Pale Hands Waiting in the Dark Hallway

Pale Hands Waiting in the Dark Hallway

I was unpacking groceries in the kitchen of my old apartment, but the hallway off the living room stretched on much further than it used to. It was totally dark, but I knew someone was standing at the far end waiting for me. Instead of being scared, I felt this intense, familiar pull, like an old partner I missed terribly, though I couldn't picture their face. I walked down the hall and the air got freezing cold. Then two pale hands reached out of the shadows and gently cupped my cheeks. Their touch was like ice, but I leaned right into it and felt this huge rush of affection and relief, almost like crying. We stood there holding onto each other in the dark, not speaking at all. When my alarm went off, my face honestly felt numb, and I just lay there in bed missing someone who didn't actually exist.