I twirl slowly to the soft hum of my own voice. Foolish, maybe, but I find the sound comforting.
Weariness makes a go at putting me to sleep and my consciousness flickers like a broken light.
“Focus,” I tell myself sternly. The bet will make one more nights loss of sleep worth it.
A deep sigh circles inside me like waves of chloroform. If it weren’t for my arrogant neighbor, I’d be long gone from the world of the conscious by now.
The bet...the bet, I remind myself. My obtuse neighbor had bragged about his employment, working 24-7 for years. The fact that I worked a tenth of that time has always been fuel to the condescension he feels for me. After months of dangling the challenge of work for one week, 24hrs each day, for months...I took the bait. Tomorrow morning will be the day I see that stiff, cold brute eat his words and oh how I’ll relish it.
A wave of warmth fills me at this thought.
“Not so big NOW, are ya?” I imagine myself saying.
“You think you’re so cool, but I’ve always been the real killer. I can run a night shift as easily as you can.”
Suddenly I feel powerful, full of heat & energy. One more ounce of bravado and I’ll combust.
As 2:00am approaches, my energy wanes & my mind begins to wander. I see my neighbors size & endless energy versus my compact, unpredictable self. My sensitive spots, subjecting me to prodding and sharp jabs of arrogance. These things flash across my mental line of vision and all bravado fails me. Like clockwork they repeat themselves, expanding and emitting an eery green glow of spite from within me.
Finally I give in to the hurt, fatigue, the darkness.
Like an open flood gate I’m swept away, growing cold...and gone.
WHO AM I?
