[Fiction] Time Left Me Behind Once

[clintaribs]

Image Credit : pixabay

Here's the thing..

We all love a good night's sleep. The world around you quiets down and comes to a relaxing halt -- but not tonight.

Tonight was eerily quiet. Have you ever been awakened by the sound of dead nothing? This is not the nothing I'm used to. I pulled the covers over my shoulder as I fill my lungs with cold air. As I exhale, I began to ponder the silence.

The only sounds I could hear were that of my breath and heartbeat. Am I supposed to even hear my heartbeat? I feel around underneath my pillow for my phone. I needed some light in here. I had momentarily lost track of where I was in my own room.

I can see a window, but I'm not sure which one it is. Where is the door again? I sat up to try and regain my bearing. I tried to set my foot on the ground beside my bed, but there's one problem. Where is the ground?

I manage to locate my phone. 1:11am says the time. I immediately turned on the flashlight. Finally, I was able to make sense of my surroundings. I got out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom. I switched on the bathroom lights and rub my eyes, almost as though to prepare them for the light I'm about to expose them to.

I look in the mirror and there I am. I squint my eyes to focus on what's right in front of my face -- a mosquito in mid air. Frozen in time. My sweat turned cold. I don't believe it. I attempted to touch it but hesitated twice.

TICK! -- goes the clock. How slow and loud it ticked. I look around in disbelief. Could it be? Everything looks deceivingly normal.
'Aha! The clock. It must've stopped working', I thought -- completely unaware that time itself has left me behind and I have just begun the race to catch up with the 'now'.

CREAK... -- goes the door. How slowly and loudly it opened.
'Mom? Is that you?', I asked. My voice shook slightly as I wrestle with the unsettling feeling in my stomach.

BUZZ... -- goes the mosquito's wings. I watched that stationary insect regain its animation. The buzzing became progressively high pitched. I have never seen a mosquito fly that fast. I turn on the tap. I need to wash my face.

SLURG... -- goes the water. Who turned off gravity? I watched the water make its way to the sink at an unbelievably slow frame rate. Progressively, the water rushes faster and faster. You would not believe what relief rushes through my body as my reality becomes synchronous to every sense of what is normal.

I thought my post-awakening hallucination was over. My mom walks into the room and I wondered why she didn't answer me. She began to accelerate about the room. Her voice was unusually high pitched. Suddenly, she darts towards me.

The lights became brighter and brighter. She spoke so fast, it gradually became impossible to make out what she was saying. I fall to my knees with my hands on my head -- screaming. Everything is now jumping into my line of vision.

What was once my mum is now but a fleeting figure, darting to and fro sporadically in a state of panic. I crash to the floor and my eyes roll up in their sockets. Hours of reality began to render faster than the speed of sound. I shut my eyes and it was over.

Next thing I saw, I was in bed, surrounded by my family. I looked around in total confusion. I could see the fear in their eyes. I looked at the clock. 11:11am says the time. One question aches within me.

What exactly is reality? 😳

Comments

[theinkwell]

Hi @clintaribs. Thank you for joining us in The Ink Well, and for sharing your story.

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[clintaribs]

Thank you so much for having me. I look forward to reading great works by writers here and contributing my best to this awesome community.

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[timix648]

Hmmm...this was skillfully written and nicely conveys the sense of disorientation and confusion that the protagonist experiences kudos👍👍

[clintaribs]

Thank you so much for reading. I humbly appreciate it 🥂