Her eyes flicked open from the nightmare. One look at her internetwatch and she realized she had only exchanged one hell for another.
In her dream she had been in a hospital, her gown covered in blood. But the doctor was a villain. She had done something to him, crossed him in some way, and he was enjoying his revenge.
He threw her on the ice cold floor, and injected her with something that made her entire body useless- all except her mind. She screamed an invisible scream over and over, and over.
He laughed and walked away, locking the door behind him.
There were other patients in gore-soaked gowns, and their faces were nothing but a wrap of skin with only dark smears where facial features had been. All were frozen in various states of movement. Some on stretchers, some half sitting-up. One slumped against a wall.
It smelled of disinfectant.
While wiping off the sweat from her clothes (the same ones from the previous day of course) she began seriously contemplating reducing her steady diet of horror movies and shows.
Nah.
***
After lunch she participated in an internet workshop with her co-workers. Normally this would have been an annoying task, but since there could be no in-person work, maybe for months, it was different. It was good to see her friends and co-workers- and to privately chat while the instructor instructed. Wasn’t that always the best part of internetting? She had three different private chats going while also texting a few other people. One of her co-workers tried to convince her to “go commando” while the webcam was on.
It felt good to laugh.
The world couldn’t be in trouble if humor still existed, right?
***
She went for a walk. Again the cool air was crisp and sharp, wind playfully whipping around her. Where to go? She chose a direction and started, eager for the fresh air after over 24 hours of being inside.
No kids.
No one walking their dogs.
Eerie.
But good, I guess, she thought. People were doing the “social distancing” so highly recommended by the authorities.
For now it was a recommendation.
She found a trail by the local high school, and hiked up it, her out-of-shape calves feeling a bit of a warm burn. At the top she could see a lone athlete who had broken in to access the field. He ran the exercises himself, and brought his own equipment. What dedication! She felt a bit sad. Though she wasn’t one to ever follow sportsball of any kind, this field was usually full of practices, sweaty teens running drill after drill, with coaches screaming from the sidelines. At night the lights from a game would light up the sky for a good mile. She used to complain about the traffic and the noise. Now the sound of the field, and even the annoying gong of bells signaling a class change, would be oddly comforting.
In her dream she had been in a hospital, her gown covered in blood. But the doctor was a villain. She had done something to him, crossed him in some way, and he was enjoying his revenge.
He threw her on the ice cold floor, and injected her with something that made her entire body useless- all except her mind. She screamed an invisible scream over and over, and over.
He laughed and walked away, locking the door behind him.
There were other patients in gore-soaked gowns, and their faces were nothing but a wrap of skin with only dark smears where facial features had been. All were frozen in various states of movement. Some on stretchers, some half sitting-up. One slumped against a wall.
It smelled of disinfectant.
While wiping off the sweat from her clothes (the same ones from the previous day of course) she began seriously contemplating reducing her steady diet of horror movies and shows.
Nah.
***
After lunch she participated in an internet workshop with her co-workers. Normally this would have been an annoying task, but since there could be no in-person work, maybe for months, it was different. It was good to see her friends and co-workers- and to privately chat while the instructor instructed. Wasn’t that always the best part of internetting? She had three different private chats going while also texting a few other people. One of her co-workers tried to convince her to “go commando” while the webcam was on.
It felt good to laugh.
The world couldn’t be in trouble if humor still existed, right?
***
She went for a walk. Again the cool air was crisp and sharp, wind playfully whipping around her. Where to go? She chose a direction and started, eager for the fresh air after over 24 hours of being inside.
No kids.
No one walking their dogs.
Eerie.
But good, I guess, she thought. People were doing the “social distancing” so highly recommended by the authorities.
For now it was a recommendation.
She found a trail by the local high school, and hiked up it, her out-of-shape calves feeling a bit of a warm burn. At the top she could see a lone athlete who had broken in to access the field. He ran the exercises himself, and brought his own equipment. What dedication! She felt a bit sad. Though she wasn’t one to ever follow sportsball of any kind, this field was usually full of practices, sweaty teens running drill after drill, with coaches screaming from the sidelines. At night the lights from a game would light up the sky for a good mile. She used to complain about the traffic and the noise. Now the sound of the field, and even the annoying gong of bells signaling a class change, would be oddly comforting.
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