Chimera

Chimera

         Her forehead was drenched with sweat. Her breath was ragged as she stumbled down the clean, white hallway. He hand ran along the plain white wall, helping her stay balanced. She looked back over her shoulder with some relief. The gray beasts chasing her had fallen back for now.
         Her hand came across a handle. He looked the wall over, seeing the seem around the door. Cautiously, she opened the door and peered in. The room appeared to be a closet of some kind. She slipped inside and sat with her back against the door.
         As she fought to control her breath, something flashed before her eyes. She thought she saw the shape of a giant beast, but before she could get a good look. . ..

         She found herself standing in a field of luscious green grass and fragrant roses. A gentle breeze pushed her hair around her cheeks. The sun brightened the vast blue sky. It felt warm on her skin. Her feet were bare, caressed by the soft dew on the grass. She closed her eyes and let the tranquility start taking over. Something tugged at the edge of her mind—a feeling that this was not right. As strongly as she wanted to accept the calm and beauty of the field she found herself in, she didn’t belong there. A loud crash darted open her eyes. . ..

         She recognized the closet she had hidden herself in, but could not explain what had just happened. She found her breathing still heavy and her body covered in sweat. How long have I been in here? Wasn’t I just somewhere else? Her mind raced over these questions, and could find no answers.
         Heavy stomping passed by in the hallway. Her heart started racing. When the clamor had died down, she stood up and opened the door slightly. She wasn’t safe in the closet anymore. Checking that the hall was clear, she crept out and started pacing down the hall again. Not knowing where she was made it difficult to navigate, and the white walls just made it worse. She looked at the corner where the wall and the floor met to help her.
         The hallway curved and revealed a cross-section ahead. She stopped short. In the cross-section, standing with their backs to her, were several huge gray creatures. The spoke in harsh guttural voices, with words she did not understand. Her breath stopped in a silent gasp and she frantically looked over the hall.
         She saw what she needed, another door, identified only by the handle and slight outline in the wall. She quickly opened the door and leapt inside, closing the door as quietly as possible. She was in an office, and was relieved that it was empty. More heavy footsteps from the hall made her scramble behind the desk.
         The door did not open and the footsteps died away. The tension eased up some and she rested her back against the deck. There was another sudden flash before her eyes. The giant beast became clearer. She saw a serpent’s tail, a goat’s body, and a lion’s head. It was gone as quickly as it appeared. . ..

         Her eyes fluttered as the sounds of rushing waves filled her ears. She was lying on the beach, the sand warming every inch of her body. A cool sensation covered her feet and she realized the tide was washing over them. She filled her lungs with the ocean air and closed her eyes. She was relaxed and at peace. But there was a sense of unease at the back of her mind she couldn’t quite figure out. . ..

         Her eyes snapped open as the slam of the door against the wall echoed through the room. She had been found. She sat frozen behind the desk, not giving up her hiding place willingly. But it was already too late. A large gray hand cupped her shoulder and lifted her by her shirt. The creature brought her face to face with itself. She was petrified by what humans accept as an evil sneer.
         She sensed movement behind her and a needle poked her neck. Her eyes drooped and the darkness of sleep took over. . ..

         She was in her living room, sitting in her favorite chair. A bird chirped outside the open window. A cool breeze blew in. She was relieved to be home. It must have just been a nightmare. She thought. She looked around her home and a book on the end table next to her drew her attention. The cover was brown, with an embedded design etched into the cover. It was called “The Chimera.”
         She opened it up, but found no words inside. Instead the pages all depicted the same image. It was the picture of a horrible she-monster. The great beast had the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. She felt the breath escape her lungs as she fainted. . ..

         She awoke with a jump. She was lying on a pad on the floor of a clean, white, empty room. Something felt different. It was as if her body was no longer her own. She had trouble moving. How long have I been out? She wondered. She willed her body to move, pleading with her arms to help her to at least sit up. After some time, they reluctantly obeyed. Sitting up gave her the chance to look herself over. Now she understood what was different.
         Her arms had been replaced by large and muscular with a blue tint to them. She brought her hands to her face, revealing razor sharp claws. She looked at her legs. They were covered with white fur. Beneath the fur, she saw they were fairly skinny, but not scrawny. Tears welled up under her eyes. She realized that her worst fear now was not that her limbs had been replaced with these monstrous ones, but that she had become the monster that her mind kept flashing before her eyes.