as she checked through dozens of bags looking for food or anything that may help her escape.
The contractors both stopped in their tracks, not quite believing their eyes.
Its not every day you find a beautiful young girl inside the trash compactor.
Elena; Please let me go, I was tricked into climbing in by my neighbour, i've been here for days now living off scraps and other peoples trash. I'll do anything, please just let me go.
The workers quickly checked their surroundings and made sure the coast was clear.
Terry who was the older of the two disappeared from view as Carl stood open mouthed not yet answering Elena's plea.
Terry reappeared and asked Elena to approach them, She started clear the bags from her path moving slowly closer to guys awaiting to rescue her.
The smell emitted from disturbing the rotting garbage was nothing short of foul. Both guys stepped back slightly as the smell grew stronger as she moved each bag in turn.
Elena made her way to opening which was slightly above her head, the bags ripped and tore within her grimy hands covering her in maggot ridden garbage.
Terry; reach up little one and we'll help you out. we have some food in the wagon and I'm sure youll be desperate for a shower.
Elena; reached up with her shakey hands having not eaten properly in days, She wasnt even sure how long she'd now spent in the trash compactor.
As Elena's hands reached up into the opening Carl grabbed with his firm strong grip pulling gently up towards until she was almost waist height. Terry quickly appeared from the side wrapping strong silver duct tape around her mouth in quick swathes. He then quickly wrapped several loops around her filthy wrists. He then pulled up a large black trash bag and pulled it quickly down over Elena's as Carl quickly dropped poor Elena straight into the caverness compactor.
Unfortunately for Elena reporting such a discovery would ask a million questions and invlove an abundance of paperwork that neither sanitary worker wanted
Carl; I'm sorry miss you look like trash, You defintely smell like trash and now you can barely make a sound you'll end end up where the trash goes...........landfill for you my sweet. There'd be investigations, paperwork, reports and such like.
Much easier this way as they start to fill the compactor once again until Elena is blocked from sight. Without her arms to help she sank slowly into the slimy remains.
Bag after bag was pushed through the opening until they were satisfied that any noise would be dulled to the point of no existence.
Elena was now struggling to breath as the shiny black plastic now clung to her dirty face, she tried to squirm but she just sank further into the filth. As she gasped for breath she could feel the weight abover her slowly increasing.
This was it she thought as her breaths grew slowly shallower I'm trash nothing but.....
