In the artificial cold of a hotel room, we sprawl out on the floor, you with your polo untucked, and me and my friend in our borrowed gowns, as the unspoken insists on hovering in the air, masked by the smell of fast food in styro boxes and plastic cups, filtered by the noise from the TV, happy yet void.
She hands you the remote control, the buttons undecipherable and abused. Youdecide
to switch channels aimlessly, and she asks you why you pause at each channel where you do. You and I voice over the muted series of Japanese ads with chefs shouting and vegetables flying. She asks us if we’re sure about what we mean, and we say, of course we’re not. When the joke gets old, we settle for a sitcom scene rendered static but with changing subtitles. I tell you to find a weather channel, and she opposes, saying that the lack of movements doesn’t matter, as long as what is said can be read, underneath. Never mind the white noise.
She lives on subliminal messages such as this, and you and I are victims to her lifestyle, as she analyzes the possibility of us to get over you. She knows it; I pretend I don’t.
I get up and walk on tiptoes; your smile for me takes a while to look real. She asks me if I’m going to sleep, I say I am. She shrugs and takes the remote control from you, but keeps the channel where it is. I curl up on the corner of the bed. You lie down on the other side, facing the screen. The white light animates your blank face.
I expect her to turn the volume down, but she doesn’t. I think I will sleep with the TV on.
You shove the blanket to my side, and whisper a good that stretches into my own illusions of the unspoken; I will it to remain unspoken.
But the noise from the TV just empties this silence we share.
Author notes
This is the 10th version, I think I'm deeming it final. But I will probably change my mind in a couple of weeks.
Written March 11th, 2006
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Loved this piece, great piece of work dark but descriptive. It captured my attention from start to finish. Keep your pen forever flowing!
Bunny
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i really like every thing that you have written and i just want to say that i liked it all no matter what people think or say about it
Caycee -
Every time I click on your name I know I'll be well impressed & this was no exception. I got lost in this little scene & was captivated start to finish. Another fine job
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wow, thanks for that. I'm still hoping to revise this one, and comments like this really keep me going.
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Gorgeous
This was dark and surreal, but I lovedit for that. I seriously get what you're trying to say, even though if Im honest, i'm probably not intelligent enough to capture every nuance. It's stunning in its simplicity, yet it has thick layers of complexity that I would have to read over agsain to even begin to understand. Thank oyu for giving me the opportunity to read this!! Love Jess xxx -
Great
Very well-written! Great piece of art! I am looking forward to reading more of your work. Brightest Blessings!
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