I tried to stay calm

Trepidation took its ugly toll on me. As I proceeded to take my first step, as this was the only
way out, I trembled with horror. Quivers of fright and agitation rippled over my skin. As I
walked with fear, clenching my clammy fists, my heart pumped rapidly. I glanced around, not
being able to focus on anything.
The wind howled ferociously, sweeping the debris off the surface of the ground. I had never
visualized myself in such a turbulent, desolate environment, with venomous snakes and other
small eerie insects lurking around. With each reluctant trudge, my heart pounded faster and my
agitation aggravated.
As the nightmare unfolded, I tried to stay calm, but was unable to, because what lay in front of
me were two large, fifteen feet long, emerald green Pythons. I gasped on seeing them; I stood
frozen with terror. I was utterly shocked. I panicked with distress and perspired rapidly; but
luckily, they had not seen me yet. I slithered, hoping that any slight movement would not trigger
them. But things didn’t work out for me. Their large fangs hissed and shrieked. I had no choice
but to whiz past them because it really didn’t seem a good idea to turn back. Large, venomous
scorpions and tarantulas besieged me from one side and the snakes on the other side.
There was a trench which lay in front of me, but I was oblivious of how deep it was. I hesitantly
leaped over the insects and into the hole I found myself falling. I yowled for two minutes, but the
abyss didn’t seem to end. After five minutes of endless yelling, the plummeting came to a halt.
Instead of passing out, I felt I had escaped unscathed. A massive, deserted space lay in front of
me. I ambled and frolicked. The place didn’t seem to end; to the contrary, it seemed perennial.
My newfound satisfaction turned to apprehension when the two same mammoths, with their
fangs unleashed, rattled, started dashing after me. Then came the scorpions and the tarantulas,
joined by small, venomous insects, besieging me. As the snakes chased me, their huge mouth
gaped and bit me ferociously on my left leg, leaving a big bloodied gash.
Just as the enormity of my injuries was beginning to sink in, this nightmare suddenly came to a
standstill, when I abruptly woke from my slumber.

Momin Hashim Khan

M1-C1
18651