Into the Oven

Tunnel

I blink as I stare around, straining to see anything in the sudden blackness surrounding me.

Where am I?

What was I just doing?

I squinted as I took several steps in the nothingness.

Is that a faint light in the distance?

No, it can't have been.

My brain is probably just trying to imagine things because it's desperate for any type of hope.

Anything is better than this.

The darkness began to press closer to me, wrapping itself around my body and my mind.

A faint whisper broke the silence.

My head jerks up in surprise.

When I didn't hear it again, I started convincing myself it was nothing.

A greyish form rose up in front of me. "Welcome back. I hope you enjoy your stay," it hissed at me.

"Where am I?" I ask.

It laughed. "A place where you finally belong. You think the world needs you? It's better if you stay here."

How did it know that I felt that way?

"I know everything about you," it reassured me. "I will be your only company in this wretched world."

My eyes searched desperately for something to save me.

A light flared briefly in the distance before fading.

"What was that?" I questioned the grey spirit.

The grey being's form flickered before replying. "Nothing you want to go to. It's an illusion. All the words it speaks are false."

I shakily took a step towards where the light had come from.

"Stop!" the spirit ordered me. "You must not go that way."

A girl's voice softly called out to me.

Why did she sound familiar?

My first instinct was to run toward her, but something stopped me.

"She's not real, is she? I'm just imagining all of this. I can't remember what I'm supposed to be doing or even who I am."

The being nodded gleefully. "Exactly! She is your temptation. You must never go to her or face the consequences."

I started to agree but I heard the girl call out again, more insistently this time. "She sounds like someone I know."

The spirit sighed. "Ah. It's just a way to tempt you even more. Many have fallen for these tricks before."

"What happened to them?"

"Nothing they should have allowed to happen," it replied.

Another form shimmered into existence in front of me.

It was a girl.

She looked worried and concerned.

"Why did you not come when I called you?" she asked me.

I didn't answer.

Her eyes were fascinating.

They stared into mine with a depth of care and love I never would have believed possible.

"Leave this place!" the spirit hissed at her.

She stood her ground and faced it. "You cannot keep her from me any longer." She turned and reached out a hand to me. "Let me take you away from here."

Pain laced through my arm as I reached out to her.

Something told me I shouldn't be doing this.

"I-I'm scared."

The grey form grabbed me and started to drag me away.

Its touch was familiar and I welcomed it.

The girl raced after us. "No! You must fight this."

I closed my eyes in welcome to the darkness which was growing to feel like a second skin. "Don't take me back. I finally feel like I belong here. It's so hard just existing in the other world."

"I know, I know how hard it can be. It gets exhausting as you fight every day of your life just to stay." Her voice grew softer and more vulnerable. "But I need you."

My eyes flew open and I jerked out of the spirit's grip. "You need me? Shouldn't you be glad you finally have a chance to get rid of me and not have to deal with my problems?"

Hurt flashed across her face. "Of course, I need you. I will always need you. Don't you remember? I promised to stay and help you through every problem."

Confusion crossed my features. "I don't remember."

She smiled sadly. "Then I guess we'll have to make new memories, won't we?"

I ignored the pain as I tentatively reached a hand out to her.

"You'll regret this!" the grey being yelled. "You'll be back sooner than you think."

I shoved my fear down and stepped into her waiting arms. "That's okay. I have someone to lead me out."

When I opened my eyes we were back in the real world.

She clutched me tight against her. "I thought I lost you."

I slowly relaxed into her. "Promise you'll always come find me when I get lost?"

"I promise."

~ Crumb