Dark Lines

Terrified of Sleeping

14/March/2021

Hello Peter,

Tonight, I called my grandma, which is something I didn’t do in a few month now, she lives alone in the city, she is sick, I felt it through the phone, but we can’t go for visiting her now, because of the lockdown, and we wouldn’t want to risk her life.

Before this pandemic happened, we used to go their very often, I remember that she used to give us candy, and tell us stories, as well as prepare the most delicious food, her recipes are truly remarkable, and astonishing.

As soon as this ends, I won’t waste anytime to go their, hug her, and stay in her lap all day, I won’t bother to listen to any story she tells, and I might stay a few days there, and have some bonding time with her, I really miss her.

Goodnight Peter, sweet dreams!

-ENAJ-

Sad thing that we only realize the value of people around us, and the little thing we do, when we lose it, or we can’t have it anytime we want. Peter too, didn’t give his family and friends the appreciation they needed, wherever he got the chance to see them, he used to act lazy, and respite it.

When he was there with them, he didn’t always seize the moment, to express more feelings to them, and strengthen their relationship, he took for granted all the laughs, conversations, silly talks and observing their facial features, he wasn’t in the moment often, he was always thinking about the future, which he can’t ever be prepared for.

It was in the afternoon, when Peter read the letter, Jane must have wrote it at night, because she said goodnight, and wished him sweet dreams at the end. He grabbed the photos album that he had for a long time, there is so much memories there, all the past is preserved there, every family member that Peter too young to remember him before when he died, is resent there. Spontaneous moments, pure laughs, joy, good intentions and free of hatred and rancor, all can be seen through these photos, back then they used to live every second as if it was their last, they appreciated everything, they experienced everything together, with hope and love.

Peter is making his dinner, with some music on, he wants to have some toast, jam, fruits and a cup of avocado juice.

The weather wasn’t so good today, so he didn’t sit on the balcony, he spent his day on the couch, eating meal after meal, changing channel after channel, but at least he is safe and he has sole inner peace for now, with sweet Crystal by his side, he will be fine.

After two hours, he got off the couch, washed the dishes, closed the windows, and the bathroom door, then checked that the door of the attic is locked well, and took his pills with a cup of water, that then placed on the table next to his bed, beside the inhaler, his glasses and his book, that he snatched and read some pages of, then fell asleep right when his soft silky pillow touched his face.

He was running, then he paused before three doors; one that is written on it “innocence”, so he entered it. There he found a little girl standing at the corner of the room, “what a cute little angel, you know the world needs a lot of your innocence”, Peter said, she comes closer to him, but still turning her face away, then she stretches out her hand with her closed palm towards him, he tries to open it, then she slowly turned around to face him, with her eyes, nose and mouth floating out of her face, then she opened her palm, she was holding her ear, “come again, I didn't hear you”, she said back, while bringing her ear close to him, and in the other hand bringing back the missing features to her face, then pushing them deep under the skin of her face and groaned. He was standing at the other side of the room shaking with fear, and hardly breathing, then she jumped on him, but he pushed her right away and escaped, then close the door well behind him.

The second door, says “confidence”, so he entered it, and there he found his teacher, “ hi come in”, she said, so he enters and sits in a valid chair, then she continued writing on the board, “our lesson is about confidence, that is what this world needs, you got it, you will enjoy life, if you don't, you'll be crushed”, she said while still facing the board, then she turned around, and put the chalk down, with her fists on the table while looking downward, “ so did you enjoy being late mister?”, she continues, “what?”, Peter asked back, “you heard me frowny boy, or are you deaf now?”, she replied, “no!”, he answered, “don't you dare talk to me like that, worthless boy, you are nothing without education, without us”, she added, then she quickly turned her face towards the board, arched her back and crawled on her hands in a backward motion towards him, “insect, pathetic, disgusting, weak”, she said, with a hissing voice while bringing out her snake-like tongue, but he pushed her and manage to escape.

The last door says intelligence, he hoped it won’t be like the other, and opened the door. There was a robot that welcomed him, “we are at your service sir”, he said, “ nice!”, Peter said back, “ yes, it is for that reason you've invented us, to serve your excellencies, and since you are in despair, and in a fragile mode, spreading madness, intending to increase crimes, hatred, desiring to be heartless like us, we will be at your service, and help you with that…… we shall put you out of your misery, sir!”, the robot added, while his body was being cracked open showing human organs inside of him, and blood sprinkling out of him covering Peter, “we will punish, punish, punish......”, he continued.

Then Peter opened his eyes, and lifted his upper body away from his bed in fear, but he quickly loses his strength, and get pulled back down with chains that he notices around his wrists and ankles chaining them to the bed, so he tries to pull them away from the bed, then he hears familiar sounds coming from the corridor, it was the voice of that little girl, the teacher and the sound of the robot, so he tries to slide his hands out of the chains, but when he was failing, yet still hearing the sounds become more clearer, he started shouting as loud as he can while shedding some tears down his cheeks, and pulling the chains as hard as he can, then suddenly something hit him hard on his head and he felt nothing again.