Wake up call...(666)

oh gee wizz, this is my first attempt at doing anything like this. But once I started I couldnt stop
Okay, well strange how it has turned out cos I didnt originally intend to write about 666 but it just happened.

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5/6/2006

It was so cold and I had lost feeling in the tips of my fingers. Aside from the odd pins and needles, my toes when I could feel them felt like ice cubes. My angry thoughts began to spew forth in my mind one after the other; at least the dark clouds matched my mood I conceded. 7:05 in the morning and I am waiting for a bus that will take me to work where I can earn a living. The money hardly seemed worth it! I detested public transport and this particular morning I detested the reality of getting up out of my warm bed to go to work. I am pretty sure those also waiting for the bus sensed my annoyance as they kept their distance. There were the usual people sitting in the shelter. I looked at them one by one and they all looked as sullen as the sky but were chatting amongst themselves, obviously I thought to keep their mind off the cold. Why else would they have a conversation at 7:05 in the morning? Who really does that? Most of them had their arms folded and they huddled together. Pathetic, hell would have to freeze over before I would ever do that. Hell, I thought, yes I am going there…sure, can’t wait, at least its warmer there.

My breath was icy cold and it looked like I was smoking. Then I thought about smoking and then I thought about alcohol. Which reminded me of Saturday night. Oh I wished it were the weekend. I looked at my watch…7:06 am. One long cold minute had passed. I decided to stare at the road and keep look out for the bus. It had occurred to me that if I stayed in one spot for too long, I may snap freeze. That little thought brought with it my sense of humor, if only for a brief second. I decided to rub my hands together and jig about on the spot. I tried to weigh up who looked more pathetic; me moving about incessantly for warmth or the people sitting in the shelter huddled together.

The bus finally arrived and I was the first one on. I was first inline, so first one onto the bus. I didn’t care at all if there were old, blind or disabled people. I didn’t care. I was cold and I was determined that my needs came before everyone else and in my mind I would get onto the bus first and I would not even wait for others to get off. It was just as well because there were few seats left and I managed to find a seat right up the front of the bus next to an old lady who actually had nice clothes on and smelt like lavender. This wasn’t too bad at all.

I slowly began to thaw out; I could feel my fingers and my toes once again. I began to look around the bus and noticed that I had sat in the reserved section for the old and disabled. Oh fantastic! Well, no one at this stage needed it, so I went back to gazing out the window. Three stops into the journey, an old man gets on the bus. He is ancient. His legs don’t work. He needs my seat. What the hell is he doing up at this time of the morning? I thought. I decided to wait to see if anyone other than myself would get up. I felt rather awkward because the bus waited for him to sit down before recommencing the journey. In that moment, I felt everyone looking at me and I felt that they knew I was a nasty cow that didn’t want to give up the seat. I eventually got up and smiled, I thought my face would crack. He sat down and I held onto the seat railing and avoided eye contact with the smug people sitting comfortably. I started to feel angry again. I looked at the old man and his eyes were smiling at me. Oh yes, of course your happy, I thought. Not only do you get cheaper fares; you get a special ruddy seat with your name on it! But, of course, I smiled back at him and my face felt like it would crack once more.

The bus ride into town was hell. It was 8:25 am and I had enough time to get a coffee before work. I am walking with this urgent need for caffeine. I need a cigarette also. But I don’t have any because I don’t smoke. When did that happen? What possessed me to give up? What was I thinking? I walk up to the counter to order my coffee and notice some people that I see all the time but today I don’t want to see them. I just want to get a drink and go. I get out my mobile and call home. No one is there but I can talk to the answering machine and pretend I am too busy to chat. I get my coffee, acknowledge them with a nod of my head and a smile because I am talking to my answering machine and continue once again on my way to work. I have to step over this jerk that is sleeping on the street. Street sleepers are an occupational hazard. I could have spilt my coffee and burnt myself if I hadn’t seen him in time. There was cardboard all around him. What an unsightly mess! It was bad enough having to walk past him everyday and to see him with his hand out on the street. Some people have no shame. I walked up to the lights and waited to cross. As I waited, I sipped my coffee and looked at the outfits on display in the shop window. I really must have that outfit; I thought and decided to go back at lunch to get me some of that retail therapy.

I had five minutes to get to work so I quickened my step. Out the corner of my eye I could see Helen. We reached the escalator at the same time. I am sure everyone at some stage of his or her career has to suck ass but nobody refers to it as that. I don’t know how I managed to say “Good morning Helen” but I did. I managed to summons the devil once more from my reserve. She acknowledged me, the same way I acknowledged the people at the coffee shop.

character max...

edited to add (666)

[edit on 15-6-2006 by masqua]

Falling into my chair, I relaxed knowing I had made it to work. I had survived the ordeal of public transport. The heater was on and I could hide all day in my office. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a siren. I didn’t care. It was nothing to do with me. No fire here, I thought. The siren drew louder and louder and then stopped close by. My phone rang,
“Yes…no. I am not handling that matter. I will transfer you back to reception”
I went back to enjoying the warmth and privacy of my office knowing full well I had lied, I was handling that matter because my colleague was on sick leave and I had been given some of his work. I didn’t like him. I always found him so annoying. Raving on and on about his kids, bla bla bla. I had enough work of my own to do without him conveniently taking sick leave. Not bad strategy really. He gets paid to stay at home while others do his work. Hopefully, its terminal and someone else who wants to work can do his job and take his crap from my desk.

Before I knew it, it was 2:30 in the afternoon. Had I fallen asleep? Where did the time go? Ah well, another day without lunch. I remembered the outfit I wanted to buy. #! I will have to do that tomorrow. Susan walks into my office. No knock, no nothing. Just waltzes in and sits down.
“Have you heard about the old man?”
“No, Susan…I haven’t, I am working, what old man?”
“The ambulance this morning. You didn’t hear it?”
“Yes, I heard it. What about it?”
“The homeless guy around here, he died this morning, apparently he had been dead on the pavement for a while and no one noticed…it is so sad”.
I tried to be sympathetic… “Well, Susan, that’s life on the street for you. What does it matter now?”
“Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter now, but Jeremy is really upset over it. Jeremy used to buy him soup and last week he gave him a blanket. Jeremy was the one to find him and call the ambulance. That’s why he was late this morning. Jeremy said his family had died and he was alone and…”
“Ah I see, well, I don’t know anything about it and I have work to do. Have you finished my tapes?”
Susan shifted uncomfortably in the chair. I could tell she wanted to rave on about it and I just didn’t want to hear it especially as I had stepped over him.
“…Yes, of course, I will bring them in”.
I went back to my work and I did not look back up until she had left my office.

I got up and stood by the window. I looked down at the street and thought about the old man. What if he was still alive when I saw him? What if…oh to hell with this. What the hell has it got to do with me anyway? I went back to my desk and continued working. I tried to focus on my work but the old man’s image drifted in and out.

The image drifted in and out all the way home on the bus too. I couldn’t shake it. I started to feel even angrier, this stupid old man dies on the street and now I feel bad? I kept telling myself I had nothing to do with his demise. It was his time and that was final.

I was glad to be home, just because I was not at work. It was dark, winter brought the nights sooner and the days were shorter. The house was cold and it irritated me. I threw my keys on the bench and went outside to get the firewood. I hated winter with a passion. In fact, I hated everything right now. I even hated the firewood, the thing that would keep me warm. I hated lugging it into the house. I hated having to start the fire and hated having to wait for the heat. I wanted someone to light the fire and I wanted to walk into a warm house when I came home from work. My hands were freezing and as I pulled a log from the pile another fell on my hand.
I dropped the wood and screamed out in pain.
“To hell with all of this” I said and stormed back into the house.

6/6/06
My alarm clock woke me at 6am as it does every weekday. Just 5 more minutes as I hit the snooze button. I looked at the clock and it was six minutes past 6 and decided it was now or never. I lie there and as I started to stretch I remembered the old man. Oh for heaven sake! He is just a stupid old man. I got up to have a shower. I turned the tap on and nothing came out. Nothing! I started to feel angry as I soon realised the pipes were frozen. No hot shower for me this morning. I hated this house and I hated winter. I just hated.

I hated all the way to the bus stop. Today, everything seemed darker than usual. I felt consumed with hate. On the bus I felt the anger surging up through me. I got off the bus and tried to calm down as I walked to get a coffee. I felt people were looking at me. What was happening to me? My face was flushed and I was having trouble breathing. My eyes were stinging. Please, nobody speak to me…nobody speak to me…not now… I couldn’t talk to anyone, my throat was burning and I swallowed hard. Joe thankfully said “Usual?” and I nodded. My mobile rang. I searched through my bag but by the time I pulled the phone out I had missed the call. It was a missed call from my home. I put the money on the counter, grabbed my coffee and walked into the side lane. This must be a mistake; there is no one at home. I dialed home to check. The phone rang and I waited for the call to go to the machine but it didn’t. The phone rang six times and then I heard a man’s voice answer.
“Yes…?”
“…Oh I, am… s…sorry, I must have dialed the wrong num…”
“No! …This is your number, I have waited for you to call, you didn’t ring this morning”.
“Who are you? What are you doing in my house?”
“I am the demon that lives in your heart and mind, I am the fire that’s burning your soul…”
“What? WHO the hell are you?”
“I am the demon that lives in your heart and mind, I am the fire that’s burning your soul…”
“STOP IT! Tell me who you are! And get out of my house!”
“I am the demon that lives in your heart and mind, I am the fire that’s burning your soul…”
“You’re a crazy, nutcase, weirdo and I am ringing the police!”
“I am the demon that lives in your heart and mind, I am the fire that’s burning your soul…”

This is insane, I felt as if I was spinning around and everything was moving too fast. I felt disorientated. The words, the demon, heart and soul was spinning around my mind. My throat was parched. I hung up and tried to catch my breath. I dialed emergency.
“Emergency… Fire, Ambulance or Police?”
“Police”
“Connecting you now…”
“Go ahead, this is the Police”
“There is a weirdo in my house. I am on my way to work and he just called from my home”
“Madam, is this a domestic dispute?”
“No, there is a man in my home. I don’t know who this person is. Can you send a patrol around to get him? He is still there now.”
“Madam, if you are not home, how do you know he is there?”
“HE just called me on my mobile saying weird crazy things to me”
“Madam, how do you know the call came from your home?”
“Caller ID on my mobile”
“Madam, what is your address? We will send a patrol around immediately.”

I leant back against the wall and tried to make sense of what was happening. I placed my hands into my face and as I pulled my hands away I noticed they were a bright red color. I stared at them in disbelief. I kept looking at my hands and started to scream as the red turned into fire. My hands were on fire. I stood upright paralyzed screaming holding my hands in front of me. I began to run holding my hands out in front of me as if to show them to people. Screaming and yelling,
“I am on fire…Help me!” sobbing… “Help me, please help me”.

People were backing away from me…frightened. I ran straight out into the road into an oncoming car. People came rushing over to where I lay. I got up and ran but they didn’t follow me. I caught my reflection in the mirror of a shop and I was bleeding. My mouth and nose were bleeding. Was I hallucinating? What was happening? Then I heard the voice “I am the demon that lives in your heart and mind, I am the fire that’s burning your soul…”
I looked into the distance and there was a fire burning and I was being pulled towards it. I screamed and ran up to people to help me…but they didn’t see me. They didn’t hear me. I tried to desperately grab hold of anything that would stop me from being dragged into the fire. But I couldn’t grasp anything.

The voice became so loud it vibrated through my soul bruising it with each resonation. I stood before the Devil…and then I heard he went down to Georgia and I woke up and I sat up in bed, I began to touch my body to feel if I was alive. The alarm said it was exactly 6 am. It was pitch black; I turned on the light and looked at myself in the mirror. There I was. I wandered through the house touching everything and I felt so cold. I feel cold…it is freezing! I started jumping up and down laughing I was alive! It was just a dream. Just a nightmare!

It is 7:05 am and I am at the bus stop. I am whistling and I feel fantastic. I say good morning to everyone I usually ignore. “Isn’t this cold weather fabulous!”

the end
NR

Great stuff Nat. Btw i hate winter, this week has been so freakin cold.

thanks mojo...

I was weelly nervous as it is my first time but what the heck...or should say 'what the hell!'

lol

Originally posted by NJE777
I am whistling and I feel fantastic.

Ya' know .. if you whistle in the dark it attracts ghosts. I know thats
an old 'myth' but it's true. If you whistle on a dark winter morning -
that sounds like a lead in for the next installment ......