nemesis

He always comes for a visit just as I go to bed. I don't know how he gets in but he always does. The fact that it may be inconvenient for me doesn't bother him at all. He's like a mosquito that just won't die. It doesn't matter how many times I swat at him he always comes back louder. I wrap a pillow around my head and press my face into the mattress, but this only seems to amplify his voice.

I seek sanctuary in my bathroom. Enjoying the silence, I stay in there a awkward amount of time. I open the door a crack to see if he is still here. Not hearing him I sneak back to my room and into bed, but as soon as I switch off the lights he's back.

Instantly launching into a diatribe about how I am ruining my life, he explains to me in great detail how every decision I have made since his last visit is bringing me one step closer to being a failure. I attempt to find fault in his arguments but everything he says is accurate, just as it always is. Begrudgingly, I admit he is right. I can feel his smirk through the darkness.

Now he starts to tell me how I can still salvage things. He explains that all is not lost and I can still amount to something. As he continues to layout his multi-point plan for my salvation I muster all my courage and blurt out "NO".

The tension in the room builds at a exponential rate. "Idiot" he roars, "fool, imbecile, moron, simpleton, nitwit, twit...." His tirade lays siege to my mind, but I remain steadfast in my contrariness. Realizing that his frontal assault is not going to work he attempts to reason with me. As before all his contentions are valid but I am resolute.

"Why not?" he ask.

"Am I happy?" I reply.

Throwing up his hands in disgust he turns his back and fades away into the blackness. One of these days he just might win but until then at least I have that.

Author's Note

Did you enjoy it? All I want is honesty. If it stinks let me know, I wont be hurt.

Reviews

[pasdepoisson]

Bravo to you for defeating your nemesis! I think this piece has a pretty common appeal for creative personalities.

Case in point, I can relate to this self-dialogue as I'm currently in Chinese class slacking off on Writer's Cafe instead of studying for my final exams. "Am I happy?" Take that, overachieving superego.

On the stylistic front, I think the characterization of the superego-ish nemesis is strong. I especially like how he changes tactics from persuasion to beratement. Well drawn.

Just one typo at "I stay in there a awkward amount of time."