It Felt Like An Ordinary Sleepover, But I Never Imagined Anything Horrifying Like This Happening

My money was still in my wallet, so she hadn’t conned me as I had assumed. I gathered my belongings and hurried out of the house. My eyes narrowed. The surge of bright golden sunlight hit me like a truck and I fell to my knees. My headache was unbearable. I don’t know how long I was withering in pain before I finally regained the will to stand back up. I walked over to the narrow dirt road that passed beside the small house. Luck was on my side and I saw a rusted, silver Ford pickup truck hurling dirt behind it, driving towards me. I frantically waved, ignoring the headache, and the truck rolled to a stop. It was an elderly couple. “Hey do you…” the man stopped himself, his eyes lingering on my bandage. “Are you okay?” he asked in a concerned tone.

“To be honest, sir, I have no idea where I am and I need to get home.”

“We’re a long way from the city, sweetheart. Perhaps you’d like to get to a hospital first?” the lady looked worriedly at my head.

All I could think of was my mom. I had never gone to a doctor’s appointment, let alone the hospital without her and wasn’t planning to today.

“No, no, I’m fine. I need to get home…”

“…alright, get in.” The man said hesitantly. I threw my bag inside and we drove away from the mysterious little house.

“Where to?” he asked.

“Sheraden, Pittsburgh, please,” I said, feeling relief wash over me.

I put a hand up to my head. I had no idea what to think. Who was fuck was Myra? Why had she just left me? A medley of sadness, pain and utter confusion consumed me. It felt like I had been gone forever, completely dissociated from the present. The subtle heat of the fall afternoon became magnified through the windows of the old truck. It was probably long past the morning I promised my mom I’d be home.