Ash-Covered Morning

I'm sore. My body aches. I struggle to open my eyes, and clumsily get to my feet. Where am I? The smell of burning metal and wood wafts into my nose, and with horror, I remember the fire. I look down to examine my body. My clothes are ripped! My jewelry is gone! And where are my rubber gloves?

I see a man bathed in soot. I open my mouth to cry for help, but my mouth is dry and caked with ash. I slowly stumble over to where he's lying, and collapse on his shoulder.

"Help me..." I manage to croak feebly.

The man pushes me off and mutter something about trash bags as he drags himself away from me. What is happening? Where am I? I need Madame Mystic!

I collect my whits and think about what I need most: a bath, sanitizer, bleach, and a long therapy session with Madame Mysitc. I need to get back to my room at the Heights. Gathering as much energy as I can muster, I walk as quickly as I can, ignoring the aches and bruises on my body. So many germs! I count each step and make sure not to touch anything as I walk, not even myself. I cannot afford to get any dirtier.

I see Watershed Heights! I'm almost home! I wait thirty-three seconds before propelling forward toward the refreshingly cool lobby of my pathetic excuse for a home. I reach the front door and... Oh dear! I can't open the door! I refuse to place my bare hands on the germ-infested, sticky, never-been-cleaned door handle. I stand outside, waiting desperately for someone to show up to open the door for me.

I see two men dressed in robbery-gear carrying an ATM machine sprint to the alley behind Foo Food, the vile restaurant the sells non-descript food. Maybe they'll open the door for me! I give a quick prayer to the Heavens, and, after spitting as much soot out of my mouth as I can, I give a quick yelp for help. One of the robbers turns around, sees my desperate situation, and comes to my rescue.

"May I get the door for you, ma'am?"

I smile, nod, and graciously step through the door, held open by a hero disguised as a villian.

Fire and Witchcraft

Panic spreads through my body. Where is my jewelry? What am I to do? Next to me, I see a promiscuous looking woman flirting with a man dressed as a clown. Why is she not worried about the loss of my jewelry? My body is shaking as I frantically look about for my missing Evil Eye Collection. This a terrible omen.

Suddenly, the food trailer to my left falls, and a fire is ignited. My heart is thumping, and my breathing becomes labored. The witch with the red hair knocked me down, tore my glove, and lost my powerful Evil Eye necklaces, and now there is a fire! The Heavens are sending me a message!

I must get home. Where is the exit? I look around, scanning the carnival for signs of an exit, but the smoke is snaking out of the burning food trailer and is impairing my vision. The smoke engulfs me, and I am losing oxygen. I feel faint and dizzy. I NEED TO GET OUT!

A False Impression

What is that sound? I rub my eyes and sit up in my bed, listening intently to the sound that woke me. Birds! There are birds chirping outside! Everyone knows chirping birds in the midst of winter is a sign of good luck! I throw off my comforter, pull on a plastic glove, and peel back the sticky blinds from my painted-shut window. Sunlight streams in and dances around my room.

I think the Heavens are telling me to go outside today. What else could the delightful birds mean? I have been given a sign to explore the world today, but I must wait for three hours and thirty three minutes before I can leave my apartment. The time is 3:33. I pull out my bleach and begin to scrub the floors until I can leave.

At 7:06, I pull on my elbow-length rubber gloves, my surgical mask, and my pressed and cleaned outfit I have picked out for the day. I carefully position my Evil Eye necklaces before I take a deep breath and head down to the lobby.

I swing open the lobby door into the refreshingly warm, spring-like day, and I am instantly bombarded by a cacophony of soundtracks blasting throughout the neighborhood. I grab my Evil Eye jewelry, and I feel the urge to follow the noise.

I quickly make my way to a rundown carnival in a part of the neighborhood I have never seen before. What is going on here? I shudder as I move forward into the crowd, cringing away from the people, and I suddenly realize I have entered the carnival. A woman with flaming red hair pushes past me, running towards to microphone standing a few feet away from the fun house. She knocks me off balance, and I fall to the ground, ripping a hole in my right rubber glove. I jump to my feet and take thirty three steps away from the area. I can feel the germs crawling on me.

I need to get out of here. I look desperately for an exit, feeling the heat of the crowd pressing in on me. I clutch for my jewelry, and with a jolt of fear, I realize my Evil Eye collection is missing!