A voice whispered in my ear, “Are you OK?” And my heavy head swayed back and forth, in slow motion. A mug filled with water was placed into my slowly disappearing hand. I knew what was happening. I needed to control it. I tried to stay focused by reading what was written on the cup. Smelly Cat Coffee House. Smelly Cat Coffee House. Smelly Cat House. Smelly House. Smeell. Haziness; it got me.

The colorful, contorted walls stretched long and thin before me. My hands were miles away and protected by sweat. I’m still here, I thought.My body swiftly melted into someone’s arms, as I felt my soul whither. My eyes couldn’t focus. Everything was moving in slow motion; a green blur there, a white vapor here. My head was too heavy to move and the blackness seeped in.

I was alone. In an unknown abyss with the only entity being myself.

I lost control of my thoughts. My body forced itself into the fetal position, with stiff fists and toes. My stomach knotted and nausea filled the empty space in my gut. The sense of time vanished. I was bewildered. I lost sense of the material body and became solely a conscious. Only thoughts of guilt, despair, and fear remained. I felt like death was creeping from behind.

A familiar voice echoed in the space of my mind. It wasn’t real, it couldn’t be real. I was alone. It told me that it was here, that it was coming, but it couldn’t. Death was there, waiting for me. My voice cried out and it frightened every piece of who I was. I was dying. The only thing that “flashed” before my eyes was black and then, I was gone.

I was floating in an empty universe. I can hear no music, no voices, no thoughts, I only feel the sense of myself. I tried to return, but only found failure. I had lost.

Apparently hours had passed before someone close to me swept me off the floor. I hardly remember the trip at all, only the shadows that appeared in my mind. I was hazy for the next two days and felt as if my body weighed more than usual. It was hard to be anything but quiet. It was hard to be myself.

But not all was lost and life went back to normal. I have learned a few things, and I don't regret any of the events that occurred. It was a scary experience, one of the worst, but it opened my mind to confront all of the horrors that existed. Would I recommend it? That's a hard question to answer because it is both terrifying and rewarding in the same act. All I can do is advise you to decide for yourself and be smart with your surroundings/choices.