1. WASTELAND BY ALICIA POPE

2. DARK AND DREARY GREY SURROUNDS ME AS I WAKE UP IN THE WASTELAND THAT FOREVER HAUNTS ME. 3 MONTHS AND COUNTING OF BEING LEFT ALONE TO SURVIVE. MY MUM’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE DIDN’T LAST LONG, BECAUSE SHE WOULD HAVE FOUND ME.

3. 3 ½ MONTHS AGO… (I THINK)…

4. “I WANT PIZZA!” I SCREAM AT MY OBEDIENT MOTHER. “NOW!” “SWEETIE, WE ARE HAVING SPAGHETTI BOLOGNAISE TONIGHT,” MY MUM STUTTERED BACK. “PIZZA!” I YELL. “OKAY, OKAY I WILL GO AND GET PIZZA, I’LL BE BACK IN A COUPLE MINUTES, BYE.” I CAN’T BE BOTHERED ANSWERING HER ANNOYING VOICE. THE CREAK AND BANG OF THE OLD DOOR SIGNALS PARTY TIME!

5. I LAY MY SOFTEST PILLOW ON THE FLOOR NEXT TO MY BUNK BED. MY WARM FEET TOUCH THE COLD, SLIPPERY METAL RAILS AS A CLAMBER UP THE LADDER. MY HEART BEAT IS AT RISK BUT I STILL JUMPED. THE PILLOW SLID ACROSS THE WOODEN FLOOR AS I LANDED. UNCONTROLLABLY, MY HEAD HIT MY DESK AND I FELL TO THE GROUND, UNCONSCIOUS.

6. THAT’S HOW I ENDED UP HERE IN THIS DUMP ALL ALONE. I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT MY MOTHER HASN’T FOUND ME YET. DOES SHE NOT LOVE ME? THERE ARE LIKE THESE INVISIBLE WALLS KEEPING ME ISOLATED. I’M RICH AND SPOILT WHY CAN’T WE JUST PAY SOMEONE TO GET ME OUT OF HERE? I SUPPOSE I SHOULD JUST SLEEP, EVEN THOUGH I DON’T KNOW WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS.

7. I OPEN MY EYES TO A GIANT DROOLING MONSTER HUNCHED OVER MY BODY. I SCREAM. IT VANISHES INTO THIN AIR RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. MAYBE IT WAS JUST A HOLOGRAM OR MIRAGE, BUT IT WAS SCARY AND IT LOOKED SO REAL. IT HAD BLOOD- SHOOT EYES ON THE SIDE OF ITS WRINKLY BROWN- GREEN HEAD. A JAGGED, HUNCHED BODY, COVERED WITH A CLOTH THAT LOOKED LIKE A TOGA. DID SOMEONE SEND IT HERE? WHY?

8. IN THE HOSPITAL…

9. “PLEASE DOCTOR, PLEASE BRING HER BACK TO ME,” MY MUM WAILS. “MA’AM, YOUR DAUGHTER IS IN A COMA, I CAN’T DO ANYTHING TO HELP HER.” EXPLAINED THE DOCTOR. “THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING!” REPLIED MY MUM. “I’M SORRY, WE JUST HAVE TO WAIT.”

10. IN THE WASTELAND…

11. I AM STARTING TO FEEL DIZZY. EVERYTHING IS SPINNING AROUND ME. I CLOSE MY EYES. THE WORLD STOPS SPINNING.

12. I BLINK. THE BRIGHT LIGHT SHINES DOWN ON ME FROM THE CEILING OF THE… HOSPITAL! AM I BACK IN THE REAL WORLD? I LOOK AROUND, I SEE PLAIN WHITE THAT SEEM LIKE AN ARTIST FORGOT TO PAINT ON THEM. WHITE BEDS WITH WHITE PILLOWS AND WHITE SHEETS. EVERYTHING IS WHITE, DULL, BLAND AND LIFELESS. BUT THEN I SEE LONG, THICK, BROWN HAIR. COULD IT BE?

13. “MUM!” I CRY. THE BROWN HAIR TURNS AND REVEALS MY MUM’S PRETTY FACE. “SWEETHEART, YOU HAVE COME BACK!” “WHY DIDN’T YOU COME AND SAVE ME EARLIER?” I QUESTIONED. “YOU WERE ONLY KNOCKED OUT FOR 2 HOURS.” REPLIED MY MUM “OH, OKAY.” I SAY “HEY MUM, I’M SORRY FOR EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE.” “THAT’S OKAY, I FORGIVE YOU.” “IT FELT LIKE FOREVER WHEN I WAS SEPARATED FROM YOU.”

14. THE END