Insomnia
The red digits of the alarm clock next to your bed give the only illumination in the dark room. Your eyes strain to distinguish the grotesque shadows that surround you. A car passes outside. You wonder if the driver is aware of the strange clunking noise the engine is making. Vague shadows are thrown onto the wall opposite the window that is covered by closed mini-blinds. After the car�s clunking engine fades into a distant noise, you are left in your silence. You glance at the red glowing digits: 2:47.
Knowing that your alarm will be buzzing in a matter of a few short hours makes you anxious to get some sleep. You sigh in a vein attempt to relax as you lay sprawled in the middle of you bed. Your blanket has been kicked off to the right while your pillow has vanished all together. You think it is on the floor somewhere.
Two cars pass outside. The driver of the second car, you decide, is a complete idiot for not realizing the ear splitting screeches coming from his car means his brakes need to be fixed. You are thinking of his stupidity when you here the dog from three houses down start barking. The are soon followed by an annoying cat scream. Your entire body cringes at the thought of what the dog will do to the cat. But, you soon relax, reminding yourself that you are too tired to care and wished the dog would hurry and just shut the cat up.
Soon, the cat has stopped squealing. Outside , there are no more passing cars or squealing cats. Only a few rival crickets. It is in the cricket chorus that you become aware of another enemy noise. It is a rhythmic noise, sounding like a distant drum being beaten violently. Your heart begins pounding out of frustration. Your stomach tightens and you start breathing irregularly. Frustration grows into anger. What is this annoying and evil thing that has been sent by Satan himself to torture you?
You open your eyes and sit up in your bed. It is then that you realize the rhythmic noise was the second hand on your wrist watch.
You take three deep breaths trying to calm yourself. You throw yourself back, your head bouncing a little on the springs of the mattress. Once again, after what seemed to be eternity, or at least an hour, you glance at the red, glowing digits: 2:51.
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