Sleep
by Trevor Record
The world came to an end overnight.
Rivers stopped running, high force winds abated, ice melted, and tropical vacation spots became lukewarm. The heart of the world had ceased beating.
But it wasn’t the end of life, or even of humanity; everything just stopped. In the morning, those who bothered waking decided that there was no need to go to work. There was no news coverage of the end because there was no news: All of the news anchors and camera operators failed to show up.
Some technicians momentarily worried, in a half-hearted manner, that without maintenance the nuclear weapons would explode. They soon came to the conclusion that some one else would deal with it, and shuffled lazily back into bed. It turned out that formerly unstable atoms had become too lethargic to be bothered with splitting or decaying.
People no longer played card games or basketball, they only thought about the days when they used to. Dust gathered, but not cobwebs: The spiders had taken to sleeping in and did not care for catching flies or building web. There was no more hunger, there was no more sex, there was no more killing. Dirty plates sat by kitchen sinks, untouched and unused. War became like a distant nightmare, and love faded away with the dying hum of electricity.
The world did not end in blood or fire or drowning. It became very tired, and settled down to slumber forever.
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Listening for the words in a quiet corner of the night. The fiction, poetry, and photography of Jason Evans.
About Me
- Aine
- Collaborator and night owl.
Past Contests
- "Elemental" Short Fiction Contest
- "Uncovered" Short Fiction Contest
- "Silhouette" Short Fiction Contest
- "In Vino Veritas" Short Fiction Contest
- "Ascension" Short Fiction Contest
- "Running Wind" Short Fiction Contest
- "Whispers" Short Fiction Contest
- "Restless Dawn" Short Fiction Contest
- "Halo" Short Fiction Contest
- "Endless Hour" Short Fiction Contest
- "Silent Grey" Short Fiction Contest
- "Lonely Moon" Short Fiction Contest (with Anne Frasier)
- "Midnight Road" Short Fiction Contest
- "Two Lights" Short Fiction Contest
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13 comments:
This is very striking to me.
Reminds me of that scifi movie. What was it called...Serenity? Is that the one? I'm not sure.
Whatever the case, of all the frightful ways for the world to end, this is at least as disturbing as anything else.
Very nice interpretation and good writing.
Trevor, I remember you from some time ago in blogland. I absolutely loved your entry. "... love fadedaway with the dying hum of electricity." Just brilliant imagery.
Good to see you made it Trevor. Good stuff, highly original, and as always, with that signature wit.
Thanks, guys!
Thanks Joni... Serenity was a space western about smugglers and their discovery of a planet which was destroyed due to a drug that turns people psychotic. I don't know if that was much like this, but it was a pretty good movie, so thank you.
Yeah, Beth, I remember you. Thanks, there is a Radiohead song (My Iron Lung) that went "when the power goes out, we'll just hum". Now that you point out that line I think of it (wasn't referencing it when I wrote this, though).
Isn't electricity this sort of ever-present thing that is completely unnatrual but that we have become entirely accustomed to? And the funny thing is, it does make a sound! Maybe love is like that, something that could be turned off and fade away like electricity. I think I am going to write a story about love disappearing.
Thanks Scott, you're to blame for this story you know!
Well, I love Radiohead, but I don't remember the line. I just really liked the way you wrote it. Electricity does hum. I've heard it, but you just don't normally think of it ... and then love. I'm gushing, but I love lines that make me pause ... and think.
Trevor, yeah, Serenity was the one I was thinking of because the drug that turned the people psycho was actually intended to make them docile, but in the majority of the poplulation it worked too well and they all just sat down and died. That was the image it reminded me of.
This is weird - the piece is sad, yet it also makes me chuckle at how it could all just stop if we all decided to stop at the same time. Very different. I think this appeals to my slightly odd sense of humour. In a totally good way, though.
very unique. very original. after so many different tales of the end of the world, i guess this is probably the scariest end-times image of the world.
Yes, this struck me as very moving, very original. It got my third best vote! Well done.
Congratulations, Trevor. Very scary scenario you painted - and sadly, realistic. Good job.
wow- now that was brilliant! and frighteningly possible...
I like this strange view of the end. It almost doesn't matter what caused it, because everyone is too tired to care. It almost feels infectious. That's the most chilling part...that the whole world is just wrong.
A very high scorer overall!
Congratulations on 1st Place!! Woohoo!!
Beth: You're going to make me explode beth, really. You know what flattery does to all the hot air in my head.
Joni: Oh, was that it? Yeah, that stuff was called "paxo" or something, like paxil.
Terri: Thanks. I don't think we are going to all just "stop", though. If the end comes, we will go kicking and screaming. Nothing's gonna change my world.
Soul: I don't know if it is the "scariest", but thank you Canterbury.
Shameless: Thank you.
September: Thank you as well (although I don't know how realistic this story was...)
Angel: Well, if it is possible, I do not think it is probable. But thank you.
Jason: I think the idea was based on something else I had heard once. Some where, I don't know where, some one suggested that everyone in the world could somehow be driven insane suddenly and without warning. That would probably be scarier, actually. But it wasn't my idea. Also wouldn't fit the picture so well.
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