Coffin

I awoke to complete darkness, the air stuffy and dry. I blinked a few times thinking I was at home in my bed. I could usually see the moonlight through the window in my bedroom, but all was pitch black. Had I gone blind? I tried to sit up, only to be met by a pillow covered in smooth fabric. I fell back to laying down and froze. Confused by this I reached out to touch the pillow that was above me and touched the fluffy silken object only to find that it covered a solid panel of some kind.

What is that? I hit the pillow, a loud thud that sounded like a wooden door shook me so that I was fully awake. The grogginess of sleep was gone and I was fully aware of the small space I was trapped in. My breathing sped up as I panicked, I kicked and punched the panel above me but it was solid. I tried to scream, but my throat was so dry that barely any noise came out. What’s happening? Wait a second…I’d heard of people being accidentally buried alive, but that doesn’t happen anymore… does it? Was I in a… no, I’m too young to die. What if I… no, is this a coffin?

The realization of my situation hit me like a brick. I’m in a coffin… underground… and I can't get out or call for help. I’m going to die here. I needed to get out, the oxygen would run out, or I would starve if I lasted that long. I tried to slow my breathing, but I was already hyperventilating. I need to calm down or I'm just going to die faster... I breathed deeply, trying to calm myself. I'm stuck... what do I do? I felt around more, trying to find a weak spot, or something I could use to get out. There was nothing. I checked my pockets, empty.

The air became thicker, it was harder to breathe. I panicked again, I kicked more and clawed at the wood containing me. Tears formed in my eyes, there is no escape. As my breathing got heavier, so did the air around me. I tried to gasp for air, the more I tried the less I succeded. I could feel the tears rolling down the sides of my cheeks, I'm dying. Somebody please help, anybody please! I shook as I tried to breathe again, getting nowhere. No more air. The darkness gained a warm, fuzzy quality and I became less and less lucid. I'm already dead, aren't I...

Original Work by P.H.