The Lost Classroom

I came home from school one day and the house was gone. Everything - Mom, Dad, my dog - all gone. What a traumatic image for an eight year old. Fortunately, it was just a dream - my house and family were still there.

Ten years later:

At university, I took a summer course. The class was in the same room, the same time every day for six weeks. Fourth floor, Classroom Building, straight ahead, as you leave the stairwell.

One warm sunny day, I entered the building from the mezzanine level, rather than the main floor. I bounded up to the fourth floor and walked straight out of the stairwell and - POW. There was no door to the classroom. Only a solid wall.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I felt a shiver form in my toes and climb up my back to the tip of my head. My dream came back to me in an instant. The room was gone, just like my house. I mentally retraced my steps - fourth floor straight ahead. I did everything right and yet it was gone.

I walked the floor looking for my room, but it was nowhere. I was in a dream state as, I crept down the stairs. Nothing seemed right. The murals on the walls were different. I could hear the theme from the twilight zone playing in my head.

When I got to the main floor things were also different. Then it struck me. I had entered the Laboratory building instead of the Classroom building on the mezzanine floor. The two buildings are identical on the outside and are connected to one another.

I felt relief - for a moment, then I just felt stupid. I was late for class.

(299 words)