4/8/2023

My footsteps echo down the long hallways

The ceilings are high

And the air is crisp

The hairs on the back of my neck-at attention

I have no shoes on

The space comes into me from below

My vision is narrow but I feel it all

The vibrations of these spaces move through me

The stories are smeared all over the walls

Shades of black layered and moved

There’s a door

It’s so dark. I can barely make it out

It doesn’t get any clearer

Regardless of how much space I close

There’s heat here

It’s hell.

The bolts and locks on this door are bright red

I reach out

Hesitate

Her screams get louder

So loud I can’t think

I can’t breathe

I can’t move

I can’t be

I can’t!

I reach out and pull the locks and bolts off

They sink into my hands

What have I done?