Matryoshka

"Bzzzt! Bzzzt!" A flick of a wrist and a quick swipe released the glow, yet it did not hide her disappointment as the only message received was just another spam letter. Alyssa sighed and placed the phone on her bedside table. The room fell into silence and darkness. After the short exposure to light, Alyssa could only see blurry silhouettes of the objects around her. Slowly her vision adjusted before she swung her feet over the side of the bed and stood, her back slightly curved as she yawned into her hand. With sluggish movement, she dressed for the day. One quick glance to the mirror above the dresser mocked her appearance with dark bags under the eyes, and face a sickly pale tone. 

Alyssa clipped her phone to her jean pocket like a brandished weapon as she stepped out the front door of her home. The sun rising behind the mountains threatening to shine down on the streets. With a groan, Alyssa begrudgingly completed her schedule every agonizing hour at a time from dawn to dusk. She finished her classes, finished her chores, she even bothered to plan out the days for the next week with a back up plan for anything that might go wrong like a traffic jam or a dying alarm clock (although she knew that wouldn't happen with the twenty or so alarms on her phone and the fact she kept that thing charging all night even if she didn't sleep). Overall, it was another monotone day with her mute phone clipped on her pocket. 

Once she got home, Alyssa made sure her phone was charging in her bedroom. Next, she took a long hot bath soaking her body with her favorite body wash of cherry blossoms and her hair with strawberry scented shampoo. That was probably the highlight of her seemingly endless day. Finally, she changed into her pajamas of lavender and blues.

As custom in her every day life, Alyssa walked through her home checking that the doors were locked and turned off all the lights until she was in total dark. She waited for her eyes to adjust before closing the door to her room and collapsing on her bed. The bed covers were abandoned to the side as the heat was always too intense even in the slightly cooler night. Alyssa lay there staring up into the ceiling just waiting. She then closed her eyes, and the ticking of the clock echoed louder in her cavernous head. 

Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-

The endless monotone continued as did the ever haunting of the night. 

"Why? What was the reason for this silent treatment? Did I do something wrong?" The workings of madness and the reminders of loneliness were knocking against Alyssa's skull as persistent as the ticking of the deafening clock.

"I did something again didn't I? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Alyssa's left hand clutched her hair in a death grip threatening to pull it out as her right hand reached for her phone. She held the phone to her heart as though she could somehow transfer the beating rhythm and bring life to her silent phone. Tears pricked her eyes as her mind beat her to death from the inside out.

"I don't know why I do this anymore!" Alyssa's right hand tightened as she raised her hand to throw, but instead she sighed and left the phone back on the bedside table safe and sound. 

Alyssa bit her lip, chewing anxiously until it bled while she waited and waited for that ring that bzzzzt to save her. 

Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick

There was nothing so far, but maybe it could change. Maybe all the little gears would wake up any moment and remember Alyssa, the girl still waiting in her feign sleep.

"It's ridiculous, what did you expect? It's clear, isn't it? You've been abandoned as any silly toy! Forgotten in the back seat like a dog in a heated car with the windows still rolled up..." Alyssa rolled onto her side with her hands cupping her ears blocking the outside sounds. It didn't help though...

"Just give in! It's better that way, wouldn't you agree?" Alyssa curled up muttering frantically. "It's just the way it is. Life goes on and others are left behind. So stop worrying about it and forget them." Her body shivered slightly as her lips stilled. "Just do what I say and it will be better, I promise! Sometimes you have to lose yourself to madness to be better suited for the insanity that comes with the common false sanity. It's the way these people think, it's just the standard between people who use stepping stones. So just crush the stone and let it weep gravel for pete's sake!" Alyssa's hands reached out to her head again, her brain buzzing excitedly at the prospect of the seducing offer. It was already killing her, the silence that comes with the falling 'ship' of social meaning. So why couldn't she let the ship sink already? 

"Come on Alyssa! Forget-forget-forget-forget-forget-forget-forget-forget-forget-forget-forget-forget-forget..." Her breath stilled, and her chest unmoving. The very idea of functioning lungs flew out the window. 

"That's it Alyssa, just forget and relax and it will be fine in the end." Her face was slowing turning from a sickly pale tone to a concerning blue. "You know, I think that's exactly what you need. An end to this story!" Alyssa tried to feel for the constricting hands on her neck but felt none. "It's been going on for far too long! I know, so the end came with a loud explosion and the world crumbled under the fist of nature! Or no! Better yet, a silent whisper just like your dead weight phone you've been so diligently keeping an ear out...Or was it with your life that you keep betting on for that annoying ringing. Well, who knows, it's just a waste of time!" 

Alyssa grunted as her nails began clawing her throat trying so desperately to breath again. "Don't bother and sleep peacefully. Isn't that more beautiful? To forget the world in favor of a good deserved rest after obeying these hounds for so long? I knew you shouldn't have trusted them! I knew the moment I saw them, stepping into your life, stepping on your love...Repaying you with this...silence....Just forget..."

Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tock...Huh?

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Alyssa gasped as the sensation of her soul being ripped out of her and shoved back in a new direction rocked her body causing her to jolt up. She winced and squinted at the blinding light...Wasn't it dark just a moment ago? Why was it suddenly morning? 

She glanced down and saw her lavender and blue pajamas, so when did reality end and the dream begin? She didn't remember her eyes closing, she didn't remember falling asleep at all...

"Bzzzzzt!" Alyssa jumped with a gasp. Her breathing was ragged as she tried to calm herself and reached out for the phone. She swiped the screen and a bubble bounced saying 'one new message'. Alyssa tapped on the bubble: "Hey, are you okay? I just wanted to say I was sorry so forgive me T_T I've been killing myself over all night. Text me when you read this, okay?"

Alyssa sighed. Her fingers moved on their own : "Yeah, I'm totally fine :D See ya laterz!" The phone fell from her hands and she let out a long breath of ease. 

Alyssa swung her feet over the bed and stood. She then dressed for the day and clipped the phone onto her jean pocket. One quick glance to the mirror revealed the lack of dark bags that usually lingered under her eyes, and her tone of skin looked slightly better than before. Then her eyes wandered down. With a frown, Alyssa added a scarf to the outfit and wrapped it around her neck. Better. She was totally fine now.