In The Dark Of Night

A snippet of a quiet hallway, a dark hallway; and in the distance, a clock.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The hollow echoes of the ticking clock resounded through the empty hall.

I rested my chin on my hand, gloved in a beautiful black lace that blended in with the darkness of night. I sat, resting, and listening to the passing of time. Not a breath could be heard, not a creature moved, not even the dust dared to settle -- nothing but the clock. Drowning in a sea of turbulent thought that threatened to split my skull with its pounding, I did not move.

Outside, it was all black. The lone window let in no light through its thick veil, and my open eyes might as well have been closed, for all they saw was pure nothingness. Stillness gripped me and my surroundings in its claws, but the only thing able to pierce it was the undying pendulum. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

Inside, it was all a blank white. Storm after storm of agonizing memory stole the life from my thoughts until all was numb and the maelstrom of thoughts blurred together like the haze of fog on a chilly, gloomy day. A day quite like this, I supposed. But it was night.

I felt that I would go mad sitting in that room, but still I made no attempt to move, let alone to leave. I couldn't just leave; the timing was not right. No, this could not be happening. It was not time.

But the veil was thrown open and I was thrown out; and on my way out, my open eyes saw that the room was never dark and there was never a clock. Inside was all black and outside was all white. The stars shone brightly, but the dreary thoughts draped me in a dark storm.

With open eyes that were blind to the light, I watched a crow leap from a great height and fly away with a gloating caw as its black eyes stared through me. It passed near my left hand, gloved in a beautiful black lace that blended in with the darkness.

Author's Note

What are your thoughts? What did you find significant, and what do you think it means? Thanks for reading and please leave a review!

Reviews

[Ruth]

I really enjoyed this...the balance of dark and light is interesting and the memory mentioned. It makes me travel down a few avenues actually, the sense of depression, the way one sees the situation and surroundings that envelop them, perceptions, the crow - a messenger of transformation so therefore the dark and light balancing as a mark of transforming self...the light being tangible but it feels not always so, I am probably rambling but this is a curious short story and the the imagery well layered, excellent :)

[JJKimii]

Thank you for your review! I appreciate it very much!