“You have to face your fears, Sam,” Dr. Wright said.

I walked toward the bridge almost involuntarily. At a half-step away, I could see the splinters in the wood and the fraying braids on the rope that held it together.

I stood there for one last moment of uncertainty, and then took my first step. As my foot lowered, the first board straightened up, as if the wind had stopped affecting it. Then I understood: I had to act purely on faith.

The world around me changed slightly. I could feel the storm above me respond to my sudden realization. The wind began to blow less violently, and the darkening clouds retreated so that I could see where the other end of the bridge led: through the open window of a dark, looming building.

I began walking forward along the bridge that continued to mend itself with my every step. When I got to the other end, I turned to Dr. Wright. She smiled and waved. She tried to yell something, but the wind was too loud for me to understand her.

I turned around and walked into the building.

Instantly, I recognized the layout. Everything was dark and all of the computers and monitors were switched off, but I could tell exactly where I was. It was my old job.

There was the familiar sound of a company phone ringing. I slowly walked over and picked it up.

“Sam?” Dr. Wrights voice was scratchy and distorted. “I won’t be able to speak to you for much longer. You should be in the darkest corner of your mind now, where all of your worst fears reside.”

I looked around the dark, cavernous office space in silent horror. “Is my worst fear my job?”

“That’s for you to figure out.” Dr. Wright’s voice was getting fainter by the second. “All you have to do is —“

The call dropped and the phone line went dead. I slowly hung up the phone. Suddenly, I heard the PA system cut on.

“Will all former employees of Pace Financial please report to the board room on the 28th floor?” The voice was low and droning, but it was a voice I knew very well.

It was my own voice.

“I repeat,” I heard myself continue over the PA system. “Will all former employees please join us in the board room?”

I ran inside the elevator and looked at the buttons. There were three options: the floor I was on, the 28th floor and a very large button that said “KILL YOURSELF” in large red letters. I chose the 28th floor.

The elevator doors opened, and I was standing at the end of a large hallway with a set of double doors at the opposite end. As I stepped out, the lights flickered on and off, and I could hear the deafening booms of thunder outside. The world outside the windows lining the walls was consumed by black swirling clouds, as if the building was inside of the storm. Each burst of lightning and crack of thunder shook the floor beneath me. I took a deep breath when I finally arrived at the end of the hallway. I had to remember that this was still my mind, no matter what happened. But it wasn’t enough to just have faith in myself.

I had to act on it.