One White Hallway

He wandered the white hallways aimlessly, hoping that eventually he would stumble upon something of value; water he hoped, or perhaps a long detailed essay about the true meaning of life. Then again, he would be just as happy with cheese and crackers. He wasn't a picky man. Of course, he knew he would find none here. Not in this nightmare... 1

Edward wakes groggily, rubbing his eyes and yawning deeply. Yet another dream about the great white hallways: his own personal Hell. "Happiness is but a butterfly...", Edward mutters under his breath. He gets up from his cot and shuffles his feet just enough to make it to the bathroom. Back to the same routine. Brush teeth, wash hands, pace his room 6 times, knock on door twice, pop the bones in his neck, and stroll down the hall to the cafeteria and eat an egg and sausage biscuit. It was the same every day. Nothing ever changed. But that's purgatory for you. The same nightmare each night, the same routine everyday, the same people saying the same things to you over and over. "Good morning, Edward. Hrmm, this rain sure is a pain eh? Well, maybe it'll be sunnier tomorrow," Dan, the custodian, shouts cheerily to Edward. "Yup. Maybe," Edward replies drearily. It's the same each day. The sun never comes out. And Dan acts as happy as ever just to be mopping the floors. "How does he stay that way? So happy? So carefree? So hopeful?...then again, this is purgatory, I suppose he couldn't change even if he wanted to." 2

Edward walks into the cafeteria and notices something out of the ordinary. "Someone new? At my table? What? How?--", his thoughts are interrupted by the sweetest, most angelic voice Edward has ever heard. "Hi, I'm Natalie. I'm new here. I OD'd on Vicodin and well, here I am." She smiles surprisingly cheerily. "Hrmm, well..uh...I'm..I'm Edward. I cut my wrists with my pocket knife and have been here for about 3 years." "Well," she replied, "much more dangerous and exciting than my way. I wish I had done something like that--slicing my arms open I mean." "It's not really that fun. Or exciting. And of course, both of our lack of appriciation for the lives we were given got us stuck here so it doesn't really matter HOW we did it." "I suppose...So..what room are you in?" "202," Edward answered calmly, although his insides were tearing up with nervousness. "Well, I'm in 208. You should come and visit me." "Uh..perhaps I will," Edward answered as smoothly as possible. "Uh..ya know..things don't change much around here so--" "I haven't been here long enough to shake things up!" Natalie added. 3

---2 WEEKS LATER---4

Edward was again meandering the menacing, cold, white hallways..but there was something different...something...warm and happy. Edward noticed that in one of the usually empty rooms of his nightmare, there sat a woman's sillouette. The woman appeared to be glowing..."Edward...Edward...wake up."5

Edward rises with a jolt. "Edward?" Natalie pushes him back down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your dream." "Oh, believe me, it's fine. I haven't been awakened from that dream in years..." "Well, I was wondering...maybe you'd want to...break out with me." "WHAT?!" a dumbfounded Edward wailed. Natalie quickly put her hand over his mouth "Hush!" she whispered, "I know how to get out. We don't have to be in purgatory forever. There is a way to get to heaven...or Hell...whichever you prefer. I really don't mind either one. At least in Heaven and Hell things change from day to day. Even your existence isn't garunteed in Hell....So let's go!" "Natalie! Are you absolutely INSANE!?" "No. My psychologist said I was perfectly healthy aside from my depression and bipolar disorder. And that's not even the point of the matter. The point is WE CAN LEAVE!" Edward pinches himself to make sure he's not dreaming, then feels silly because he KNOWS he's not dreaming. He can't have any other dreams than the lonely hospital walk. "Natalie...I don't know..." "Come on! Just follow me." Edward slowly slinks out of bed. He would follow Natalie anywhere, even straight to Hell.6

"Here we are."...."The cafeteria? But..." "Yes! The cafeteria! They make food here! Food requires cooking. And cooking requires measurable time, and change in temperature! Don't you see?" "Nat, I think you might be--" "Hush hush," Natalie interrupted, "Now, this is what we do..." Edward's mind is racing with all the thoughts of what is happening and why and GOD THIS WOMAN TALKS SO MUCH! "--and then we just have to--" Edward comes back to reality. "--Nat. Shut up." Natalie is stunned silent. Edward grabs her pretty little head, pulls it towards his own, and kisses her with more passion than Romeo ever had for Juliet. Natalie struggles at first, then settles, closes her eyes, and falls into the kiss..."7

There's a flash of golden light. Edward starts to feel disconnection with everything. Soon he is in black. Just lying there in utter darkness. Then, fading in slowly, he hears beeps and shouting and the sound of feet scurrying across a slick floor. Edward opens his eyes. The hospital? "Could I really be back in the hospital but I--"...his thoughts trail off as a nurse walks in. "Oh God in Heaven, you're awake. We thought we'd lost you. Just rest. I'll be right back with some ice." Edward was still a bit groggy. He raised his head up, looked to the side and noticed a strange glow. He opened his eyes wider. "The most beautiful face in the world," he thought to himself..."Natalie." The woman in the bed next to him slowly began to open her eyes. As she started to see more clearly, she realized it was him. Natalie smiled. Edward smiled. They were free.