United We Stand

I fall... twice- Tracey

                I’m trapped. My arms and legs start to flail around of their own accord, desperate to break free.   Then I was falling, followed by a sudden thump. I had expected to fall a lot farther than that. The thump knocked the nightmare out of me and I realized where I was. The sheets of the bed were all that surrounded me, and there was now a painful feeling on the back of my head, which probably hit something when I fell off the bed.

                When my eyes adjusted to the dark, I glanced quickly around the room, but everyone was still asleep. Slowly I crawled back onto the bed and pull the covers up with me. I buried myself in them, but no matter what I tried I couldn’t fall back to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes all I could see was the dark lake water.

                Finally I gave up and throwing off the covers made for the door. When I got to the common room, I regretted my decision. The green lighting and the damp walls just felt like they were pressing in on me. Like I was in the lake all over again.

                I found myself with my back pressed against one of the walls. Slowly I slide down into a sitting position, knees pulled up to my chest. I buried my head in my hands, leaning against the wall. “Deep breaths, that’s the key. Just take deep breaths. It’s not real, there isn’t any water.”

                I was falling backward. “NO! I’m not! It’s all in-“

                For the second time that night the wind was knocked out of me. Opening my eyes I was staring at a slanting ceiling. Sitting up I turned and saw a staircase leading up. Without thinking I pushed myself to my feet and started to run up the stairs. All I could think about was getting out of the dungeon.

                At the top there was a wooden door, that fell open at the slightest touch of my hand, and I was out. Cold air rushed past my face as I flung myself forward. Looking up I saw stars, and I felt air fill my lungs. I could breathe again. I wasn’t under water; I was out in the open.

                It took me a long time to register my surroundings. It felt so good to just stand there, taking in the stars. When I finally did snap out of it the first thing I noticed was the railing. I was standing on a small balcony, lit only by the stars. Moving to the railing, I saw the lake in the distance, but nothing close. Glancing down I must have been 3 stories above the ground. It hadn’t felt like I’d been climbing for more than about ten seconds. I leaned on the railing, just watching the stars, and the blackness below me.

 I have no idea how long I stayed there, but I didn’t go back down until I felt sleep coming back. Taking one last deep breath of the cool night air, I made my way back down the staircase. As I walked back down I noticed how short it was. No way it was long enough to make it above ground and up 3 stories. I love magic.

The opening I had fallen through was replaced with a wooden door, identical to the one at the top of the stairs. It also fell open at a touch of my fingers. I slipped through into the dimly lit common room, and heard the door shut behind me. Turning I watched as it melted back into a stone wall. There was no sign of a door anywhere.

Smiling to myself, I climbed the stairs to the dormitory.