Dr. Gram knocks on the door of an apartment. He hears a few bottles and cans fumbling around following the sound of a fall. Locks click and clack and the door opens. Tim stands in the doorway a bit surprise of the unexpected guest. His face then forms a small smile.
"Guess you can say I was right?" he says.
"You going to let me in?"
"Of course, come in, come in," he says stepping aside allowing Dr. Gram into his home. Tim closes the door as Dr. Gram takes a look around the messy studio apartment. Beer bottles and cans were scattered here and there; cigarettes butts spread across a small table with a dumped ashtray; and, there was a small torn apart couch which sat across from an old television set. The kitchen was connected to the living room across from the front door. There was a small table with a couple chairs and a small ashtray in which smoke danced above a now dead cigarette.
"Um.. Yeah I wasn't quite expecting company, but make yourself at home."
Dr. Gram looks takes off his jacket and puts it on a coat hook not too far from where they stood.
"Come," Tim motions. He leads Dr. Gram to the kitchen and Dr. Gram takes a seat as Tim goes over to a cabinet.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"Sure.. Why not? For this occasion I'm probably going to need it."
Tim laughs a bit, but Dr. Gram doesn't phase at all. Tim pulls two small glass cups from the cabinet and a bottle of scotch. He pours into one glass watching the scotch hit its midsection. Then does the same with other glass.
"What made you change your mind?"
He rests a glass in front of Dr. Gram and sits across from him.
"Well," Dr. Gram lifts glass and cheers with Tim. He takes a sip of the scotch and clears his throat from the bitterness. "Let's just say I want to see how far this goes before I've heard enough."
Tim smiles and nods.
"Then I assume you have questions...ask away," Tim says as he takes a sip some of his scotch.
Dr. Gram clasps his hands over the table and rubs them together thinking of where to begin.
"How did you find this...Pendulum?"
"Guess I figured that question was coming..Well, just like you, I wish I could live inside my head..or dreams."
Tim clocks Dr. Grams wedding ring and Dr. Gram withdraws his hand into his lap. Tim sips his scotch and Gram follows with his other hand taking a sip as well.
YOU ARE READING
The Pendulum
Short Story"It works like the hard drive of a computer, but with infinite storage capacity. This place varies from person to person. It's practically an external hard drive of your brain brought into reality. Think of this place like an infinite storage room f...
