The Knife Machine.

Sunset.

Everything was numb. I felt ice cold spikes creeping up my back, a soft breeze surrounding me. On the inside I had a mysteriously joyous feeling, sweet but cold like a strawberry Sundae.

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A sharp plate of needles stabbed my back. Red shapes swam in and out of each other as I struggled to keep my eyes open, I could feel them rolling back into the back of my head. The whole room was spinning, I couldn't tell whether I was moving or not. Buzzing like static, I tried to stand on one for but a aching weight on my back pulled me back onto the soft bed that had barely even noticed. I was being crushed.

Out of nowhere a blaring blast of static hissed furiously in my ear, I became too weak to even open my eyes. Cutting into me, I could feel the needled getting deeper into my back, pain sparking all around my body. I kept trying to open my eyes but it was like my eyes were sewn together. I couldn't stop shivering. With the only power I felt I had, I opened my eyes, slowly and painfully. Though the room was still, everything was blurred.

All I could hear besides loud static was a whale-like moan from behind me. I tried to move and look. I couldn't.

I stopped moving for a second, my eyes closed, my body still shaking. I could barely apprehend what was going on. The static had been fading but the whales seemed to be getting closer. It kept getting louder and louder until it was practically unbearable. All I could see was a deep shade of red. For a painful five seconds everything went deadly quiet and then, I felt myself fall back into darkness...

I felt like I was floating, a high whistle blew past my ears. My eyes were bolt open. Hundreds and thousands of what looked like stars crowded around me. Ahead of me, about a mile away, was a blinding orange ball of light. Every now and again, a dolphin of light would leap from its surface and settle back in like raindrops in a puddle.

Its light was the only thing illuminating my surroundings, the stars seemed barely visible. Everywhere else was pitch black. Was I dreaming? I was seeing things and hearing things but I did not feel like I was actually awake. I couldn't move.

Suddenly, the whistling got louder. I could feel wind blowing like dragons breath against my face. Stars shot past me; I was falling, falling towards the fireball. Although I was paralysed, I did not feel afraid, in fact I felt nothing. Nothing but the definite feeling of falling.

I kept getting closer and closer to the fireball, the light kept getting brighter and brighter until...

I felt myself flinch and hit my paw on something wooden. I was laying on something soft with a odd wet sensation around my waist. High pitched chirps quietly sung in the background, birds? I could see a warm light shining through my eyelids and hear leaves blowing in the wind. There was one question that came to mind. Am I dead? Slowly, I opened my eyes. Above me hung a lemon yellow roof, mould gathering at the corners. I was in a baby pink bed, relatively small, every quilt and pillow cushion cover was decorated with tattered frills. To the right of me was a scratched wooden door with a polished golden handle, to the left of me was a pair of half glass doors chained closed with a thick metal lock, half covered by red curtains. Through the clear window I could see a completely overgrown garden, a stream with a metal bridge, a forest and a blinding crimson sunset casting bright Sunrays through the door, illuminating the dust wafting through the air. The floor was made out of laminated wood, covered by a creamy green, Victorian patterned rug. In the far corner of the room sat a pair of crippled, faded pink ballet shoes.

Looking underneath the bed covers, I noticed my torso was wrapped in a damp green towel. My eyes narrowed. Cautiously, I reached towards the loose edge of it. Before I could grab it there was a loud slam of a door being opened and harshly shut again, followed by loud footsteps getting closer the rooms door. Thinking quickly, I curled back up, closed my eyes and pretended that I was still knocked out. The door creaked open briskly followed by a high, chirpy female voice. She sounded like she was talking to somebody, although, I could only hear her footsteps.