Peace of Paper

[peaceofpaper89]

Behind the Red Door

They called her "Red Riding Hood" because she always wore her red coat, no matter what the weather was; it even had a hood. And she always replied that "Red is a very beautiful and powerful colour; it resembles life, death, and everything in between". 

Tonight was no different. 

Her splashing footsteps could be heard from a mile away; like a flash of ember running through the rainy night, with her red coat and fiery red hair. 

Something else broke through the otherwise silent night, a baby crying. 

As she was running, she held the baby as close to her as possible, attempting to shield it from the rain. 

Risking a quick glance behind her, she saw they were still chasing her; three shadows, as dark and silent as the night. You wouldn't even see them if you didn't know they were there. And behind them, she could still see the carnival's light, but she has run too far to hear any of its sounds anymore. 

She was finally getting closer. She saw the light house looming, as if it was calling for her; her only way out. 

The baby kept crying as they eventually reached the light house. 

She ran up the stairs, and she could still feel them coming at her. 

Three more steps, two, one! 

There it was, the Red Door. 

She reached it, pulled out a key from her coat, and unlocked the door. 

She and the baby got through. 

She put the baby on the floor and put on it a letter; the hardest letter she had ever had to write. 

And then she stepped back through the Red Door. 

[peaceofpaper89]

ORIGIN

Darkness is the first thing I remember.

The second I opened my eyes, I could see nothing for miles and miles that for a while there, I thought my eyes might still be closed.

I moved my hands in front of my face. Still could not see.

I tried to touch my eyes with my fingers and Voila! I blinked.

So, yes, my eyes are open. It’s just the surrounding darkness that prevents me from seeing anything.

Slowly, I get up, until I’m finally standing. And all I see is black.

Nothing to my right or left, above or below me.

It feels like flying, maybe because I can’t see what I’m standing on; though I can definitely feel it.

Hold on a second. I think I just heard a sound.

I decide ti walk around, try to find the source of that sound, and maybe discover my boundaries a bit.

So, I walk and walk and walk. The sound hasn’t been constant; though I keep looking for it. Eventually, I was able to listen enough to know it sounded like music. Music I’ve never heard before.

And I couldn’t find any borders for this place I’m in.

I’ve been walking for hours, or what seems like hours, I had no real way of knowing, and I haven’t reached any walls or bumped into a single item along the way. 

I stopped, raised my arms and shouted: “Where am I? Am I dead? Am I trapped somewhere? Kidnapped? How big is this place? What is going on?”

So… No!

Whoever or whatever is listening, if there is someone or something out there, did not answer any of my questions. 

Not that I expected them to.

Bored, tired, and maybe a little hungry, I decided to sit on the floor.

And sitting I did. 

I counted from 1 to 1,000, front and back. I listed all the types of animals that came to mind. I said the Arabic and English Alphabets, front and back, though the “back” one took a lot of time. 

Still, nothing. Zip. Nada. Zilch.

More bored, not very tired anymore, and definitely hungry, I fell asleep.

- - - 

Warmth is the first thing I felt when I opened my eyes for the first time in this weird place. 

There was something weird though; something that wasn’t there the last time.

Is that light?!

I got up quickly and turned around. 

It was indeed light, coming from a doorway. 

I ran towards the door. It wasn’t really a door though, more like a rectangular opening spilling light into vast darkness.

I couldn’t get too close; seems like the light was pushing me away.

I decided to close my eyes, shield them with my hands, and continue walking. Maybe I’ll find something on the other side.

There was no other side. 

I returned to where I was, looking at that rectangle of light. Trying to will it to say something, explain something, let me through… Anything!

It didn’t. No surprise there.

Wait! Where is the music from before? Looks like it has gone completely silenced when I was asleep. 

Turning around, I started walking away from the light; yet, the further I went, the more rectangles of light appeared. 

And after attempting to go through numerous ones to no avail, I stopped trying all together.

- - -                                                                             

I was asleep again. My eyes were closed. I was acutely aware of that. 

I was asleep. All of this was just a dream; a creepy and scary one at that. All I had to do now was to open my eyes and get out of bed.

Why is my bed hard though? I remember loving my bed for how soft and comforting it felt. I ran my hands on the bed next to me. This doesn’t feel soft and comforting, but hard and cold. 

I cover my mouth with my hands to push back a sob that threatened to escape. 

It took some time, but I finally managed to bring myself to sit up, keeping my eyes still closed. 

Very very slowly I opened my eyes, one at a time. 

Darkness. Absolute and utter darkness.

I stand up. Walk around. Hear music like I’ve never heard before. Find nothing. Sit down again. Fall asleep. Wake up. Find rectangles of light. Try to go through them. Fail. Try to go through them again. Fail again. Fall asleep. Wake up. Open my eyes. Darkness.

I have no idea how long I’ve been living like this. But I know it’s been too long.

I don’t know how to break this loop. So, I’ve stopped looking. Even when the rectangles of light come and go.

- - -                                                                             

“Is she alright?” A man asked. 

“Yes,” A woman replied, “she’s just asleep.”

“How long will she stay like this?” Another voice asked, also a man’s. 

“Till the end of time,” the woman replied, “she messed with the natural order of things and this is her punishment.”

“This is Hell!” The first man exclaimed, pushing a button causing a rectangle of light to appear on the screen, a few meters away from the girl lying on the ground.

“This is Origin!” The woman calmly replied and walked out of the room, locked the metal safe-like door behind her, and left, her heels clicking behind her as the distant sound of music came from afar.