Crossroads

My eyes are closed, but I know that I am laying down. I hear the ocean as it slithers up the shore. I move my fingers across what feels like sand. Am I on a beach? I slowly open my eyes, but it is too bright to keep them open. I try to sit up, but my head feels heavy. I think I definitely hit my head. I place my hand above my eyes and try to block the sun that is shining down on me. I look around, forcing my eyes to adjust. I look behind me and see the sign for Walker Beach, a small beach in my town where my family and I use to go. My parents, my little sister, and I loved this beach. We built sandcastles and took our dog, Rocko, swimming. I tried to remember how I got here, but I can't.

I step out onto Briar St. and walk towards town. Everything around me was the same as I remembered it, but no one was around. Was it a special holiday or was everyone just very good at practical jokes?

I started walking towards my house. I kept looking for somebody or anybody but came up empty. It was getting a little frustrating. This felt like my town, but something was off. I felt too light and too heavy all at the same time. The sun was too bright. The colors of the trees and the houses were brighter and illuminated. I was trying to keep myself from panicking that I didn't realize I bumped into someone. Wait! I bumped into someone!

I turn around, "Hey! You!" I bumped into a man who looked young, maybe mid-twenties. He had a green trench coat on and brown unkempt hair. He kept walking. "Hey! Excuse me! Do you know what happened here?" He kept walking. I swear I saw him turn his head and smirk. I ran to catch up with him. "Hello? I am talking to you" I grab him by the arm. He finally turns around with a, "Hey!"

"Watch it, girl! Don't need to be so handsy." My patience was already running thin, and this guy was not helping one bit.

"Did you not hear me yelling? What is going on around here?" He rolled his eyes and just muttered, "Follow me." I hesitated but listened to him.

I followed him to Creekside Hospital which was a few minutes from where we started. It was empty, no surprise there. He ushered me into the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor. We walked out of the elevator and started down the hallway to the patient's rooms. I kept walking, but the guy paused in front of room 302. All he did was close the door and kept walking in front of me. I was going to ask why, but kept my mouth shut. We got to the end of the hall and walked into room 315. He spoke first, "I need you to lay in the bed." What?

"You need me to lay in the bed?" He nodded. "And why do you want me to do this?" I didn't know whether I should be concerned or laugh right now.

"Look, you caught me on a bad day, and I really do not feel like explaining this. It is a lot easier to show you than to tell you. The 'welcome wagon' is out of business for today. So...lay down. And I don't say please" I narrowed my eyes. What an asshole. He pointed to the bed, and I slowly walked over. Laying in the bed I waited for further instruction. He told me, "Now, close your eyes. I know this will sound weird but try to feel where you are. Tell yourself that you are in the hospital, laying in this bed. Keep repeating it to yourself." I close my eyes and do what he says. I tell myself I am in the bed, I am in the hospital, and nothing. "Nothing is happening." I throw up my hands and sat up.

"You need to relax and take it seriously." He said. "Stop fighting it and just let it happen."

I yell at him, "Let what happen? This is crazy!" I stand up, and rush to the opposite side of the room. "You need to tell me who the hell you are, and what is going on here! Now!"

"Lay down, relax and do it again." He seemed more frustrated now than before if that was even possible. "I promise I will explain everything, but first..." He points to the bed.

I was about to scream again, but he gives me a look. I hesitate, but eventually make my way over to the hospital bed. I close my eyes and try to focus. I press my hands into the bed, and try to use every sense on my body to really feel where I am. The sheet was a scratchy kind of cotton as I rubbed my fingertips up and down. I tried to remember the smell of the hospital, clean. The sounds you would hear: footsteps, voices, machines beeping.