He awoke his mind fully awake but his body tinged with the ache of exhaustion. He figured it must be close to sunrise, for him to be so suddenly alert. The glare of his phone said it was 3.19. Orange light filtered through the blinds. He’d had dreams of a tangible and vivid nature, but could recall none of their details. His fingertips felt oddly numb. Then he felt something tacky on the bed sheets. He turned on the light. In the mirror, he saw his cheek, neck and shoulder were all covered in drying blood. Must’ve had a nosebleed in the night. He realised he was thirsty, as if he’d slept with his mouth open. But the drink of water he took from the bathroom sink tasted off. Like there was something in it. Maybe he needed to drink from a glass. He made his way downstairs and poured himself one. Tasted the same. Something wrong with the pipes. Then he saw he was in complete darkness, having forgotten to turn on a single light. Yet he could see perfectly well.
Paddy Dobson
16th November 2020