It was empty.
Nothing but the sound of my feet creaking on the wooden boards, could be heard.
I thought I was alone.
It was just a dare.
As the darkness embraced me, I knew it was a horrible idea.
The dust in the air felt like it would choke me every time I took a breath.
My hands were held out in front of me, waiting to feel the other side of the room.
I need to touch the wall.
Or else I'll lose.
I'll lose all my Halloween candy.
And quite possibly, my chance of being friends with the 'cool kids'.
The wall felt very far away though.
It felt as if the room was never ending.
It felt like it was leading me into pure darkness.
I felt like fainting.
My heart was racing.
The wind got colder, as it brushed past the back of my neck.
I wanted to head back.
But my determination stopped me.
I couldn't see, the open door to the outside world anymore.
I was too far in.
Relief.
My hand brushed against something, cold and rusty.
I grasped it.
It wasn't a wall.
But a chain hanging down, to the floor.
I pulled it.
Without even thinking.
I got shocked when the room filled with light.
I looked around.
No doors.
No windows.
And the wall behind me was closer to me than I thought.
It was like I hadn't moved anywhere.
My distressed sweat started to crawl down my cheek.
I whispered a hello.
There was no reply.
No sound.
My voice was trapped, in a room.
With no escape.
I started to shiver.
Not because it was cold.
But because my fear was getting the best of me.
This stupid dare.
I knew it was a horrible idea.
I had done it to get noticed.
To be 'cool'.
But I felt like I had only put myself at risk.
They probably don't even like me.
They just wanted to tease me.
Scare me.
Make me beg them for forgiveness.
I got mad.
My fear was put aside.
I started feeling the worn wallpaper on the walls.
I was determined to find a hidden door.
An opening.
A way out of this nightmare.
I kept telling my self this wasn't real.
But the pinching just left painful red marks on my arm.
I banged on the floor with my feet.
I screamed until the room was filled with sound.
Someone?
They have to hear me.
And they did.
But it wasn't the kids I was hanging out with.
It was a little girl.
She stood in the corner of the room.
Flowers in her hair.
Barbed wire, holding her dress up.
I stood away from her.
She stared deeply into my eyes.
They were a pale blue colour.
It fitted nicely with her bright blonde hair.
I would of sworn I was in a horror movie.
But the girl looked to real.
She was breathing.
She was shivering.
I gulped.
Softly I said, hello.
She didn't speak.
But she nodded.
I asked her, 'where am I?'.
She crept over to me and held onto my hand.
I wanted to reject.
But maybe she was going to help me.
So I followed her.
She reached out her hand, ready to turn the light off.
But I yelled, 'No! We have to keep it turned on.'
She looked at me.
A devilish look spread across her face.
Her mouth opened and she answered, 'it's the only way.'
The room went dark.
The little girls hand was still in mine.
We weren't walking.
We stood there.
Maybe she was looking at me.
But I was looking at darkness.
I wanted to ask her something once again.
But I felt a shiver, coming from her hand.
It traveled up my arm.
And made myself cold.
I was blinded.
The lights turned back on.
I went to look at the little girl.
She wasn't there.
Only her hand.
Which I was holding.
I screamed and threw it across the room.
I fell to the ground.
Tears started to fill my eyes.
Then I realised.
This wasn't the same room.
This time, it was more like a hallway.
With paintings on the wall.
Old paintings.
Of orphans and dogs.
I didn't know what was going on.
I let the tears pour.
I was too scared to carry on.
The little girl.
The enclosed room.
Darkness.
I didn't like it.
I looked up to see if the hand was still lying on the floor.
It was gone.
