Never have I smelled something so vile. The stench of a rotting carcass and methane gas - unbearable. My eyes were sealed shut by some outside influence. All of my other senses were amplified. A distinct flash of light caught my attention, and then the delayed boom confirmed its source. I felt the first drop on my forearm, followed by the inevitable onslaught of hundreds more. I tried to move my arms. No avail. My limbs, my entire body, was out of my control. Another flash of light struck, and another, and another, each one seemingly brighter, and the roar that followed, louder. Terror ensued. Panic overwhelmed me. Intuition told me these events foreshadowed danger. Then it hit me. A blinding beam, so intense it pierced my eyelids. Adrenaline filled my body, so precise was the bolt that impaled my chest. My heart beat like a stampede, my mind a raging river, my nerves taut as stretched elastic on the verge of relapse, and then. . . Silence.

Air flowed into my body, filled my lungs like a newborn’s. I opened my eyes, blinked once or twice, then hoisted myself up. The site was marvelous. This enclave, this bastion of beauty that had imprisoned me, was completely encompassed by a thick, lush forest. The sky was dark gray, nearly black. Hovering above the ground was a layer of mist, ankle high, concealing the grass below. A faint breeze wisped past me into the vegetation, ruffling it slightly, almost inaudible. Nothing else could be heard. Sadly, all of these elements, this harmony, were dwarfed, snuffed out, by that miasmatic odor. . . “Buddy,” your voice resounded through the classroom, “wakeup!”

Reluctantly, I opened my eyes. My head was fortified within my interlaced arms, slightly cocked to the right. All my thought dwelt on the foul fetor still lingering within my nostrils. The only thing I could feel was my upper back. A bizarre feeling, like it was ruptured. “God, what is this forsaken taint?” I pondered as I slowly lifted my head from the security of my arms and fingered at my back. Nothing. I could not locate the source of this awkward disfigurement. After a minute or two of jabbing at my back, I peered across the classroom and observed that no one was near me. All my classmates were congested in the corners to my far left and far right. I glanced over at you. “Do you need to take a trip to the nurses office?” You asked with a grimacing expression. Dumbstruck, I looked around, then I saw it. Enveloping me was a dense, dark brown, gaseous cloud. “Buddy, Buddy are you all right?” reverberated through my ears as I abruptly collapsed, and all consciousness ceased.

Time cannot be accurately measured in this mysterious place. It is suffice to say it was night. The putrid stain was gone, extinguished by the elegance of this haven. The sky had cleared, making way for the biggest, most radiant stars I have ever gazed upon. The moon shone like a beacon of universal perfection, emitting indigo, violet, fuchsia, and many other exotic hues that my eyes are not accustom to. The dust in the air blazed. Lit aflame by what? I don’t know. Flickering and bursting blue, red, purple, green, white, swirling in flawless sequence. Even the Northern Lights could not compare. The grass reflected the moonlight, giving the ground a neon green glow, every blade twinkling at the tip. Alluring silhouettes, clearly defined by the aerial lights, clustered around the borders of the clearing, coaxed me to investigate their secrets. Enticing boughs protruding over the glade beckoned me to explore the vast beyond. Confined in this enthralled state, I detected a single, faint noise. The serene sonance of cascading water filled my ears. Lulled by this melodious rumble, I advanced. As I approached the brim of my sanctuary, the sound grew louder, resonating just out of visibility. Cautiously, I raised my right leg over the shrubbery that girded the spacious enclosure and fixated it on the opposite side, preparing to hop over with my left leg. Without warning, a titanic force grasped me, violently yanking me backwards. Haze subdued me. Spiraling uncontrollably through the air, I clawed at nothingness, descending into The Black Unknown.

My body burned. Myriad beads of thick sweat spewed from my pores, seeping across my flesh. Panting, I sat upright. Endless globules of condensed salt streamed down my face. Scores of rancid liquid rendered my lashes useless. My eyes stung. The table fan in the corner hummed conspicuously. My dog, Corky, laying loyally at the foot of my bed, stared at me wryly for a moment, then continued dozing. My respiration stabilized. The room was muggy. Inhalation through my nostrils was blocked, obstructed by a fusion of mucus, air particles, and coagulated blood. My back ached. I reached back with my right arm, bent at the elbow. Contact. The plethora of nerve endings burst. Shearing agony bolted down my spine, all the vertebrae knocked askew. Cringing, I staggered to the mirror. Horrendous. Two concaving holes receded into my back, no more than four inches in diameter, just below my shoulder blade on either side; symmetrical. A spike sprouted out of the center of each hole slightly extending past the rim. Terrified, I stumbled out of the room, driven by fear and confusion, and into the adjacent bathroom. I cranked the hot water in the shower to maximum and dove in. My back throbbed, pulsating with every beat of my heart. Pain induced comatose.

The impact ejected the air from my lungs. None was retained. I rolled around on the grassy terrain gasping ferociously. Then, just as quickly, my breathing subsided. Gathering my thoughts, I braced myself. Thrusting my legs upward with mighty strength, bowing my back, I launched myself off the ground, landing on sturdy feet. I lifted my head and studied my surroundings meticulously. The thicket that I was ripped from now held me as a burden. Aside from this, everything was in the pristine condition I left it. The pebbles, the clouds, the position of the brambles that overlooked me, all unaltered. “Did I truly leave this heavenly meadow?”, the impossible scenario invaded my mind. I could no longer discern dreams from reality. Had I ever really been able to?. . . The once trivial obstacle now appeared quite formidable. Regressing a few yards, I anchored my right foot on an embedded boulder. Fueled by all the fear and rage that festered in my soul, I vaulted off my support, catapulting myself through the air. As I flew, I could sense the shadowy embrace in close pursuit, brutally nabbing at my legs. I felt the clutches of the grim aura ensnare my ankles, hindering my forward momentum. I was caught. Compelled by every fiber of my being, with the desire to journey into The Unforeseen, I defied the Doom Bringer’s clasp. The tension in my legs increased, my kneecaps being torn from their firm joints, my pelvis being slowly detached from my torso, and still I persisted. A thunderous bellow of immense power ignited my vocal cords and exploded from my mouth. All the celestial power of this emerald sanctum flowed into me, boosting my defiled fortitude, energizing my entire body. Plunging forward, I plummeted onto the verdurous soil. . . My bonds were vanquished - I was free. . . Lethargically, I elevated my fatigued mass from the ground. I brushed the severed leaves and bristles from my clothing, staring at the trail strewn underfoot. Stoutly, I trod the path through the first rank of mesmeric oaks. Striding triumphantly, I vanished into the gloom.

Uncanny quiescence became foreboding. The melancholy of this woodland was strangely unnerving. The trees straddling my pathway gradually grew darker in tint, and the gap that divided them slowly diminished. These eerie timbers appeared prefabricated, all of them identical. On either side of the trail, each tree boasted one massive limb projecting high above my head, conjoined at the peak, forming an unsanctified archway. Paranoia stricken, I began moving hastily. Pale rays presented a leftward curvature, little more than one-hundred yards beyond my position. My pace increased. Oxygen and light became scarce. Sprinting now, I braced to turn. The corner of my right eye seized a glint of sanguine light. The spectral limbs deceived me! My path did not detour. My nimble reflexes flared, ousting me off the en route oak, flinging me back on course. Lunging, I destroyed the illusionary threshold, unveiling the forlorn gateway, the river it safeguarded, glittering in the distance. Erecting from a maelstrom of malevolence, two colossal evergreens towered over the ivory stone path that floated within their breach. The scarlet stained trunks glistening, illuminated by the moonlight beyond. The narrow stepping stones moved rapidly, churned by the vortices that bordered the path. I succumbed to the demonic appearance of the treacherous pylon, and the infernal lake at its foundation. Preparing to flee, I lost control. I could not deviate, My body governed by adventure. Superhuman virility accelerating me, I raced across the shifting bridge with feline finesse, emerging undisputed. The air was pure again. The symphonic sound flooded my ears once more. Judging from the rising steam, the waterfall was in throwing distance. Dauntless, I walked toward it. Stupendous. I stood at the pinnacle of existence, but yet, I yearned for more. Beyond the vapor that enshrouded the waterfall, far below, I beheld Elysium. Indescribable. Located at my left was a stairway, embossed by gold and inlaid with many rare and gaudy jewels, leading downward. Without hesitation, I rushed to it. With each step I fell deeper into euphoria. With my first step, I saw visions of grandeur. With my second, I tasted tender meat in my mouth. With my third, I felt the caress of angels, and then… I stopped. My progression was halted, stifled by an invisible barrier. Anger and hatred befell me, bashing and walloping consumed my stamina. Exhausted, I flopped to the ground. Sleep came on swift wings.

Wiping away the drool that oozed from my mouth, I rolled out of bed. My back was numb. Momentarily milling around, I turned my fan off and looked at the clock, blinking with the numbers 11:42 imprinted on it. The sun, unhindered by my ebon curtains, vexed my dilated eyes. Shielding my face, I crouched to the mirror. Grotesque. The spikes were gone, replaced by elongated hollow cylinders. Malaise manifested in my lower back. My body began to shake as my eyes quivered in their sockets. “Déjà Vu” entered my mind, standing now with the fiendish spire at my back. I began jogging in the direction of the abysmal water flux. Darkness consumed the azure atmosphere. My reflection in the mirror displayed a bulky bulge. Slowly, the inflation began to climb. Prodding with my index finger unleashed a searing torment. Jolting spastically, my bodily dominion was stolen. Vigorously dashing, I was almost halfway to the fierce deluge. The Wrath of Thor dominated the sky,