The world around me spun as I fell to my knees. Blood dripped from my face. I tried to wipe it away with my hands, but there was too much blood on them already. How much of it was mineV I wasn’t sure. I looked up at the man who clearly won. His eyes showed a wild nature.

The world around me shifted as I got punched in the face. Everything went black.

My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as they pushed their way open. Pockets of sweat bubbled above my brow as I desperately searched for familiarity. It was then I realized, I was trapped.

He stood above me with praise, knowing that he’s won. I was done for. I was far too badly beaten to keep fighting on, or to even stand up and forfeit.

After a few moments everybody left. I still laid on the cold concrete, blood staining it. I was embarrassed. I tried to stand back up and I winced not wanting to move.

Where am I? What’s happening? Why can’t I see anything even though my eyes are wide open? I slowly rise to my feet. Some type of metal armor hugs my entire body. Why am I wearing this? What’s it for? Do I really need it? I tighten the grip on both my hands to find a silvery staff. If only I could see it. A wave of echoes drown out the silence. Seems to be footsteps, but where are they coming from? I twirl around like a ballerina. Maybe it’s just my imagination. Maybe that’s just me. “Timothy?” a girl shyly mumbled. I snap my head in every direction possible. That voice, it’s, it’s, so familiar. But whose? I can’t put my finger on it. “He’s responding!” another girl shrieks with happiness. Her scream is another I recall. Am I hallucinating? Probably so. When was the last time I had a drink? “Timothy, stop spinning around, you’ll tire yourself out,” a much deeper demand replies. He too has a voice I know. But how does he know what I’m doing? I stop moving at once, hoping that I won’t hurl. “Where am I? Hello?” I ask, wishing for an answer. It feels like I’ve been in Antarctica. The wind howling in my ears, the chilly blows tickle my spine, the goosebumps that crawl up my skin, I’m sick of it. If this is a prison, could I at least have some proper clothes that will actually keep me alive? “No! Stop it! Don’t touch him!” the first girl madly hollers. What’s going on? “Get away from my sister!” the boy shouted with fury. Wait, a brother, a sister... “Let me go! Let me go! Let me GO!” the other girl begged. Why isn’t anyone telling me what’s going on? Do I have to yell in order for them to stop? Do I have to command them? What else can I do? All I have are these plates of metal and this long silver stick. Wait. Silver, long stick. A staff. MY staff. Power. Oh my gosh, how have I been so stupid? How have I been so blind? “STAY BACK ‘CAUSE I GOT THE POWER!” I blurted from my position. I outstretch my arms for a hug I’ll never receive. Grasping the staff in my right hand, I squeeze my eyes shut. “Timothy?” the boy excitedly inquires. “THGIT! THGIT! EVIG EM THGIT!” I boom. Like a soldier, the staff shoots out the colors of a sunset, eating every bit of darkness around me. “TIMOTHY!” the boy exclaims. I recognize him now. Victor, the boy with gleaming midnight hair and crimson eyes, leaps into me, thrusting me to the ground. “You’re back,” he joyfully whispers into my icy ear. “TIMOTHY, YOU’RE ALIVE!” a pink skinned girl with violet eyes rushed to my side. Urvi. “Well, well, well, hey there, Timothy,” a girl that looks identical to Victor grins. Vanessa. I’m glad I’m not alone. I’m glad I’m with my friends again.

My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as they pushed their way open. Pockets of sweat bubbled above my brow as I desperately searched for familiarity. It was then I realised I was trapped. Feeling helpless, hopeless, and clueless, I froze solid like a statue on the bed. Every part of my body wanted to move, but no matter how hard I tried, I wasn’t able to move an inch. I tried to move my arm, I couldn’t. I tried to move my leg, I couldn’t. I tried to move my head, I couldn’t. All I could move were my eyes. I tried to say something, I tried to scream, I felt like I was screaming at the top of my voice, but not a single sound came out.

I was able to see around, look around, but alas, I wasn’t able to make any sort of movement. As I lay trapped, I couldn’t help but feel scared, feel terrified, like something was lurking around that I couldn’t see. I wanted to see, I wanted to look, I wanted to just get a glimpse so I could stop trembling with fear, and I could be assured that there’s nothing haunting me, that there’s no supernatural forces there that were causing me to lay awake without being able to move a finger, without being able to get up, without being able to make a sound.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and decided to give it my all to get out of that trap. I put every force of strength I could in my body to get up, but no matter how much I tried, how much I felt like I was moving, the reality was I couldn’t.

Tears started rolling down my cheek, realising I’m trapped and there was nothing I could do. All I could do was lie in wait, calm, fearless, & patience. Eventually, I was able to fall asleep and when I woke up, I was able to move again.

This is the story of Sleep Paralysis.

My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as they pushed their way open. Pockets of sweat bubbled above my brow as I desperately searched for familiarity. It was then I realised, I was trapped. I had a headache, but it didn’t feel like one of those normal ones it was spreading and getting more painful I tried to focus my eyes on every individual detail around the room to see if anything clicked and I would remember. But nothing did and the more I realised this I started to panic and then the pain in my head was getting more unbearable by the second. Come on watching all of those crime and mystery movies 24/7 had to be some use right now. I thought to myself as I started to try and remember all of those strategies the hostages in those movies used to get out of these tight situations. Quite literally, these ropes were really squeezing me. As I focused my mind on the ropes wrapped around my fragile figure I realised that they were actually getting tighter every second. This couldn’t be good...

My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as they struggle to open. Beads of sweat forming above my brow as I desperately search for familiarity. It was then I realized, I was trapped. Locked away in my own mind once again— hyperventilating. Tears streaming down my face, as I fight my own thoughts.

It’s a daily battle, not being able to be yourself. Not knowing who you are, but being hyper aware of all of your flaws. The dissociation of every panic attack, the fear of all the anxiety, and the pressure of every depressed thought.

None of these feelings are rare, yet no one seems to truly understand. You’re not alone, but no one is there. In the end you’re just you, whether you know who that is or not.

Be there for yourself, as waking up is an accomplishment. Living is one of the most difficult things to do. I can’t say anything, though, I’m hypocrite. With that being said, there are times when hypocrisy saves lives.

The mind is the true captor.

My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as they pushed there way open. Pockets of sweat bubbles above my brow as I desperately searched for familiarity. It was then I realized, I was trapped. I was trapped in a small contained space. I suddenly realized it wasn’t just any space, it was a tiny wooden box. The crate was just big enough to fit my body. I noticed my clothes had been ripped and I had bruises over half my body. Whoever put me in here was not careful at all. I had no idea how long I had been in there, but by the disturbing noises my body was making I had been in here for days if not weeks. I knew that if I did not have food or water soon I would start to whither away. I had to come up with some way to get out of here and quick. Would I ever be able to escape?

my eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as they struggled to push their way open pockets of sweat bubbled above my brow as i desperately searched for familiarity it was then I realized I was trapped

trapped by my own mind trapped underneath the rubble of who I used to be trapped, never to escape shrouded by my loss of innocence loss of happiness loss of self a part of me struggled straining to rescue itself wasting energy in futile attempts to break free from the prison in my head