The sickled sling which cast doubts beckons from the blackened light.

 An inevitable dream that awakens me abruptly, haunts my ever waking moment.

It was a familiar face, a familiar voice, yet something about her was strangely unfamiliar.

Was it the way she called to me on most nights as if lost within herself?

Lost in the intricate fabrication of her own mind?

An endless maze stands before me,

no light except for this lighter I found laying on the park bench near the entrance.

With each strike I make with my blistering pale thumb upon the hot metal wheel of the lighter, a glint of light is reflected.

Strange...

I proceed to follow the glints of reflection hungrily, stopping only to catch my breath.

"Stay out of the dark", a voice whispers from within myself.

I called out to the disembodied voice that seemed to have left my hairs stand on end.

No matter how many times I called out, I was completely alone.

As I moved deeper into the maze, the night grew darker.

The sky became fickle; going from cloudless to cloudy as though it could not make up its mind.

As I turned the next corner, there was a single light shining abnormally bright from a single lamp post.

I kept a good pace, not walking, but not quite running either.

I wasn't afraid of the dark, but I rather not get lost in it.

It seemed like an hour had passed by, and I still have not reached the light.

Breathing heavily, I decided to to stop and catch my breath...

"RUN!", the voice rang again, yet it was no longer a whisper.

The voice shook my very core, and immediately I began running at full sprint.

Behind me, the darkness had swallowed everything.

I felt uneasy as I began to realize that I may not be alone.

I had no clue why, but I knew that I had to reach the light in the distance.

Before I could reach the lamp post, a tall dark figure approached silently.

The shadowy figure was blocking my path where it stood silently.

I was terrified, but my curiosity had taken over surprisingly.

Before I knew what I was doing, my hand clutched the cold steel body of the zippo.

I held it at eye level.... -Strike!-

The silhouette burst into flames  and in seconds my path was clear.

I regained my composer and continued my mad dash to the light.

Only a moment passed and before I knew it, I was standing in the bright lights shadow.

Its yellow rays washed over me; cleaning away the darkness.

I felt safe, I could finally rest...

I opened my eye's and I was standing in my bathroom.

A familiar face stared back at me through the reflection.

The light shined brightly, every dark corner of my face now was visible, the darkness was gone.

No longer do I feel unfamiliar.....