Paralyzed

Paralyzed

I woke up in the same sofa I fell asleep in. The room was lighted red through the window, from the sky outside. It led me to believe that it had gotten late.

―I wonder why mom didn't wake me up. Surely, they must already have had dinner. Maybe she just didn't want me there eating with them for once, no that can't be right. I rarely eat with them anyways.

I ended up overthinking about something trivial, like overthinkers do. Laying there, minutes passed and i figured that I had been in bed for long enough and decided to get up to eat something. "…".

―I can't move! Why can't I move?

The inability to move, sent me into a slight panic. My thoughts ran rampant in my mind coming up with all kinds of ridiculous theories of why and how it had happened to me in the matter of seconds.

―Whywhywhywhywhywhy? Why can't I fucking move!?!?

The red light didn't change, but the atmosphare it created made the room that i slept in feel like a totally different room. What first looked to be a beautiful reddish light was now sending shivers down my spine, brimming fear into my heart. I tried to scream but no sound came out. My breath. I couldn't breathe, no matter how hard I tried to inhale it was like the air phased through me. Only my eyes were able to move.

―why, why can't I move? Why can't I breathe!?

Despite this happening countless of times, I still couldn't wrap my head around it while I was in the moment. I thought I was dying. My body felt heavy, like gravity had tripled. I was scared and confused.

―what's going on? Who are you? Get away from me. I- I don't want you near me.

I saw something, no someone.

"Heh, this is what you wanted right? You're finally gonna die"

Someone without a face.

―wha- who? Me? I'm going to die!?

Someone who's identity was unknown to me.

"Yes, you. You are going to die."

He said calmly, approaching me.

­―I don't understand. Why, how can you hear me? How can you hear my thoughts? These words most definitely aren't coming out of my mouth.

Crawling on top of me, placing his hands on my throat. My eyes were focused on the mans nonexistent face. I was staring into what seemed like an endless dark abyss, yet the darkness only reflected what was looking at it. The thing that was staring into the abyss, was that very same abyss. The same, empty, bottomless pit of darkness.

"Your thoughts are loud, and they do nothing but wrong to you, it's insufferable listening to that all day and night! As for why I can hear you… That you should already know."

The thing spoke in a strict voice and applied more force in his strangulation hold. I could feel my airways which already had a hard time collecting oxygen being blocked further. The eyes in my eye sockets were budged and went bloodshot, as my neck was snapping I was struck with a realization.

―oh, I get it. You're…

Unable to finish my thought I heard a single word being screamed at the top of one's lungs before I "died".

The word that the man told in the final moments was overflowing with flaming hatred towards me. A bloody tear streamed down my cheek while the word of detest echoed inside my fragile mind.

"DIE!"