hey ¦ contest entries

m. this is MY story 🏆

🏆 won first place under the @wattpadshortstory category!! 🏆

• • •

3!...

I threw my hands up in the air, cheering, screaming, laughing.

2!...

The world was spinning.

1!...

Everything went pitch black.

"HAPPY NEW YE-" My voice died in my throat. I tried to scream, but no sound came out.

Every movement hurt. It hurt so much.

I was floating, through space, time... in a void. An endless black hole, sucking me in, as I floated further and further, my surroundings muddy, unclear. The darkness hugged my heart, squeezing, suffocating.

It was killing me.

And then the nightmare finally ended.

I woke up in my bed, breathing hard, crying silent tears. "Not again," I groaned into my pillow, trying to calm myself down.

I thought the nightmares had finally died down, but here they were again, back ten times stronger, traumatising me on the last night of 2021.

I glanced at the clock. 11:47.

Last day of the year, and I was screaming into a pillow.

Throwing the pillow on the floor, I got off my bed, heading to the kitchen to make myself a drink. I wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, not so soon after a nightmare, so I might as well enjoy some hot cocoa in the cool night air in my balcony.

In the kitchen, I made the split decision of finally making myself some Chai, even though I didn't usually drink it. As my hands worked away on their own, the aroma of the tea filled the air and my lungs, putting a small smile on my face.

What a way to end the year.

I grinned, glad I hadn't followed Gina to the New Year's celebration downtown and instead decided to stay home. Why suffocate in a crowd for the sake of celebrating, when you could sip some tea and chill in your own living room?

I switched on the TV, letting out a content sigh as Home Alone began to play from where I had left off before. Nothing like a nostalgic movie to end the year.

As I relished in the feeling of freedom, I was reminded of a story I had read the day before. It had been a sweet, short story about celebrating New Year's in your own company, and I was starting to understand what it was on about.

Rolling my eyes at the cheers coming from those who were outside busy celebrating in utterly chaotic ways, I pulled out the story on wattpad and settled down to reread the story as a cool feeling prickled in my chest. Deja vu.

I shook my head, ignoring it. Why let some feeling of deja vu spoil the day? It happened all the time.

With a grin, I read on as the red-haired MC, Alice, grabbed some Chai, settled down for a movie, while reading a book simultaneously (I chuckled at that — we were so similar), and had the best night ever.

And as Alice got a call from her own best friend, mine decided that to do the same. A shrill sound cut through the air, making me jump. I put a hand to my heart as I let out a shaky laugh. It was just Gina calling.

"YO! Are you still cooped up at home? Come on, we have to hang out! I haven't seen you in forever! You've been home all day," Gina lamented in her no-nonsense tone.

I frowned. I'd been home all day? But I had spent all of today out with Gina, shopping and hanging out as we celebrated the last day of 2021... right?

I froze. The feeling was back. That prickling at my heart as cold slowly seeped in.

Something was wrong.

My hands were shaking, and my Chai was on the verge of spilling out of its cup.

Chai? I hate Chai.

My world seemed to spin.

My head whipped towards my balcony. I didn't have a balcony. Or a TV.

The movie on the screen continued playing, getting blurrier by the second.

I was sick of Home Alone. I never watched it, ever.

My eyes latched onto the digital clock on the counter. 11:57.

I never stayed home on New Year's.

The seconds ticked by ever so slowly, my world slowly disappearing as everything I ever knew came falling apart.

I didn't even know someone named Gina.

The world spun faster, and faster.

This isn't my house. Why am I not out with my friends? Who the hell is Gina?

My mouth was working on its own, talking to Gina on the phone, and laughing along to her jokes.

The cold wrapped around my heart. It was spreading. Everywhere.

My legs got up on their own, walking about the house as my lips talked amiably.

My head was throbbing, pain searing through the air.

My arms went up in the air as I exasperatedly told my friend about how I was having such a great time in my own company.

The world was freezing, dark. Everything was black and white.

I caught my face in the mirror, the only thing with colour.

I didn't have red hair.

No.

"Come on, Alice!" came Gina's voice through the phone.

My hair was brown. Brown.

No...

"Fine! I'll come... But not now, I'm watching Home Alone!"

NO!

I tried to scream. My voice didn't work.

It wasn't mine anymore.

"Again?!" Gina squeaked.

"Yes, again," my voice deadpanned.

No, not my voice. Her voice.

Alice.

The numbers on the clock shone brighter. Luminescent. Blinding. 12:00.

Pain hit me like a hurricane, crushing, overwhelming. Please, please... stop this. Give me back my life.

But deep inside, I knew. I knew.

With the new year, my story had ended.

And Alice's had only just began.

• • •

wc: 952 words

my entry for WattpadShortStory's 'New Year's Fiesta 2022' contest :)