“Hello, is anybody here?” I said as I opened my eyes from a deep slumber and found myself at a place which was enormously dark. “Is anybody here... anybody?” my voice grew desperate.

I was shivering with cold and fright. I put my hand in front of me. I couldn’t even see my fingers. Perhaps the place was a dark cave, or maybe I was underground and my oxygen could run any moment … the thought made me tremble.

Not knowing what to do, I began pacing around in panic. Suddenly, a jagged piece of stone pierced my foot and I fell to the ground. Touching my wound gingerly, I realised it was bleeding. For a moment I stopped shivering and pondered where I left my shoes, for I never walk barefoot.

I closed my eyes and relaxed myself in the best way I possibly could. I tried to focus and figure out how I got to such a place and also a way to get home again. I wasn’t one of those people who lost their hopes when things weren’t going their way.

Perhaps it was due to my brief meditation or something else that I felt a light breeze blow against my bare neck. I opened my eyes and looked around me in surprise. I saw a red light glowing in the distance.

With my heart racing, I stood up. My wounded foot was hurting me and I had to cross the distance limping. Cautiously, I followed the light and arrived at a strange place. The place was definitely a cave, but its walls were hidden by towering trees. The floor was tiled and perfectly polished. The contrast seemed really peculiar to me.

A little girl sat huddled against a tree. I limped up to her and asked who she was. Upon seeing me, she began to bawl so loudly that the trees shook. Lightening struck and rain pelted down upon us, however, I remained perfectly dry. I was shocked beyond belief.

The girl stopped crying and looked at me with her innocent amber eyes. “There’s no way out,” she said.

“What?” I stammered. Suddenly, her innocent eyes turned red, “I’ll tell you what.”

I began shivering violently and felt all my hopes drain away.

“We are living dead bodies,” she rasped at me. She lunged towards me and all the trees stepped forward to seize me, to crush me. I screamed like I’ve never screamed before.

I woke up perspiring. “Gosh!” I panted. “What a dream … no a nightmare!”

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 5th, 2016