Unfamiliar Surroundings

The nightmare begins

Drip.... Drip.... Drip.....

The sound of a leaky faucet interrupted my sleep. I reached for my blanket to pull over my head as I always did when I did not want to wake up. I was startled when I grabbed a thin material with a woolly texture. I started to sit up and noticed a feeling of cold cement beneath me.  As I stood up I could feel an imprint on my leg of the ground that was beneath my feet. Attempting to gain my bearing, I looked around at my surroundings and I found the source of the eerie noise, it was an old rusty sink. I walked over and fumbled for the knob to try and shut the water off but as I strained to twist it, the knob refused to budge. I lifted my eyes not knowing there was a mirror above the sink I was quite startled. My eyes were still a little moist from waking up and the image in the mirror was blurry. I rubbed my eyes and the reflection of myself in the mirror comforted me. The mirror showed its age thick with black speckles traced around the edges. At this moment for reasons unknown I lost all sense of fear and instead was engulfed in curiosity. I surveyed the room around me, the walls were made of cinder block and there was not a single window. On the other side of the room there was an iron door with what looked like the kind of slot they have in prison just big enough to fit some food through. The walls started to close in on me and I could feel the familiar tightening in my chest and my breath began to quicken. Out of habit I reached into my pocket for a cigarette and was surprised to find out I actually had my pack and light. I went back over to the thin blanket and sat down. As I flicked the lighter I saw something, in the corner, I swear it had not been there before. It was my old desk from my room growing up. My head started to hurt as I tried to wrap my mind around the desk winding up in this cold cell. After I analyzed this with no results I looked back and noticed all my favorite books were scattered around with most of the pages ripped out. The few possessions I was able to keep as a child had been broken, the tiny pieces covering the top of my precious desk. I felt overwhelmed with emotion and began to feel the knot build up in my throat. As always I swallowed it burying it down with the rest of the rotten emotion deep inside of me. I pulled my lighter back up and put the cigarette back between my lips and lit it. As I inhaled my first puff I almost choked from hacking and coughing. I don’t think I had heard a more terrifying noise before or after that point. It wasn't just a scream; it was the sound of inconceivable suffering. A shiver rushed down my spine and I jumped up out of overwhelming fear. When I stood up I looked at the Iron door and the slot began to open and all I could see were a pair of eyes staring at me. I reacted surprisingly slow, I guess out of shock, and lunged towards the door hoping I could keep those eyes from getting any closer.  I almost reached it, but I was too late, the big iron door hit me hard.

 

As I felt it smack against the side of my body and face I lost control of myself and fell to the ground. Dizziness and drowsiness swept over me so intensely that I felt nauseous. My head was throbbing with intense pain and the room seemed to be spinning which made everything worse. I closed my eyes and the next thing I knew I heard a familiar voice calling my name; the voice was so distant that I couldn't figure out who it was. “Vivian, wake up!” The voice was closer now and I knew why it was so familiar. I tried to open my eyes but they felt as if they were sealed shut. I felt hands gripping my shoulders and my eyes began to open. After a few blinks it was clear; “Vivian, I’m so sorry I saw you all the way across the room, I thought for sure it would be safe to open the door”. I was so overwhelmed with relief and excitement that I lunged at him and held him as tight as I could. He grabbed my face and I felt his lips press against mine; a shiver ran down my spine only this time out of overwhelming desire to hold unto this feeling as long as possible. My lips pressed harder against his and I felt a knot in my throat only this time I did not swallow it. With our lips interlocked he held unto me as if I were going to fly away and I clenched unto him just as tight. I could feel him pulling back and I let go; I could feel my cheeks begin to blush. I was so embarrassed by my lack of control and confused by his rejection.  Then I heard the same scream I had heard earlier and saw him starring at the door and I understood why he had let go. He looked back at me and you could tell he was trying desperately to hide the same overwhelming feeling of fear that I felt.

 

“I’m so glad you’re alright, that is minus that knot on your fore head.” He placed his hand gently on my head and brushed his thumb across my forehead. “I really am sorry about that but as soon I saw you I was so worried you would disappear that I opened the door as fast as I could”. “It’s alright Ethan; honestly it’s kind of my fault for expecting the worst”. Ethan looked down with an expression of worry on his face, “No Vivian you should expect the worst here” he sighed and looked back at the door. “Vivian, you haven’t left this room have you?” I looked at him suspiciously and responded simply “No Ethan I have not”. “Vivian; I have been looking for you for god knows how long and this place…”he took a deep breath “this place is twisted”. “I don’t know how I got here” he surveyed the room “I woke up in a room too” he said and looked at me “only mine was different”. He looked over at the desk and I was relieved to know he could see it too. “I had my hands and legs tied up and all the sudden the lights flickered on. The entire room was padded with all white leather. Then I noticed I wasn't the only thing in the room. Across from me a black lab was lying in a pool of blood with a knife stuck in his head”. He began to tear up, which was very unlike Ethan. “I knew I needed the knife to cut off the bands around my arms and legs. I scooted over to the dog reluctantly and I recognized the dog’s collar”. He looked at the desk again and then back at me. “Vivian the collar had Ubu’s name on it, how the hell could the dog I had growing up be here? And that desk I know that was your desk!”  He got up and walked towards it “Look these are the figurines you kept on your desk the ones your mom had up on her desk before she died. The books on the ground, one of the most important possessions your mom left you since your father was always locking you up in your room”. Ethan picked up one of the books off the floor and threw it across the room. “What the hell is going on here?” he shouted “Is this hell or just someone’s sick joke”. It was so weird seeing Ethan so upset, I don’t think I had ever heard him raise his voice, he was always so quiet. If Ethan; the most stable person I knew was losing it, we were in dire straits. 

 

He put his hands in his pocket looked over at me with a sorrowful expression on his face and you could tell he was disappointed in himself. I stood up and started to walk towards him but the feeling of dizziness and nausea swept over me. It felt like I was melting and before I knew it Ethan’s arms were around me and we were slowly melting to the floor together. He wrapped his arm around me and I rested my head on his shoulder. At that moment I felt more secure and safe then I had ever felt before despite the predicament we were in. As we sat there I realized I had been completely blind to my true feelings for Ethan. He had been the longest friend I’d ever known and when I was with him I never wondered about my feelings or his feelings. There is not a single adventure I wasn't able to convince Ethan to come with me. Most of the time he didn't come to exercise his own curiosity but usually to protect mine. I was surprised I had never realized it before; I could not picture my life without him. I was constantly finding excuses to spend time with him. I would call him during his dates and ask him how it was going to remind him I was still there. When I picked my clothes out for the day I always chose them by what I thought he would like best. I thought I did these things because he was my best friend but the fact was, I loved Ethan Connolly, I was in love with Ethan Connolly.

 

“Vivian” Ethan interrupted my thoughts “ I've, been walking down these halls looking for you and I have opened other doors. Each door I have opened has seemed to lead to someone’s own personal nightmare. Sometimes I saw other people and they were unable to see me and other times I just heard mournful cries. This place is filled with evil and I don’t know why or how we got here. The harder I try to wrap my brain around it the more inconceivable it is. Do you remember the last thing we were doing?” He looked at me and he was unable hide the fear any longer. I took a deep breath and tried to remember “I was on the phone with you asking you to pick me up…I had found a location I wanted to photograph. I told you I needed you to take me there because I was scared of going to an abandoned house myself”. I responded to him knowing it wouldn't help him understand the situation we were in. He looked down at the ground and sighed “Well, I remember picking you up in my truck and while we were driving it began to storm outside. The wind kept pushing the truck back and forth and I was yelling at you demanding we go home. You told me I always ruined the fun and you wish you hadn't called me and called Perry instead. Then I saw a flash of lightning and heard a load crack. Next thing I know I’m in a white padded room all tied up”. He looked back at the door and then at me “Maybe we are in hell Vivian, maybe there is no escape”. The thought made me shiver and I curled into Ethan and he kissed my forehead. “I’m sorry for yelling at you” I apologized ashamed of the horrible things I had said. He laughed which startled me “I knew you didn't mean it, I have always loved you Vivian Lambert and no matter how hard you try to push me away you will not be successful. I am here to stay whether you like it or not”. His response took me off guard and I looked up at him the knot was forming in my throat again. I thought about the things I said to him and the way I used him. I felt unworthy of such unwavering affection and a tear rolled down my cheek. I felt his thumb brush away the tear. “Don’t cry, I promise if there is a way I can find to get you out I will” He said with sincerity. I should have told him the real reason I was crying but instead I curled back into him and started to think about what kind of horror was waiting for me on the other side of the door.

We sat there for a few minutes; I believe both of us were attempting to avoid the inevitable. The reality was we could not sit in here forever; we had to open that door. “It’s alright” Ethan broke the silence “just hold onto my hand and don’t let go. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. We cannot stay in here forever, you know that. We need food and water and you need to get something to stop the bleeding”. I noticed he was looking at my leg, I guess with the shock of everything that happened I had not realized I had scraped my leg pretty bad. It wasn't bleeding that much but an open wound in a place like this couldn't be good. In addition he was right even though I wasn't hungry or thirsty it wouldn't be long before we would need something. Who knew how long we had already been in this place before we woke up. Ethan stood up and stretched his hand out for me to grab hold of. We walked towards the door together my hand clenching tightly unto his. He pulled the door but it wouldn't budge. He looked at me and then down at our hands “I’m sorry I have to let go just for a second to open the door, It will be alright I promise”. With some effort he was able to open the big iron door, however when he did a ball of light formed in the entrance way.  I tried to grab Ethan’s hand but the ball of light headed so fast towards us that I was knocked flat on the ground.  When I got back up on my feet and looked around Ethan was gone. 

Author's Note

Right now I am working on extending the chapter I think I rushed the story along and am going to try and fit some more scenes in of Vivian alone by herself. I hope when I'm finished Vivian will be in full panic mode before shes reunited with her friend. Thus making the reunion mean more to the reader.

Reviews

[Jen Ro]

I have a reoccurring nightmare, which I am in the process of writing about as well. Well-done, very intense and I could feel as if I was part of the nightmare at times.

[Anna Lynn]

Thanks I am glad you were able to feel a part of the story, that is my goal. Sometimes it is harder then one thinks to transfer an experience into a story.

[Denise D. Aggen]

Wow Anna, that was very intense and very good.

[Anna Lynn]

Thanks Denise I think I am having trouble keeping it from sounding to cliche . Whats sad is I actually got the idea from a nightmare I had lol. My nightmares are weird; there very vivid and I am usually not scared.

[Denise D. Aggen]

Well that will be helpful as a writer...LOL

[Anna Lynn]

Haha yes, I guess I should take advantage of it more often and leave a notepad by my bed or something lol.

[Denise D. Aggen]

So true! I have one by my bed, but never think about writing anything down.

[Anna Lynn]

The only thing is I am horrible with a pen and paper I get along better with my friend the keyboard. I actually started writing on a typewriter, I miss that old thing. There is nothing like writing a story on a typewriter.

[Denise D. Aggen]

I have not used a typewriter for so long, but it would be fun to try it out. Guess I am so spoiled with computers and keyboards.

[Anna Lynn]

Oh its great one of these days I'm going to make it a point to find one.