Stuck

I awoke from the sound of rumbling thunder, my eyelids a heavy heap. A blurry scene of a spinning ceiling fan and flickering light bulbs lay ahead of me. Then I realized that I had fallen asleep while sitting in front of my laptop; the dull ache of my strained neck and back began to intensify like flames on dry land. Being awake has its costs. I shut both eyes and inhaled deeply.

With every tired strength, I pushed myself out of the chair and stood, both arms raised above my head for a good stretch. As if by default, my mouth opened to let out the breathiest and loudest yawn. I heard my neighbour ‘tsk’ aloud as if my awakening had disturbed her game of bingo. Or Operations. The walls are too thin for anyone’s good. Last week she blasted the morning news like it’s everyone’s business, and while Aunt Samantha is running on her 85th year of life, I doubt her loss of hearing is significant because she snatches gossip like idiots catch colds – viral. The landlord had to climb up the stairs because she wouldn’t pick up her phone calls and knocked (not literally) some sense in her.

I turned to my right, looking through dusty window panes, and dark clouds blanketed the sky. Soon enough, the rain will arrive. Pressing on the spacebar, the laptop screen lit up, displaying a clean slated Word Document. I pursed my lips, knowing the hours have ticked by and are still ticking, yet my work is a shameful incompleteness. I am a shameful incompleteness.

Right before I spiralled into another headache, my phone danced to the chorus of Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance. I peeked at the name of the caller and right away, the delayed headache catapulted and smashed the core of my brain.

Scary Manager is calling.

There was no more strength for me to continue the day, even though it was only 5:38 pm. If I picked up the call, it would only lead to the stressful road of being chewed at for not sending the outline on time. The phone continued vibrating, while I made my way to the unkempt bed. Facing down, I threw the weight of my body onto the mattress. Without thinking, I screamed into the pillow until my throat dries out like Sahara.