I Made A Deal With An Old Man In A Food Court Bathroom

Part Three

I came to, still screaming.

I could still feel the heat from the fire burning my skin.

I stopped screaming, and tried my best to endure the pain.

As I opened my eyes, I quickly realized that I was back in my bedroom at home, laying in bed, under the blankets, flat on my back, and covered in sweat.

The blankets on the bed were pulled tight around the edges and all the way up to my neck, like a butterfly in a cocoon.

I squirmed around a little bit, to try and free myself from the blankets, and I did.

I sat up quickly, moving my legs, so that they hung off the edge of the bed. I realized then, that I...was completely naked, having no idea what happened to my clothes.

I closed my eyes and put my head in my hands, completely overwhelmed.

I sat there for a minute or so, trying to compose myself, thinking, "That was some wild, crazy dream I just had."

I sat back upright, opening my eyes, and pulling my head from my hands.

That's when I noticed them.

The cuts in my wrists from the leather straps and the blood stains on my wrists

I quickly looked down at my ankles, there were cuts and blood there, as well.

"Oh my God", I said out loud, "That wasn't a dream."

I started shaking in fear.

Unable to endure the burning pain any longer, I darted out of my room, ran down the hallway and into the bathroom.

Did I mention, I was naked.

Thank God, my mom wasn't upstairs at the time.

Anyway, I quickly turned on the shower, and jumped in.

Now, not waiting for the water to heat up a little was a VERY...BAD...IDEA!!!

The cold water hit my hot skin, and it felt like acid.

I cringed, and moved as far away from the water as I could.

The water slowly heated up, to a lukewarm temperature.

I just stood there, under the water, for about 20 minutes, as my skin cooled down.

I turned off the shower, got out, grabbed a towel, and began to dry off.

I then caught a glance of myself in the mirror.

"What's that on my arm??", I whispered to myself.

With closer inspection, there, on my right bicep, was number, 2-5-5-7.

At first, I thought it was a tattoo, but it was blinking.

I rubbed my eyes, it was still there

I rubbed my arm, STILL THERE!!!

I started freaking out, again.

I put the towel around my waist, and ran downstairs, screaming like a wild man, "MOM!!!", "MOM!!!, WHERE ARE YOU!!!"

My mom came out of the kitchen, and said, in her best mom voice, "Michael, why are you screaming?" "Jesus, Son, put some clothes on."

"Mom", I said frantically, pointing at my arm, "Do you see this?"

"See what, Dear???", she asked confused.

"Right there, Mom!!!", I said annoyingly, "Right!!!...There!!!", pointing at the number flashing on my arm like a crazy man. "Do you see it??"