How did I get here?
I opened my eyes, looking around confused. How did I get here? My last memory waswinding down before bed; I had a bad headache that wouldn’t go away.
I lift my head and start to look around me. It’s dark, the ground is a heavy clay below me leaving imprints of my feet. There was a forest of tall trees all clawing towards the sky, completely naked. Brittle, dead leaves barely clinging onto the limbs of the trees. The sky was dark, only a few stars glimmering overhead. There was a big lake, the water looked like spilled black ink. There was no wind, no warmth but the water was folding over itself in the distance.
I noticed an old shipwreck not too far from me, it looked abandoned. I know I should have been scared, but it was quiet and I felt safe. Against everything I would have normally done, I started walking towards the shipwreck. It’s like it called to me, this feeling, an urge to go see what’s inside. It wasn’t a big boat. I climbed up a small ladder leading me up to the deck. The floor below me creaked slightly. I realised I was holding my breath this whole time. I let myself exhale while I was finding the courage to look around.
I started walking to the back of the boat towards a door that was slightly leaned open, like it was already waiting for me. I pulled the door open slowly, trying to make no noise. It was too quiet, I felt like everyone in the world could hear my every move.
I took half a step in, even though a big curiosity took over me I was still on high alert. I looked around a small room; it was almost empty. I took another, this time full step into the room. I squinted my eyes still adjusting to the dark. I saw the walls were covered in picture frames. Some were normal, like portraits of people, couples, families. But some were alarming, portraits of people covered in blood, but not as if they were in danger but as if they were dangerous themselves. My stomach started getting an uneasy feeling, my hands started to become wet, and I had a weird feeling all the way down my spine. I stepped back out of the room, closing the door fully behind me. I exhaled.
The question came to me again -Where am I? How did I get here? Is this real?
I walked back onto the deck, looking into the lake. I noticed another shipwreck, this time only half a ship. I could barely make it out. My eyes started adjusting to the darkness in the distance and I could just barely make out a person, standing at the top of the shipwreck waving at me.
I thought they might be in danger, I need to help them. I felt my pockets for my phone just to realise I had nothing on me. My mouth felt dry. I should ignore them, but what if they were in real danger? I could never forgive myself if something happened to this person, knowing that I could have at least tried to help.
I felt a pain in my hands. I looked down, there was four crescent shapes in each palm. I didn’t realise how tense I was just thinking about it. I must help. I start looking around me and notice a small blow-up boat with a small paddle. It’s all ready to go.
Weird, I thought to myself. It’s like it was already prepared and left there for me to use. Ignoring all the signs that would usually have me rolling my eyes at people in horror movies, I pick up the blow-up boat. I throw it onto the ground by the ladder. I take one quick look all around me just to make sure it’s just me here.
All clear. I put the blow-up boat onto the lake and sit into it.
Is this really a good idea? I have never even been on a boat until now, and I don’t know how to swim so if anything, I’m putting me and the other person in danger.
But the guilt hits me again, I rather at least attempt to help.
I start doing my best to paddle out to the other shipwreck. It’s not far, but the water isn’t steady
As soon as I’m close to the shipwreck, I look up. A coldness runs through me. The person is dressed head to toe. Black leather gloves, black hoodie, black bottoms, black shoes, a black hat and a black ski mask and glasses. I start to really regret my decision, but I still want to make sure they are okay. I shout up “are you okay? Do you need help? Are you hurt?” but no answer. The person, I’m assuming male by the height and build.
I got a bad gut feeling, So I started backing away. I kept checking over my shoulder, but he was still standing there, not moving one inch just facing my direction. When I was halfway back to land, I looked back again. He jumped into the water and started swimming towards me. My heart started to hammer against my ribs, my pulse like thunder in my ears. What was he doing? Why am I here? Did he bring me here on purpose? My thoughts were racing.
I finally got to land. With every breath I took, I could feel my heart in my throat. I ran up to the shipwreck I had explored minutes earlier. I hid by the small room, trying to become one with the darkness.
He got to land and did a stretch like it was a casual sunny day at the beach, and he had just had a nice swim.
He started casually walking up to the shipwreck I was on. My stomach was in a knot, I didn’t know if I was going to throw up, scream, I could barely tell I was breathing.
He was on the deck. He walked towards the room I had explored earlier and started doing a tap on the wall. There was no rhythm to it, he was just letting me know he was close. He knew I was here. He knew I was close.
I started crawling towards the opposite side of the deck, I wanted to try make my way around and back to the ladder. His head kept following every direction I went. He continued with the tapping, the slow walking towards me like he knew there was no way out for me.
Fear had a grip on me; the panic was clawing at the edges of my mind. All I could think was ‘run’.
I stood up, and ran towards the ladder, taking one look at him before jumping down the ladder. He just stood there, watching me. Watching my panic completely take over. He was playing a game with me, and I was losing.
I ran towards the trees. I didn’t go too deep into those woods because I was scared I would get lost. I peered past the tree towards the shipwreck. He jumped down and started sprinting towards the trees. He was so close to me.
I started to sprint in a blind panic.
Why? Where am I? How did I get here? What does he want from me?
I was running out of options; I didn’t know where I was or what to do. Fear completely took over. I ran towards the lake. I just jumped into the water and tried my best to swim away. I looked back, and there he was.
He slowed down, got in the water and started swimming towards me. He was swimming right behind me, looking at me the way an alligator looks at its prey.
I spun around and tried swimming away in a panic.
I couldn’t help it. I kept looking back. He was so calm, the water was rippling around him. He wasn’t in a rush. He was taking this all in.
“What do you want from me??” I screamed desperately. No answer. Only silence. Only the noise of me trying to swim away.
I looked back again. This time he caught my ankle. He slowly lifted out of the water something shiny. At first, it was hard to make out. But then my vision adjusted and undeniably it was a carving knife.
I lost hope at the sight of it. I had nowhere left to go.
I stopped struggling. My arms fell limp at my sides as I let myself sink, surrendering to the cold embrace of the water. I could feel the cold lake consume me; the water was pulling me down making me feel heavy and weightless at the same time. The cold water was pouring into my lungs. My vision blurred,I saw him dive under the water, knife held tightly in his hand, drawings his arm back ready to strike.
Just as he was about to make contact, I saw blackness.
I opened my eyes. I was holding my breath. I sat up examining every part of my body I could see. I looked around me; I was in my room.
I was exactly where I had laid down right after taking ibuprofen to help with the awful headache I had. I felt like my skin was buzzing, sweat trickled down my back and forehead,
It was just a dream.