I never thought I’d see the things I had that day. I woke up, did my normal morning routine just like any other day. Little did I know, that’d be the last time I’d ever do things the same. We always change a little after a while and do things differently but this stretched far beyond changing a little.
It was a sunny, bright spring day so I decided to go for a walk. I had the day off work and nothing planned so I figured I’d venture off to the outskirts of town because I never had. I had only moved there a year ago.
After about a half an hour, I’d reached a dead-end road just beyond the small town and behind the sign was only wooded area. I was adventurous so I kept going. After all, I had nothing else to do. I walked about a half mile through the tall grass, looked around just before entering the wooded area. I saw a sign off to my right, reading “no trespassing”. Of course, I ignored it, now wishing I hadn’t.
Just as I had walked passed the sign, I saw what appeared to be a dirt road. It didn’t look like it had been used in years. Fresh grass had overgrown most of the path. I kept walking down the road away from the town. Soon coming to an old abandoned mansion. The words above the gate were hardly readable as the trees and moss had claimed it over the years but I made it out. It read “Hillston Insane Asylum”. By then, I had actually debated whether I should keep adventuring or not. But for a random walk in the middle of the day, it turned out to be much more exciting than I had anticipated. I didn’t even know this town had an asylum.
I walked all the way around the iron fence as the storm clouds begun to settle in. I hadn’t remembered the forecast calling for rain. It’d just been sunny without a cloud in the sky not even a half an hour ago. Strange.
Not long after, it begun to rain. I thought I should head back but the loud, booming thunder and the intense lightning changed my mind. I was then determined to seek shelter and just wait it out.
I managed to find a section of the gate missing but had to climb over tree stumps and large bushes to get to it. Stumbling up the steep little hill, I was then face to face with the insane asylum. I cringed at the thought of stepping inside but I was getting drenched. I hoped I wouldn’t catch a cold. Now that I think of it, I’d rather have only caught a cold.
I searched around the building for a way to get in. Most of the windows and doors were boarded. Some had metal bars and the large front door even had chains with a huge pad lock. I managed to find a few boards fallen off of one window so I slipped inside. I made a loud thud as I hit the floor. The window was higher up than I expected it to be. I stood up, rubbing the dust off my hands onto my wet pants.
I could hear the rain coming down heavy. The wind helping it to blow onto the side of the building. The large room I had just fallen into didn’t look like too much of anything out of the ordinary- just as if it’d been the main lobby to the asylum. There was a large wooden desk in the center of the room, a smaller one off to the side. It hadn’t looked like anyone had been in there for years. Everything was coated thick with a layer of dust.
Since I was stuck in there until the storm passed, I figured I’d do some exploring. I walked down the long hall of doors off to the right, the boarded windows were on my left. I took out my phone and shined the light from it into each room. They were all numbered with what I assumed to be the patients names just below the number. I saw nothing but old beds and dressers in every room. Off to the right was a desk, each room set up exactly the same. I noticed a few were empty and room 8 had no desk. I begun to grow bored of looking at the same thing in each room. I looked at the names, some missing letters. Then, I realized there was no room 13. I simply assumed they didn’t want to have a room 13 because it’s considered to be bad luck. I shined my light into the 12th room. It had the bed, dresser and desk just like the others.
I entered the room this time because something caught my eye. There was writing on the wall but it looked to be just scribbles and little drawings like a child had drawn them. I studied the room for a moment, noticing there were more drawn on the floor and even on the ceiling. I wondered how a child would have been able to draw on the ceiling. I didn’t see a ladder. As I examined the room more, I noticed a latch under the desk. Shining my light as I walked closer, I realized it was a trap door.
Curiousity got the best of me while I pushed the desk aside. The latched door was surprisingly easy to open but as soon as I learned what was inside, I instantly wish it hadn’t been. The backside of the trap door read “room 13”. There was a name just below it too. My heart skipped as I read my own name.
Shining the light of my phone down the hole, I saw only a mirror. Instantly I thought it was some kind of sick joke. I slammed the door shut and tried to escape the asylum. The rain had let up and the storm passed but I didn’t care. The only thing I wanted to do was go home. I was determined to leave but it seemed some invisible force forbid me to even leave the room. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t stop myself from entering room 13 in that trap door.
That’s when I woke up. I sat up straight in bed, looking around the room, wondering where I was. The only other thing in the room was a large mirror. I was in a straight jacket, still stuck in room 13.
Has my whole life only been a dream?
I felt around the room, searching for a way out. A ladder, and underground tunnel… anything. That’s when I realized I was not alone. There were people in there with me. They were cold. I’ve been sleeping in a room full of dead people?
I heard something like someone shifting around. “Hello?” I found my voice. It was squeaky and my heart pounded.
“You’ll never escape room 13.” It sounded like a little girl. She laughed.
“How did I even get here?” I screamed at her although I could not see her.
“What do you mean? You’ve always been here. We’re the only ones awake. I’m so happy I have someone to play with.”