Land of Losts

Chapter Two

"Get off me! Let me go!" I move my hands abruptly to shoo away anything that has been bothering me.

"Jesus. What are you talking about, Emily?"

I open my eyes and see Dad. He's sitting on the edge of my bed. He looks pissed off. Terribly confused.

"Sorry, Dad. It's a nightmare, I think." I gently press my temples because my head hurts so much for God knows the reason why.

So it was a dream. The darkness that covered me, the shadows, the voices. I thought it was real. It felt so vivid and surreal.

"Hey, are you okay?" Dad looks concerned.

"Yeah, sure. I'm fine."

"Great. Now get ready. I'm making you breakfast. Bacon and eggs?"

"Bacon and eggs."

Dad walks out of my room. Then I take a quick shower. I put on a sweater and a pair of boyfriend jeans to keep the comfort. I put on light makeup and tie my hair up into a ponytail.

I need to check my look.

I step towards the huge standing mirror. I see my own normal reflection, then I see another reflection behind me. A dark dusty shadow. I unconsciously hold my breath. I look at my back but nothing. There is nothing at all. Then I look back at the mirror and the shadow has gone.

I'm shocked and I stand still. I don't move for solid two minutes. Suddenly, Dad comes in and asks me, "Do you want me to drive you?"

Of course I want to. After all these things I need a little more secure. At least I want someone to drive me so that I won't crash on the street because of thinking so much.

"Sure, Dad. Off we go," I smiled faintly.

•••

I skipped the last few periods and hurried back home. I can't stand all the noises and my head was spinning so painfully.

I make a cup of hot Earl Grey tea to relax myself then bring it to my room. I take a sip and feel the warmth sliding through my digestive system. I put my cup of tea on the lamp desk beside my bed. Laying down on my bed feels so nice and warm with my blanket over me.

Fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, an hour have passed and I still can't sleep. There is something that is holding me back, as if it is unhappy if I go to sleep, or I may go disappear and not ever come back.

Someone is calling my name. This voice is familiar. I think I heard this somewhere yesterday. The person is calling again. This time it even gets louder than ever.

That dream. The nightmare.

I walk to the mirror. I have always felt something strange ever since Grandma brought that mirror home. I look at the mirror for a few seconds. Nothing seems weird or disturbing. But suddenly a shadow appears. Then I feel my chest burns, my knees weaken, and my head spins real fast. I fall down to my knees, crunching my chest as if it would make it any better.

The shadow steps out of the mirror. At first I think I'm going insane. It's all hallucinations. But then I realize that it's real. I'm not going insane.

I feel my soul is being pulled and something unseen, probably a soul, is transvering in my body. When I can't feel anything strange is going on any further, I go unconscious.

•••

All black around me. The surroundings feel so familiar yet so odd. Right, the nightmare. I question myself so many times about what is going on. Then a man appears, the same one as in my nightmare last night.

"Back off! Who are you? Don't come any nearer," I take a few steps backwards.

He grins. A demonic grin.

There is no way this is real. This must be another nightmare. It can't be happening right now. Wake up, Emily. Wake up. I slap myself couple of times, but I feel nothing. My skin is numb. And I don't wake up from any sleep because apparently I'm not sleeping.

"Hey! Whoever out there, let me go! I don't want to be here. This is ridiculous."

Here comes a laughter, as if he is satisfied by my fear and anxiety. Then the laughter grows louder and louder my ears hurt.

I cover my ears as I think about what can possibly be happening now. I can't feel my skin, but my inner parts can feel pain. My lungs, my ears, everything. It just doesn't feel right. How can I get out of here? I need to find a way real fast.

"There's no use," says a voice of a man and few other voices that repeat the same sentence.

"What?"

"Don't even think about getting out of here. It's useless. There's no way to go back."

"Who exactly are you? What are you doing? What is this place? What is happening to me?"

I can't stop rambling because I'm so desperate. Nothing makes any sense to me. Maybe I should just fall asleep so that I can go back to my dear bedroom.

"Don't even think about sleeping. You can't sleep here."

"Who are you to tell me what to do and what not to do. Explain yourself, ass."

The word ass seems to make him angry. Suddenly, he appears right in front of me, just an inch away. "Don't you dare talk to me like that, you bitch."

•••

"What was that, Em? What was that sound?"

"Why the fuck do you care, Diddo?"

"Emily Carson! Watch your language."

"Fuck off."

Emily walks out of her room but Dad takes her by the hand. He tells her to sit down and explain herself. He closes the door, locks it, and put the key inside his pocket.

"Explain yourself."

Emily ignores him. She grabs her phone, plug in her headset. She puts the headset on her head. The music so loud Dad can hear it.