Insomnia part II

Another scene of a man who suffers insomnia

6:00am was the time, an empty apartment, more than fourteen hours since his last cigarette, more than fourteen hours since his last drink, not much coffee he had, not in a while, he’s been seeing nightmares more often lately, steady pulse, wide open eyes, and soothing breath, “hello my friend” a voice came from nowhere, it was familiar, he almost recognized it, “it’s been a while!” he turns around to find that stranger who vested him two months ago.

 

“Oh! Hello there” he replies in courtesy, “long time indeed, I’m sorry for the mess, I don’t have much time to clean up lately, what brings you here today?” he asks, “and why didn’t you stop by again?” “Don’t worry about the mess, I’m not going to stay for long I know you have work in few hours ” the stranger pulls a seat, “I dropped by to check on you, it seems you’ve been having enough sleep lately, keeping yourself busy, eh?” “That’s true sir, how did you know? Were you watching me?” “I don’t need to watch you, I know enough to tell, and there’s no need for you to offer me anything, I know you ran out of coffee, drinks and cigarettes,”

In frightened sound he asked him ”how did you know?” “I know enough, and a bit more.” said his guest, “and I know your throat is dry, therefore you don’t need to speak much, let me do all the talking on your behalf.” “What … how… umm!” “Hush! No need to worry about unnecessary details, I told you I know more about you than yourself; I know you are working over night, sleeping all day, you hardly see your family nor your friends, they even started to forget you” he nod his head in agreement “and I know you feel underpaid, underestimated and lifeless, I know you are spending your money on others and on things you don’t really need to feel that you matter, I know you wear steel-toe boots at summer to get the feeling of steady steps on ground, to keep you balanced and to be ready for a fight, I know you are looking for a fight just to express your anger, I know you’ve been praying every night for things to change and the next night you pray harder that the one before, you’ve been playing the same record everyday for more than a month now, last call you received was from a delivery person who brought you food that you had all alone, you think that what doesn’t break will make you stronger, while you are already broken, you miss many people from the past, even ones you somehow hate, yet you convince yourself that you are strong, you miss life, yet you convince yourself that soon things will change and that you’ll feel more alive when you get it back.” He takes a look out of the window and sighs. “But that doesn’t prove that you know me, you might be right but everyone has the same issues, anyone in my place would, these are common facts!” his tone goes higher almost yelling; “you don’t even know my name!”

“Still not convinced! I came here to help you, to show you things as they are, but you are pathetic delusional idiot you are becoming one of them slaves, more likely a machine a working class hero, bullocks! Maybe this will make you believe; you have two bank accounts but you use the money you keep in the drawer next to your bed, you keep and ashtray at your office in the lower drawer, you never wear the same clothes twice a week, and your name is 3228, which is the password to your account” he turns back at him and says “you need to wake up my friend, but to awake you need to sleep!”

 

As he turns around he glances a fist moving into his face, takes a hit, falls on the ground last he heard before he faints was “help this you spy!”

 

Next morning one the floor he awakes, the stranger isn’t there but there’s blood on the floor and a broken tooth, feeling dizzy he goes to wash his face, looks at the water dripping into the sink mixed with blood, moves his eyes slowly to the mirror and laughs madly, with a broken tooth.

Author's Note

Reviews are welcomed.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I enjoyed this tale. I like the meeting and the battle. I like the way he awoke with the enemy gone and he won. Thank you for the excellent story.
Coyote