Tallahassee

Out in the field I see the familiar, dilapidated house. Crumbling and sad, rotting and hopeless. The grass around it climbs high off the ground and dead trees scratch at the sides of the building. Dust clouds roll away from the trees in the wind. White clouds roll across the blue sky like tumbleweeds.

This is the place I visit every night in my dreams.... nightmares. I can't distinguish between the two anymore. It's the same place every night because it all happened in one place, on one night, in one conclusive, but prolonged, moment. 

It's funny how peaceful the house looks. It sits alone, resting in the wide field, seemingly untouched by humanity as it crumbles to pieces. It's alone but it's not lonely. I guess I've always looked up that house for that reason. I've tried to be like that lately.

Alone, but not lonely.

But it's hard. It's always more complicated than it should be. That's just life. That's what I signed up for when I was born into this world. But if I had known I would have to deal with death and loss on a regular basis, such as what happened there... 

I probably would've opted out of life.

The grass is burnt away by the setting sun. My hand tightens over the driving wheel. It was about to begin. There was no going back. The road could not be retraced. You have no idea how much I wanted to shift gears, back the car up, and speed away as fast as I could. But I couldn't. If I leave it never ends. It'll just follow.

I hear the whispers from a ghost. I talk back. I try to, without crying. 

A younger, more confident voice speaks over my voice. A happier voice.

"So, this is the house, James?"

"Yeah. We're going in, grabbing the girl, and getting out. We're not staying a second longer than we have to. She's... nearby, and I'm not risking our safety for this."

I cringe when I say "she's." I wish I could have warned them that it was all a trap. I wish I could have warned them that a witch was lurking inside of the house.

But I'm glued... I'm glued to the script.