Incredible Story in Everyday World: When Life Turns Upside Down

She stared at herself under the moonlight shining through her window. Everything around her seemed foreign. The brown chair at the corner of the room seemed like a demon trying to attack her. The mahogany bed looked unbelievably large and empty. She could neither understand nor make sense of what was happening. The woman standing in front of her was now a stranger. Her hollow eyes revolted her. The emptiness in her reflection reminded her of her misery. It reminded her of her despair. This hollowness took her back in time to when her life was turned upside down.

It was a hot summer day. The children were playing outside, and the grass spread beneath their feet like a bright green carpet. The beach ball was being tossed back and forth while their loving golden retriever ran around the children wrapping them with love and playfulness. Meredith was inside the kitchen cooking and looking at her children through the window when she saw him come and add a beautiful touch of love and fatherhood to the picture she was seeing behind the glass window. Spencer threw the ball, carried their daughter while their youngest son wobbled after them in his bright red shirt, and diaper. She couldn’t help but smile at the view of her three kids, and husband, playing under the sun.

While taking the food outside, her youngest child rushed through the open door and accidentally through the boor down the attic stairs. She never liked going there; and no matter how hard she tried to convince Spencer to build a door and lock it for good, he was never convinced. Nonetheless, the nagging of her son led her down the crooked stairs. She found the ball at the far corner of the room. She tried not to look around or think of her surroundings. She heard an unfamiliar and squeaky voice coming from the behind Meredith took the ball and rushed outside where her family waited for her. She tried to abandon her fear and convince herself it was all part of her imagination. The five of them sat around the table under the yellow umbrella. They ate the food, and she looked at the faces of her family thanking God for her blessing. Her husband had the spark of manhood and sweetness in his eyes as he smiled and passed the ketchup to their oldest son. She looked at his loving gestures and smiled, remembering that his eyes were what first charmed her. She turned her gaze to look at her two sons and daughter. Their eyes were a replica of their father’s yet their innocent smiles were ones that to her, were not possessed by anyone in this world. They were a mix of sparkle, purity, mischief, and love.

As they ate their homemade burgers and French fries, Meredith got a sudden feeling of urgency. It was more of a feeling of unexplained fear and danger. She did not know why or how, but she immediately commanded everyone to go inside. Feeling confused and disappointed, the children went inside and rested on their favorite sofa in the living room. Spencer held her hand and led her to the brown chair in their bedroom as she trembled. She couldn’t understand what was happening to her. Being his usual supportive self, Spencer tried to calm her down, but she could see the concern in his eyes. She looked at him and started crying. She was scared. Her heart was beating fast; she could hear noises inside her head. Her ears were ringing, and she did not feel well. She tried to explain to him “I feel like I am being invaded” but the confusion on his face was obvious.

Spencer left her to rest, yet she could not stay still. She knew he was downstairs sitting with their children, but she could not stop herself. A huge crash was heard, then the cries of their youngest son. She heard his footsteps as Spencer rushed to their bedroom to find the windows shattered. Meredith was standing across from him looking as pale as the walls around him. Her eyes were filled with fear and surprise. “I feel invaded” she repeated with tears falling from her watery eyes. Spencer stood there, almost paralyzed with shock. He took a step back but she ran to his arms, crying and shivering with fear. “Help me! I don’t know what is happening to me. I need you. Help me”. He hugged her, and she knew at that moment that he could hear the desperateness in her voice.

He sat her down on the brown chair again, and asked her to explain what happened. “I was sleeping in the bed, when suddenly I felt a force inside of me pushing me to get up. I tried to resist it, but I felt powerless. I heard voices in my head but it was loud and I couldn’t understand. Then I just saw myself in front of a broken window”. She remembered a time when their friends told them a similar story, but neither Spencer nor her believed it or even thought of it. They just laughed at their superstitious friends. But can this be true? Can she really be haunted? Why? What happened in the attic? Who lives or lived there? She traveled into a deep realm of thought while he stood in front of her, till suddenly their daughter called for her daddy. He went downstairs and from the urgency in his voice, she knew that something else happened.

Although in a different, room, she felt like she could hear and see what was happening downstairs. Her daughter was holding her favorite doll in her arms. “Daddy, they hurt her. Make it better” . She could hear the cries in her voice and it broke her heart, but she knew she couldn’t stop it; not anymore at least. She heard Spencer’s calm voice again and it brought tears to her eyes. “Who hurt her sweetie? What are you talking about?”. Before she knew it, she heard a loud roar and then the loud cries of her daughter “They did!”

She heard screams, cries, glass breaking, and Spencer yelling at his children to leave the house. They got them, she thought.

As Spencer closed the huge house door, She looked at him from the broken window with tears in her eyes. She knew he was doing the right thing taking the kids away. It was dangerous for them to stay. The tears in her eyes were not tears of despair; they were loud and angry tears.

She was still looking out the window when she saw his car again. This time, the backseats were empty and it was only Spencer. She heard the door unlock and then his footsteps as he came closer. The voices came back, this time they were louder. They were saying articulate words in a smooth yet horrifying voice. As Spencer entered the bedroom, she was sitting on the floor screaming at him telling him to get out. He tried to come closer to her, but she pushed him away “leave! I’m dangerous. Leave me here. Go, go away. You can’t be here; they’ll kill you. Go away Spencer!” she was crying and yelling at him but Spencer wouldn’t leave. “It’s okay, don’t worry. I will help you Meredith. It’s okay” he tried to say those words, but she saw the doubt and wonder in his eyes. She could hear the uncertainty in his voice. How can he help her without understanding what was happening?

The weird voices came again. They were coming from behind his innocent husband. “You took away our only home. You sent our mother away. We shall get rid of you, and keep her as our own” A cold chill went over her body, and she knew right away that Spencer’s life was at stake. In a speed faster than light, he stood up and turned around. She was on the floor begging him to get out. He looked at her and seemed to be lost in a realm of thought, when suddenly he was pushed to the floor. He fell and dropped a cup that was on the table, scattering glass on the floor again. He was being attacked. The frightening sounds, her screaming and begging, the laughter that was heard earlier today haunted their ears. Spencer managed to escape from the house, yet as he got inside his car he yelled at her “You need to get out of here Meredith. You cannot stay here. You need to escape as well”. She knew it was easier said than done. She knew that staying here was the only way her family can be safe. She heard the words of the spirits. They wanted their mother back. She lived here before, and was stabbed by her husband then they were all shot in one gun.  

Two weeks have passed, and Meredith was surrendering to her unexpected fate, praying for some sort of explanation. Her husband and children left her, and she is alone with invisible strangers that are attacking and destroying her mind, body and soul. She never liked the attic, but she did not know that one visit on a beautiful afternoon can change her life. There was no escape except to hope for the mercy of time. She wanted it to end, but she did not know when will all this be over. All she knew was that the woman she was seeing in the mirror was emotionally numbed, and dead. 

When Life Turns Upside Down

Majeda Dakkak

Professor Alexandra Peat

CRW 100

Story Title: When Life Turns Upside Down

She stared at herself in the darkness. Everything around her seemed foreign. The brown chair at the corner of the room seemed like a demon trying to attack her. The mahogany bed looked unbelievably large and empty. She could not understand nor make sense of what was happening. The woman standing in front of her was now a stranger. Her bleak eyes revolted her. The hollowness of her reflection reminded her of her misery. It reminded her of her despair. This hollowness took her back in time to when her life was turned upside down.

It was a hot summer day. The children were playing outside, and the grass spread beneath their feet like a bright green carpet. The beach ball was being tossed back and forth while their loving golden retriever ran around the children wrapping them with love and playfulness. Meredith was inside the kitchen cooking and looking at her happy children through the window when she saw him come and add a beautiful touch of love and fatherhood to the picture she was seeing behind the glass window. Spencer threw the ball, carried their daughter while their youngest son wobbled after them in his bright red shirt, and diaper. She couldn’t help but smile at the view of her three kids, and husband, playing under the sun. It was the perfect image of summer, fun, and sincere family love.

Meredith took the food outside where they set it on the brown table. The five of them sat around the table under the yellow umbrella. They ate the food, and she looked at the faces of her family thanking God for her blessing. Her husband had the spark of manhood and sweetness in his eyes as he smiled and passed the ketchup to their oldest son. She looked at his loving gestures and smiled, remembering that his eyes were what first charmed her. She turned her gaze to look at her two sons and daughter. Their eyes were a replica of their father’s yet their innocent smiles were ones that to her, were not possessed by anyone in this world. They were a mix of sparkle, purity, mischief, and love.

As they ate their homemade burgers and French fries, Meredith got a sudden feeling of urgency. She did not know why or how, but she immediately told everyone to go inside. Feeling confused and disappointed, the children went inside and rested on their favorite sofa in the living room. Spencer held her hand and led her to the brown chair in their bedroom as she trembled. She couldn’t understand what was happening to her. Spencer tried to act calm, but he was worried about his one and only love. She looked into his eyes and started crying. She was scared. Her heart was beating fast; she could hear noises inside her head. Her ears were ringing, and she did not feel well. She tried to explain to him “I feel like I am being invaded” but he couldn’t quite understand what she meant.

He left her to rest while he went downstairs to sit with his children when he heard a huge crash. The youngest started crying, and Spencer rushed to their bedroom to find the windows shattered. His wife was standing across from him looking as pale as the walls around him. Her eyes were filled with fear and surprise. “I feel invaded” she repreated with tears falling from her watery eyes. Spencer stood there, unable to know how he should react. He took a step back but she ran to his arms, crying and shivering with fear. “Help me! I don’t know what is happening to me. I need you. Help me”. He hugged her, really hearing the desperateness in her voice, but he had no clue what was happening to his serene loving wife.

He sat her down on the brown chair again, and asked her to explain what happened. “I was sleeping in the bed, when suddenly I felt a force inside of me pushing me to get up. I tried to resist it, but I felt powerless. I heard voices in my head but it was loud and I couldn’t understand. Then I just saw myself in front of a broken window”. Spencer had heard something like that before, but it was on television not real life. Can movies come to reality? Can his wife really be haunted? Why? Why her? He traveled into a deep realm of thought till suddenly his daughter called for him. He came back to his senses and decided that it was impossible.

His daughter was holding her favorite doll in her arms. “Daddy, they hurt her. Make it better” she frowned as her words left her mouth like pixy dust. Spencer looked at his daughter’s favorite doll; there was a missing leg. He knew his daughter well enough to eliminate the possibility of having her break her favorite doll. Her delicacy and tender were invincible parts of her and it was impossible that she would do such a thing. His son was lost in his world of television and he was too sweet of a boy to ever break his sister’s heart. He stood there, suddenly terrified and filled with a feeling of danger. Spencer told the kids to put their shoes on and took them outside. He did not know if he was escaping or if there was anything he should be escaping from, but the incidents that have happened in those long hours of a hot and humid summer afternoon terrified him.

As Spencer closed the huge house door, he saw his wife looking from the broken window with tears in her eyes. He knew he was right. He knew it was best to take the kids to a safe place then come back and rescue her from whatever is tormenting her mind and body. But the tears in her eyes were not tears of despair; they were loud and angry tears. As he looked deeply into her distant eyes, he saw it as clear as the sky. She, or whatever is haunting her is after him. He had to escape. He was human and he was lost in the world of fear and confusion. He wanted to take his kids away -that was his number one concern. They rode in the car and drove down the empty almost deserted roads of their valley.

The ride seemed long, and the endless questions of his children were like thunderstorm in his ears; loud, uncontrollable, and striking. When they got to his parents house, Spencer told his inquisitive mother than Meredith is sick and he did not want her to get the children sick. He kissed his three angels and drove back to the house that once consisted of nothing but love, security, and joy. From the outside, the house looked the same, but unusually deserted. He fearfully went and walked around the house hearing his footsteps that echoed in his ears and mind. As Spencer entered the bedroom, he found Meredith sitting on the floor screaming at him telling him to get out. He tried to come closer to her, but she pushed him away “leave! I’m dangerous. Leave me here. Go, go away. You can’t be here, they’ll kill you. Go away Spencer!” she was crying and yelling at him but Spencer wouldn’t leave his beautiful wife to suffer. “It’s okay, don’t worry. I will help you Meredith. It’s okay” he tried to say those words, but he knew that in each letter was an infinite maze of questions and doubt. How can he help her without knowing what has suddenly happened to her?

His world of thought was disturbed when he heard weird voices coming from behind him. A cold chill went over his body, and he knew right away that she was right. In a speed faster than light, he stood up and turned around. Meredith was on the floor begging him to get out. He looked at her still feeling an odd cold chill through his body, and remembered the laughter of their children when suddenly he was pushed to the floor. He fell and dropped a cup that was on the table, scattering glass on the floor again. He was being attacked. The frightening sounds, the screaming and begging of his wife, the laughter of his children haunted his mind and thoughts. He managed to escape and get to his parents’ house, but the thought of his lonely wife tortured his heart.

Two weeks have passed, and Meredith was surrendering to her unexpected fate, praying for some sort of explanation. Her husband and children left her, and she is alone with invisible strangers that are attacking and destroying her mind, body and soul. There was no escape except to hope for the mercy of time. Was their house haunted? Where did they come from? Why her? What did they want? She did not know. All she knew was that the woman she was seeing in the mirror was emotionally numbed, and dead. 

While In Line

"Is this the line for coffee?" She asked with disappointment drawn all over her face. She has been working all day and all she needed was an instantaneous coffee break. She stood in line with her colleague who was texting on his phone and not really paying attention to anything she's saying. It almost seemed like she was on mute. "I'm talking to you! Listen to me!" she yelled at him as he slowly raised his head and spoke with utmost calmness "I'm Texting". You could see her face turn red with anger as he look at his phone again. "Stop! I'm gonna get angry, I don't wanna hate you. It has been a long day and I just want my coffee!" He apologized and explained himself "I'm texting Beth. I really miss her". She sighed and looked at the ground almost traveling back in time "I know I miss her too it sucks. But I mean, it's her life. She can do whatever she wants." He suddenly interrupted her as he put some coins in the machine "Give me some money, spare an old man".

Through Different Eyes

He stood there and looked down at the scenery, it was just as he left it a year ago. The city was still majestic, and beautiful. It looked enchanted from a distance. He never really thought of it, but standing here right now, he could really see the secrets of nature within the trees and buildings of the city. He came back expecting nothing, but hoping for everything. Was it the right thing to do? Will coming all the way here change anything, make it better, or even –make a dream come true? Turning around to make sure the car was parked in the right spot, a soft breeze filled the surrounding air and it seemed like it cast a magical spell on the surrounding. Something changed; something seemed different. Was it the mountains at the far end of the lake, or was it his vision? The lake looked like a heart guarded within a magical garden of love. The waves of the water danced to the melody of the soft breeze. The trees swayed as the green blanket of the mountains shielded the tiny buildings embroidered on every corner surrounding the pure watery heart. It looked absolutely picturesque and breathtaking. All his thoughts and emotions were making their way through the clouds then falling like pollen grains that painted his feelings to create this perfect scenery. Coming all the way here was the right decision.
Waiting for her to come, he traveled in his thoughts again. Will she be happy? Surprised? Disappointed? Is she on the same page as he is? He wished his thoughts can be played like musical notes to her. A sound beautiful to the ear and meaningful to the heart. A sound that works perfectly with the heaven embroidered in the landscape in fornt of him. 

Vanilla and Apple Heaven

It looked like a thick spread of delight. The crumble with a slight taste of cinnamon and sugary creamy vanilla mixed with the hot sour yet slightly sweet apple made the perfect treat after a rough day. The melted vanilla ice cream flowed on this mix of joy like an ice cube melts on a hot surface. The rectangular plate was staring at me waiting to be emptied. I could feel my eyes eating the plate with its sparkling glares. With each bite, the sweetness of the crunch homemade vanilla flakes that were mixed with the vanilla ice cream made the hot sour apple a smooth moose of ultimate joy and complete satisfaction. Eating it was a heavenly activity of divine emotions that seemed too good to be part of this world. It was the taste of sweetened love and compassion mixed with mischief and innocent spirit.