The deterioration of a sound mind.

Today I am going to the store. It will be quite an enjoyable trip. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, then sun is out, and it is an all around nice day. I walked out my front door only to find that my car had been stolen the night before. No big deal, I thought to myself, It's such a lovely day, I'll just walk to the store. And so off I stepped, one foot in front of the other down the street.

Step by step I walk, past the houses of my neighbors. All of a sudden I hear a whisper behind me. I stop. I turn slowly. No one there. I continue on my trek. Past a few more houses I go and all at once, another whisper. Much closer this time and definitely behind me. This time I turn quickly so the culprit can not escape my investigation. To my chagrin, there was no one. No matter, people hear things all the time. I walk some more whistling as I did confident it was the wind.

I came to the corner at long last. Carefully I scan both directions so as to safeguard my life from the treacherousness that is a highway. No cars coming, good. Just as I step out, ZOOM! A car goes flying past just barely missing me. I jump back in surprise and utter dismay. I know there were no vehicles. Where in the heck did that come from? I let out a deep sigh and made a second attempt. Step up to the curb. Concentrating a full 10 seconds in each direction and upon determining that there was indeed no impending danger, I happily stepped out on the road. ZOOM! I jumped back again. What is with these people today! Can't they see a person trying to cross the road, I thought to myself after a second near death experience. With that I dashed across the road being nearly missed by three more crazed fanatics behind the wheels of their go-mobiles. Finally on the other side of the road and a bit winded, I hear the birds and feel the warmth of the sun and am reminded that it is such a nice day. Ah, such a wonderful day to be alive! And with that I again continue on my way.

I walk and I walk. Past the post office, past the gas stations and their busy as bee people all in a hurry to get somewhere. Not me though. Today is a nice day and I'm headed to the store. Just then someone slams into me and knocks me to the sidewalk. I pick myself up, brush myself off, and turn to scold the ignorant lout of his rude ways, but what's this? No one is to be found. Very well, perhaps I tripped on the concrete. I'm not known for being the most graceful person on the planet, I though to myself. Not more than thirty seconds later, BAM! I'm knocked to my derriere again. Confident that someone just rammed into me, I jump to my feet looking for someone to scold for their ignorance. Strangely enough, no one is there. At this point I'm becoming a bit confused. I turn around, WHAM! Knocked to the ground again! I stand up; I spin around feverishly looking for someone or something that keeps hitting me, but nothing. Nothing at all. Deep breath. This is all very odd. Control myself, there's got to be a perfectly good explanation for all this.

Cautiously I take another step. Nothing. A step. Nothing. Ok, maybe that was it. I take two steps. Nothing. Ok, that must be the end of it, whatever it was. Still a bit leery I take 3 more cautious steps then stop and look around. Nothing. No, not just nothing, absolutely nothing. No birds. No people. Not a bit of anything at all. How very strange and disturbing this all is, I think to myself. I brush myself off and continue as I'm almost to the store.

I can see the door right there. Only 3 more steps. Only 3, more, steps. Only 3... more... steps... I stop. What's this trickery that is now happening? I run and stop. Still, 3 more steps to the door. Now I begin to lose my patience. I sprint for what seems like a full blown minute. 3 more steps. Showing visible signs of irritation and anger, I pick up the stone next to my feet and toss it at the infernal door that is infinitely far away from me and yet only 3 steps! The stone ricochets off the door handle only to bounce back and plant it self squarely between my eyes. Everything goes black.

An eternity. That's now long I think I was out. I've come back to my senses now though and would gladly dismiss all the previous events as some sort of nightmare except for the fact that I'm still lying in front of the store half propped on my right arm. I sit for a minute, regaining my composure. The sun is out, the birds are singing, and the people pass by seemingly oblivious to my condition. I stand up. 3 more steps. I take one. 2 more steps. I take another. Last step and I'm there. I'm at the store! I quickly reach for the door handle, yank it open and dive into to the store. Eureka! Land!! I've made it! The clerk at the counter looks at me like I've lost my mind. I crawl over to the counter and pull myself up.

Cigarettes please. The ones in the red box.

“Excuse me sir?” the clerk says.

Cigarettes, I need one. You won't believe the trip I've had getting here.

“I don't understand sir, what are these... cigarettes?”

Quite a bit annoyed and confused I say, you know, CIGARETTES! Tobacco wrapped. You light it, you smoke it, you get cancer, you die, and yet it helps me calm down. I NEED one. Give me one!

“Sir, I think you need to leave or I'm going to call the police.”

Dumbfounded I grab a bag of chips in each hand and squeeze till they pop and the contents go everywhere. The clerk jumps back in surprise with a frightened look on her face. I push over a display rack of candy bars in my anger, spilling it's contents on the floor. I stumble. I fall. I grab the counter and pull myself up as the clerk grabs the phone and dials. I stumble again, face first into the cooler with the drinks. Two men grab me by my arms. I struggle. They grip harder. I struggle more. Thump! It all goes black.

I wake up. I'm in my favorite chair, in my house and it's a beautiful day outside! I think I'll go to the store. I need a few things anyway. I put on my shoes and my jacket and step out the door. My car seems to be missing...



***This is a short story I wrote because I was feeling creative. Me feeling creative and actually writing something like this only happens once in a blue moon, so don't expect any continuation or whatnot anytime in the near future. Also, before reading, please check your english degrees and written language PhDs at the door. I realize this isn't written in perfect English and while some of it is written that way intentionally, I'm sure there are a few that I did not intend to be as they are. I hope you got at least a tad of enjoyment out of it. :)