Depths by C.S. Burkhart

through the window!
    Make up your mind!
    I went back to the door and stood there looking at
it before putting my ear up to it and listened.
    I could hear voices now. Not sure how many there
were, maybe two? Three?
    “ Hello? ” I called out, knocking on the door at the same
time.
    “ HellOOOooo? ”
    No response. I couldn't make out the words the
voices were saying, only indecipherable chatter.
    “ Hello! ” I banged on the door again but still got no
response.
    I threw my arms down in frustration and paced back
and forth. There was a pile of well, my house in my doorway, a
window that led into nothing and a door that had magically appeared
with voices behind it that didn't respond to me.
    Not an ideal situation.
    I kept pacing, trying to make up
my mind. I could try to unblock the doorway, but if the window was
any indication of what I might find once I moved the
rubble — however long that would
take — then it didn't seem like that would
help me much. And the window... That just seemed like a bad
idea.
    Wait a minute.
    I carefully moved over to the pile of rubble and
yanked a piece of wood, maybe from the coffee table in the living
room, out of the pile. I tip-toed again back to the window and held
my arm out with the battered piece of wood.
    Should be interesting...
    I released my fingers and watched it fall and fall
until I couldn't see it anymore. It made no sound.
    Good thing I didn't try the window.
    Oh come on, I was just trying to be proactive.
    I started pacing again, stepping on yet another
piece of glass.
    “ Motherfuckerpieceofshitsonofabitch! FUCK! ”
    I held my foot up and ripped the glass out and threw
it at the wall, shattering it into even smaller pieces. I stormed
back over to the other side of the room and slammed my fist into
the wall, punching a hole clear through it.
    Only one thing left to do....
    I had to go through the door.
    I turned the knob, unsure of what I would find on
the other side. I took a breath and one last look at my bedroom. I
turned away from the carnage and slowly opened the door.

Chapter
5
    A blinding, pulsating light splashed over me. I put
my arms up over my face to block it but it didn't help. I stumbled
forward, trying to feel in front of me with one arm while shielding
my eyes with the other.
    The door swung shut behind me and I turned around at
the noise, losing my balance. I flailed out with my arms trying to
catch myself on something but I fell flat on my face.
    The light slowed its pulse and
dimmed each time. I rolled over onto my back squeezing my eyes
shut, half from pain and half because I was still blinded. The
light faded and faded until it stayed steady — bright, but not too bright.
    I sat up and found myself in a room that was
completely bare. The walls were white, so white they seemed to
produce a light of their own, the only explanation I had as to
where the light source came from. The floor was stark white as
well, like some sort of linoleum or something.
    How exciting. Maybe you can decorate.
    As sarcastic of a thought as it was, it seemed to
fit. There was absolutely nothing in here. I turned my head to look
at the door. It was still there, the outline of it barely stood out
against the reflective white walls.
    I stood up, head still fuzzy from
my fall and retinas still stained, and walked along the walls of
the room. It wasn't very large, maybe 10 ’ x
10 ’ at most. I
couldn't really tell where the ceiling was, it just blended in with
the rest of the room, but so did everything. The only reference I
had was the brass door knob. Without it I wouldn't be able to gauge
distance at all.
    But where were the voices that I heard?
    Over here!
    Shut up.
    No, no... Over here!
    Shut. Up.
    The voice in my head actually did
to seem to be coming from different sides of the room
though …
    Pst!
    It came from my left this time and I turned, hoping
to catch whatever it was. But I saw nothing.
    What the hell is going on?
    Think... What were you doing before you