I opened my eyes to darkness. A black so deep it put Crayola’s waxy imitation to shame. The complete absence of light was overwhelming; my eyes bled from the strain of trying to focus on something, anything. I felt an overwhelming urge to call into the void, begging for a sliver of luminosity to penetrate the nothing around me.

As my lips began to part, readying my primal scream, I felt a gooey resistance. A strip of tape across my mouth prevented any meaningful noise from escaping. My barbaric yawp, reduced to a silent, insignificant mumble. Unable to cry out for light, I began to search for other clues to my situation.

My hands left my sides and began their exploration. I could feel a bed of padded silk beneath me. Continuing on, they found two short walls on either side. The walls, also covered in a padded silk, ended in a ruffled trim.

Panic began to set as I moved my arms straight ahead into the concave top of my tomb. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I made the realization that I had been buried alive.