You wake up one morning, excited about the possibility of an adventure. You throw on your pack and head for the door – your senses are awakened by the crisp morning air as you take in your first breath. Your heart skips a beat as you look up – a spectacular view of the mountains greets you. You smile and skip down the path – happy to be alive and on your way to making your dreams a reality.
You reach the top of the mountain and are overwhelmed by the magnificent scenery. You scan the area – nothing but green trees, clear blue skies, and vibrant green grass make up the landscape. You look down in awe – the valleys and plains spread out before you like a painting. You scan the horizon – it’s only a matter of time before you see another village or town. You feel a twinge in your toes – you’re standing on the shores of an icy lake! It takes a minute for the reality to sink in – you’re going to spend the night in a tent on a snowy mountain! You decide that the view is incredible and you had better enjoy the breathtaking scenery while you can. Your spirits are lifted – your day is ahead of you filled with excitement and adventure!
Half an hour later, with your stomach rumbling and weary body aching, you stumble down the trail. You’re not sure if you should rejoice or lament – you’re in a bit of a rush to make it to your car before nightfall. The air is damp and chilly, yet invigorating. Your muscles and joints ache – you’re not used to the physical exertion. You look around – there isn’t a soul in sight. You sigh, relieved to have made it this far, yet intimidated by the thought of walking the entire length of the lake. You glance at your watch – it’s already getting late. You hurry onward – the sun will set soon enough, and you don’t want to be caught in the dark.
A few minutes later, you reach the bottom of the lake – the mud is horrendous! It’s the heaviest mud you’ve ever stepped in – it takes all your weight to sink into the ooze. You feel like you’re sinking into quicksand – the stuff is thick and greasy. You struggle to keep your footing – to lift your feet and step forward, the ground feels unstable. You lose your balance and fall forward – you plunge down into the muck! It’s soft and squelches under your weight – the stench of rotten eggs fills your nose. You try to scream, but no sound comes out. You struggle to free yourself – it’s like trying to pull a cart filled with rocks! You grunt as you finally flounder out of the slush – it takes all your strength just to stand. Your body trembles and shakes – you feel weak and violated! You struggle to keep your balance – you feel like you’re about to topple over at any moment. It seems as thought the ground is opening up and swallowing you whole!
You fight for survival – you have to! You feel like you’re being choked by the mud – it’s a slimy, stinking blackness that enfolds you. You feel your strength ebbing away, and you know you’re going to fail. There’s nowhere to go – no escape from the disgusting, slimy substance! You feel like you’re being smothered. You finally manage to free yourself from the clutches of the mud – gagging, you desperately rush for your life. You claw at the ground – somehow, you break free and run! You jump in your car and tear down the highway. You hold your breath as you pass tractor-trailers – you’re terrified of running into another vehicle. You’re relieved when you finally reach the safety of your home. You lock the doors and throw the deadbolt. You collapse on the floor, shaking and gasping for air – you’re physically and emotionally drained. You call the police, but when they arrive you’re too exhausted to give a coherent statement. You want to die – you’re so upset you can’t even sleep. You toss and turn all night, desperate for some peace and quiet before you can collapse into a deep, calm sleep. As you lie in bed, you feel a presence – you turn and see a shadow standing at the foot of your bed. You can’t make out what it is at first – then you realize it’s a man with a gun! Before you know it, he’s pointing the weapon at you! You want to scream or shout for help – but no sound will come out. You feel faint, and blackness engulfs you – you pass out.
When you wake up, you feel drained and exhausted, as though all the blood had been sucked out of your body. You’re in pain, and it feels as though every joint and muscle in your body has tightened up all at once. You roll over and see that the sun is shining through the window. You groan and push yourself up – your back hurts, and you feel as though someone has worked you over with a baseball bat! You slowly get out of bed and cautiously make your way to the bathroom. You turn on the shower and stand under the streaming hot water for a while. Your body feels raw, battered, and bruised. You step out of the shower, feeling refreshed and relaxed. You dress in clean clothes and make your way to the kitchen. You pour yourself a large drink and toast with your morning coffee. You don’t feel like eating anything – you’re too restless and tense. You feel like you could sleep for a week!
On your way to work, you pass a large shopping center. You see people bustling in and out of the stores – it looks like a real frenzy. You think to yourself – maybe this is the place they were talking about when they said there were shootings and carjackings every day. You drive on, hoping this is just a crazy rumor that got out of hand. As you get closer to your office, you notice there are soldiers everywhere – it feels as though they’re blocking all the roads and junctions. You pass an abandoned house – it seems like something out of a movie! You notice it’s been spray-painted with the words “fuck the establishment.” You’re feeling more and more nervous – what is happening here? Who are these people? Is there really any danger? You finally arrive at work – you can’t put your finger on it, but there’s something about being in this office building that feels wrong. You decide to leave as soon as you can and find somewhere else to go. You have a bad feeling about this office, and it’s taking all your concentration just to stay calm.
Half an hour later, as you’re leaving the building, a car speeds toward you and almost hits you! The driver screams at you to move out of the way, and you watch in horror as the vehicle swerves and nearly hits a child! The police arrive and talk to you about the incident. They’re very sympathetic, but they need your statement – they’ll be in touch as soon as they’ve finished their investigations. You look up and see a strange symbol on the roof of the building. It looks like a four-leaf clover, but it’s an upside-down pentagram!
It’s a horrible week – you work long hours and barely sleep. You’re under a lot of stress, which doesn’t help your health. Every time you close your eyes, you have a vision of death and destruction. The news reports are constantly updating the public about “shootings,” “rapes,” and “murders” that have taken place, but the police say they have no leads and no suspects. It’s a total nightmare.