No Escape – A short story

Suddenly, I was sitting on a bench in a park with no memory of how I got here.

I looked around nervously. The park seemed familiar but there was something amiss. I couldn’t even put my finger on it, but clearly something was wrong and a chill rolled down my spine bringing a tingling feeling of fear. I didn’t know why, but I was afraid, no rather terrified. I just knew that I had to get away from this place. I stood up and started running.

There were no other people to be seen and the park seemed so peaceful, but my fear only intensified. Something terrible has happened, I knew. I have to flee. I had no idea how I knew these things, but I did.

Next thing I knew, I was standing at a river bank. I wanted to buy a ticket for one of the ships that could get me away from this place. I have to get away…

As I walked up to a man, of whom I somehow knew that he sold boat tickets, I realised I had no money. But I have to flee… There was no time to go back home and get money, no time, no time, I had to run, I had to get away quickly.

I noticed a golden ring on my finger. If I could sell it, I could buy a ticket with the money.

Quickly, quickly, I turned and entered a small building. There were a few people sitting at a long table. I knew they could determine my ring’s worth. Don’t they want to get away? The feeling of fear still controlled my thinking. I didn’t even know why but I had to get away, I had to run. Something terrible has happened…

I got the ticket. Impatiently I was pacing up and down the river bank waiting for the boat to arrive.
“Run, run, as fast as you can”, I heared a grumbling voice. I froze in place. I couldn’t locate the source of the voice at first, but then I saw him. He was following me. He was going to get me. A feeling of horror caught hold of me that I could not fight. Running was the only thought left in my head, and so I ran.
“I’m going to get you.”
I screamed as I heared the voice, it felt like it was beamed directly into my skull. It was everywhere and there was no escape. But still, I had to run.

I ran through the woods always feeling the voice right behind me. He was coming for me… I found a small cabin and got inside. The door was not locked, but somehow that didn’t surprise me at all.

He was following me, he would come soon. I heared a noise and sheer terror took control of my body. There was glass door near me, I dashed through and ran up the stairs that were behind it. I was not exactly trying to be quiet and I was sure that I had been heared. By him, he is coming for me… Upstairs there was a small hallway. I peeked into the door to my left, I saw a bed. A man was sleeping in it. For some reason, I knew that it should have shocked me to this person there, but the only thing I could feel was fear. I wanted to wake him, to warn him of the evil that would soon be upon us. But there wasn’t enough time.

I stormed into another room, it was a bedroom, too. For a second I was tempted to just hide under the covers like when I had been a child. I had been sure those covers protected me from everything. But not this time.

He is coming… I looked around the room and my panicked mind realised there was no escape. No other door, no stairs, no escape. It was my back against the wall and I could already hear the footsteps, his footsteps. I could not let him get me, there was only one way… I turned and opened the window.

I didn’t remember the fall. All I knew was that I had gotten away – for the moment. But safety was an illusion. The threat was still there. Unseen. A shriek howled through the woods. I felt like it penetrated my body and chilled me right to the bone. And the fear was back. I started running. Only this time I couldn’t, I tried to run but my legs would not move. In panic I tried and tried and told my legs to run, just run, but it was impossible. Suddenly, a face emerged from the darkness underneath the trees.

All I could do was stare and watch him coming towards me. I stood in shock, hypnotized by a pair of flaming red eyes.

He got me… I knew it was over now, there was no escape. My heart beat so fast I was sure it was going to explode and horror erased every other thought. I closed my eyes when he came for me.

Eyes wide open, I stared at the wall in my room. Slowly, the realisation sunk in. It was just a dream… just a dream… my heart still tried to beat it’s way out of my chest. I shuddered. It had seemed so real, the feeling of fear was almost palpable.

Still shaking, I stood up and inhaled deeply. Just a dream, no one is coming to get you. I decided to grab a glass of water from the kitchen to calm my nerves and lead my bewildered mind back into the real world. This is my home, no one can get me here. I felt safe with that thought. But just as I was walking towards the door I catched something in the corner of my eye and stopped dead in my tracks. I slowly turned my head and looked at the thing that was hanging on the wall. It had not been there when I had gone to bed. Hesitantly I took a step towards it, then one more until I finally saw what it was. Confusion, then realisation, then fear, crept into my brain.

I wanted to scream but the air got caught in my throat as I stared at the wall in horror. Hanging there, neatly framed, was a picture of me sleeping.

I live alone.

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Note: This story is based on several dreams from my dream diary, which is why it might seem so confusing at times.

The cabin is a modified version of a build from the gallery. The house in the last pictures is also not my own but was made by the awesome JoieWilder. Thanks!