Jump to content

Draft:Dinnerbone

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Subscribe to @dinnerbone-r1f

The Escape Home By: Naftoli Geldman Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Nightmare

In a damp, dimly lit hallway that seemed to stretch on forever, a young boy wearing a t-shirt and jeans lay asleep on the cold, hard floor. The air was thick with the smell of mildew, and the only sound was the distant drip of water echoing through the corridor. Suddenly, he woke up with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn't remember anything except his name, Jack, and the urgent need to escape this never-ending nightmare. Jack sat up, rubbing his eyes and trying to make sense of his surroundings. The hallway was lined with plain wooden doors, each one identical to the next. The walls were covered in peeling wallpaper, and the flickering light bulbs cast eerie shadows that danced along the floor. Jack's mind raced as he tried to recall how he ended up there, but his memory was a blank slate. Panic began to set in, and he felt a knot tighten in his stomach. As he stood up, Jack's legs wobbled, and he had to steady himself against the wall. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "Think, Jack, think," he muttered to himself. Then, a fragment of a memory surfaced—his grandmother's bedtime stories about a mysterious hallway that connected different dimensions, worlds, and timelines. Could this be the same hallway she had spoken of? Determined to find a way out, Jack began to walk down the hallway, his footsteps echoing in the silence. He reached out and touched the doors as he passed, feeling the rough texture of the wood beneath his fingertips. Each door seemed to hum with a faint energy, as if it held secrets waiting to be discovered. Jack's curiosity battled with his fear, but he knew he had to keep moving. Finally, after what felt like hours of wandering, Jack stopped in front of a door that seemed to call out to him. He hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the doorknob. Taking a deep breath, he turned the knob and pushed the door open. A wave of heat hit him, and he squinted against the bright light that poured out from the doorway. Jack stepped through the door and found himself in an alternate dimension: The Underworld. It was an endless sea of lava with scattered patches of ground, and the air was thick with the smell of sulfur. Suddenly, a skeleton emerged from the shadows, its hollow eyes staring directly at him. Jack's heart raced, and he let out a terrified scream. He quickly slammed the door shut and leaned against it, his chest heaving with fear. He knew he couldn't stay in one place for too long. Gathering his courage, Jack continued down the hallway, determined to find a way out of this nightmare. The memory of his grandmother's stories gave him a glimmer of hope, and he clung to it as he ventured deeper into the unknown.

Chapter 2: The Doors

Jack kept running until he finally came to a stop, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He leaned against the wall, trying to steady himself. The hallway seemed even more oppressive now, the shadows darker and the air colder. He looked around and saw an open door a few feet away. Cautiously, he approached it, his heart pounding in his chest. He peeked inside and was met with a horrifying sight: the dead bodies of human-like creatures, their faces twisted in agony. The room was filled with an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional drip of blood from the ceiling. Jack quickly closed the door, his hands trembling. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He had to keep moving. Jack crossed the hallway and opened another door. This time, he found himself in a dense forest, the trees towering above him and blocking out most of the light. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth. He could hear the distant calls of birds and the rustle of leaves in the wind. For a moment, he felt a sense of peace, but it was quickly shattered by the sound of voices approaching. Panicking, Jack hurried to open another door and slipped inside, unaware of what lay beyond. He turned around to find himself in a bustling steampunk city—the first sign of civilization he had seen in days. The city was a marvel of engineering, with every building adorned with gears, pipes, and steam-powered contraptions. The streets were filled with people dressed in elaborate outfits, their hats, goggles, and clothes all featuring intricate mechanical designs. Jack's eyes widened in amazement as he took in the sights and sounds of the city. He had never seen anything like it. As he wandered through the streets, a stranger approached him. The man was tall and thin, with a neatly trimmed beard and a pair of brass goggles perched on his forehead. "What’s your name and what are you doing here?" the stranger asked, his voice tinged with curiosity. "My name is Jack," he replied. "I was in this never-ending hallway and opened a door that led to this dimension." The stranger nodded thoughtfully. "I'm Milo," he said, extending a hand. "Come with me. I think the mayor will want to hear your story." Jack followed Milo through the winding streets of the city, marveling at the ingenuity and creativity on display. They arrived at a grand building adorned with gears and clockwork mechanisms. Inside, the mayor listened intently as Jack recounted his story. The mayor's eyes widened with interest at the mention of the mysterious hallway. "This hallway you speak of is unlike anything we've ever encountered," the mayor said. "It could hold the key to understanding the connections between our worlds." After the meeting, Milo took Jack to his home, a cozy workshop filled with tools, blueprints, and half-finished inventions. Milo explained his job as an engineer, which fascinated Jack because he had always been interested in how things worked. Milo offered Jack some food, which he eagerly devoured. It was the first real meal he had had in days. Afterward, Milo showed Jack to a small room with a comfortable bed. Exhausted from his ordeal, Jack collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep, his mind filled with dreams of the hallway and the strange worlds beyond its doors.

Chapter 3: The Dream

In the middle of the night, Jack woke up sweating. He had just woken up from a nightmare about the hallways. At the beginning of the nightmare, Jack was in his home in the real world. Then he fell into a hole in the ground, taking him to the never-ending hallway. Next, he woke up in the dream in the exact spot that he was in when he woke up in the hallway. Later in the dream, he ran from a group of hunters in the hallway where he closed the door with the dead bodies of human-like creatures. Jack sat up in bed, his heart racing and his body drenched in sweat. The room was dark, but the faint glow of the city lights outside cast eerie shadows on the walls. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. The nightmare had felt so real, and the fear lingered even now. The next morning in the steampunk city, Jack told Milo about his dream over breakfast. Milo listened intently; his brow furrowed in concern. "It sounds like the hallway is trying to tell you something," Milo said thoughtfully. "Dreams can sometimes be a way for our minds to process what's happening to us." Jack nodded, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it than that. The dream had been too vivid, too detailed. It was as if the hallway itself was alive, trying to communicate with him. After Jack told Milo about his dream, Milo had a great idea. "There's a professor in the city who specializes in inter-dimensional travel and the mysteries of the universe," Milo said. "He might be able to help us understand what's going on." Jack agreed, and the two of them set off to find the professor. They walked through the bustling streets of the city, the sounds of steam engines and clanking gears filling the air. As they approached the professor's house, Jack felt a sense of unease. The house was dark, and the front door was slightly ajar. When Jack and Milo entered the house, they saw the professor's dead body on the ground. The professor was still in his white nightgown, which was stained with blood, and a message in the professor’s blood on the wall: "GO HOME JACK TO WHERE YOU BELONG!" Jack's heart sank, and he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He had brought danger to this world, and now the professor had paid the price. Milo grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him towards the door. "We need to get to the police station and report this," Milo said urgently. They rushed to the police station, where they were met by a stern-looking officer. Jack recounted what had happened, and the officer's expression grew more serious with each word. "We'll investigate this immediately," the officer said. "In the meantime, you two should stay somewhere safe." Jack and Milo returned to Milo's home, but the sense of safety they had felt before was gone. Jack couldn't shake the feeling that the hallway was still watching him, waiting for the right moment to pull him back into its nightmare.

Chapter 4: The Hunt

The next day, Jack and Milo gathered supplies and returned to the door that led back to the hallway. Jack's heart pounded with a mix of fear and determination as he turned the knob and stepped through. The familiar, oppressive atmosphere of the hallway greeted them, and Jack closed the door behind them. The two started to walk, their footsteps echoing in the silence. After what seemed like hours, Jack and Milo found the central control room, a room full of buttons, levers, and computer screens. The room was dimly lit, and the screens flickered with static. Jack approached the control panel, his fingers hovering over the buttons. Before they could do anything, they saw the hunters on a computer screen. The hunters were moving quickly, their eyes scanning the hallway for any sign of intruders. Jack and Milo hid behind a row of consoles as the hunters came closer and closer to the control room. The tension was palpable, and Jack could hear his own heartbeat in his ears. When the hunters entered the room, Jack tried to hold his breath, but a sudden sneeze escaped him, giving away their hiding spot. The hunters captured Jack and Milo and took them to the Underworld. The heat was unbearable, and the air was thick with the smell of sulfur. Milo started to panic; his eyes wide with fear. Jack grabbed his friend's shoulders and looked him in the eye. "We can do this," Jack said firmly. "We're close to where I woke up in the hallway. But first, we have to escape." Luckily, Milo had tools hidden in his pockets. With trembling hands, he picked the lock on their chains, and they quietly slipped away from their captors. They navigated the treacherous landscape of the Underworld, avoiding pools of lava and hiding from patrolling skeletons. Finally, they reached the door that led back to the hallway. As soon as they walked out the door, the guards spotted them and started to chase them down the hallway. Jack and Milo ran as fast as they could, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. One guard pulled out a gun and started to shoot at them. The guard had bad aim and missed almost every shot, but one hit Milo in the head. Milo dropped dead, his body crumpling to the floor. Jack's heart shattered, but he couldn't stop. He kept running, tears streaming down his face. He had to make it out of the hallway, for Milo's sake. After what felt like an eternity, Jack stopped at the spot where he had awakened in the hallway. He looked around and noticed a door opened ajar. With a final burst of energy, Jack walked through the doorway, which led him to his home in the real world. Chapter 5: Home Sweet Home. After a while running from the guards, Jack stopped at the spot where he had awakened in the hallway. Jack looked around and noticed a door opened ajar. With a final burst of energy, Jack walked through the doorway, which led him to his home in the real world. The familiar surroundings brought a wave of relief over him. Home sweet home. Jack realized that it had only been a second in the real world. The hallway's twisted sense of time had made his ordeal feel like days, but in reality, barely any time had passed. He collapsed onto his bed, exhausted and emotionally drained. As he lay there, he thought about Milo and the sacrifices made to escape the nightmare. The next day, Jack told his friends about the hallway and how he escaped. They listened in awe, their faces reflecting a mix of disbelief and fascination. Jack's vivid descriptions and the genuine fear in his eyes convinced them that he was telling the truth. Despite being back in the real world, Jack couldn't shake the feeling that the nightmare wasn't truly over. He felt a strange pull, as if the hallway was calling him back. Jack knew he had to find a way to prevent others from falling into the same trap. He began researching the hallway, looking for any clues or connections that might help him understand its origins and purpose. His friends supported him, offering their help and encouragement. As days turned into weeks, Jack's determination grew stronger. He vowed to find a way to close the hallway for good, to ensure that no one else would have to endure the horrors he had faced. But deep down, he knew that the hallway still existed, and there were others who might need his help. Jack vowed to find a way back to the hallway, not to escape, but to rescue those still trapped in the nightmare.

Chapter 6: The Return

Jack's friends listened in awe as he recounted his harrowing journey through the never-ending hallway. They were skeptical at first, but the vivid details and the genuine fear in Jack's eyes convinced them that he was telling the truth. Despite being back in the real world, Jack couldn't shake the feeling that the nightmare wasn't truly over. He felt a strange pull, as if the hallway was calling him back. One evening, as Jack was walking home from school, he noticed a familiar door in an alleyway. It was the same type of plain wooden door he had seen in the hallway. Curiosity and a sense of duty compelled him to open it. To his surprise, the door led him back to the hallway. This time, however, he was prepared. He had brought a backpack filled with supplies: a flashlight, a map, some food, and a few tools. Chapter 7: The Alliance As Jack ventured deeper into the hallway, he encountered other people who were also trapped. They had formed a small community, each person with their own story of how they ended up there. Jack shared his experiences and learned that the hallway was a nexus of different dimensions, each door leading to a unique world. The community had been trying to find a way to escape, but their efforts had been in vain. Jack proposed a plan to explore the central control room he had discovered with Milo. He believed that the control room held the key to escaping the hallway for good. The community agreed, and a group of volunteers, including Jack, set out on the perilous journey.

Chapter 8: The Battle

The group faced numerous challenges as they navigated the hallway. They encountered hostile creatures, treacherous landscapes, and the ever-present threat of the hunters. Jack's leadership and knowledge of the hallway proved invaluable, and the group made steady progress. When they finally reached the central control room, they found it heavily guarded. A fierce battle ensued, with the group fighting valiantly against the hunters. Jack managed to reach the control panel and began deciphering the complex system of buttons and levers. Just as he was about to activate the escape mechanism, a hunter lunged at him. In a desperate move, Jack pulled a lever, and a blinding light enveloped the room.

Chapter 9: The New Beginning

Jack awoke to find himself in a lush, green meadow. The sun was shining, and the air was filled with the scent of flowers. He looked around and saw the other members of the group slowly waking up. They had escaped the hallway, but they were in an unfamiliar world. Despite the uncertainty, there was a sense of hope and relief. As they explored their new surroundings, they discovered that this world was a paradise compared to the horrors of the hallway. The group decided to settle there, building a new community and starting fresh. Jack, now a respected leader, felt a sense of peace he hadn't known in a long time. But deep down, he knew that the hallway still existed, and there were others who might need his help. Jack vowed to find a way back to the hallway, not to escape, but to rescue those still trapped in the nightmare.

References

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:Dinnerbone&oldid=1287805158"