Days passed, and without me noticing it, school was starting again tomorrow.
After what happened at the supermarket, I hadn't seen Josh again. We never got the chance to visit the place he had mentioned. I even tried visiting his house, but it was empty every time.
"Ugh, I don't want to go to school," I mumbled, flopping onto my bed and lying there comfortably.
I raised my left hand, blocking the glare of the lightbulb above me, and stared at my open palm. The memory of that girl, Lily, flashed in my mind. She had the same strange experience as me. I wanted to ask her about it, but the look on her face back then told me she didn't understand it either.
*****
"Huh? Where am I?"
When I opened my eyes, confusion overtook me. I was no longer in my room. Instead, I found myself standing in the middle of a burning house.
Flames are raging, tearing through everything in their path, and it's utterly terrifying. Smoke is billowing out from every nook and cranny, choking the air and causing me to cough uncontrollably.
If I remember correctly, I was supposed to be in my room. So, how in the world did I end up in this mess? The only explanation I can come up with is that this has to be a dream, because nothing about this situation makes any sense at all.
"Hello! Uncle!? Joshua!? Anybody!?" I yelled desperately, my voice barely making it through the thick, suffocating smoke. Then, out of nowhere, the ceiling above me began to crumble, sending fiery wreckage crashing down right before my eyes, sealing off my only escape route.
It was unbearably hot, as if I were trapped inside an oven, slowly roasting. All I could think about was how badly I wanted to wake up and get out of this terrible nightmare. It felt so unsettlingly real that I began to doubt whether I was still in a dream, and that confusion was starting to get to me.
Checking out my surroundings, it seems I'm on the second floor. I tried to find a way out, but all I could see was an endless blaze when, in the middle of all this crazy scene, I heard this oddly soothing sound, resembling the gentle chirping of birds, and it felt really out of place considering where I am right now.
Before I knew it, I found myself irresistibly pulled towards the sound, almost as if it had called out to me. I didn't realize this until I ended up in front of a door, which stood strangely untouched amidst the raging fire. The flames refrained from licking its edges, kindling a glimmer of hope within me.
"What's this now?" I muttered, my thoughts spiraling in a whirlwind of confusion.
My trembling fingers brushed against the doorknob, and in that fleeting moment, the world around me fell eerily still. It was as if time itself had taken a breath and held it, trapping me in a suffocating silence.
The crackle of flames, once fierce and relentless, disappeared, leaving behind an unnatural void. My pulse spiked, my breath caught, and an icy dread crept over me. I couldn't move, couldn't think. It was like the air had turned into something heavy and alive, pressing down on me.
"What the hell happened?" I gasped, barely recognizing my own voice.
Then, as if the universe had snapped its fingers, the silence shattered.
The fire roared back to life, ferocious and unrelenting, the heat licking at my skin. Startled, I jerked my hand away from the doorknob and stumbled backward, gasping for air as panic set in. The fire wasn't just alive; it was ravenous, closing in on me at terrifying speed.
Instinct took over. Without thinking, I lunged forward, twisting the knob and shoving the door open. The blistering heat vanished instantly as I crossed the threshold. I faltered, breath catching in my chest, and stared in disbelief at the scene before me.
A bedroom. A simple, ordinary bedroom. Toys lay scattered across the floor, a patchwork of soft pastels painted on the walls, and neatly arranged books lined a wooden table. It was warm and inviting, almost childlike in its innocence.
The scorching chaos of the fire had vanished, as if it had never existed. Yet unease clawed at me. Something was wrong. I could feel it in my bones.
"Hello?" My voice barely carried as I stepped further in.
At first, there was nothing. Just the eerie quiet of the room. Then I heard it. A faint chorus of voices, distant but growing louder with every heartbeat.
"Help us! Please, let us go!"
The pleas echoed from nowhere and everywhere all at once. They echoed in the still air, weaving together into a haunting symphony of agony.
My heart raced as shadows pooled on the floor, writhing and twisting like living ink. Slowly, they took shape, forming human-like figures. Their silhouettes flickered and warped, incomplete, as though they had been torn from some forgotten nightmare.
I stumbled back, my knees buckling as their hands reached for me. Cold, skeletal fingers entwined around my legs, their touch like icy needles piercing my skin. I choked on a scream as a sickening pull dragged me downward.
"No! Stop!"
The floor dissolved beneath me, leaving behind an endless, swirling abyss. The walls melted into darkness, and the room's soft colors faded, leaving behind an oppressive black void. The air was filled with a sharp and metallic coppery scent reminiscent of blood. It clawed at my senses, causing my stomach to churn violently.
My pulse hammered in my ears as I thrashed against their grip, but it was useless. The more I struggled, the tighter their hold became. The shadows whispered now, their voices slithering into my mind like venom. Their words were incoherent, a maddening jumble of sorrow and rage that made my head spin.
I gasped, my chest heaving as panic gave way to sheer terror. And then I saw it—in my trembling hand, a faint golden light. The key. It had appeared again, glowing softly against the suffocating darkness. I didn't even notice it at first, too consumed by fear.
"Stop it! Let me go! Please, Uncle, help me!" I tried to scream again, but the words died in my throat. My lips would not move. My body would not respond. I was trapped, paralyzed, as the hands dragged me deeper into the abyss.
My strength ebbed away, leaving me weak and helpless. My mind screamed for mercy, for salvation, but no sound escaped.
*****
"Stop!" I yelled, my voice cracking as I woke up.
I jolted awake, gasping for air, clutching my blanket as if it was my last lifeline. Anxiety gripped my chest as I scanned the room, but everything looked just like my usual surroundings.
"I knew it," I muttered, sinking back into the bed.
Relief flooded me, but something didn't feel right. I couldn't remember what had just happened. No matter how hard I tried, the details of my dream slipped through my grasp like water. Still, the lingering fear clawed at me. My body remembered what my mind couldn't—a deep unease and terror I couldn't shake.
After a few minutes of pondering, I decided to fall asleep again, hoping to piece it together. But just as I was about to drift off, my alarm clock blared, shattering the quiet. Irritated, I silenced it, craving just a little more rest. Then, as if the universe conspired against me, my phone chimed loudly with an incoming call.
"Ugh, what is it now!?" I grumbled, irritation seeping into my voice as I reluctantly picked up my phone.
"Who's this?" I groggily asked, still half-asleep.