Awakening
You wake up in what looks like a white room with no discernible way in or out. What do you do next?
Waking up felt like wading through thick syrup in a deep sea diver’s suit. My limbs felt stiff and unused, and my eyes didn’t so much open, but just kind of slowly came into focus. A strange feeling, not necessarily unpleasant, just…odd.
As consciousness slowly introduced itself I could see that I was alone in a white room. I say room, but it was more like a broom cupboard, or dare I say it, a coffin. After all, I was lying down, with not much space around me, and unable to sit up in such a confined area. A moment of sheer panic hit me at the thought of being buried alive in this tiny box with no discernible way in…or out.
There was just enough space to move around a little, and I eased my stiff limbs into a sightly more comfortable position, taking note of the somewhat ridiculous outfit I was dressed in. What had I been thinking when I chose this chintzy creation and ankle breaking high shoes? Were they even mine? Certainly inappropriate for my surroundings in this blank space. I wasn’t sure if I’d actually dressed myself or if someone else had taken the liberty. I just couldn’t remember, and the thought of a stranger’s hands on my naked body made me shudder.
Suddenly I could hear sounds from outside my prison walls. It was muffled, but it certainly sounded like more than one person. Three, maybe four of them. Should I call out or stay quiet? Were they a potential rescue party or a murderous sect? Deciding I needed to act, I tested the strength of my voice and called for help, but the sound just bounced straight back at me, loud in this enclosed space.
The noise from outside continued, growing louder, yet still without shape or form to my ears. It sounded like singing. How odd. Where could I be where people would be singing? Only one possible place that I could think of. A church…with a church yard…and graves.
The song came to an abrupt end, followed immediately by clapping and cheering, and I knew something immense was about to occur. I didn’t know what, but felt sure that it wouldn’t be good. A strange sensation of vertigo came upon me, almost as though I was flying through the air, rotating and turning, followed by the impression of being a thousand feet tall and looking down upon my tiny self.
And then it happened. How to describe it without you thinking me mad? The white wall in front of me was ripped clean away, leaving a window…a window to the outside world. Sure that I had fallen down the rabbit hole, I tried to blink, but couldn’t, as I was wide eyed with fear.
Giants! All around me, and I was being held by the smallest one, which looked the scariest of all as she shouted “Yay! You got me a Disco Barbie for my birthday!”
***
[This piece of flash fiction was written with the brief that the main character had to wake up in what looked like a white room with no discernible way in or out. I had 500 words to use to get her out of the room and the rest was up to me…]
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