It was like something out of nightmares. A long hallway stretched ahead of me, blocked by a hideous monster. Covered in pores and oozing pus, the large creature shuffled toward me. I spun around, only to find solid wall behind me and the door gone. I was trapped. I gave my body full control and ran headlong into it, catching it unawares. It had the shape of a crocodile, or at least what they looked like from pictures I had seen. But this was enormous! Its eyes were white voids that followed me as I barreled into it.

I leapt onto its head, my shoes sliding on the scales and pus. There had to be a way out! It roared and flung its head back, flicking me off like I was no more than a fly. I flew forward and before I had landed, it spun around. I scrambled to my feet, just in time to dodge the teeth and gaping jaw that were aimed at me. Taking to my heels, I sped off down the hall. Before I had gone far, I realized that it was only gaining on me. 

My only hope was to keep it moving, using surprise as my element. I leapt, spun, danced around it , while it spun madly in rhythm to me. Quickly, I began to tire. This was pointless. The walls were smooth metal and the floor solid rock. I could give up now. But I was more afraid of death and failure than the beast in front, no, now behind, no, in front again of me. I had to plot my way out. 

There was no way down, or to the left, only the wall lay on that side. To my right, the hallway stretched indefinitely, but the creature would catch me. No, none of those ways held any hope. I leapt again, dodging the flailing tail. In front and behind me were solid walls. No way there either.

The creature's tail caught my foot and I fell. It leapt and an old saying popped into my head. What goes up must come down. I rolled out of harm's way, safe for another moment. Again it came to mind. What goes up must come down. What goes up... what goes... UP!

 I used the head as a springboard, catching a close glimpse of the ceiling. Yes! I had found a way out. The ceilings were made of the overlapping foam-board that made my old dormitory's ceilings. The kind that one could push up and they'd move. How often I had hidden stuff in there, old books, drawings, stories I had written... 

I screamed as I realized what I had done. I had let my guard down for too long. I was pinned to the floor by the monster, its jaws open wide.