I jolted from my sleep, hastily sitting up from the feeling of a cold, slimy hand on my shoulder, yet when my eyes shot open and darted around, I didn’t see anybody there.

“_Maybe my mind is making things up…” _I thought to myself.

But, what I did see was the fact that I was sitting in a homey yet outdated living room that looked nothing like the one in my apartment at all. When I breathed in, a weird, thick musk instantly invaded my nostrils, making my nose wrinkle and my face grimace with disgust; the odor was a mixture of moth balls, sweat, and a hint of mold.

Confused about my surroundings, I slowly stood up and glanced around, dusting my back with my hands to get the grime from the scruffy carpet off of my pajamas.

“Where am I?”

The room was small, dimly lit thanks to a occasionally-flickering lamp, and its walls were burgundy with victorian-looking patterns on them. There was a worn recliner and a couch, both made of leather, a wooden coffee table with dents and a coffee ring stain, and a large, brick fireplace that wasn’t in use at the moment. Against the wall sat a towering bookshelf with what seemed to have about one-hundred old books, just settled there and collecting dust. As soon as my drowsy mind sensed that something felt off about this place, that’s when I saw an issue…

_There were no windows or doors. I couldn’t escape if I wanted to... _ My eyes widened as a bit of anxiety shot through me, my head throbbing with numerous thoughts and concerns. I rushed over to one of the walls to bang my fists on it as roughly as I could, seeing if anybody could hear me, but, sadly, nobody could; I was trapped.

I tried to calm my heart rate, my body shaking with fear and uncertainty. How did I even get here? Am I dreaming? __ __ Then, a plan formed in my brain as soon as I looked around the living room again, an idea that might save me. I walked over to the fireplace, dropping to my knees and poking my head through the firebox, looking straight up. It seemed like I would have to do a ton of climbing, but since I wanted to get out of this god forsaken room, I had no choice.

I maneuvered my way up the chimney, climbing over the smoke shelf and keeping my legs on either sides of the brick walls to keep my balance. The higher I was from the living room, the more unlit it got, and the the scent of old smoke and soot made me cough and feel weak; so, in concern for my health, I began to move hurriedly.

Finally, I made it to the top, the only obstacle now being the chimney cap. Using my will to escape as determination, I aggressively shoved the piece a few times before it popped off. A grateful sigh left me, feeling fortunate that I could now focus on finding my way home…

Or, at least I thought I could… __ __ To my horror, everything around me was pitch black, and there wasn’t a single soul anywhere, like I was in a void; the only thing I could see was the chimney I was sitting on and the roof and exterior walls of the living room. My eyes enlarged once again while I lost my breath for a moment, looking straight up at what should be the starry sky.

I hit myself vigorously, leaving a red mark on my face just to see if I could try and wake myself up from this nightmare, but unfortunately, it was a reality…

The cold is bone chilling. So very cold. I can't work up enough moisture to clean the blood off my sword and parts of my armor. Moisture is freezing in seconds. We were decimated. My band of soldiers could not match the fierceness of our enemy. The danger is over for me. The horses were killed or taken by the French.  I am moving aimlessly away from the battlefield, with only the company dog taking any interest in my leaving. He's been following me since the battle ended. I am thinking he should have stayed close to plentiful food, but maybe he is sensing my need and feeling my warmth. I am glad for his companionship, and hoping he does not view me a warm meal. He is a strange looking character. Long whip like legs, square chest, and an aquiline face. Definitely a hunter. He constantly keeps his nose to the ground  and sniffs the air. I wonder what is so interesting. I imagine the smells of battle are still caked in his nose and that he is relieved that there are new scents in the quiet air as we move farther from the disastrous battle. As the stunned feeling of the fog of war retreats from my mind, a new panic sets in. Survival.

“What is this place!!” Said Kyle as he examined the clouds. He was on marble stairs that were above the clouds. Downwards was unknown but upwards led to a golden gate.

Kyle walked up scared of falling down and yet to continue towards the gate. He reached them and saw a massive temple with pillars of white quartz. He walked towards it and saw gardens and beautiful buildings on the side of the path and far on. There were… dryads taking care of the gardens as well as satyrs.

He realized where he was and became glad. Mount Olympus. He entered the palace and came to a massive courtroom. In the courtroom, he saw 12 massive thrones and a hearth in the middle of them all. On the thrones he saw 12 massive Olympian gods.

He realized this and cowered. He ducked to the ground and bowed to them.

“You may rise, Kyle, son of Poseidon. What do you need?” Boomed Zeus, his clothing were white, lined with gold and his beard as fluffy as a cloud. Electricity sparked in his hair, with small thunder claps. Kyle looked to Poseidon who looked at him worriedly, his trident to his side. Like he cared. Kyle rose and faced the gods.

“I need you to grant me the power of immutability, invincibility.” Said Kyle projecting his voice.

Zeus gazed at Kyle, inspecting him. “Why do you need this exactly? What makes you think we can give you this?”

“I need it to save my mom! She has been captured by a massive group of cyclops!” Pleaded Kyle.

“I would give you this but it is not for me to give. You must go to Hades. To the underworld,” Said Zeus.

Dread came to Kyle and he despaired. “Where am I supposed to find the entrance to the underworld?”

“It is in greece, at a shop named ‘the golden coin’,” Said Athena suddenly. Her war helmet stood tall in her head. He silver armor enveloped her body. Her shield rested on the chair, the carving of medusa’s face on it looking forward. She held her spear high. Her eyes bore into him as if she could see his soul.

“Thank you,” he bowed and left. He exited the temple and walked to the gate. He started walking down the stairs but heard a voice.

“Wait, son!” Kyle looked back and saw his father coming to him. Kyle waited as the great god of the sea approached him.

“What?”

“Take this, it will help you get to the underworld,” Poseidon gave him two gold coins with weird markings on them.

Kyle still unsure, took the coins and put them in his pocket. “Anything else?”

“Yes, take my chariot, my seahorses will fly you there. It will be the fastest way.” He pointed to his blue chariot, his seahorses floating in the air.

“Thanks,” said Kyle. He walked to the chariot and got in. He took the harness and wipped them before his father said anything else. He flew through the air heading for greece.

To the underworld he would go. He would get the power, he would harness it and he would save his mother.

(To be continued?) (also this is my last writing for a week, ‘cause I will be on a trip where no phones are allowed. 🤣)

Blue walls The paints fresh Flowers in a vase A couch in the living room A table in the dining room The kitchen is nice Clean Upstairs has carpet Downstairs has a TV Pretty home I’ve never been

Sterol white walls Peeling paint Broken glass Stained couch Broken table The kitchens knifes Are stained with crimson colors Wood flooring, splinters and nails Broken TV Old house I’ve lived here too long

It’s like I’m standing at the bottom of a hole, the shovel in my hands… my grave.

It’s like I’m jumping from an airplane without a parachute… my death.

It’s like I’m hanging from the edge of a mountain… I’m so scared to let go.

What if I fall? What if I can’t get up? What if I don’t make it?

It’s so hard just to be okay. It’s so hard to smile. They stare, I swear I’m fine.

I hurt- the throbbing in my chest grows. The butterflies die and darkness closes in. Roses wilt and the sun hides away.

In my hole, with the shovel, I stand. I dig deeper everyday. I won’t forget. I won’t let go. I won’t stop.

Alison didn’t know what had happened. One second she was looking through her mother’s, who had just passed, things, and the next second she’s waking up in a mysterious place filled with colors. It was so alive.

Where was she?

She took one step. And another. And another. Several steps later, she came to a giant rainbow, tie dye like mushroom that had a door on it.

She spotted another. And another. They were houses!

There were dogs walking on two feet, and animals who could talk. There were ogres, and purple children.

Alison was definitely not leaving here anytime soon.

I decided to run. I took an old vehicle 1400 miles from home to explore the terrain. I needed out; this wasn’t just a split second decision. If I were to just take off with no plan I would probably find myself in an even worse situation than I started in. No, I saved up the money, quit my job, waited until my apartment lease was up, and prepared with supplies and training. The wilderness is daunting, so a national park would have resources for me to use. Yellowstone in Wyoming: my parents had taken me there as a kid, and it’s a big place. I see a waterfall surrounded by beautiful cliffs made of actual yellow stone. Atop the cliff is land and mountains for miles. What if I just took a map and started a trail? I could walk and find plants to eat based off the “plant identification guide” I got from my friend. There’s a couple hours till sundown, and I should be able to find a place to camp out with the tarp in my backpack. As I walk, the trees are beautiful. As the sunlight glimmers through them, I watch the path: dirt brown, covered in leaves and roots. Actually, the roots look funny, like they’re leading towards somewhere. “Huh,” I think. “I guess I should follow them. What have I got to lose?” The second I took a step in the direction of the roots, an angry spirit appeared and flipped the world upside down. “How did you get here?” It says. “Do u want to go down this path?” I think and think. “Why not?” Another spirit shows up. “WARNING!” He says. This can lead to a place that you can’t come back from. “What kind of place could that be?” I thought. They now lead devious smiles at me. “You want to know?”They said. Come with us. Chanting glided into my ears and surrounded me as my body fell limp. They dragged me to a dark place, what seemed to be the middle of the earth. They showed me another version of myself behind a barrier, blissed out of my mind, literally. In this version, I was so happy that my family was terrified for my being, and I felt so much bliss that I couldn’t move my body. I wasn’t even worried enough to get up to go to the bathroom. I would sit there, soiled, with not a care in the world. I also had no capacity to understand language. I had to choose; Is this kind of happiness worth the loss of my family? Is it worth the loss of myself? Will the people I care about not matter in the same way? This seemed like the hardest thing on the world to face. Things kept coming to my mind: “Will I be able to survive?” “What about setting up my tarp?” “The sun is gonna be gone soon.” All of it seemed not to matter anymore in the place I’m in. All of these things were trivial. I wanted to run away, right? I don’t want my family, my friends, my apartment, my job. I want liberation, right? It’s so ingrained in me to care about these people, or care about what they think of me. I’m terrified of not coming back at this point. How would everyone feel? Well, I don’t know how everyone could manage this image of me, but I am curious to experience this bliss, even if just for a second. “Do u want to cross the barrier?” They said. I looked behind me, at the beautiful forest, the sun going down, the shadows increasing. When I turned to look back, I tripped. Immediately the light of bliss pulled me to the other side. I saw my body, my mind, my heart, all let go. I merged with this vegetable of a person I am, and understood where I was at. “I am gone,” I thought. My family will never know me again, and I can’t go back to normal. This is the worst thing that could happen to me, my biggest fear. Losing everyone, including myself, and living a life where I am practically dead. But I’m not dead; I am worse than dead. I am in a state of uncontrollable mind. Language has broken apart, and I don’t know who I am at all, I just know that I have found something. A light, a release of everything keeping me intact with this world. I am gone.

The voices all around me laughing and bawling over the repetitive dull thud from under our feet. It makes me think we are on the floor above a club of the kind I haven’t been in for nearly two decades. The screws on the walls which hold the corrugated metal panels in place are buzzing loudly in time to the music. It’s a harsh tinny sound like an annoying alarm and I long to reach over and switch it off. Someone has daubed paint in neon bright colours all over the walls. It’s too random to be art. The kind of places I spend my Saturdays in have been plumped up and styled to make you feel welcome and cosseted. As the corridor narrows and the music gets louder it makes me feel like this place has been designed to set me on edge. My mouth is dry and I’m sweating. This air raid shelter starts to shake like it’s under attack but it’s just the thud thud thud of the beat. A door opens and the sound of music floods the corridor I feel like we are drowning in it. It’s too loud to speak. Out of the door escapes a wide-eyed, pale shirtless man who puts his face into mine and stares at me. He smiles but his eyes try to warn me. I can smell booze and armpits and the smell of relief as he walks in the opposite direction from me. I realise that whatever he was trying to get away from is waiting to draw me in.

I felt wet drops on my face,it woke me up . I found myself in an unfamiliar place that I never saw before. I looked puzzled I didn’t know where I was and I didn’t remember when I got here.I was in an old dark cave which looked like it was made thousands of years ago. I got goosebumps,up my spine I was shivering. There were cobwebs everywhere in the corners of the cave and weird writing on the walls I’d never seen before, I thought it was an ancient language.

I stood up slowly and noticed there was this wonky bump on the floor of the cave . I stared at it for a few minutes and I thought that I could dig it to figure out what was in the bump. I used my hand to dig but that floor was hard because I even got a bruise. I stood up and tripped over this hard thick log , it gave me an idea. I held it up and started to use it to dig the hard bump. After 30 minutes of digging there was a big hole in front of me and in the big hole there was a box that looked like it was filled with treasure . I saw that there was a lock to the big box and I felt a clink on my shoe ,I stared at my shoe and noticed that there was a gold shiny key under it. I used that key to open the box and lifted the box with my fingers crossed for treasure and there was the most beautiful shining gold in there. My jaw dropped I was more than amazed.

There were precious gold coins, smooth silver pearls,thousands of jewellery including necklaces and rings and hundreds of colourful diamonds glimmering in front of my face.I was speechless, I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t ever think that I would find treasure in my whole life. I wanted to carry the box and figure out a way to get out of this cave but when I tried to pick it up it felt like I was weight lifting a 10 kg! I looked around me and noticed I had my bag with me. I shoved all the treasure in my bag and carried it up on my back to start my journey . It was heavy but at least it was better than holding the whole box all the way home.

Mama has been sleeping a lot… When she wakes up Not knowing who we are We all look at each other with hurt in our hearts Mama forgot my name, the girl that made her a mom It broke my heart that day I know she knows who I am, I think? Dad says it’s the meds Mama is so thin and her arms are cold Do you need your corn bag warmed up? I know the pain it hurts Time to check your blood and take some meds She ate how much sherbet? & a few bites of watermelon? That’s a great job mama! Nothing we say or do will change the outcome in the end. I’m still gonna be a daughter without her mother And a girl without her friend. Mama I don’t want to say goodbye I’m being selfish I’m not ready But I can see the pain behind those eyes Wandering around not know where you are One foot in this world the other in the next. It’s ok mama you know damn well I’ll be ok I’m sorry cancer took you and stole time away from us. We wished you were with us more but we understand love you too much!