Breathing. Mine.
Beeping—Loud.
Beep.
Beep.
Bird…
(Sharp. Cut. Wind?)
Shink~
Grating.
(Warm. Cold. Both?)
Where—
(Eyes. Too bright. Hurt.)
Again—Beeping.
How long?
"...ay?"
(Loud)
(Open. Eyes.)
Bit more—
Rustling. Wind.
Buzzing—pressure—My head.
(My head…Cold? Breeze?)
An ache…
(My chest?
Heart?
Hole.)
Shivers.
(Light—It burns.)
An unfamiliar ceiling—Cliche.
Cliche?
Darkness—
Not again.
No...
My chest.
Cramped
Can't breathe…
(Drowning—Walls. Shrinking.)
Light—Gone?
Legs. Arms. Eyes.
Gone...
Can't feel.
No
Nonono—
NONONONO—
MOVEDAMMITFEEL—ANYTHING
OPENYOUREYES—PLEASE
PLEASE—
Please...
Not again.
Everything—
Gone.
Laughing?
Stop.
Stop—Laughing.
Stop. Laughing. At. Me.
STOP IT.
(LOUD. PAIN. ARGHH.)
DAMMIT. STOP. IT.
(Who…?)
STOP. LAUGHING.
(No one's laughing.)
JUST STOP DAMMIT.
(They're not laughing at you.)
(Breathe)
(I'm awake—)
(I'm here—)
I'm breathing…
A room. White—Big enough.
I can't move—What's new?
A lady wearing a white coat?
"I'm s—"
SCREECH
Loud—Again.
It hurts…
What's she saying?
Lips clapping.
Spit.
Ew…
My head—Dizzy.
Crying?
Ugh
My head hurts…
Make it stop…
Please—make it stop
Just,
Stop…please—
Just…
Stop.
It stopped…
"...Kai?"
Who?
More tears.
What?
Brown eyes. They are swollen…
Why?
My face…It feels wet.
Was I—Crying?
Something in my mouth—Metallic?
Tastes weird, unnerving…
Who…Am I?
Why is everything so loud?
Where am—
Blue eyes?
Who—
Dammit…
My eyes feel heavy—Don't close them.
No
Not again.
Not…
Again
Darkness.
Again
For the millionth time…
I'm back…
But I'm breathing.
Aren't I?
--
My eyes lifted. Again.
How long has it been?
The constant beeping of the machine was throwing me off, dizzying. Just as it had always been.
It was morning, the world outside seemed so close.
I could hear it.
The ruffling of the leaves. The flapping of a bird's wings. They had made a nest somewhere and baby chicks squeaked inside.
Children played; their laughter rung through my ears.
This…Isn't normal.
I don't know how, but I know.
The sun hit my skin; It burned. Itchy.
I tried moving my arm away, it shook slightly with effort. But stayed still.
Still can't move. The feeling of panic hadn't come as I expected.
Weird—I feel…
nothing.
I just observed. Listened.
My ears picked up something as I lay staring at the ceiling.
A static…
There was a pressure in my head—something was there—I just couldn't grasp it.
So, I focused.
Focused on that feeling.
On the noise.
And it slowly unravelled.
A radio.
With a sharp shziink, a crackling voice tore through the air.
"Welcome to the 'podcast' you all didn't know you wanted. But you needed. The GULLCAST. Is this how you use this thing?" He stopped, asking someone.
A warbled response came, small enough for normal people to miss.
"Yeahhhh, You gettt it dudeee. That's rad."
Gully coughed, "Well, My name is Gully, but you can call me THE GULLDIGGER, and I will show you, my dear Americans. What it's like to be one of the real people who help serve OUR COUNTRY and better OUR ECONOMY." He yelled with childlike enthusiasm.
America?
"I was once a MIGHTY SUPERHERO, BACK IN MY DAY I used to roll with many hero leagues—Urh, let's see…" He trailed off. Humming to himself.
"OHH YES!"
SCREEE—
Sharp Pain coursed through my ears as they rang.
Too Loud. The sound scratched like tiny nails in my brain.
It didn't last long.
"I used to run with the Liberty League back in the day, Oh what a bunch they were."
Liberty league? Patriotism much.
"Used to save America together. I Don't know how they did it without me. OH, one time—" The radio cut off. As another voice reached my ears.
"Jeffrey, enough with this audacious man!" The voice was coarse, but warm as she chided. "Since when has the Gulldigger ever done anything to serve this country." She snorted
A voice—equally grim with age responded, "You may not believe it. But he was quite the star back in our prime." He tutted, "What a shame, old age gets the best of the best of us eh?" He chuckled dryly.
"Heh, out of you maybe" She responded back, "I'm still quite the cougar, have a date with the local mailman tomorrow."
"James?" He sounded surprised. "Isn't he a bit too young? What, in his 30's"
"Oh shush, he isn't that young."
A door opened, but it wasn't theirs.
It was mine.
Wait—How did I just hear that?
Soft footsteps tapped on the cold ceramic.
I opened my eyes,
the light was insulting.
My eyes adapted, the figure of man in a coat approached. His? heart was beating at a steady pace. I could hear liquid gushing from him?
Blood?
What's happening to me?
For the first time today, My heart clenched.
I practically heard it miss a beat.
He said something. My ears rung.
Tinnitus? No—this is worse.
He said something else. Was he screaming at me?
It was easier to focus on a buzzing sound. It wasn't near. Where was it?
He clicked his fingers, redrawing my focus.
I can't do anything…
I can't tell him to stop—
Should I try to listen to his thoughts next?
Telepathic link—GO!
I strained, I really tried. I could imagine looking constipated with focus.
Still…Nothing.
And he left.
What was wrong with me? Who am I?
Thinking back, everything was a blur.
My memories felt muddled—like walking through a swamp.
I had questions. So many.
But no answers.
For now, I could only listen.
To the birds. The beeping. And distant conversations.
But damn was it hard. As hard as a rock…
That is what I am now.
A rock.
Just a small,
Sentient.
Rock.
A memory crossed my mind, the figure of a crying doctor.
I cried then, I should've yawned, then maybe she would've yawned instead.
Everyone copies the Rock.
I had many reasons I could cry—and many other reasons to lash out. Oh believe you me, Imma be throwing toilet paper at someone the first chance I get.
Still—everything felt wrong, my hearing, my body. Not in the way that I couldn't move, something more primal. It's like my whole being made me uncomfortable.
Home would be so good about now…
Where is home again?
I couldn't help but want to groan.
This is annoying.
Let me out, Let me move. Or Imma sing and trust me. You won't like it.
But of course, nothing happened. The room stayed the same, lonely, cold and separate from the chaos of the hospital. But I could hear everything from here…
I just wonder what the limits are…
--
The sky had darkened, moonlight covered the room like a blanket.
I was alone, but I didn't feel it.
A couple arguing in hushed whispers, a child crying softly, and a baby's sharp screams. It was like I was in the same room. However, I wasn't.
Am I imagining things? Is this all a dream?
No…
It feels too real.
The shrill beeping of the machine drilled into my skull. Creating this uncomfortable Itch that I just couldn't scratch.
This made me want to scratch it more—ahh, this is insane.
The cold sterile air and the subtle warmth of these blankets. It was an uncomfortable comfort, like when your pillow turns warm after you settle into your bed.
Everything felt so wrong…
I have so many questions.
But zero to no answers…
Okay. If I could clap—I would've.
And so, I painted a mental image of myself sitting up straight and clapping once. His face blurred and voice distorted.
'Let's go through the obvious.' It said, getting up from the bed. And pacing around the room.
'I can't move and I'm in some sort of hospital.'
'Anddd I have super hearing.' He added, his arms raised in exuberance. 'Which honestly, Is awesome and pretty jarring.'
He pivoted, doing a 180.
But disappeared as one of the many machines stopped beeping. Like another snuffed star in this hospital.
A wail tore through the empty hospital wing. The question was which one?
"Time of death: 02:37am" A sombre voice echoed.
The mental image returned—this time sighing to itself, slumped against the wall directly in front of me.
'Again...' It muttered,staring at its hand.
'God, I hate this.'
Still, It got back up with a spin, a loose grin pulled at its mouth. 'Well, another one bites the dust, eh?'
'Let's continue our rundown.'
Yea... Lets do that.
'So, the sun seems to bother me, It makes me feel itchy.' He stopped in front of me, gazing down. 'Are you a vampire?'
He turned back around, continued his pacing.
'No, Nonono. Not a vampire, you can barely move.' It snapped his finger and twirled around, pointing its finger at me. 'Bite your lip.'
Bite my what now?
'Your lip.'
Why?
'Well, vampires have sharp canines, no? You can slightly move your jaw, no?'
I—I don't know.
He got closer, seemingly excited. 'Cmon then sherlock, lets find out.'
I stared at him, unsure of how to react. I hesitantly bit my lip.
'Oh, come on, bite harder' Its hands moved about dramatically.
I'm trying. You try to bite yourself and see how that fares.
'You're me,' I could swear his face was deadpan.
Oh…
Right, yea.
Maybe this is a mental institution?
'Just bite already.'
I used more force, my jaw shaking uncontrollably whilst a metallic tang spread through my mouth,
'Yo, my guy.' He looked surprised. 'Was your lip always that fragile?'
Uhhh—I don't think so.
OI, what are you looking at hansel? Back away.
I couldn't help but grumble as he inched closer in fascination.
'Oh…' He muttered in realisation.
What?
'You're bleeding…' His voice was low, almost stunned.
Oh…
I'm bleeding.
Crap. 'Crap'
I'M BLEEDING 'YOUR BLEEDING'
He put his hands on his head, taking a few steps back.
'Ooookaayyy, okokokok' He muttered. Looking around.
I felt tired…
'JUST LICK IT' He yelled.
WHAT?
'LICK IT! DIGEST YOUR BLOOD SO YOU CAN PUT IT BACK INTO YOUR BODY.' He jumped about like he had the best idea ever.
THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS
A subtle tingling came from my bleeding lip. My eyes felt like lead.
He visibly stumbled, 'WHAT?' and started pacing again.
Faster this time. More desperate.
'OMGOMGOMGOMG YOU ARE NOT GONNA DROWN IN A POOL OF YOUR OWN BLOOD' He yelled at me.
'WAIT' He stopped, finger in the air.
'JUST DRINK IT'
I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK…
Jeez.
He stopped again, gazing at my face.
'wait…' He stopped. His finger trembled.
'Your lip…'
My hearing started to fade…
He started to wither away.
'it's stopped bleeding.'
Everything faded away.
As it always seemed to do.