~*~

Sitting at the elegantly furnished dining table, he stares blankly at the innocent lilly in front of him. The room was dimly lit, which the only light source was from the dying candle stick at the end of the table. He finally breaks his gaze from the lilly and looks down at the porcelain plate. There, sits a glossy scarlet apple. As he reaches for the apple, a soft piano melody began to flood his mind. He grasps the fruit and brought it to his lips for a taste. But the bittersweet scent evokes disgust, therefore, he discards the apple to the floor.

Thump.

It rolls close to the leg of the table, as if it cowards toward the darkness of the shadow.

OUTCAST.

He picks up the pink polaroid camera resting in his lap and brought it up to his eyes. He looks through the hole to capture the beautiful sight in front of him: the lonely lilly surrounded by blackness.

LONELINESS.

Zoom.

He felt a breeze caress his cheek.

Click.

The candle dies out, letting the room be illuminated by the sickly pale moonlight. He looks to his left. He looks to his right.

What has made the candle go out?

Not wanting to ponder any longer, he got up from his seat and move toward the hallway where the breeze came from, taking the camera with him.

The darkness was haunting, sending chills down his spine. He could not see the wall he desperately clings onto for guidance, let alone anything around him. What motivates him to continue is the crack of light between the cream colored double doors at the end.

What awaits for him at the end of the hall?

As he comes closer to the end, the serene piano melody transforms into angry pounding of the keyboard. It crescendos to earsplitting scramble of notes, torturing his head as if it would explode. He grips the side of his head, trying his best to cope with the headache. Mustering all possible strength, He runs toward the end in hopes that the noise will stop. He rips open the doors and was greeted with bright white light.

The notes abruptly stop once the white light dies down to where he can he glance around the pastel blue room. There was a single bed that horizontally faces him. Behind the bed was a translucent curtain covering the source of light. Once he takes a step into the room, the doors began to creak and it shut behind him. He spun around toward the door, discovering claw like scratches that reveal the tan wood on the back.

He traces the marks on the door, curiosity fills him more than fear. He takes a step back and brought the camera to his eyes once again.

PAIN.

Zoom.

He felt the breeze caress his cheek again.

Click.

He look to his left. There was an old mahogany upright piano.

STRESS.

Zoom.

Instead of a breeze, he hears a whisper of his name.

Click.

He whip his head in the direction of the whisper.

The translucent curtain that was once motionless is now fluttering. He hesitantly approach the light, climbing onto the bed and sat comfortably on his legs. He places the camera on the pillow before facing the curtain. Prepared to see blinding white light, he grabs the curtain and parts it.

But instead of blinding white light, there was a mirror in front of him. He stared into his reflection, reading the pool of emotions that were reflecting in his eyes. Sadness, regret, loss were the few he picked up. But what scared him is that the mirror began to create ripples as if it was water, distorting his reflecting. Right before his eyes, he witness his reflection come to life.

It brought its hands to cover its face, and its broad shoulders began to shake violently. Once it looked up from its hands, tears were streaming down its cheeks. It mouths the familiar heart wrenching words between its sobs.

He reaches out to his reflection to comfort it, but its face scrunches up into a furious expression and yells the same words. He quickly sat up and tried to move away from the reflection, but in one swift motion, the reflection reached out and grabbed him, pulling him into the mirror. The words were now audible.

“I don’t have a dream”

The pink polaroid camera was left lying on the pillow in the pastel blue room.

~*~