Young Writers Society

The day started off to be miserable, I was starting to dread going to work more and more with each new dawning day. My office was full of first class pricks that didn’t care who they destroyed while climbing the corporate ladder. I have been here for the longest, yet I’m always over looked when it came to dishing out promotions – which tends to happen every week or so. Today was when I really started to loathe those corporate monkeys and the zoo I worked in.

You’ll understand the excitement I feel when it comes to the end of my shift, only objective on my mind is to get out before anyone tries to corner me. I used to stay well into the night and go the extract mile, but one day I woke up and stopped doing so. I made my way to my car, popped the trunk of my car open and placed my laptop inside. On closing the lid, I stared off into the distance and decided I should take a short walk around the block just to clear my head – suppose you could say I wasn’t looking forward to returning to an empty house.

The late afternoon was pleasant, so many people all out and being active, enjoying life. All I was doing was mopping around because I hated part of my life. I stared at the pavement for a long time, taking a corner here and there, focusing on the thoughts screaming inside my head. I felt it getting darker around me and when I lifted up my head I noticed the streets empty, hands in my pockets as I looked straight at this huge dilapidated building. It had a dreary look to it; some places even seemed beyond repair. I edged forward slightly before stopping myself to look again; I felt mesmerized at the mere sight of this building and thought to myself how it would be inside. Looking left to right once more before making my final decision, the streets still empty, I made my way up the stairs.

The door knob was cold to the touch and it sent shivers up my spine. The door creaked open slowly and I felt my hairs stand on end; I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It was dark inside, with a few spikes of light coming in from different angles. I walked further in, leaving the door slightly open, a smell of must, mold and death hooked onto my nose hairs. I felt the need to explore more, see what this dump of a place had to offer. A gang’s hideout maybe, my imagination was running off the tracks while I walked inside the main floor, looking for somewhere to go. In the distance I picked up the outline of a door, it looked like a daisy compared to the rest of the place. I found myself walking with a pace, excited to open it, excited to see. This door knob was warm compared to the first one, it creaked as turned it, the path of light increased as I opened it further. I stepped in, unaware that I let the door close behind me, slightly blinded by the increase of light.

It was child’s room, blue themed and full of toys, I looked behind me to see the door gone, I had nowhere out, stuck. There was a small boy playing with a train set on his floor, he seemed completely unaware of my presence and carried on. As if they walked through the wall itself, his parents and another small child appeared. I opened my mouth to explain, but they too seemed blissfully unaware that I was standing in their Childs room. I stood patiently to see what this was all about, took in every detail. The smaller on was put next to his brother and the man and women sat down with them. All of them laughing and playing. The father scooped both kids up in his arms and held them, kissing them constantly. The family continued, and I started feeling sick, my eyes started to burn and I strained to push back the tears. Almost as if the room had felt my discomfort a door appeared across the room. I made my way towards it, confused on how I am invisible. I took one look at the eldest child’s face and noted his smile before leaving the room.

This one was different, the room seemed sickly and the door still disappeared. I could hear the sound of a busy street, a baby crying, the television playing cartoons. There was a window in this room, I made my way towards it and looked outside. A view of a busy street corner, only this one didn’t have all the fancy cars. It was mini buses scooting around; a bicycle here and there, just then something caught my eye. Poor people, lying on the sidewalks, some dead, some knocking deaths door, the worst is some are children too. My heart was breaking and ears were ringing when I noticed the baby’s cries escalating. I walked around the house like a ghost, turning a corner I see a small girl is the one watching the cartons. Holding tightly onto a dirty worn doll (the sight completely different to the previous boy’s room) the cries getting louder, I knew I was getting closer. The house was a mess; the smells coming from the rooms were over powering. My eyes grew bigger when I looked in the next room, a young women half naked lying face down on the bed. I rushed to her, tried to check for a pulse and realized I can’t. Instead I looked for signs of life, nothing. On the bedside table an empty pill bottle, on the floor below her hand a needle, she had a tourniquet on her arm, vomit on the bed. This woman, the mother of these kids had over dosed. I felt myself panicking as I feared for these children; I felt a growing need to find the baby of the cries. I rushed out the room and went to the next. This sight horrified me even more. In the cot I a baby boy was sitting up, red in the face from crying so much, small and skinny from not being fed – he looked neglected – the worst part of this all, there was an old door covering the opening of the cot. I hurried closer, pee and feaces was ripe, I started crying hard and reached out to lift the door off. Nothing, it didn’t even budge, I felt like I was lifting up a deep freezer, not a fucking door! He looked at me acknowledged that I was trying to help before he lie lay back and stopped breathing as if it gave him a sense of peace that someone actually cared. I rushed back to find the little girl, angered that I couldn’t help her brother, angered at their mother. The girl was gone; I noticed the window was too. I stood there feeling hopeless when another door appeared to my right.

I was reluctant to make my way to this one, feared what lay behind it, but I had no choice, I had no way out of this room. I just wanted all of this to be over I thought to myself as I opened the door. Blinded by a strong dose of light and before I knew it was blown off my feet. I landed some distance from the door and checked myself that I was ok. My ears were ringing and had blood coming from them, covered in dust I just sat there. Oh shit, it dawned on me; I was in the middle of a war. A was village being attacked by rebel soldiers allay soldiers trying to help. I saw a crate not too far away and crawled towards it. As I looked up I saw a girl pried from her mother’s grip and shot in the head, the mother was next and then the rebel was taken out. The America soldier made his way to the girl and her mother announced them both dead. I put my back against the crate and my knees between my legs rocking backwards and forwards. Bullets flying from every angle, bombs going of left right and center, the ground was shaking, the sky filled with smoke with a touch of fighter planes. The ringing in my ears was starting to stop and I could hear everything on a large scale, I heard loud sobbing when I realized that I was actually me. I picked up my head, wiped my eyes across my sleeve and squinted into the distance. I have to get out of here or I will die. At that moment I spotted another door in the distance, I have to reach it, my life depends on it. I started crawling slowly and made it to another crate, just as I took a breather the previous crate was blown sky high. I freaked out, stood up and just started running. Still managing to take in everything around me, the bodies falling as they hit the ground, the mushroom clouds as the bombs made impact. I threw myself against the door, took once large breath before flinging it open. I fell inside and just lay on the floor, breathing hard, crying. This has to end, I can’t take it anymore.

The new room was a theatre; I lay on my back taking in the surroundings and listening out for sounds. I got up just in time as a hospital bed was wheeled in to the center. I clutched my stomach and leaned against the wall ‘please God let me not see another person die.’ I think he actually heard me, because this scene was completely different. A woman was in labor, doctor and nurses gathered around her, the husband getting everything on film. I moved a little closer, it’s not like I could get in the way and watched this. My breathing calmed and the ringing had officially stopped. I took a long look at this mother; she was in pain and cursing her husband while he moved around with the camera. The doctor said a few things and the husband went over and clutched his wife’s hand, helped her along with the breathing. Before long, the cries of an infant filled the room, the mothers face at peace. They both started crying tears of joy as the little buddle was placed in her arms. The cries of this child was different, softer and not like the boy I watched die. I too had tears of joy fall down my face as the mother kissed her child on the forehead; this little thing would have a better introduction to life. The bed was wheeled out to go meet the family. Two parents happy and excited to show of the precious bundle they made together. The next door appeared and I dropped my head while making my way too it.

I wonder what this one has install for me. I opened the door and was greeted by a dirty street corner, an alley way if such. I saw a woman lying on some blankets next to a big refuse container. She had the same face of the mother I just saw – the face of a mother to be. I pinched my eyes shut and held the bridge of my nose, I knew this wasn’t going to be the same. That’s not how these rooms work; they draw a different emotion each time. I opened my eyes to see the women; I missed the birthing part, feeling somewhat glad. She picked up the baby; it seemed so lifeless in her hands, so small and innocent. She didn’t kiss it like the other mother did, she just walked towards the trash can and dumped it on top – gently so. She collected her things and made her way out the alley. I dropped to my knees, blocked out the pain and through foggy eyes I watched as she walked away, turned the corner never to be seen again. While her child lay in a trash can, some introduction this kid had. I got up, feeling week, pulling all the strength I could I made it to the trash can. The baby so small – I didn’t try pick it up, learned by now that I don’t have that ability in this series of nightmares. The baby was stillborn; it didn’t even have a chance in the first place. I saw my tears as they fell and collected on him. Why does this have to happen? Innocent lives destroyed because adults can’t make the mature decision! I felt livid and angry, wanted to find that women and shake some sense into her. I couldn’t so instead I settled for punching the wall in front of me, I went at it hard and then buckled over in pain. How do I feel that, yet I can’t save a kids life! I cursed my way to the next door, gripping my fist in my other hand. Maybe I should just switch to I don’t care any more

I walked into to a home, hearing noises over the familiar sounds of cutlery. It dawned on me that I hadn’t eaten and I felt sick because of it, however the pain in my knuckles was gone. It made me think; whatever happens in one room is not carried over to the other room. It was an average home, brightly lit and clean, everything in its place. I made my way to the living room and sat down in the chair in the corner and just watched. I focus strongly on the assortment of smells that were greeting my nose. I heard a bark and watched as the not so small dog came bounding in. A family of four was enjoying a full cooked meal prepared by the house maid. She too was sitting around the table eating with them. Each person took turns to speak about their day, how work or school had been. They looked at the dog as if they valued his input. This room was a little too calm for my liking, I had the slight feeling that something might explode, I tilted my head a bit to listen, but nothing but happy chatters flowed through. I breathed a sigh of relief and thought this has to be the calm to the storm. It felt good to relax for a bit and hard to not get accustomed to it. I stood up and the self-control was necessary. I saw the other door and made my way towards it, I felt somewhat calm for a change, hadn’t been since I entered this building.

I hesitated on the door knob, turned and looked at the happy average family one more time before fading into the next room. It wasn’t calm, but it didn’t reek of death. Instead it had the pungent smell of fat cats. It literally looked like the convention of rich people, had all types and sizes standing around and throwing their money ever where. Speaking on the phone about how they have so much they don’t care if they waste. I felt a different kind of sick, not the kind I had from watching a baby die or from being hungry, but one of how over powering greed can be. I’m grateful I didn’t stay in this room for long, the door was always there for the escape.

Oh how wonderful, it’s another dull room , I leaned against the wall wondering when all this will be over, when I can just go home and sleep, or rather when I can get to a shrink – heaven knows how I’m going to deal with all this shit in the long run. I moved further into the room and saw old needles scattered around the floor, bands used as tourniquets, pill bottles and trays. People started flowing in like a light current, they went up to this window. A small opening was visible as money and whatever drug was traded each time a new person approached. The line was growing and people would move off after buying their fix and went to another part of the room. The whole feeling of this room portrayed it as something natural, like a drug hangout where you can be free and break the rules in ‘private’. The shocking part is, most of these are kids, most of these look like pros (if I could call them that) and a few looked brand new at this. The area around me filled up with drug users, in corners couples were making out. Fights breaking out on one side, someone being kicked out for not being able to pay and I stood there paralyzed as I watched a body dragged off – a young adult had succumbed to his addiction and was gone. I shook myself awake and followed the ‘clean up’ crew that was dragging him out. They left his body and went back to the main room. Another team came and searched him thoroughly before tossing his body out onto the side walk, I was amazed at how they made it look simple. Like an average day on the job. I was allowed to go through this door and watched how another two men came and dragged the body off some distance from the building. I turned around to go back in, but the door was gone. I saw another door further on and went through it

A walked right into a brothel it was the same sort of setup as the drug mall I was just in. dull and depressing. An assortment of women wearing practically nothing were walking around. It was a hall way full of doors on either side accompanied by huge bounces. To the left of where I was standing was the check in desk and on my right was a waiting section. These women would walk seductively up to this section and pick their victim, leading them behind hand to an unoccupied room. One brushed against me and smelled strongly of perfume mixed with five different types of cigarette scents on her. She went to a man that looks as if he is clearly in the wrong place – guilt was fresh on his face, he looked like a young graduate. I looked at his fingers and saw the tan line of his wedding band. What the hell is this kid thinking. One of the women took his hand and led him down the corridor. I shrugged my shoulders and followed closely behind, maybe I could give the whole ‘I am your conscious’ thing a try. Now why would the rooms let me get away with such? Instead of being in this kid and the prostitute’s room I was in a sight different yet the same.

It looked just like the room I was in, maybe another brothel adjacent. I started to think that the room heard my plan to get that kid out and changed zones. Little did I know how wrong I was, this place had all the doors open. I looked into one of the rooms and saw a girl tied to the bed, it reeked. I moved to each room picking up pace, the same scene hit me again and again. I assumed the doors closed where occupied, I threw one open (knowing I wouldn’t be seen) and threw myself against the wall at the horror of what I had just seen. It was the same principal has the previous house, this one just smelled so over powering of human trafficking. I ended up stuck in the one room, threw up in the corner until I couldn’t anymore. I fell to the floor and was hit by the feeling of hopelessness again. The nightmare was yet to be over, two big men walked into the room towards the girl chained to the bed. Her face was full of terror, while theirs was full of excitement. I saw what was coming, and there was no way of stopping it let alone escaping it. I bit down hard on my lip, tasted the blood and felt the pain, blinking back the tears as they fell to the ground. I watched them do what they wanted to her, so graphically and violently. It seemed like it took forever for them to leave. I closed my eyes, tried to block it out. When I opened them I was in a new room.

I yet again crawled to the corner, a grown man reduced to feeling like a child. The room was empty and I left my mind to wonder aimlessly. I thought of my brother – a man I looked up to strongly as a kid, but no longer talk to because we became different. I thought of his twin girls, how he would be if they went missing. The thought hit me hard, like a kick to the gut when I filtered all the girls I had seen in, they were some bodies little angle. Taken from their moms and dads and turned into a toy for sick men . They get taken for granted, abused and left for the wolves. Somewhere out there a family is fighting to bring them back, not wanting to give up. Trying not to think of the little time they have lift before they will never be found.

I regained my strength and pulled myself up from the floor, it was more like the movement of a puppet at the control of his master then my own. I walked to the next door, taking longer than usual because my legs felt as if they had been replaced with jelly. I held onto the handle for strength before entering the next room. It was another street section. The different types of graffiti across the walls told me it was a gang area, a writhe one at that. It was staring to get hot, so I took my work shirt off and tossed it to the ground my vest was drenched with sweat. I saw a kid with a book walking across the other side of the road. Out of nowhere two cars came speeding down the street neck and neck, was eyes grew wide when the guns became visible. I broke into sprint to try reach the kid on the other side, a pointless attempt because I can’t seem to intervene with anything that happens behind these doors. I watched the kid drop instantly and listened as the cars crashed ahead. The blood pool grew around the kid I got to him just as I heard a women scream, I ran off again in a panic to find it. I can’t change their fate, but I keep thinking I can, that maybe this one will be different. Down the corner a women was being gang rapped. The sound of sirens filled the air and the men rapping her all scattered. Within moments there were paramedics everywhere. Out of breath I stood paralyzed again as I watched them at work – the things I’ve seen from each room is what they possibly see daily. I climbed on an ambulance and ended up in the trauma ward. I didn’t want to spend any longer than I needed to hear and went looking for the boy. The doctor and nurses were covered in blood, the boy lay on the operating table as the doctor was trying his best to resuscitate him. To no luck, he reluctantly announced time of death, pulling his gloves off before storming out the room ‘how many more kids must we lose to this!’ I heard him mutter off.

I found the next door and left quickly, as I got into the next room I dropped to the floor when I heard shooting. I took a moment to see where I was – a school that means some person decided it was best to shoot up a school today. I caught a glimpse of the next door and shot up, breaking into sprint. I need to get out, need to leave, I can’t play this game anymore. I flew into the next room and skidded across the floor. It didn’t take me long to realize that this was blood. I had now ended up in the lair of a murder. I stood up trying to slip again and looked around. Behind a see through curtain the man stood, is hands covered in blood, holding an object from his victim. He moved over the table and placed it with the others. I took a closer look at all his little trinkets, this wasn’t his first victim and sure as heck won’t be his last. I didn’t want to look at the body, because I had seen enough trauma for one day and I could feel that this whole room change thing was far from over. My train of thought was interrupted as the door to this room was bashed down. A dozen heavy armed guards moved in. the killer broke into a sprint, but was unable to get very far before one of the big guys had pinned him to the floor. I felt a little at peace when I heard the click of the hand cuffs and followed them out the door. This psychopath won’t be able to harm anymore innocent people. Now if only I could lead these guards down a couple of doors so they can put those kidnappers behind bars too.

The next door led me to a park, something was different and I thought maybe I was wrong, maybe this is coming to an end. I walked towards a park bench and sat down. The park started to fill with kids, I could sit here peacefully without anyone questioning what I was doing – since I am sure after all this I look like one of those killers. I watched the kids play, it had a peaceful nature about it, calmed me down and was starting to replace all that I had seen. I closed my eyes, leaned back and tried to relax a little, but this couldn’t be true. I looked out again when a mother and a young boy caught my eye. I sat up straighter and rubbed my eyes before taking a closer look. There she was, my wife and son playing in the park. In the past I would have cried, but it had been so long that I had come to grips with what had happened. Ten years ago, a drunken driver skipped a red light and slammed into the side of my wife’s car, another diver to focused on texting on their phone was unable to avoid it in time, slammed into the other side of the car. My wife and son were killed on impact, the drunken driver is still alive with brain damage on one side and the women in the other car had surrendered to her injuries and died a week later.

I changed as a person the day I got the news, stopped caring about work, stopped caring about family. Gave up on life and went on a downward spiral out of control. Ten years on I pulled myself right and was stuck in a low paying job because of the way I behaved – my record trashed from company to company.

The view of my wife and daughter was gone and I just stayed on that bench mesmerized by all the children playing and having fun. The day in this room was truly beautiful, everything was right. I felt tired again, but this time at ease, because I didn’t think I would be going through any more doors. I stayed in the park till night fall and all the kids had gone. Only then did the door become visible. I stood on my shaky legs and made my way across the park lawn till I reached the door. I gently pushed it open and was greeted by a street brightly lit by the street lamps. I stepped out and walked down the street, taking a left and walking slowly. I reached my car and opened the door, I stared out the window for a long while before putting the key in the ignition and starting it. Hands gripped tightly on the staring wheel, while I listened to the soothing sound of the engine running.

For a moment I didn’t think I was in reality, I didn’t think I was ever coming back. Tomorrow I would suck in my pride, put the effort back into work and seek the good in my colleagues. I am going to spend the week apologizing to everyone I pissed off and pushed around during my drunk days. On the weekend up going to go see my brother tell him I love him and I’m sorry. I though long on my next plan and decided it was the right thing to do – I’m going to go to the care home and see the man that killed my family, tell him I forgive him and will volunteer to read to him every evening. After everything I have been through today, everything I have seen, I can’t let my life be a waste, I have to wake up now.

I drove out the parking lot and never looked back again. I wanted to be the change not just experience it. There’s more to life than just focusing on the negative, if you have the opportunity to live positively or change your fate, then take it, take it and never let go. Out there, someone can’t do that, they are left to the world to destroy them. Some can’t escape, some are born into it where as others are forced into it. Some are snatched from their parents never to be seen again. They get lured into drugs and other devices. You have the power to change, make the first step.