Sometimes, I freak myself out. This was one of these instances.

You know a game called Five Nights At Freddy's? I love that game, but never imagined myself in a position like that. I was the security guard, suffering the agony of waiting until 6 a.m.—in this case, 7 a.m.—while having to avoid certain death. I don't know if the danger of hypothermia, darkness, and potential kidnappers or killers around is any better than haunted animatronics.

On the night of Friday, November 11th, I went to a concert in Lancaster where Adam Gontier performed, along with two other artists. I barely knew the other artists, but Adam was formerly the lead singer of Three Days Grace and that band was one of my favorites of all time. Now he is the lead singer of Saint Asonia, a band that has quickly become a favorite of many rock fans and myself. I want to explain how much of an impact this particular person and the band itself has had an impact on me since I was young—yes, enough to see him live on my own almost two hours away from my home—but I will have to spare all the details for another time.

The thing I really want to talk about is everything that happened after the concert. I blame myself for staying, but the venue had the hours of the concert from 7 to 10 p.m. I would have been perfectly fine if the two opening acts played for about an hour, then Adam himself perform until ten and having to leave early before everyone else would jam the exits of the venue and have enough time to get the station and take the train back home. That was my plan, at least.

The venue actually took a long time to prep all the equipment and did not start the opening act until 7:30 p.m. The one opening act performed until about eight, but then I groaned as I realized there is yet another artist. He performed even longer so, until nine. I was standing there waiting for the one guy who I wanted to see in the first place, checking my phone constantly and seeing the last train ride at 9:47 p.m. Both my frustrations and worries really began to peak, tempted to just leave at 9:30 p.m. to take a train and demand for a refund of my concert ticket the next day. But 1. the tickets were not refundable and 2. this probably will be my only chance to watch this man perform live and be able to talk to him. All the dates I have observed for a concert has been nowhere near my home state of Pennsylvania except this one.

I truly do not regret going and staying to watch the whole concert; once it was over though, there I was around eleven at night, well aware that the last train of the night left at ten. I was still hopeful though, despite my worries, so I hurried back to the station (which thankfully was only ten minutes away) and stayed inside for a little while and looked out the windows of the area where the trains pass through, and waited.

Midnight came around fairly quickly, and it sunk in that I truly missed the last train and I would have to wait until the morning. I decided that it would be pointless to call my friends or my mother to involve them in the whole mess. My dad is currently at a business trip in Mexico, so obviously I could not call him. Luckily, there was a charging station where I could revive my dead phone in case of any emergency, and napped at a bench for about an hour. I thought to myself that things could have been worse, checking the weather app and seeing that it was about 30 degrees in Lancaster at that moment and my phone could have been dead if it were not for the charging station. I was inside the station, and all I had to do was nap from time to time and wait for the morning.

Little did I know that there was security still around at 1 a,m., and I tried to hide from her, but she still found me and told me that I had to leave. I tried to explain the situation that I was in, but she insisted to make me leave. I decided being just as persistent would make the situation worse and make her call the police, so I left. The doors locked behind me, and I faced the reality that I had to wait outside in the dead of night, where the weather was below freezing and nothing but cars every once in a while drove past the empty streets. The station did not open again until quarter after seven. I could not stay at a hotel because then I would not be able to buy the train ticket back home. So, 6 hours of waiting, not including the hour I already waited when I napped inside the station.

I sat on a corner next to one of the entrances and that's where I stayed. I managed to keep myself calm throughout the hours. Things became to count down through thirty minute intervals. My thoughts became short, like a list of words I would write in a journal.

2 a.m. The sky was clear. The stars look beautiful. I could see the moon if I lean over. It was bright and yellow. There's a supermoon coming soon. When was it again? Maybe I should watch it with friends.

2:30 a.m. I need to do something. I need to go to the bathroom. I take out my notebook and pen and write about what I need to do Saturday and Sunday. My homework. My article. My thoughts. A few small doodles here and there in between the words lying on paper.

3 a.m. Reading a book for my English research paper named Persepolis. The protagonist is really cute. The story is intriguing yet sad. I love the style of this graphic novel. Aw, poor maid. Oh wow, I never knew about that in the Islamic revolution. I wish the comic book store across from me was still open.

3:30 a.m. I get up and stretch my legs again to prevent frostbite on my body. I think of things I am grateful for. This jacket. The coat over my jacket. My warm socks. My water bottle. The charging station I went to earlier. The things in my backpack. The clear sky. The moon. The concert. Adam. My friends. My family. My existence...

4:00 a.m. I'm gonna die. My pants are too thin for this kind of weather. My socks are not enough. I stretched, but I can feel my toes barely able to move. I couldn't stop shivering despite how badly I wanted to just relax. I'm scared. There's someone walking over. Please, please don't notice me.... okay, he's gone.

4:30 a.m. God, help me please. I'm going to die here. I can't believe I did this to myself. Why am I so stupid? I don't want to read anymore. I don't want to write anymore. I don't want to draw anymore. I want to go home. I need some warmth. Shut up and think about things you're grateful for... there is good in the world, there is good in the world...

5 a.m. A taxi! Uh, I don't want to bother the person inside. I'm so close anyway. So close...

5:30 a.m. No, I can't take it anymore! I'm dying here. I need something. I'll going over to that taxi....

And I did. It was a middle-aged woman, and she was part of the Amtrak service. She invited me into the taxi where I could stay until the train station opened again. I thanked her maybe about a million times. She had the heater on and played some soothing music while I sat on the back, trying to process everything I just went through.

Around six, she got a call to pick up someone. I had to leave, but she told me to stay with the lady in the other taxi behind me and I did. Both of the ladies were really nice, and I am grateful for them, too. The other lady played a movie while I waited. Around 6:30 a.m., a guy came a little too early for his first train and asked to join us. And so, we all watched a silly movie until the train station opened again.

I took the first train at eight and made it back home safely. I knew the events of last night were horrendous, but in a strange sense, I'm glad it happened. I will never do something like that again, but from the madness of this whole week and the uncertainties of our futures, I feel grateful that there are kind people in the world. The fact that I am not alone, and got to feel what those do who are homeless, or in poverty. Being stripped away of many things made me realize to appreciate the things I have, and to remember that it is not the end.

Thank you all, sincerely, for reading this. Stay safe.