I opened my eyes and found myself in a dark tunnel-like space. The floor was covered with ugly plastic tiles and had a long strip of yellow tape placed near the edge of where the floor dipped off to show rails. On the ceiling dim lights let off a soft blue glow, giving the place a gloomy appearance.
The only people there looked like shadows, dark tall figures that made a shifting movement as they congregated near the dark benches. As I reached out to get one of the shadow's attention my hand fell straight through it, my hand cold and tingly as I pulled away.
There was a sign hanging from the ceiling flashing something in red letters but before I had a chance to read it a dark shiny train sped into view, pulling my attention to it and away from the sign. The shadow people suddenly rushed towards the train as the silver doors swung open pulling me with them. I was surprised as they pulled me along because my attempt to touch one earlier had made me think they couldn't do something like that. But, nevertheless, I was dragged into the train anyways.
The compartment I was pulled into was spacious, with a tall ceiling and a wide walkway. There were better lights here but it was still slightly dark, a red glow coming from the windows. There was a row of dusty blue seats on each side, poles, and handles placed on the ceiling and on the side for people to hold on to. The shadow people poured into the train, filling the empty space around me.
Before I could even react the doors swung shut and the train moved forward harshly, tossing me to the ground. I quickly stood up and reached for one of the poles and grabbed one, gripping it tightly.
Where was I? This whole thing felt unfamiliar like it was something out of a story or a dream.
My attention shifted as I heard a familiar sound of a guitar. It was faint but I recognized the song as one my brother had written before his death. Even though he had been so much older than me I had always adored him, he had sung to me all the time even teaching me a few songs before his passing. Hearing one of his songs again filled me with grief and suddenly I had to find whoever was playing that song.
I let go of the pole I had been gripping onto and carefully made my way towards the sound. As I walked I noticed there were people besides the shadow people here too. They were mostly old people, a few young people among them. Some were with a friend or a few other people but most were alone, ignoring me as I walked past them.
As I had to walk through two or three compartments before I found the source of the guitar. To my shock my brother was sitting on one of the benches alone, softly humming as he strummed his guitar. He was wearing his favorite sweater and had the hat our father had given him on top of his messy brown curls.
No way! This couldn't be possible! He had died almost two years ago!
Suddenly I felt my heart drop in my chest. No way. If he was dead but I was here seeing him did that mean-
Suddenly memories flooded back to me. Water. Water had been all around me. I had fallen into the lake. I couldn't swim upward because something had caught my foot. I couldn't hold my breath anymore so I had opened my mouth, my lungs filling with water. It had been dark and cold, the water hugging me tightly as I drowned in its grip.
Then I had come here. I had died and now was here.
I felt myself come back to the present as the guitar came to an abrupt stop. My brother was staring at me, a shocked and doleful look on his face.
"Oh, hey," I said, with a faint smile.
His face quickly changed to cover up his surprise with a big smile. "Welcome to the place of the lost."
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