“Hello? Is anyone there?” I hear a soft voice pierce the darkness which surrounds me. I didn’t even
realize I was there, sitting in that dark, quiet place until I heard the voice. I thought, well, I wasn’t
thinking at all, I suppose. It was just plain, black, nothingness. Peaceful. Except I wasn’t thinking
that it was peaceful because I didn’t even realize that I existed at the time.
realize I was there, sitting in that dark, quiet place until I heard the voice. I thought, well, I wasn’t
thinking at all, I suppose. It was just plain, black, nothingness. Peaceful. Except I wasn’t thinking
that it was peaceful because I didn’t even realize that I existed at the time.
“Excuse me?” the voice rings again.
“Happy holidays!” I shout ecstatically without thinking. There’s an uncomfortable silence for a few
moments, like about 3 if I were to count it on my fingers. Do I even have fingers? I haven’t seen them
since I woke up in this abysmal and unexplained darkness, so for all I know whoever put me here
chopped off my arms at the stumps.
moments, like about 3 if I were to count it on my fingers. Do I even have fingers? I haven’t seen them
since I woke up in this abysmal and unexplained darkness, so for all I know whoever put me here
chopped off my arms at the stumps.
“Who said that? Are you one of them?” she asked timidly.
“Well, I’m me! And I’m not exactly sure who I am, so I suppose that makes me one of them. . .” I said,
scratching my head. The voice didn’t respond to that, but I heard some shuffling and maybe some
boxes being pushed and expensive sounding glass vases shattering.
scratching my head. The voice didn’t respond to that, but I heard some shuffling and maybe some
boxes being pushed and expensive sounding glass vases shattering.
“Hey, those glass vases sound pretty expensive, maybe you should be more careful where you
move.” I heard more shuffling, slightly more urgent sounding, and some metal clinking around.
move.” I heard more shuffling, slightly more urgent sounding, and some metal clinking around.
“Do you know where we are?” I asked inquisitively. The chaotic shuffling stopped.
“No. Don’t you? You said that you’re one of them.”
“Who are ‘They’, again?”
“Um, just, the ones who trapped me in this mysterious dark place? I just woke up here. I’m not sure
what’s going on. I’m scared. I want a glass of lukewarm milk.” Yuck. Lukewarm milk sounded like a
terrible experiment, I had always enjoyed my milk frozen for at least 72 hours then defrosted to the point where there was the perfect ratio of ice chips floating around in the solution.
what’s going on. I’m scared. I want a glass of lukewarm milk.” Yuck. Lukewarm milk sounded like a
terrible experiment, I had always enjoyed my milk frozen for at least 72 hours then defrosted to the point where there was the perfect ratio of ice chips floating around in the solution.
“Have you tried turning the lights on?
“I never thought of that. Let me look for a light switch”. There was some more shuffling, then a click,
and a single dim light bulb appeared in the center of the room. I could see around me more clearly
now. The walls were shiny, like they were covered in some sort of sticky dark liquid. There were piles
of various junk scattered about in no manner of organization whatsoever. The most curious detail,
however, was the colonies of brown mushrooms sprouting all over the walls and floors. They were
everywhere, with long spindly stems popping up wherever they please. I could see clouds of dusty
green spores drifting in the light. At least I wouldn't have to worry about food while I was contained in
this musty mushroom bunker cave.
and a single dim light bulb appeared in the center of the room. I could see around me more clearly
now. The walls were shiny, like they were covered in some sort of sticky dark liquid. There were piles
of various junk scattered about in no manner of organization whatsoever. The most curious detail,
however, was the colonies of brown mushrooms sprouting all over the walls and floors. They were
everywhere, with long spindly stems popping up wherever they please. I could see clouds of dusty
green spores drifting in the light. At least I wouldn't have to worry about food while I was contained in
this musty mushroom bunker cave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We sat there for a long time doing nothing. Neither of us could remember our names, nor anything
about ourselves besides the fact that we had woken up in a strange dark space filled with various
piles of junk and mushrooms. I couldn’t think of anything to talk about but the girl looked scared so
I tried to talk about some of the strange objects surrounding me. “This is a strange object.” I said as I
picked up an unidentifiable mound of rusted scrap metal. The girl said nothing, she just sat there
hiding behind her matted dark hair. Eventually I gave up on conversation and succumbed to silence
once again.
about ourselves besides the fact that we had woken up in a strange dark space filled with various
piles of junk and mushrooms. I couldn’t think of anything to talk about but the girl looked scared so
I tried to talk about some of the strange objects surrounding me. “This is a strange object.” I said as I
picked up an unidentifiable mound of rusted scrap metal. The girl said nothing, she just sat there
hiding behind her matted dark hair. Eventually I gave up on conversation and succumbed to silence
once again.
Eventually I became convinced that this was it from now on, eternal silence to reflect upon the
nothingness of my existence. This belief was shattered when a strange electronic shrieking noise
pierced the silence. The high pitched garble sustained for a long time. Then, a monotone robotic
voice manifested in the noise, just for a moment. It said, “Cl653svr”. At least, that’s what I heard. I
shouted over the distracting electronic garble.
nothingness of my existence. This belief was shattered when a strange electronic shrieking noise
pierced the silence. The high pitched garble sustained for a long time. Then, a monotone robotic
voice manifested in the noise, just for a moment. It said, “Cl653svr”. At least, that’s what I heard. I
shouted over the distracting electronic garble.
“Did you hear what it said?” The girl muttered a response but I couldn’t hear what she said.
“What?” I shouted a little louder. She responded slightly louder, but I still didn’t hear what she
said. The buzzing eventually stopped. “What?” I said again.
“What?” I shouted a little louder. She responded slightly louder, but I still didn’t hear what she
said. The buzzing eventually stopped. “What?” I said again.
“I think it said ‘Choldera’. She said.
“Well what the goblin is that supposed to mean?” At that moment, there was a loud suction
noise and my attention was diverted to a section of the wall that had begun to crack and emit
some sort of thick fog. The fog poured out of the wall until the room was thick with a veil of the
sweet smelling stuff. I smiled blissfully, it felt good to breath it. I was laughing, and the girl was
laughing. The man that appeared in front of me was not laughing. He was tall, with a shiny
bald head and a devious looking pointy white beard. He stared down at me with a devilish grin
and said nothing. He was wearing a strange white suit that looked more like a costume than
formal dress wear. To me it just looked like he was trying too hard. When I woke up, he was
gone.
noise and my attention was diverted to a section of the wall that had begun to crack and emit
some sort of thick fog. The fog poured out of the wall until the room was thick with a veil of the
sweet smelling stuff. I smiled blissfully, it felt good to breath it. I was laughing, and the girl was
laughing. The man that appeared in front of me was not laughing. He was tall, with a shiny
bald head and a devious looking pointy white beard. He stared down at me with a devilish grin
and said nothing. He was wearing a strange white suit that looked more like a costume than
formal dress wear. To me it just looked like he was trying too hard. When I woke up, he was
gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Did you see him?” I asked the girl.
“See who?”
“The man! He was wearing a strange white suit, and he had a devilish grin.”
“Maybe he was the devil.” She suggested. She had started occupying her attention with a dirty piece
of string she had found somewhere. She was working on attaching it to one of her teeth, which I
wouldn’t have done personally because the particular length of string was covered in dirt and mold
and spores. She gave the string a yank and one of her incisors came out attached to the string. She
grinned, one tooth less, and held up the tooth the show me. I gave her a thumbs up to show my
approval even though I didn’t really approve of her grotesque schemes.
of string she had found somewhere. She was working on attaching it to one of her teeth, which I
wouldn’t have done personally because the particular length of string was covered in dirt and mold
and spores. She gave the string a yank and one of her incisors came out attached to the string. She
grinned, one tooth less, and held up the tooth the show me. I gave her a thumbs up to show my
approval even though I didn’t really approve of her grotesque schemes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next visit from the man with the devilish grin came some time later, I wasn't really keeping track of
how much time because it all kind of faded together in the dark room. That, and I didn’t have a watch.
It started with another garbled indistinguishable mutter from the high pitched electronic tone, then the
wall started to emit the same sweet smelling fog. As the fog filled my lungs, I remember hearing
footsteps echo off of the cold floor. The man emerged out of the fog, towering above my incapacitated
body on the ground. He smiled down at me and glared with evil intention.
how much time because it all kind of faded together in the dark room. That, and I didn’t have a watch.
It started with another garbled indistinguishable mutter from the high pitched electronic tone, then the
wall started to emit the same sweet smelling fog. As the fog filled my lungs, I remember hearing
footsteps echo off of the cold floor. The man emerged out of the fog, towering above my incapacitated
body on the ground. He smiled down at me and glared with evil intention.
“Whooo in the devil’s name are youuu?” I managed to speak. The man cackled down at me.
“You have no idea!” he said energetically. “Some call me The Orchid, some refer to me as The Tall Man
. Still others claim me to be nothing but a figment of their mind, their most horrible dreams and
nightmares incarnated into reality. Allow me to be the first to tell you, dear friend, you have every
reason to be very, very afraid.” Even in the darkness I could see the light reflect off of his striking
blue eyes, and the glimmer of that unsettling straightened smile. And with that the man was gone,
my consciousness slipping from beneath me, and I fell into a very, very terrible dream.
. Still others claim me to be nothing but a figment of their mind, their most horrible dreams and
nightmares incarnated into reality. Allow me to be the first to tell you, dear friend, you have every
reason to be very, very afraid.” Even in the darkness I could see the light reflect off of his striking
blue eyes, and the glimmer of that unsettling straightened smile. And with that the man was gone,
my consciousness slipping from beneath me, and I fell into a very, very terrible dream.
I was startled awake by a scream that sounded like a thousand bull calves being drowned in a pit of
lava, except if a thousand bull calves were being drowned in a pit of lava they probably wouldn't have
time to scream because they’d be too busy drowning in a pit of lava. But that’s what the scream
sounded like, if I had to attach a scenario to the dilemma. The light in the cave was still illuminated,
except the light cast from it was now a sickly pale green hue. In the light I could see the girl rolling in
pain on the floor, her hands grasping her thin dark hair.
lava, except if a thousand bull calves were being drowned in a pit of lava they probably wouldn't have
time to scream because they’d be too busy drowning in a pit of lava. But that’s what the scream
sounded like, if I had to attach a scenario to the dilemma. The light in the cave was still illuminated,
except the light cast from it was now a sickly pale green hue. In the light I could see the girl rolling in
pain on the floor, her hands grasping her thin dark hair.
“Hello, are you ok?” I shouted over the madness. She didn’t stop wailing, in fact she just screamed
even louder. After a moment she stopped, then twisted her head towards me. Her eyes were dripping
a disgusting black goo and I was taken back. She started crawling over towards me without taking her
eyes off me. I stood up and tried to run away to no avail. I fell into a pool of stinking water and started
to sink. I flailed around trying to find some sort of balance but it was impossible. I continued to sink
helplessly. The water was cold, and it knocked the breath out of me. I needed air soon. I tried to swim
but it felt like some invisible force was holding me down. The water tasted like rotting carnage and
sewer air as it flooded my mouth. The last thing I saw before I drowned was a dark shape swim past
me and everything went dark.
even louder. After a moment she stopped, then twisted her head towards me. Her eyes were dripping
a disgusting black goo and I was taken back. She started crawling over towards me without taking her
eyes off me. I stood up and tried to run away to no avail. I fell into a pool of stinking water and started
to sink. I flailed around trying to find some sort of balance but it was impossible. I continued to sink
helplessly. The water was cold, and it knocked the breath out of me. I needed air soon. I tried to swim
but it felt like some invisible force was holding me down. The water tasted like rotting carnage and
sewer air as it flooded my mouth. The last thing I saw before I drowned was a dark shape swim past
me and everything went dark.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am nothing. I am nobody. I am darkness, and I am light. There is nothing but the reality which you
create for yourself, myself. There is nobody but that whom you see, and there is nothing to see but
that which you imagine. There is no reality, and there is no nothing. So what is there really, but a
dream which you see? It will pass without reason, for reason is only what you perceive to be right.
Without death and darkness, there would be no life and light, and without chaos there would be no
reason. If everything you see and hear is real, how can you determine what really is real? You are only
an image of what you think you are, when the reality is that you are nothing. It will all pass eventually,
and there will be nobody to remember those things that you have seen.
create for yourself, myself. There is nobody but that whom you see, and there is nothing to see but
that which you imagine. There is no reality, and there is no nothing. So what is there really, but a
dream which you see? It will pass without reason, for reason is only what you perceive to be right.
Without death and darkness, there would be no life and light, and without chaos there would be no
reason. If everything you see and hear is real, how can you determine what really is real? You are only
an image of what you think you are, when the reality is that you are nothing. It will all pass eventually,
and there will be nobody to remember those things that you have seen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I woke up laughing hysterically. I was afraid to open my eyes. I was afraid of who I was, who I
might’ve been, and who I might become. I feared the place I was in, and the man with the
devilish grin. When I opened my eyes finally there was no light. I stood up dizzily and felt against
the wall. It was sticky, coated in some sort of oozing liquid. It felt strangely comforting against my
palm. I found a bump, a switch. I flipped the switch and a the room was illuminated by a ghastly
red light. In the center of the space, a large pool of black liquid. The surface was disturbed
occasionally by a tiny ripple. I watched the phenomenon curiously. My attention was diverted to
the mushrooms which grew sporadically on various surfaces. I walked over to a wooden crate
and carelessly plucked one of the fungi off. I examined it in the red light. It sparkled mystically.
Considering I had nothing to lose and an empty stomach I popped it into my mouth and chewed.
It tasted like an ancient book that had sustained water damage and mildew in some forgotten
corner of a dusty attic. Not bad at all. I plucked off several more of the glittering morsels and
consumed them thoughtfully.
might’ve been, and who I might become. I feared the place I was in, and the man with the
devilish grin. When I opened my eyes finally there was no light. I stood up dizzily and felt against
the wall. It was sticky, coated in some sort of oozing liquid. It felt strangely comforting against my
palm. I found a bump, a switch. I flipped the switch and a the room was illuminated by a ghastly
red light. In the center of the space, a large pool of black liquid. The surface was disturbed
occasionally by a tiny ripple. I watched the phenomenon curiously. My attention was diverted to
the mushrooms which grew sporadically on various surfaces. I walked over to a wooden crate
and carelessly plucked one of the fungi off. I examined it in the red light. It sparkled mystically.
Considering I had nothing to lose and an empty stomach I popped it into my mouth and chewed.
It tasted like an ancient book that had sustained water damage and mildew in some forgotten
corner of a dusty attic. Not bad at all. I plucked off several more of the glittering morsels and
consumed them thoughtfully.
As meaningless geometric shapes and patterns filled my vision, I could hear the sinister cackle of the
man with the devilish grin, and the piercing shriek of the girl with the long dark hair. I realized suddenly
that they never did exist, none of it did, not even I. The garbled electronic tone sounded from far away,
and I laughed carelessly because I knew that this too, didn’t exist. This time the voice came clear,
“You’re dreaming, it’s time to wake up. You’re dreaming it’s time to wake up. . . “
man with the devilish grin, and the piercing shriek of the girl with the long dark hair. I realized suddenly
that they never did exist, none of it did, not even I. The garbled electronic tone sounded from far away,
and I laughed carelessly because I knew that this too, didn’t exist. This time the voice came clear,
“You’re dreaming, it’s time to wake up. You’re dreaming it’s time to wake up. . . “
