Lost ( from hell)

It took me a few seconds to realize I was utterly and completely lost. My eyes scan the street, searching for anything that looks familiar. My heart starts to pound when I realize that not a thing does. A sick feeling draws my stomach up into a tight ball. I feel sweat cover my brow despite the cool evening air.

I have been just walking, trying to work out the situation with him. Whether we stay together, if I can trust him after what he did. Walking helps to settle my mind but now I have walked too far. The issue of his cheating falls way to the back of my mind as my current situation takes over every thought.

“Think!” I order myself, taking several deep breaths, trying to calm myself. Looking down at my smart watch, I see my heart rate is 130. Need to get it down, there is no way I will be able to think with my body in such a state of stress.

I pull my breath in, holding it for five seconds before slowly blowing it out. After about a minute of this, my heart rate is back down to under a hundred. Good. Good start. Now to try to find out where I am.

He will pick me up, I know that. I just need to tell him where to pick me up. Do I want him too, that is the question.

A quick shake of my head. First things first. I need to figure out where I am.

Okay, what is near me? I study the area. Several fast food restaurants. Not a help. That is everywhere. Anything unusual? I don't want to move too far. I have walked miles and now that I have stopped, I am now feeling it. I also don't want to move any farther away from home than I already have.

I may have too though, as the only things around are McDonald's and Walmart. A sigh as I make my way towards a crosswalk. I will cross over to Walmart. My hope is someone inside can tell me where I am in relation to my home.

But when I enter, I get a weird feeling. You know when you get that feeling that raises the hair on the back of your neck, like someone, something is behind you.

Turning quickly, all I see is the entrance I just walked through. Still the feeling persistent as walk, with a bit unsteady legs, towards the information and help desk.

I walk past the checkouts. As normal, they are mostly self-checkout. What isn't, and it takes me a moment to realize it, how empty they are. Based on the parking lot, they shouldn't be. Only a few are in use and the people there… there is something weird about them. Slowing, I look at the woman in the closest one. She looks normal. But… no. No, not quite.i can't tell why. She moves slow, scanning each item at the speed of a turtle. It isn't the only thing though.

I have to stand there for a few minutes to understand. She finishes before dropping the items back into her cart and rescanning them. I frown. What the…?

I think about approaching her before the general creepiness of the situation moves me beyond her. I continue towards the help desk.

It is a relief to see a person there. She stands behind the counter. With a bit of trepidation, I move towards her.

“Can I help you?” I breathe out in relief at hearing from her exactly what I expected too. She seemed to stare past me but at least said the right thing.

“Yes, I am lost. Could you tell me the address?”

“Hell.”

I think I have misheard her so ask her to repeat what she said.

“Hell. This is hell.” Then she turns and walks back into the storage room behind her.

I stand staring after her, in shock. Okay, don't panic, I tell myself. She is just having a bad day. That is all, right. Anyone who works in customer service has days were they believe they are in hell.

I decided to try to find someone else to ask, whether a customer or employee.

Walking back towards the entrance, I look over to see the same woman, rescanning her items. This time I stop and speak to her.

“Ma’am. Are you okay?” She doesn't stop, doesn't look up, just keeps mindlessly scanning.

A full body shiver runs through me as I slowly back away, keeping her in front of me until I am past her.

“Lord help!” I think as I reluctantly enter Walmart proper.

I decided to ask one other person before leaving. Anymore strangeness and I am so out of there!

I walk down several aisles before finding someone. He stands stocking shelves. I take a deep breath before walking up to him.

“Excuse me sir, may I trouble you for a second?”

He turns towards me. His eyes are completely blank, like when a doctor opens the eyes of someone in a coma, or dead.

He looks? Or however you would describe it, at me for a second that feels like forever before turning back to his job. He moves a box to the shelf before moving it back to the pallet, then back to the shelf. Over and over.

I turn, running towards the entrance. I have to get out of there before going insane.

Reaching the doors, I am stopped when the automatic doors don't open. Stymied, I stare at them before trying to manually open them. Pulling until my hands cramp, I am unable to to open them.

Shaking, I fall on my butt and shake.

“Let me out! Let me out!” I start to scream. I yell until my throat is sore. Not one of the zombie like people that populate this strange place responds to my hysteria.

I am beyond lost. I am truly in hell.