Somewhere between and around…

Hell on Earth

9th prompt of 365 days of writing: You’re locked in a room with your greatest fear. Describe what’s in the room.

The room is filled with unfamiliar furniture and strange pictures hang on the wall. Who are those people smiling out at me? What is this place and why am I here?

I search my mind to find an answer and all that is there is a jumbled mess of vague figures. Some are laughing, some are serious, some are crying, and some are shouting words to me that I cannot make out.

Am I in a dream?

“Wake up!”, I scream, “Wake up!”

I slap my face and shake my head. My hair gets in my eyes and I brush it out of my face.

I try to open the door and realize I have already tried.

I turn around and see that the room is filled with strange furniture and there are pictures hanging on the wall. Who are those people? What is this place? Why am I here?

I stop and look around and see a mirror. I hurry to it and look at the reflection.

Who is that woman staring back at me?

There is a couch behind me and I hurry to it and lay on my back, trying to gather my thoughts. Am I dreaming?

I can’t be dreaming, because all I want to do is sleep. I drift off slowly and then I am awake.

I look around. There are unfamiliar photos hanging on the wall.

There is noise at the door and then a man walks in. I run to the other side of the room and cower down.

“Please don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me!”

He says that it is okay and I should come with him. Strangely, I feel comforted by his voice and I follow him back to the couch. He sits beside me and reaches out to hold my hand.

Studying his face, I see tears in his eyes.

“I love you, baby.”

I’m looking around a strange room. There are strange pictures on the walls. There is a man beside me and he wants to hold my hand.

Am I in a nightmare?

I begin to scream and continue screaming until he pulls me close and holds me in his arms. I am strangely comforted by his arms around me.

“Ssshhh”, he whispers, “Ssshh…”

I wake up in an unfamiliar place and photos of people I don’t know are on the walls…