Awakened in a Strange Room
I gasp for breath as my eyes fling open. I am in a cold, dark room with dull red lights. I look around. The room is small. I begin to feel claustrophobic. I sit up on the little metal cot I’ve apparently been lying on. Despite the flat pillow and the single, threadbare sheet, I still feel its cold, hard surface against my skin.
“Hello!?” I call out. No response. I look around the room again. There is simply a bed. Wait. There’s a table. And the lights in the ceiling, of course. They are thin, long bulbs that line the space where the ceiling meets the wall. I don’t see a door. Where is the door? How did I get in here and how do I get out?! I begin to panic.
“Hello!? WHERE AM I!?” I scream. I go to the nearest wall and start banging. My fists hurt. These walls…they are metal. They are cold. I feel around for an opening. For anything. A clue. A crack. A weapon…
Why does weapon cross my mind?
Where am I? WHO am I?
A sudden rush to my brain, I hold my head in pain and cower to my knees. Closing my eyes, I see your face again. Who are you!? Please. Come help me. Get me out of this. You’re my only hope. I don’t know why I feel that I should put my total trust in such a stranger who could, for all I know, be an elaborate imagination of my own devising, but I do. The image I see of you is too photorealistic to be made up. Those big, beautiful, bright eyes are my beacon of hope. Evidence of a life before. I shut my eyes tighter and try to remember more; Who are you? Where are you?
I see you outside. It’s a sunny day. The green leaves are rustling in the warm, summer breeze. I feel the presence of another. Wait. Two others. I turn around but I can’t see them clearly. They are fuzzy figures in the distance but I know them.
“Who are you!?” I scream to myself. I hear my own voice echoing in the room. I don’t want to open my eyes. I want to go back to this sunny summer day. I don’t know when and where we are, but I feel safe. The others seem kind. I look back at you and your face is clear as day. You smile at me warmly with those bright eyes. You hold out your hand to me. I want to reach out and take it, but I can’t. My hands are still on the sides of my head. I’m still cowering.
“WHO ARE YOU!?!” I scream again. This time, my eyes fling open. The illusion is gone and so are you. I’m back in the dark, red room. I breathe erratically as my mind searches for anything to cling onto. The only thing I can grasp is you, but even you are fleeting. I don’t want you to go away. I don’t want to let you go. Please stay with me.
“Hello!?” I call out. No response. I look around the room again. There is simply a bed. Wait. There’s a table. And the lights in the ceiling, of course. They are thin, long bulbs that line the space where the ceiling meets the wall. I don’t see a door. Where is the door? How did I get in here and how do I get out?! I begin to panic.
“Hello!? WHERE AM I!?” I scream. I go to the nearest wall and start banging. My fists hurt. These walls…they are metal. They are cold. I feel around for an opening. For anything. A clue. A crack. A weapon…
Why does weapon cross my mind?
Where am I? WHO am I?
A sudden rush to my brain, I hold my head in pain and cower to my knees. Closing my eyes, I see your face again. Who are you!? Please. Come help me. Get me out of this. You’re my only hope. I don’t know why I feel that I should put my total trust in such a stranger who could, for all I know, be an elaborate imagination of my own devising, but I do. The image I see of you is too photorealistic to be made up. Those big, beautiful, bright eyes are my beacon of hope. Evidence of a life before. I shut my eyes tighter and try to remember more; Who are you? Where are you?
I see you outside. It’s a sunny day. The green leaves are rustling in the warm, summer breeze. I feel the presence of another. Wait. Two others. I turn around but I can’t see them clearly. They are fuzzy figures in the distance but I know them.
“Who are you!?” I scream to myself. I hear my own voice echoing in the room. I don’t want to open my eyes. I want to go back to this sunny summer day. I don’t know when and where we are, but I feel safe. The others seem kind. I look back at you and your face is clear as day. You smile at me warmly with those bright eyes. You hold out your hand to me. I want to reach out and take it, but I can’t. My hands are still on the sides of my head. I’m still cowering.
“WHO ARE YOU!?!” I scream again. This time, my eyes fling open. The illusion is gone and so are you. I’m back in the dark, red room. I breathe erratically as my mind searches for anything to cling onto. The only thing I can grasp is you, but even you are fleeting. I don’t want you to go away. I don’t want to let you go. Please stay with me.
Comments