Trapped in the Static

I'm Watching You

There was a loud rumbling he could vaguely hear in the distance. It didn't sound too far away. Like gears grinding or a factory working. It was pretty off-putting but then again, when were his dreams ever NOT nightmares anymore?

A voice could be heard in the distance. It sounded similar to his own but distorted. Screaming and shouting but not for help. It was like some demented roar.

But he was used to these noises by now.

All around him he could see a pitch darkness with one light over his head. Bloodied bodies laid around his feet dismembered, broken and unmoving. Blood pooled around his feet but he couldn't be bothered with it anymore. He used to fear this nightmare. He used to cry out in terror and scream but now it was normal to him.

He was used to these visuals by now.

He felt cold. A warm liquid running down his arms and chest. He nearly shivered at the feeling but it wasn't new. He looked down to see his own blood soaking his shirt and staining his skin. He was aware of a burning feeling along his throat like a large cut and multiple cuts up and down his arms. Perhaps that was where the blood came from? He didn't care.

He was used to the feeling.

He had a dull expression in his eyes and slowly the grinding gears and roaring turned to insane laughter. High pitched and wild like whoever it was was having the time of their life.

The man blinked and he woke up.

With a deep sigh, he groaned and looked over at his alarm clock that was blaring like crazy.

'Was that the noise of the gears?' he thought, 'Whatever'

Sitting up, the man yawned and stretched, 'Another worthless night of sleep. I need to talk to doc again about different sleeping meds'

Finally getting up, he stepped over the trash on his floor. Wrappers and beer cans from last night, all strewn about without care. Some half-empty cans even dripping out the leftover alcohol on the hardwood.

The room overall was a disaster but he'd try and fix that later. It was time to try to go to work.

He decided not to bother with a shower and instead, threw on some clothes from the floor that seemed clean and went to his kitchen for something to eat. Unfortunately the kitchen wasn't in any better shape than his bedroom, filthy and a mess but he didn't mind it. He opened his cupboards and fridge but only sighed, realizing he didn't really have anything.

'I should go to the store sometime' he thought.

He knew he probably wouldn't though.

Stepping into his shoes, he grabbed his keys and walked out the door, throwing on his cap as he did so.

As soon as he got into his car, he brushed off the crumbs that were on the seat. Before he could even turn the car on, though, his phone rang.

"Fuck" he fished it out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID. With another sigh, he answered.

"Yeah?"

"You sound tired mein friend. Did you sleep well?"

"No. Same results, bro. I think I need something better. Maybe a tranquilizer" he mildly joked.

"Not funny" his brother and doctor huffed on the other end, "Come to my office later today and I'll see vhat I can do."

"Thanks, man. If this don't work maybe I should try one of Marv's potions, eh?"

"Do not even think about it!" the doctor got pissed, "You do not know what that silly magician uses in those concoctions, Brody!"

"If it works, I don't care, Schneep." Chase argued with him, "I can't keep going like this."