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But, what I did see was the fact that I was sitting in a homey yet outdated living room that looked nothing like the one in my apartment at all.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?

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__

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…

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__ 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…