The Man Crusher

Lance slammed his cane to the ground releasing a large cloud of purple smoke. Once it dissipated a large box was revealed. On the left and right sides there were cranks like those on a bank vault.

"May I introduce the Man Crusher!" Lance exclaimed. He opened the front of it revealing the inside had metal spikes on the interior left and right walls. "By turning these cranks..." He demonstrated, doing so moved the spiked walls closer and closer together. "The person inside will be impaled."

He turned the crank back to its resting position. "Sir, would you please investigate the metal spikes to make sure they are authentic."

John nodded and walked over to the front of the box. The spikes were pointy and shiny, though John knew that that can't be true. The magician must have had a trap door somewhere.

"Could you examine them closer?" Lance asked, "I want you to be sure that even the far back ones are real."

John stepped into the box. As soon as he was inside Lance slammed the door shut with his cane and locked it.

"Oops!" Lance said with wry smile. The audience applauded, but inside the box John was having a panic attack. He couldn't see another exit.

Outside the box Lance began turning the cranks as Benny Hill music started to play. John began being pressed against the spikes walls the spikes inches from his flesh.

Lance began to fight with the crank as if the resistance of John's body's was slowing him down. Inside John had pressed his arm and his leg against the spike less part of the wall.

"Looks like someone still has some fight in them," joked Lance. He tapped his cane against the box. Inside John lost all feeling in his muscles.

"Hey don't worry," continued Lance. "If you are too hole-y after this you could always become a priest."

With a strong tug on the crank it began to spin freely until there was large crack that sounded like bones snapping. And the cranks stopped abruptly. There were gasps from the audience.

"Let's see how John faired against the Man Crusher," Lance said, throwing open the door to reveal a completely sandwiched metal spikes. A piece of cloth from John's shirt the only thing sticking out.

"Are you alright John? You don't look like yourself."

"My neck is killing me," said John's voice. Though John didn't know how with two walls having crushed his entire body.

The audience applauded, but Lance held up his hand, "Save your applause for the end."

He closed the door and began uncranking the walls. Once he was done he opened the door to reveal...