The faded conveyor belt slowly chugged along as the employee behind the register rang up items in the local mom n’ pop shop. Alice was fascinated by his monotone voice and pock marked skin. A stoner? She wondered what he ate when he got the munchies from the devil’s lettuce. She would’ve made homemade sweet potato gnocchi. Or perhaps fresh mushroom risotto with plenty of herbs and garlic and parmigiano straight from the cow. She salivated at the thought but also felt the telltale pit in her stomach that had been plaguing her for months now.
short story
Anxiety
My hands are numb. All I can feel is a tingling sensation in my hands.
I wonder if they care.
Breathe. I can’t breathe. Like a heart attack. Weight on my chest that is so constricting. Maybe if I count in my head it will distract me.
Chapter 1: Julian
The town is burning. The flames lick up the sides of the old brick structures, the reaching flames trying to find anything that would burn. The light breeze blows the choking smoke in the direction of London. Every last man, woman, child, and household pet are surely nothing but smoldering ash by now. I slowly stroll along the stone pathway that manages to encapsulate the whole town, taking in my most recent exploit. My feet kick a few bits of stray rubble. The noise of it echoes around me in the silence left in the wake of the terror. I would never let anyone escape.
I Feel Everything
It starts off black. It is a blissful blackness that seemingly has no end. That is, until I start to become aware of my surroundings. It is slow going at first, but once I know I am conscious, there is no stopping it. My senses start to kick in. Smell. . . everything smells clean, almost sterile. There is also a hint of latex. Sound. . . I could hear something that sounded like metal clashing with each other. Scissors, maybe? Voices mumble around me but I can’t tell what they are saying. A persistent beeping resonates in the background. I feel a slight tugging sensation in my chest that becomes more persistent. I know I am lying on a hard surface, but not much else other than that.
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