"A Beautiful Nightmare" by Naomi Moreira ('19)

There was a silence, and snow, and a clear sky empty of life, and me, sitting there, taking it all in, accepting what I must try to achieve. I started walking nowhere, and suddenly I saw a house. It was black as raven’s feathers, it was so frightening that it made my head scream and it made my soul escape from my body. It made me forget every thought that I once had and every dream that I once dreamed. But even though I was submerged in fear, I felt that the house dragged me, it intrigued me with its unique characteristics, with its unique scent. Soon I found myself visiting it every day, it became my obsession and my nightmare at the same time. It haunted me every night until at some point I wasn’t feeling so afraid anymore. It became familiar to me, it became my companion, my torment, my beautiful nightmare.