The Insomniac Astronaut

I waste away under the glow of a thousand suns. The river of time has become ash. On it's current I cannot stay.

I begin to drift off into a weird and wonderful dream of traveling on a spaceship that's thrust weaves magnificent shades and patterns of purple, green, and crimson across the cosmos. On a strange red planet I meet gray scale space women wearing only fishbowl helmets and scanty bikinis. Their ample bosoms bouncing freely in the low gravity. For the first time in many nights I feel a calm desire to stay and to belong. But I am snapped out of this blissful lull by the arrival of a second ship.

Out of a sinister cylinder come streaming out like fire ants the most horrible creatures I have laid eyes on. They are large three eyed abominations writhing in tentacles tipped with the talons of eagles.Their legs are like huge, leathery trees; the toes of which seem to tendril out into the land with each menacing step.

Within seconds they are upon the gray scale space women, devouring them whole. It is a terrifying, depressing sight and I am inclined to help the poor defenseless space women. But alas, I realize I can do little against these monsters. 

So stealthily and deliberately I retreat back to my ship. I am less than half way there before I realize I am completely surrounded. They gather in a circle around me not more the twenty feet away. I can see in agonizing detail the eagle like talons they used to snatch up the space women, still dripping with their innocent blood. As they move nearer I can see that these creature have translucent skulls. In the center of each dance phantoms and whispers of light. I imagine each specter of light to be another malicious thought.

 Nearer still and they open there mouths revealing many rows of rusty railroad spikes. I can feel the gaze of a thousand pulsating blood shot eyes. They raise their bloody talons and mouths widen and curl. Almost like a sick, twisted parody of a child's smile. Mere feet away I desperately close my eyes. I can smell their breaths. It is the smell of death, decay, darkness, and the ancient void.

Certain the end is near I open my eyes just as the tip of the first monsters claws pierces my skin.

I am awake. Sitting on the couch, remote still in hand. I feel like I have lived a thousand years, but the clock on the wall claims less than five minutes have passed since I began my misadventure. Hastily I change the channel. And though the clock also claims its only 3 AM, I decide to give up on sleep that night.

Author's Note

Let me know what you think.