I opened one eye and focused on my clock: 5:37 am. It wasn’t even time for my alarm to go off. I stretched and then I had to pee, so I thought I might as well get up and start my day.
My morning routine was just that: routine. After showering and getting ready, I grabbed a pop tart before heading out the door. I would be earlier than I had ever been before, but hopefully it’d make for a quick day.
I attempted to put the key in the truck door when I dropped them. Then I dropped my pop tart and became incredibly dizzy. I leaned against the truck as I bent over to get the keys, but the dizziness was overwhelming and I felt the sensation that I was floating. I pushed my hand out toward the ground so I could make a grab at my keys and couldn’t even touch the ground. I turned my dizzy head to the right and realized I was moving away from the ground. I was rising up, defying gravity. Suddenly, I was blinded by what seemed to be a spotlight; I threw up and then I passed out…
… I awoke to find myself lying on what appeared to be an examining table. The room was stark and white and I thought I was alone. I heard muffled murmurs and attempted to raise my head to see who or what was making the noise. It was then that I realized I had no control over my body. No matter how desperately I attempted to raise my head, my hand, my toes, my anything, I became more and more aware that I was paralyzed in some way. I felt no pain, though. I felt nothing. Nothing but an manic fear. I felt tears roll down my face toward my ears and could do nothing about them but blink.
I sobbed, but I was silent. I wailed, but I was wordless. I struggled, but I was still.
The tears flowed for what seemed like hours as the murmuring continued and nothing – nothing – changed in the sterile white room, flooded with light that seemed to come from an unseen source. I closed my eyes in submission and defeat when I felt a presence at my side. I felt a pressure on my arm and on my head, but I saw nothing and felt nothing. The murmuring was louder than before and then suddenly, I was asleep.
I opened one eye and focused on my clock: 5:37 am. It wasn’t even time for my alarm to go off. I stretched and then I had to pee, I thought I might as well get up and start my day…