Trapped in My Dreams

Chapter 1

Melissa picked up her jacket from the sofa and rushed out. Running down the hall, into the stairwell, and down four flights of stairs before reaching the exit door. Out she went, passed the lobby and out the side door. She walked as quickly as possible to the nearest bus hub and stood with her fist clenched in her pockets. It wasn’t long before a bus came to a stop right in front of her. Last on, she made a b-line to the back and cozied up by the window. Watching closely as each neighborhood changed from houses, to buildings, to little shopping centers, Melissa had finally reached her destination. She exited the bus and shot through a set of double doors. Making her way to the receptionist desk, she said, “Um, I have an appointment.” The receptionist took the small piece of paper from her hand and glanced over it. “Ok Melissa, I need you to fill out these forms. The places you see highlighted, sign and date.”

Melissa took the clipboard from off the counter and sat down in the last seat near the wall. Her hands were soaked with sweat. The pen slipped across the page as sweat landed on the paper causing the words to smudge. Places like this always made her nervous. Her eyes scanned the room to see if anyone had noticed her struggling with her forms? She wasn't that good at controlling her frustration and she hated being the center of attention. She removed a napkin from her backpack, wiping everywhere her sweat landed only caused the ink to smudge even more. Ugh—great. Too embarrassed to ask for another form, she continued filling it out. Just when she was starting to relax and get a good rhythm, the receptionist motioned for her to follow as she led her through another set of double doors and down a long hall.

Melissa struggled to keep up with the fast pace of the receptionist. With forms still in hand, she tried hard to master the art of walking and writing at the same time. Suddenly they came to a complete stop in front of the elevator. “Take this up to the seventh floor, her office will be the second room to your left.” Taking the clipboard from Melissa and motioning for her to step inside.

She dreads the mere thought of having to ride an elevator. With her heart beating a thousand miles an hour, she stepped into the empty metal box. Nervously, she dug her finger into the number seven and pounded it repeatedly as the doors slowly closed in front of her. With her back pressed up against the cold metal surface, Melissa waited with an agony of suspense. Without warning, the elevator jutted, made a creaking sound and came to a complete stop. Horrified, Melissa pressed her finger into the button, “Open! Open please” slowly, the doors begin to spread wide. She jumped to safety and took off running.

She sprinted down the hallway before catching the wall with her hand, breathing deeply, she let out a loud exhale placing her hands to rest on her knees. Melissa soon came to notice, she’d ended up on a vacant floor. Not one office had an occupant present. The only foreseeable breath of life occupying that floor was hers.

Frightened, she barreled down the hall to the nearest stairwell. Down one flight after another, she hit the concrete stairs hard. Reaching for the door, frantically she twisted and pulled and turned but nothing, it would not open. She ran down another flight of stairs and repeated the same thing. Almost identical to the first time. Still, locked.

Melissa, paced back and forth, confused and afraid as she tried to figure out what to do. Delusion was starting to set in. Her arms felt like jello from trying to jar the door open. Once the adrenaline wore off, her legs were trembling from all the pounding she had done. She was stuck in the stairwell with what seemed like no way out. Tired, she pulled herself together and used the little energy she had left to make the trek back up the stairs until she reached the seventh floor. She banged loudly on the door, shouting, “can someone please help me?!?!” Suddenly, the door swung open.

Sweating profusely, Melissa stood embarrassed as the man in a white coat simply stared back at her blankly. She brushed past him and down the hall. Trying to fix herself and look normal, wiping sweat from her forehead and neck, she finally arrived, opened the door to Mrs. Greenwood’s office, and stepped inside; only to find herself embarrassed once again. Mrs. Greenwood was already meeting with her next client. “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realize— I’ll just, I’ll just leave.”

“Are you Melissa Crenshaw?” Mrs. Greenwood interjected.

“Yes, yes I am.” Melissa replied sheepishly.

“Well there’s no need to rush out sweetheart. It’s just that I waited for quite sometime. I’ll tell you what I need you to do, go back down to the lobby and have the receptionist set up another appointment for next week ok?” Melissa nodded as she closed the door behind her. How long was I in the stairwell..

Thanks for reading. Stay tune for more..