Heed My Handmaid's Tale

To whatever unlucky soul may find this letter,

Sometimes life doesn’t work out the way you imagined, and that’s certainly what happened for me. I’ll start at the beginning though, as not to confuse anyone reading this. My name is Elizabeth McLane, or at least it was, when I was alive. Not to say that I’m not alive, but I’ll get to that. My life was rather average, I had loving parents, a great job, I was doing well in school, and had plans to marry my high school sweetheart. Life was great! Until my boyfriend gifted me that stupid locket. It was a gorgeous gold locket, in the shape of a heart, and it complimented my golden tan skin perfectly. Getting that locket was the start of all of my troubles, however.

The first time I realized the locket wasn’t ordinary was a few nights after I got it. I rarely wear jewelry, but the locket seemed to call my name, and I couldn’t resist putting it on. As soon as it hit my skin, I hit the floor. I passed out, which wasn’t out of the ordinary for me, so when I woke up I wasn’t scared, I was used it by now. What I wasn’t used to however, was waking up in the ruins of a building. I honestly freaked out, the scenery around me was desolate, and barren, but I could hear people screaming very clearly. I tried to remain calm and figure out where in the hell I was! It seemed as though I was in an a bombed factory, the words “Sardine rations are the future” was painted on the wall, faded and barely readable, but still there nonetheless. Not much else was around me, a few broken machine parts, lots of charred parts of a building, and very little sunlight to speak of.

Not knowing what was happening I decided I needed to find someone who could tell me where I was, or help me get back home. I regret that decision though. I walked outside through a destroyed wall, and what I saw was sickening. It was just body after body, I should have been sick right there, but I wasn’t I had never seen a dead body in my life, but for some reason it didn’t make me feel sick or sad like one would assume, I just felt numb. That was until a hand grabbed my boot, and when I looked down, I saw it was a man, a man I didn’t recognize. I felt a connection to him though, and I knelt down next to him as he lifted hand to hold my own. There was no emotion on either of our faces, but I had a feeling that I knew how this man felt somehow. I opened my mouth to speak, but he slapped his hand over my mouth, and just shook his head before collapsing. I just kneeled there looking at him, and I felt a single tear roll down my cheek, and when it fell from my chin, it hit the locket, and I woke up in my room.

I sat upright, my head was spinning, my heart was pounding, and I was confused. What just happened! I didn’t know what had happened, or how, but I knew it had something to do with the damn locket. I went to take it off, but when I touched it, it felt as if I had grabbed a red-hot iron. I withdrew my hand and yelped in pain. The locket wasn’t hot against my skin, so why did it burn my hand? I was confused but tired, and I figured it was best to worry about it in the morning. I went to bed with the locket still on. That night, and for every night to follow, when I went to bed, I was once more transported to this other world, and everything felt so real.

As the nights went on, I learned more about this other world, and this other me that I would become. It wasn’t all desolate, just the part that I happened to fall into was destroyed. Everything else I could find was normal, as though nothing had ever happened. I quickly learned it was best to stay to stay where those in “normal” society couldn’t see me. From what I observed, I felt as though I had gone back in time. There were women in long dresses and hats everywhere, men wearing suits and tall hats, and clearly the power dynamic was once again in place where a man was the lead in a relationship and the women was to be subservient. It was strange, but I was curious and intrigued, so I watched from afar. During my time in this new world, I found a friendly face. A man claiming to be my husband, and a child that was supposedly mine. I didn’t believe that, but something in me told to go along with it, so I did. My husband was a kind man and was very patient. I convinced him that I had just hit my head, and had temporary amnesia, and he was very diligent in explaining everything I didn’t know.

After the 30th night of this strange dream sequence, I finally figured out what was going on. This story was so familiar because I had heard it before! I had once read a book called The Handmaid’s Tale and that was what I was dreaming about. It all suddenly made sense, I was just dreaming of the book I had read years ago, and I was imagining myself as the main character. Unfortunately, after I realized this, things took a terrible turn.

Before I went to bed that night, I had a strange desire to tell my parents and boyfriend that I love them, but to also say goodbye rather than good night. That should have been my hint that something bad was going to happen, but I didn’t think anything of it, and I went to bed as normal. When I woke up, everything changed.

My husband and I had been living peacefully in the outskirts of this strange society, however this day was the day that I was taken from my family. I was kidnapped and taken to this society because I could have children, so I was going to be forced to have children for a rich family. I figured I’d just have to suffer through for a short period of time and then I’d wake up at home, that wasn’t the case however.

I never woke from this dream. I have been here for 4 years now, and there doesn’t seem to be an end to my suffering. I miss my family, but I’ve let go of hope that I’d ever make it back to them.

I finally took the locket off this morning, the burns on my fingers were worth it. I’m writing this letter to warn anyone who finds this locket, do NOT put this locket on, it will not end well. I lost everything the day I received this locket, so heed my warning.

My name was Elizabeth Mclane, but it is now Offred. I am the main character in a dystopian fantasy book, and I think I will die here. Please don’t make the same mistake as me.