Sometimes, life just gets you down. I knew this. I knew this quite well. In fact, I was experiencing the truth of those words in those minutes, as I stared at a blinking screen, watching images flashing by too quickly for me to fully comprehend. The television volume was way down, in order to allow me the freedom of reading without being interrupted, but I had long since given up on reading. The words refused to make sense. I found myself reading the same paragraph again and again because I had forgotten what I'd read. It was one of those days where I just wanted the world to leave me alone.
Unfortunately, the world refused to do any such thing.
The phone rang, but I ignored it. I didn't want to talk to anyone, and if someone desperately needed to talk to me (there wasn't much chance of that) then they would call again. I vowed to let the machine get it no matter what.
Instead, I found myself drawn to the phone as it began ringing a second time. I rested my book face-down on the couch, saving the page that I had read and re-read several times, and hefted myself to my feet. The television flashed in the background, a commercial screaming quietly at me to buy a chia pet for my kids this Christmas. I didn't have kids. I didn't want kids. I ignored the screaming chia pet ad and paced toward the phone.
It continued ringing.
For a moment I stared at it. The complexity of caller ID was lost on me. My phone was mounted on the wall, with a cord that only allowed for minimal movement. I reached for it, and slowly lifted it to my ear.
"Hello?"
Words can't describe the terror I felt as I listened, and heard nothing. My heart-beat increased; I could no longer hear the television over the sound of my heart. My breath caught in my throat. Darkness threatened to overwhelm me. I found myself dropping the phone, and then, my knees buckled. I fell, one thought flickering through my mind before unconsciousness swallowed me. I had left the oven on, preheating for the frozen pizza I'd meant to eat for dinner.
It was dark when I woke. Groggily, I stood, and then bent over again, holding my head in both hands as a wave of pain swept over me. The edges of my vision blurred, and for a moment I feared I was going to faint again. My consciousness held, barely. For a moment I forgot my terror. I looked around, seeing the oven, at the desired temperature, hearing the television, now running through a re-run of a kid's show that I'd never found particularly appealing. And then I saw the phone. I had neglected to hang it up, and I now remembered why.
He had called me again.
My heart jumped into my throat, and I staggered against the kitchen counter, feeling weak at the knees. "Oh my god..." I whispered. What was I supposed to do now?
Unfortunately, the world refused to do any such thing.
The phone rang, but I ignored it. I didn't want to talk to anyone, and if someone desperately needed to talk to me (there wasn't much chance of that) then they would call again. I vowed to let the machine get it no matter what.
Instead, I found myself drawn to the phone as it began ringing a second time. I rested my book face-down on the couch, saving the page that I had read and re-read several times, and hefted myself to my feet. The television flashed in the background, a commercial screaming quietly at me to buy a chia pet for my kids this Christmas. I didn't have kids. I didn't want kids. I ignored the screaming chia pet ad and paced toward the phone.
It continued ringing.
For a moment I stared at it. The complexity of caller ID was lost on me. My phone was mounted on the wall, with a cord that only allowed for minimal movement. I reached for it, and slowly lifted it to my ear.
"Hello?"
Words can't describe the terror I felt as I listened, and heard nothing. My heart-beat increased; I could no longer hear the television over the sound of my heart. My breath caught in my throat. Darkness threatened to overwhelm me. I found myself dropping the phone, and then, my knees buckled. I fell, one thought flickering through my mind before unconsciousness swallowed me. I had left the oven on, preheating for the frozen pizza I'd meant to eat for dinner.
It was dark when I woke. Groggily, I stood, and then bent over again, holding my head in both hands as a wave of pain swept over me. The edges of my vision blurred, and for a moment I feared I was going to faint again. My consciousness held, barely. For a moment I forgot my terror. I looked around, seeing the oven, at the desired temperature, hearing the television, now running through a re-run of a kid's show that I'd never found particularly appealing. And then I saw the phone. I had neglected to hang it up, and I now remembered why.
He had called me again.
My heart jumped into my throat, and I staggered against the kitchen counter, feeling weak at the knees. "Oh my god..." I whispered. What was I supposed to do now?
This is just something I wrote a couple months ago. I figured any readers I have may be getting bored with my lack of posts, so, here you have a post!
On a subject I have not brought up in a long time: I am in the process of re-writing my mystery short story. I took the characters, moved the time-line up a few decades to the present, and made it a less serious mystery. Now all I have to do is figure out a way for my character to solve the mystery, and I'll have my short story! I'm really counting on winning at least third place, for the cash prize I'll get. Even if I do only get third place, I'll win enough money to help pay for (you'll never guess) plane tickets! This Christmas I am going to fly far away with my boyfriend in order to spend the holiday with his family. So please wish me luck as I enter the Erle Stanley Gardner mystery short story contest!
- Aimee
No comments:
Post a Comment