Chimera

Part 8

Hoping I'd just wake up and let this conversation be the end, I let myself remain in the same spot as if willing there to be peace would just bring me out of sleep. Instead, I'm offered even less favorable circumstances. The small glow of light, that's been keeping me company, fades to a level so low that everything around me seems more grey and cold. There's no part of me, now, that wants to continue. Just let it be over. Let everything be over. It's too dark.

I start walking forward. Walking might even be a generous word for the kind of movement I'm making. It's more like dragging my feet--one after another-- with just enough stability to remain upward. With visibility so low, I feel more comfortable if I keep my hand on the wall next to me to ensure more of my senses are alert. I mosey down the dark hall and drag my right hand on the stone wall at about shoulder level. 

There's just enough light to see almost five to ten feet ahead of me. The grey accent shrouding everything makes my eyes feel heavier. I'm a little sweaty and feeling the condensation on the wall, I decide to stop for just a moment. It seems refreshing as I notice it's considerably cooler than the air around me. I face the wall, put my arms out from each side with palms facing forward, and press my body against the stone. I'm basically hugging this wall. I feel pitiful, yet there is no one around to offer me their unwanted pity. It's just me here. 

I keep my body here for a moment and I allow my eyes to fall closed. I inhale and exhale back out at a dramatically loud volume. So loud that I almost didn't hear the sound of metal scraping on rock through my right side ear that's currently pressed to the wall. My eyes spring back open. I bring my arms in slowly and let my palms plant firmly to the wall just outside of my shoulders. I press my ear further into the stone. Again. I hear the scrape sound and it's much louder. Or closer?  

I feel like I ought to be scared right now. Instead of acknowledging possible danger, I stay in position and listen as every few moments, I hear that same scraping sound originating from what sounds like varying distances each time. Some sound very faint and far away, while others are getting close. Yes, I will admit, it sounds very threatening. You may be wondering why I don't move or take some kind of action to find out what's going on. Well, honestly, I'm tired and my resolve to overcome the experiences within this dream has diminished to nearly nothing. I don't really care enough about what's happening at the moment. 

I start to hear another scrape, this time, too close. I push myself slightly away from the wall just in time to see, to the immediate left of my face, a long silver stake propel out of the wall for a moment. Then, it returns back into the flat surface. What the hell was that? That's what I've been hearing this entire time? I take a shaky step away from the wall and turn to see another stake. 

This time, it juts out from roughly two feet to my right at about knee level. I'm almost stuck in a trance. The metal appears to come to a very fine, sharp point. It reaches almost three feet out of the wall. That's pretty long but if I just retreat to the other side of the hall, I would have room to avoid this barrage of pointed metal. I gently remind myself to move, to get back. I shake my head once and lift my other leg to backpedal.

I'm too slow. I don't react in time. 

Why didn't I just back off as soon as I saw the first one? Wasn't that enough motivation to make me dart away? I guess this is the result of losing hope. 

I take a sharp breath in and fear to let it back out as my eyes delay looking down for what seems like too long. It's not as painful as it is cold.