I am Katie. I am from Paterson, which is also called Silk City. I am 34 years old. I work at Gap.
My dream is to become a writer or manage a restaurant, but I have not found what I need to start working toward my dream. I am a Catholic girl, but lately, because I am having a difficult life, I have been having a hard time keeping faith in God. I love to read books, but I feel, what will people think if I write something? Will they laugh, or will they judge? I have so many ideas, and I sometimes feel, what if I regret it in the future—if only I had found the courage to write earlier? If I were to choose between writing and opening a restaurant, I would definitely choose writing. Always.
Most of my friends are married; some also have children, and I am still single. I always think to myself, why can’t I have that? Is something wrong with me? When I meet my friends, they always talk about their husbands, in-laws, and children, which makes me sad. So lately, I have been avoiding meeting them.
But little did I know my life was about to change suddenly.
One day, when I was leaving for work, a man came to my house. I opened the door, and he said, “Ma’am, you need to come with me.” I asked, “What are you talking about?” The man seemed serious, but I could not read any emotions on his face. He was a good-looking, tall guy. I thought he might harm me, so my instinct was to call 911, but he pushed the door and came inside my home. He said to me, “You need to believe me. Please come with me. We are running out of time. We need to be at Dumna in one hour.”
I panicked and asked that man, “Please go away from my house.” I warned him about calling 911, but he was so charming and handsome. Normally, I don’t get so attracted to men at the very first meeting, but my mental faculties were saying maybe he meant no harm. So I asked him, “What do you mean exactly? And where are my manners—please, sit.” He said, “No, ma’am, I can’t sit. We need to go right now.”
I asked again, where? He said, “We need to go right now before the door closes.” He said, “Ma’am, you will get every answer soon. Please come with me right now.” I was skeptical, but I don’t know—I said, “My shift starts in half an hour. Sorry, I can’t come with you. Please, if I can help you, tell me: What is this Dumna? Which door will close? And what are you talking about exactly?”
He said, “Ma’am, if you do not come today, we will miss the entry by one year. There are so many important things you need to do at Dumna.” I was stunned by what he was saying. I thought maybe he was mentally challenged, but based on his appearance, he looked so smart and handsome.
Suddenly, he grabbed my hand and pressed something in his coat. Yellow lights appeared from my ceiling—actually, they were coming through my ceiling—and I was feeling so light. He put his other hand on my mouth and said, “Ma’am, please do not open your mouth.”
I was scared. I screamed, “What is happening? Did you drug me or what the f—” My mouth was feeling so dry, and I could not taste it at first, but something was reaching into my mouth near my lips. I closed my mouth, and it stopped.
I could not believe what was happening. A few moments before, I was standing in my apartment with a strange man who was talking crazy things, and now—I can only imagine—I am being drugged. That is why I am feeling something in my mouth. Strange light is coming like a beam, and I am feeling so light, like I do not have body weight. And I am seeing doors—red doors, green doors, yellow doors.
I wanted to scream more, but I was afraid something would come back into my mouth again, so I did not. But I could not hold myself from throwing up. I threw up, and my breakfast fell on his coat. He said, “Hold on tight,” and I fainted.