Dark Room

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! His panicked voice shrieked in his head. His eyes searched wildly for something to grab on to, but all he could see was a slick oily darkness. The hard, pulsing thud of his heart was so loud in the heavy gloom it seemed to echo. Careening off of some unseen barrier and bouncing back to his own ears. His breath came in short gasps as if he was some sort of sea going fish trapped on land. He couldn't get enough air, his head was swimming.

How long had he been here? Days? Weeks? Time seemed to be suspended, no movement, just here and now. Did anyone even know he was missing? Were they searching for him at this very moment? Did they finally believe him? I told them that I had seen a UFO! They laughed at me, thought I was crazy maybe. Maybe they were right. Maybe this is all just a dream, a nightmare really.

What was that? Rustling on the edge of the dark. His eyes tried to focus, looking in the direction of sound only to find himself suddenly blinded by a bright light over his head. Dots and dashes swam in front of him as his eyes tried to adjust to the change. Finally, his eyes began to make out vague shapes at the edge of the light: smooth heads, egg shaped, empty eyes that were dark. It had a long, thin neck and hands. Hands that held thin, metallic instruments.

High pitched whining began to invade his hearing from several directions. Cold hands forced his mouth open and held it that way. As those strange, egg shaped eyes came closer, the sounds of more instruments being turned on overwhelmed his mind. He slipped into a welcome darkness were he floated, far away from the brutal truth.

"Henry? Henry, we're finished. You can get up now." Dr. Patterson shook Henry's foot gently. "Getting a cavity filled wasn't so bad, was it?"

Henry James Wilson climbed out of the Dentist chair and headed for the waiting room where his mother was looking at magazines, waiting for him. The adventure was over.