Free Story: The Curious Path of the Clock
Hello everyone! I have just posted a new, free short story on my Medium, Livejournal, and FIctionpress page. Links are down below, as well as a sneak peek.
Serena
Links:
Fictionpress Link: https://www.fictionpress.com/s/336944...
Medium Link: https://alysonserenastone.medium.com/...
Livejournal Link: https://serenastone.livejournal.com/3...
Sneak Peek:
Tick…Tick…Boom…Tick…Tick…Boom…
The clock chimes. I have no idea if it is real or in my head. So much is that way now. I can’t pick out what is real and what isn’t. I close my eyes. I have to learn to differentiate between the two. It’s hard when your mind is pulling you one way, but your thoughts are going another.
Tick…Tick…Boom…Tick…Tick…Boom…
Ah, there it is again. I open my eyes. Darkness gathers in like an old friend. It’s the only place I feel safe. While some people see it as being uninviting and cold, it reminds me of the first warm days of spring. There are things within it that we can’t see. It calls out to us, inviting us to see what it has to offer. If you look close enough, you can see the bits of life and the hope it offers to those of us who have embraced its welcoming hug.
I slowly make myself stand up. Everything starts to spin. I cling to the wall. It’s the only thing that is keeping me from plummeting to the ground. My eyes swam inside my head, while my brain buzzes. I gasp, but for what I am gasping for is a mystery to me. I lick my lips, tasting a bit of metal in my mouth. This is not good. I am about to slip away.
I fall to the ground, crying out as I bang my knee against the wall. The walls are coming toward me. I have to get out of here! I try to get to my feet, but my body isn’t listening to me. Why can’t I do the most basic of things?
The walls rush toward me like four tombstones of death. I don’t want it to end like this…It’s not supposed to be like this…I scramble up again, but the walls are moving from behind me. The room is getting smaller and smaller. I am being forced into a box.
Tick…Tick…Boom…Tick…Tick…Boom…
I know what this is. This is a trap. It’s trying to get me to break. I am in complete control of the situation and I choose not to let it break me.
I spread my hands out against the approaching walls. The smoothness of them tries to knock me down, but I dig my feet in. “NO!” I scream.
The walls stop moving. They aren’t leaving me though. They want to see my break. They want to feel my pain. I take a deep breath. Okay, I need them to get back. I barely have any room to move and I am not okay with that.
“Go away,” I hiss. Just like that the walls push back. Good…I am getting the hang of this.
I collapse to the ground, my entire body shaking. I am growing weaker. Life is sucking everything away from me. I am falling deeper into myself and I am not sure that I am going to be able to come out of this. Death is coming for me. It’s not like I don’t know this. It comes for all of us. It is my turn now.
No, that’s not true. Even though life is pulling me away from it and closer into the sweet arms of death, I am not ready to go. Life does offer pain. Death takes away that pain. Life lets you feel, while death doesn’t.
I hold my hands out in front of me. Though I cannot see them, I know they are there. I dig my nails into my palm, hard enough that I break the skin. Blood rushes down my palm. I welcome the sticky feeling and the pain. It means that I am still here.
I stand up again. This time I am successful. My legs wobble beneath me, but they do not fail me. I slowly make my way down what appears to be a never-ending hallway. No, that’s not true. Everything has to have an ending.
It is silent. I can’t even hear the sounds of my heart beating and my breathing. I dig my nails back into my wound. Pain shoots through my hand. As long as I am feeling the pain, it means that I am still alive.
I have to keep reminding myself that I am in charge of this whole situation. Light appears out of the corner of my eye. I stop. Like a moth drawn to a flame, I cannot look away. I hold my head to the side, considering it. The flame flickers in and out, like a candle fighting to hold onto its final light. All it takes is one little puff of air and it’s over.
I glide over to the light. Don’t ask me why I do this. I lift my face to it, allowing its warmth to bathe me. I smile. This is good…This is so good…I don’t want to go away from it. I step forward, allowing its warmth to overtake me.
Something is wrong though. The closer I get to the light, the less I feel. My body becomes numb and is telling me to sleep. The fight is over. Just allow the light to overtake you and everything will be okay. It seems like the right thing to do. In one little moment, all of my pain and suffering could be over. It’s not like anyone would miss me if I decide to follow the light. Aren’t we supposed to follow what makes us happy, after all?
Something whispers to me. I can’t make out what it is saying, but it’s calling out to me. I listen, but my senses are too shut down for me to hear it. I glance back at the light. There are so many choices that I must make and none of them are easy. All of them seem right.
What I am supposed to do?
Serena
Links:
Fictionpress Link: https://www.fictionpress.com/s/336944...
Medium Link: https://alysonserenastone.medium.com/...
Livejournal Link: https://serenastone.livejournal.com/3...
Sneak Peek:
Tick…Tick…Boom…Tick…Tick…Boom…
The clock chimes. I have no idea if it is real or in my head. So much is that way now. I can’t pick out what is real and what isn’t. I close my eyes. I have to learn to differentiate between the two. It’s hard when your mind is pulling you one way, but your thoughts are going another.
Tick…Tick…Boom…Tick…Tick…Boom…
Ah, there it is again. I open my eyes. Darkness gathers in like an old friend. It’s the only place I feel safe. While some people see it as being uninviting and cold, it reminds me of the first warm days of spring. There are things within it that we can’t see. It calls out to us, inviting us to see what it has to offer. If you look close enough, you can see the bits of life and the hope it offers to those of us who have embraced its welcoming hug.
I slowly make myself stand up. Everything starts to spin. I cling to the wall. It’s the only thing that is keeping me from plummeting to the ground. My eyes swam inside my head, while my brain buzzes. I gasp, but for what I am gasping for is a mystery to me. I lick my lips, tasting a bit of metal in my mouth. This is not good. I am about to slip away.
I fall to the ground, crying out as I bang my knee against the wall. The walls are coming toward me. I have to get out of here! I try to get to my feet, but my body isn’t listening to me. Why can’t I do the most basic of things?
The walls rush toward me like four tombstones of death. I don’t want it to end like this…It’s not supposed to be like this…I scramble up again, but the walls are moving from behind me. The room is getting smaller and smaller. I am being forced into a box.
Tick…Tick…Boom…Tick…Tick…Boom…
I know what this is. This is a trap. It’s trying to get me to break. I am in complete control of the situation and I choose not to let it break me.
I spread my hands out against the approaching walls. The smoothness of them tries to knock me down, but I dig my feet in. “NO!” I scream.
The walls stop moving. They aren’t leaving me though. They want to see my break. They want to feel my pain. I take a deep breath. Okay, I need them to get back. I barely have any room to move and I am not okay with that.
“Go away,” I hiss. Just like that the walls push back. Good…I am getting the hang of this.
I collapse to the ground, my entire body shaking. I am growing weaker. Life is sucking everything away from me. I am falling deeper into myself and I am not sure that I am going to be able to come out of this. Death is coming for me. It’s not like I don’t know this. It comes for all of us. It is my turn now.
No, that’s not true. Even though life is pulling me away from it and closer into the sweet arms of death, I am not ready to go. Life does offer pain. Death takes away that pain. Life lets you feel, while death doesn’t.
I hold my hands out in front of me. Though I cannot see them, I know they are there. I dig my nails into my palm, hard enough that I break the skin. Blood rushes down my palm. I welcome the sticky feeling and the pain. It means that I am still here.
I stand up again. This time I am successful. My legs wobble beneath me, but they do not fail me. I slowly make my way down what appears to be a never-ending hallway. No, that’s not true. Everything has to have an ending.
It is silent. I can’t even hear the sounds of my heart beating and my breathing. I dig my nails back into my wound. Pain shoots through my hand. As long as I am feeling the pain, it means that I am still alive.
I have to keep reminding myself that I am in charge of this whole situation. Light appears out of the corner of my eye. I stop. Like a moth drawn to a flame, I cannot look away. I hold my head to the side, considering it. The flame flickers in and out, like a candle fighting to hold onto its final light. All it takes is one little puff of air and it’s over.
I glide over to the light. Don’t ask me why I do this. I lift my face to it, allowing its warmth to bathe me. I smile. This is good…This is so good…I don’t want to go away from it. I step forward, allowing its warmth to overtake me.
Something is wrong though. The closer I get to the light, the less I feel. My body becomes numb and is telling me to sleep. The fight is over. Just allow the light to overtake you and everything will be okay. It seems like the right thing to do. In one little moment, all of my pain and suffering could be over. It’s not like anyone would miss me if I decide to follow the light. Aren’t we supposed to follow what makes us happy, after all?
Something whispers to me. I can’t make out what it is saying, but it’s calling out to me. I listen, but my senses are too shut down for me to hear it. I glance back at the light. There are so many choices that I must make and none of them are easy. All of them seem right.
What I am supposed to do?
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