It was that moment of time when fear takes over your entire body and there is just no possible way to move. Frozen completely by trepidation, I was terrified to move about, terrified to even breathe.
Questions circled my mind endlessly, taunting me, like where was I? How in the world had I gotten here?
My mind was still half asleep and my eyes refused to open completely. Everything was in a blurry haze. It was like wearing someone’s glasses that were too strong for you. I rubbed my eyes and tried to focus on my surroundings.
I was in a dark room, pitch black, and my heart felt as if it was about to jump out of my chest at any moment. Although the room was completely dark, I knew for certain that I was by myself, though I wasn’t sure why I knew this. Nothing was making sense, and from my little sense of knowledge, I was frustrated at myself.
Everywhere, I heard the cry echoing mockingly in my ear of people shouting in terror things like, “Jamie help!” or “Quick, save me!”
On my hand, there were excruciating cuts and bruises. My hand burned unbearably as I followed the cuts up my arm. In the other, I tightly clutched a golden key. The key was for some reason, unbearably scorching, and from its powering warmth, it actually started to smolder the depth of my palm. Its teeth dug into my skin that left red sores, but I didn’t care. My mind was elsewhere.
In the large, dark room, there were rows of doors- thousands of them, it felt as if they went on forever; that was about the only thing that my eyes could see. I knew one door, only one, held those who had disappeared- they had been kidnapped. If I opened the right door, they would be free. The others would lead to my death of pure torture. By this point, I was the last person on earth to remain.
Sweat beads started to form at the top of my forehead. I breathed heavily from concentration and frustration. My legs wobbled beneath me and I felt I lost complete control over myself.
All of the doors were identical. Brass doorknobs fastened to rusty, red tall doors. I scanned the isles with a terrified expression plastered on my face. The door I touched was the one I had to choose.
I walked slowly, not sure of exactly what the right door would look like, my lips were frozen, I did not even dare to breath, but my mind screamed endlessly at me.
“What are you doing?! That way!”
“Don’t you know?! Move!”
My mind seemed to know the answer; it continued to screech at me as if the answer was completely obvious. My lip trembled and my eyes started to water. Would this torture ever end?
No, I told myself sternly, it would never end until I chose my decision.
I closed my eyes, thought it didn’t really make a difference since the room was pitch black anyway.
For one brief moment, I thought about the future. If luck came to me in time, I would open the right door, people would come rushing out, my friends, and family, those who I loved.
“You did it!” people would scream
“I can’t believe it. We’re free!”
A smile would spread across my face as wide as it could go, and the light would return, and everybody would be absolutely safe.
The world would look up to me, everything would go back to normal, there would be a huge celebration and I would be the reason for it.
I would be the hero of all times; I would go down in history.
“Focus,” I told myself sternly.
Apparently, I was running against the clock. I glanced at the clock on my wrist - only two minutes remained to make my decision. At last I came to a door. It looked exactly like the others but the keyhole was different. This one was more complicated, it was just-
“What are you doing here Jamie? All by yourself in the sheer darkness?” a voice boomed from nowhere, shaking the whole entire room. Its voice slithered with pure evil. My breath stilled completely and my legs started to wobble underneath me. I turned around, but there was no figure of life anywhere.
Time seemed to disappear. My thoughts abandoning me completely and I was left in the middle of nowhere. Completely vulnerable and defenseless by the unknown of evil.
“Who are you?” I whispered at last underneath my breath.
“That’s not important, is it?” the unexplained voice said with a smirk in its tone.
“What, what do you want from me?”
“Oh Jamie, it’s not what I from you, it’s what I can do for you. I can solve all your problems. All you have to do is give me that useless key in your hand. I can bet you it doesn’t fit any of these doors. You don’t really want to choose the door, do you? You’re risking your life for other people, and most likely, you’ll die….”
That door was right in front of me, two feet ahead. It was the exact shape of the key. A perfect match. If only I could take two steps further….
“Don’t!” the voice boomed furiously, with intensity ringing in its tone. “Like I said, you’ll only die. And if you don’t, I can simply arrange that. Just. Give. Me. The. Key.”
I was sure it had to be the one. I could feel it in me. He was toying with my mind, but my heart didn’t care what he had to say anymore. My people were in there, waiting for me. Depending on me. His screeches and cries were in the distance now, my mind blocking it out like a shield. My mind continuously screamed at me with impatience, as if the answer was right in front of me, for it seemed to know everything.


The voice grew stronger, more intimidating by the second. It slashed around inside my head, as if beating the walls of my brain. I was starting to not think straight; everything became fuzzy. The line between what was right and wrong slowly started to erase. I held my head in anguish, trying to overcome the voice.
I sucked up my courage and tried to make the fuming voice disappear while my heart and head also screeched at me to open the door. It seemed as if everyone was yelling at me.
I reached forward, my arm extending slowly, my legs felt like they were falling beneath me.
The voice continued to grow louder, “Don’t do it! I’ll kill you myself if I have to!”
Its only in your head, that voice can’t hurt you, it’s only in your head. Only you can stop yourself from opening that door, just do what’s right.
My injured fingers trembled, as I opened the door to my death or happiness.
And then I woke up.