Last night, I dreamt that I was at a university with many rivers and ancient roman ruins. It was gorgeous. I was wandering around the university when a man asked me if I wanted to get a free make-over as a demonstration in front of a crowd. I followed him down a flight of stairs to a beautiful Roman amphitheater next to a river. Vines grew all over the ancient walls and steps surrounding the area, and there were many low hanging trees. I sat down in the chair, and as my hair was being done, I noticed that there was barely a crowd and just as I registered that it was strange everything went back. Next thing I knew I was in an a really old house on a couch. The place had a musty smell, and the feeling of abandonment...as if for many, many years. My heart began to pound as I wondered where I was, and how I had even got there!

I jumped suddenly when I a women opened a door to my left with a tray. She smirked broadly and sat down in a chair across from me. I stiffed in response to her cold smile and felt a chill run up my back. She said nothing for awhile as she began to pour tea, and I waited in anticipation with a feeling of foreboding. She was quite beautiful. She had long wavy brown hair that fell past her shoulders, and green eyes. She was taller than myself and slender.

Finally she looked up and said, "I'm glad your here, I care for you very much and I am glad you are finally with me." I started in shock. Did I know her ?Who was she? I continued to stare with my mouth hanging open, as she continued, "I'm glad you'll never leave me." I slammed my mouth shut and furrowed my brow. Finally I found my voice, "What do you mean by that? Where am I?" She laughed harshly, stood up and exited through the same door. My confusion grew and I waited for what felt like forever for her to return. What did she mean by forever? As my courage built I stood up and looked around the room. It looked like a house from the late 1800s or early 1900s, with high ceilings, a huge fire place, and furniture to match. The white door to my left was huge with beautiful scroll work moulds around the door an old brass handle. I would not go through that door, with the woman who said I would stay forever on the other side. I turned from it and saw a hallway to my right. It was filled with gloom but had the errie light of twilight coming from the nearing of a sun set. I had to leave. I began down that hall, the windows were boarded up, it didn't look like I could break it by myself. I continued down the hall where I found a staircase leading upwards. I decided not to go up thinking of an exit, which would certainly not be in an upwards direction, but on the ground level. After searching what felt for hours, I found nothing. My heart began to sink when I thought of the door the women had gone through earlier, maybe the exit was through there...I wouldn't go there..with her. There was something about her that felt off. I decided I would rather go up and maybe go down a tree? After looking out many windows in my search for answer and exit, I had figured out that I was in another part of the country. By the looks of it no where near my university. I began to head towards the stairs when I heard her.

I bolted towards the staircase as she neared. Man! I wish I could be quiet running up this creaky old stair case! I screamed at myself mentally. The smell of the abandoned building was horrid! How did she live with it? I ran around the top floor looking around wildly for a window that wasn't boarded up. I heard her coming and my terror began to take over. What were her plans for me? When she meant forever, did she mean that I'd die here? She drew nearer, I began to walk on my tip toes into a room and found a closet. I buried my self in a closet as quietly as I could manage and hid. It was so hard to not make a sound in this place, maybe thats why she choose it? Was she a crazy serial killer? I had no idea, but the idea of her finding me filled me with total fear. I stopped breathing when I heard the door to the room creak open. I could hear her walking on the old wooden floor. She stopped a few times. Pausing here and there. I nearly jumped when she slammed a lid shut, to a chest at the end of a bed I think-this entire place spoke of decay. Death. I would make it out of here. I needed to get through that door she had exited from the first time I saw her. Eventually she left the room. I stayed there, and I would stay there, it was dark, there was no way on earth I would leave this closet until I knew there was light. I was not going to meet that women in the dark. I wonder why she didn't check the closet? Was she really looking for me?

I wonder how many hours it had been? This closet was beginning to feel cramped. I shifted a little, but feared I would make too much noise and stopped. When would the sun come up? How did this happen? I was at the university, there was a man...he offered a make-over to show his skills to get more customers...was he looking for victims? What did he have to do with this? Were they working together? Did it matter? I needed to leave. Morning was taking too long to arrive. Slowly I got into a kneeling position and peeked out of the closet. The room was empty and filled with moonlight. Thank goodness there was a full moon! Maybe I could get out. slowly I pushed the door open, praying that it wouldn't creak. I slowly edged out, and looked around. This place was so forlorn, yet so beautiful. The moonlight streamed around the dust covered bedroom. It looked like it had been a young girls room. I crept arounds the room to a night stand where a dust covered frame stood. I picked it up and wiped it off. There was a family of three, a daughter and parents. The faces of the mother and father had faded, but not the girls. She had a big smile, brown hair, a bonnet, floral dress, and held the hands of both her parents. Why had they left, how many years had it been since they had lived there? I placed the photo back feeling that I did not want to change anything incase the family returned, which would never happen, it had been too long. Had they moved? Why wouldn't they have taken their things? It's as if time has stopped in this place.

I heard a sound and froze. Stupid! I had completely forgotten about the women living here, lost in the story of this place. Why was she here? Did she know the family? Was she a descendant of the girl in the photo? Who cared? Why was she keeping me? I heard the noise again and turned only to be frozen again, there she was, standing partially covered in darkness and moonlight staring at me, holding me in place. She took a step towards me, and I mirrored her with a step backwards. She took another and I continued back. She spoke again, "You'll never leave me." My heart began to pound, she really intended to keep me here. "Forever, stay with me." I continued backwards. I could make it to the door- where she left from the first time, that was probably where the exit was-hopefully. "Nnnoo..I have to go." She stopped. "But you said you'd never leave me." I had no reply, I stubbled back as I found the stair case and caught the railing. I stole one more glance at her before fleeing downwards into the darkness. Was there no electricity in this house? I continued to stumbling around until I found the room, and crashed through it into the kitchen. FINALLY! I rushed to the only door left and turned the knob furiously for several minutes. It wouldn't open! I began to slam myself against it to no avail. Then I heard a noise and spun around. There she was again. I pressed myself against the door and turned the knob at my back willing it to open. She took one step closer I stopped turning the knob, I needed another way out, maybe a window? Could I slam myself through one of the boarded up windows?

"Stay with me" she repeated. I began to edge around counter shaking my head. "You said you would" she stated as she followed me around the island in the kitchen. My had hit something, I looked away and discovered a knife. I grabbed it, and held it towards her my voice shook as I shouted, "Stay away from me!" She stopped and repeated, "You said forever". I could take it anymore made a break for the door with my knife. I would go back down the hallway! I thought, but then she leaped at me and knocked me to the ground, I dropped the knife! Of course! I struggled but quickly realized how strong she was, I couldn't move my arms under her grasp. What was she? She felt like a rock! She didn't even budge as I struggled against her, finally I stopped panting and looked up at her. She released one of my hands and gazed down at me. "Stay with me forever" she said, this time her voice was a little strained. I couldn't reply, I only returned her gaze. Forever? I can't! She lifted a hand and took my face in her hand. "Forever" she repeated as if reading my thoughts. I turned from her, wrenching my face from her grasp, I winced. She was so strong, she must have allowed it. Thats when I noticed the knife, it wasn't far. I stole a glance back at her, she wasn't going to let me go. This gave me some resolve as I made for the knife with my free hand and drove it through her stomach. I stared in shock. What had I done? She looked down at the knife, I couldn't see her face. Her grip hadn't loosened at all. Suddenly she grabbed the knife from her bloody stomach and screamed at me with madness in her eyes "YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE ME" and plunged the knife into my stomach.

I woke up.