A Minute? More Like Eternity

I sit down ready to eat, my stomach roaring with anger. I decide to view the menu. A cheeseburger with tomatoes, lettuce, and lots of ketchup. Of course, don't forget the side of fries and a vanilla milkshake. Simple. Basic. I smile to myself, thinking about how easy it was for me to pick the food I wanted. I almost laughed, but I caught myself. I started to wonder how concerning it would be to see a middle-aged woman with accidental tan skin with bright blue eyes and jet black hair to be laughing to herself. At a table. Alone. I look around, hoping to see someone else without an eating partner to talk, laugh, and experience their meal with. I continue to scan the room awkwardly, trying not to be obvious that I am observing people. Their small habits and features. I look down at my nearly empty table. I stare at my purse, hands, and the tiny condiment bottles that I do not dare to use.

I look up with an exasperated look on my face, trying to calm my breathing. Alone, to myself, letting my thoughts get inside my prison cell can really wear me out. I look up at the clock: 4:47 PM. My eyes focus to the man in front of me, and his eyes meet mine. Suddenly, I've fallen into a deep dark abyss. As black at the night sky. I look around and think that I see stars, only to realize that those were only the twinkles in his eyes. I keep falling, down, down, down, wondering and almost hoping to hit the bottom soon. My heart races and my stomach starts to churn. I forget anything else and only focus on trying not to belch. Yet suddenly, I stop. No. I did not hit the ground. I just stopped.

I floated around on the top of the whirling and thrashing ocean. Down below, there is nothing to be seen. All of the water is black, and it goes on and on forever. the bright blue sky stares down on me. It stares into my soul. I am forced to look away. No life anywhere. Except me. I close my eyes and let myself float on top of the water, letting the currents take me away. Peace I feel. Death I feared. My eyes spring open. I am no longer in the ocean or falling down forever, I am now in a white room. It is so extremely bright compared to the blackness I have thoroughly experience that my eyes burnt and started to water. With a white chair. I sit down in the chair and look around the room. I am trapped. I am trapped inside something.

It starts to get smaller, the large room becomes smaller. It doesn't stop. It continues. I'm scared and don't know what to do. I just wish I could get out of here. I close my eyes and roll up into a ball. Tears start to stain my face. Suddenly quiet. Until a small chirp of a bird is heard. And the noise of potatoes getting fried into french fries. And suddenly the bell on the door tings. I open my eyes and still see the man staring at me. He smiles, and I wince. My mouth wide open, and my heart is beating in my ears. I look over at the clock and read: 4:48 PM. Just in time for the waiter to come and take my order.