In the Dark

I was in the dark and I couldn't see a thing. I fumbled around with one hand, searching for a flashlight. I finally found it laying on the floor where I had dropped it when the scream had startled me. Holding it aimed towards where I thought the door was, I flipped the switch. Nothing happened.

"The batteries must be dead," I muttered, "It would happen right now."

I took a few cautious steps towards the light switch, and stumbling over a cord, fell. I decided to crawl the rest of the way. Soon my head bumped against the wall, and I stood up. In the pitch black darkness, the feel of the wall against me was comforting. I grabbed the light switch and flipped it to the 'on' position. But instead of the room lighting up, it remained just as dark. Had the power gone out? Perhaps. It had gone dark right after that hair-raising scream I heard. I leaned against the wall and thought my situation over. If I remained in the dark much longer, I was going to go crazy! I needed some light, and I needed it NOW. As I stood there, I felt the door next to me open. No light came through it though, so I supposed that there was no light out there either.

"Frank?" a quiet voice, whispered.

"I'm right here!" I answered.

"Oh good!" there was relief in the voice, "Why aren't you coming back down? We need to get out of here."

As I took a deep breath to start explaining about the power going out, etc., my friend spoke again, "And what on earth are you doing with all the lights on? It's the middle of the night and we're not supposed to be here!"

I froze in bewilderment.

"The flashlight didn't work, so I was going to turn on the lights." I mumbled, my brain still trying to understand that line about the lights being on.

"Frank? The flashlight is working just fine. It's bright enough to light this room up by itself!"

"It's on?!? Wait, you're telling me that the lights in this room are on, and the flashlight is working?!?" I repeated with a frantic note in my voice.

"Yes..."

I began flipping the light switch back and forth in a frenzy.

"Frank?!? What is the matter?"

A hand closed around and stopped my frantic flipping.

I pulled my hand free and sank to the floor. Staring out into the inky blackness, I whispered, "I can't see a thing..."