Tanked

Door to Anywhere - Chapter 4

Before, when I had found something surprising, I just stared, or threw up.

Now, I was tired of that.

Tired of running, of dramatic reactions, and of being surprised because, quite frankly, I wasn’t surprised with anything at this point.

When everywhere you turn becomes something life-changing, the impact and life changing-ness eventually becomes irrelevant.

Every hour or so since I got here, a large shake would erupt from the ceiling, sending bits of concrete dust raining down. It was in my mouth, and my hair, and just about everywhere else.

I was about to get up and try to do something, anything, because I was getting hungry, and I was tired of accidentally eating concrete dust- I needed a flavor in my mouth besides the delicious dry, sandy powder falling from the ceiling.

Also, the constant BEEP BEEP BEEP was getting quite annoying, and I thought there must be a way to turn that off, somewhere, somehow.

I got on my hands and knees, then pushed myself into an upright position which at least somewhat resembled standing- my posture had completely gone to nothing, and I felt like I couldn’t escape the sulking position.

I walked away from the half-circle of tanks, towards a large door, which looked more like a concrete block than a place to escape.

Above the door, there was a broken red light, and the glass was laying on the floor in front of the door. I tiptoed carefully around the glass shards, and let my hand graze the scratched up surface, my fingers digging into the grooves of the pattern on the door.

It looked like an important emblem or seal- there was some kind of geometric bird in the middle of a circle, holding a branch. I pushed on the door a little, and, much to my surprise, it lazily drifted open.

On the other side of the door I could see that though the door looked like concrete, it was just wood with the facade of concrete, so the door was only about an inch thick and had no latch. It was more like a flap than a door.

I looked into the blank hall, weary. Am I really doing this?

I took a step, meek and scared at first, and then confident towards the end, where my foot rocked back and forth.

Yes, I think. Yes, you are.