midnight madness...
Fazing in and out of consciousness, John was fighting a losing battle to keep awake. It had been the 3rd straight night that John had attempted stay awake to study. As the Night wore on, the battle grew tougher. John shifted slightly in his chair, trying to find a less comfortable spot. A less comfortable spot would make staying awake that much less impossible.
John glanced at the clock in front of him. The clock just stared back. The yellow smiley smiled the same smile as it did when John started hours ago. Now, at 2 in the morning, not only did the face look as if it was smiling much more, it seemed to be smiling right back at John. The smile had a vile twist which sent a slight tingle down John’s spine. The smiley clock looks as if it was enjoying every second of torment that John was subjecting to himself. Not wanting to look at the now sadistic smile, John turned the clock away form him and continued to study.
In an effort to stay awake, John turned around and faced away form the desk for a moment, trying to gather himself again. The lamp on the desk cast his shadow against his room, casting most of the room into darkness. John took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Then it suddenly occurred to him that the room was quiet, too quiet. The silence was so pervasive that every little movement that John made on his chair echoed into the vast emptiness of his room. John took another deep breath and made a move for his IPod lying idle on his bed.
After plugging in, John stared at the paper in front of him. Slowly the words started to jump up and danced around the sheet as John tried his best to decipher the mishmash of letters. It reminded John of all the Disney cartoons that he watched as a child, and his mind started to wander again. The letters and words danced around John’s fingers and seemed to lure him into a fantasy that didn’t include studying, a fantasy world that John would so gladly go into right now.
In the quiet of night, John could almost hear the music that the letters were dancing to. The music sounded strange, unfamiliar. John couldn’t remember uploading the song into his IPod. The music was so real that John started to tap his feet to the rhythm. Immersing himself into the music, John was drawn deeper and deeper into the melodies.
A soft click jerked John halfway back into reality. The click sounded like it came from far away, negligible and indifferent. John could still vaguely hear the soft thumping of a bass. The same thumping bass that had first taken hold of his attention. The dancing words and letters seemed to be scrambling back to their respective places while moving slower and slower but never really stopping. John’s vision blurred in and out of focus encouraging him to look away form the florescent bulb burning images of white into his head.
Everything moved in slow motion. Even the thumping bass had slowed down to a numbing throb. Every time it throbbed, John’s head felt like a needle had been slowly pushed into it. Still turning away from the light, John’s gaze settled on the knob of his closed door. For reasons that John could not decide on, the knob had seemed the most interesting article at the moment. Slowly the doorknob started to pulse to the rhythm of the now excessive throb. John stared at it, putting up a brave front, maybe try to frighten it perhaps.
The pulsing got harder and faster, engulfing John’s entire attention. Nothing else it seems is worth as much dedicated attention at the moment. Slowly, John reached out toward the doorknob. John’s concentration was unwavering. All that mattered now was that he reached the doorknob.
Inches away, the doorknob starts to turn. John was more intrigued than frighten. John forced his hand forward further. Still in a slow motion environment, John tried to reach the knob. But it was not to be. The doorknob turned. Slowly, John’s attention was being released by the knob. Even more slowly, the door began to open.
The door opened, but there wasn’t anyone there. It was just an empty doorway. John blinked, slowly once, then again. Then a bright light started to burn in the doorway. The light started softly at first, but it gained ferocity quickly. John stared, hard, enthralled once more. The light burned but it didn’t hurt his eyes, not yet. John blinked again, more quickly this time. The slow motion effects were starting to wear off, and the light began to hurt.
Once more, John reached out. This time John managed to touch his objective. Like his eyes, John couldn’t feel anything at first when he touched the light. Holding it there, John began to feel the warmth. Warmth at first, then a sharp prick like an incest bite. With this one prick, it jolted John into full consciousness.
Seated back at the desk, John found himself holding the crushed bulb of his desk lamp. John let the pieces of bulb fall onto the desk, the glass crinkle softly from his hand. John maneuvered the clock to look at the time. In the dark, the hands glowed in a greenish light. The smiley face had lost its edge, it only told the time. It was six. The next day had begun.
John glanced at the clock in front of him. The clock just stared back. The yellow smiley smiled the same smile as it did when John started hours ago. Now, at 2 in the morning, not only did the face look as if it was smiling much more, it seemed to be smiling right back at John. The smile had a vile twist which sent a slight tingle down John’s spine. The smiley clock looks as if it was enjoying every second of torment that John was subjecting to himself. Not wanting to look at the now sadistic smile, John turned the clock away form him and continued to study.
In an effort to stay awake, John turned around and faced away form the desk for a moment, trying to gather himself again. The lamp on the desk cast his shadow against his room, casting most of the room into darkness. John took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Then it suddenly occurred to him that the room was quiet, too quiet. The silence was so pervasive that every little movement that John made on his chair echoed into the vast emptiness of his room. John took another deep breath and made a move for his IPod lying idle on his bed.
After plugging in, John stared at the paper in front of him. Slowly the words started to jump up and danced around the sheet as John tried his best to decipher the mishmash of letters. It reminded John of all the Disney cartoons that he watched as a child, and his mind started to wander again. The letters and words danced around John’s fingers and seemed to lure him into a fantasy that didn’t include studying, a fantasy world that John would so gladly go into right now.
In the quiet of night, John could almost hear the music that the letters were dancing to. The music sounded strange, unfamiliar. John couldn’t remember uploading the song into his IPod. The music was so real that John started to tap his feet to the rhythm. Immersing himself into the music, John was drawn deeper and deeper into the melodies.
A soft click jerked John halfway back into reality. The click sounded like it came from far away, negligible and indifferent. John could still vaguely hear the soft thumping of a bass. The same thumping bass that had first taken hold of his attention. The dancing words and letters seemed to be scrambling back to their respective places while moving slower and slower but never really stopping. John’s vision blurred in and out of focus encouraging him to look away form the florescent bulb burning images of white into his head.
Everything moved in slow motion. Even the thumping bass had slowed down to a numbing throb. Every time it throbbed, John’s head felt like a needle had been slowly pushed into it. Still turning away from the light, John’s gaze settled on the knob of his closed door. For reasons that John could not decide on, the knob had seemed the most interesting article at the moment. Slowly the doorknob started to pulse to the rhythm of the now excessive throb. John stared at it, putting up a brave front, maybe try to frighten it perhaps.
The pulsing got harder and faster, engulfing John’s entire attention. Nothing else it seems is worth as much dedicated attention at the moment. Slowly, John reached out toward the doorknob. John’s concentration was unwavering. All that mattered now was that he reached the doorknob.
Inches away, the doorknob starts to turn. John was more intrigued than frighten. John forced his hand forward further. Still in a slow motion environment, John tried to reach the knob. But it was not to be. The doorknob turned. Slowly, John’s attention was being released by the knob. Even more slowly, the door began to open.
The door opened, but there wasn’t anyone there. It was just an empty doorway. John blinked, slowly once, then again. Then a bright light started to burn in the doorway. The light started softly at first, but it gained ferocity quickly. John stared, hard, enthralled once more. The light burned but it didn’t hurt his eyes, not yet. John blinked again, more quickly this time. The slow motion effects were starting to wear off, and the light began to hurt.
Once more, John reached out. This time John managed to touch his objective. Like his eyes, John couldn’t feel anything at first when he touched the light. Holding it there, John began to feel the warmth. Warmth at first, then a sharp prick like an incest bite. With this one prick, it jolted John into full consciousness.
Seated back at the desk, John found himself holding the crushed bulb of his desk lamp. John let the pieces of bulb fall onto the desk, the glass crinkle softly from his hand. John maneuvered the clock to look at the time. In the dark, the hands glowed in a greenish light. The smiley face had lost its edge, it only told the time. It was six. The next day had begun.
posted by alvin_c at 10:27 pm
1 Comments:
talent here, intentions firmly guided. Some editing required for a stronger voice, hats off
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