I walked up to the old farm house, the stairs creaked one by one with each step I took. The vibe of the house was off, I could sense it in my bones. My room was in the attic. It was hot and muggy, and smelled like must. But I was happy, because it was all mine. I unpacked my boxes and put on music. Eventually I decided to take a nap. I fell asleep rather quickly, but was awakened by the smell of smoke. A candle was lit in the corner and had caught the curtain on fire. I blew out the candle and thru a cup of water on the fire.

“I don’t remember lighting the candle” I said to myself out loud.

I was confused, but thought “oh well, maybe I was so tired that I just forgot”.

I opened my drawer to get my pajamas, but to my bewilderment, they weren’t there. Everything that I had unpacked was gone. I ran downstairs to tell my mother that something odd was going on, but she wasn’t home. Where could she be?

Could she have taken my stuff when I fell asleep? Did she move me to a different room? I knew there had to be a logical explanation to this. I checked each room, but nothing was there. Not even my mom’s belongings were there. What is going on? I was becoming frustrated and scared. I ran to the front door to go outside. I jolted the knob, but it was locked. It was locked from the outside. I began to panic. Frantically trying to push the door open, I could smell smoke again.

“Where is it coming from this time?” I screamed. I ran to each room, finally making my way back up to the attic. “Oh no!”

The same candle had caught the curtain on fire, again! But this time I had no water to put out the flame. I pulled at the curtain but wasn’t strong enough to collapse the rod. The flame grew larger and hotter. I knew I had to get out of the house.

I ran down the stairs to the front door, still locked. I fled to the back door, but to my amazement it was bolted shut. I cried out to anyone who could hear me, “HELP, PLEASE, ANYONE?”

My only option is to break a window. I grabbed a chair and plowed away. The window felt like cement. I tried until I became weak. Smoke engulfed the house. I could barely breathe. Surely someone will see the flames and come to rescue me. I have to think of a plan, and quick.

I ran to the bathroom, maybe If I turn on the shower and wait, it will keep me alive until the fire department shows up. I ran into the bathroom and slammed shut the door. As I walked past the mirror I recoiled in horror. My reflection was of someone that I didn’t recognize. My hair was singed and mangled. My skin was bloody and blistered. I could see bone and pieces of flesh. My eyeballs were dangling and my clothes were burnt. I screamed out loud, but I could no longer hear my own voice.

My thoughts were becoming foreign, but I knew I hadn’t been burned. How did I end up this way? What happened to me? I got into the shower and turned on the water. I laid there and closed my eyes. I could hear the house burning around me.

When I opened my eyes, I was walking up to the old farm house, the stairs creaking one by one with each step I took.