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But, what I did see was the fact that I was sitting in a homey yet outdated living room that looked nothing like the one in my apartment at all.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