Don't Go To Sleep!

 

Image Credit:- Ganesh photography

Larry wakes up with a racing heart. He opens his eyes. A pigeon coos. Roughly, he brushes the pigeon away. The pigeon flies. Assuming it was bad nightmare, Larry wakes up and starts his morning routine. He goes to the bathroom and opens the window. A ray of sunlight gets in and a small, white feather comes flying in. Larry gets a hot flash. Blood courses through his vein. Slowly, he pulls out the toothpaste tube and squeezes some on his toothbrush. Hastily, he puts back the messy tube in the cup and starts brushing his teeth. 

He gargles and rinses his mouth and gets in the tub and turns on the faucet. Warm water showers over his face and body. Quickly, he gets clean and gets out of the shower. He hears the birds chirping and anxiety runs through his body once more. Ignoring his bodily cues, the lonely Larry quietly eats his breakfast and leaves for the day.

As he closes the door, he notices a pigeon perched on a tree. Paying attention to his cues, he carefully takes his car and parks it at the station. At station, while waiting for the train, he notices a billboard ad featuring a bird and it reminds him of his nightmare. Ignoring it, Larry looks the other way and sees the train incoming the platform. 

Larry reaches his office and a cozy comfort draws all over him. He notices no birds, no feathers and nothing that reminds him of his recent nightmare. He spends the day working in the office and the day goes by quickly and quietly. 

At end of the workday, Larry starts packing for the return trip to his home. He steps out and goes to a public bathroom. He notices a beautifully painted picture in the bathroom featuring a girl and almost flips out seeing the pigeon in the corner. Scared, he discards his decision to urinate and runs to the platform where he gets on the first train he sees. 

Larry eats his dinner alone in silence.

Larry comforted by the night and the absence of birds he had been seeing the sky all day lays down to rest and immediately notices a pigeon standing on the windowsill. Scared for his life, Larry starts howling.

Author's note:- Yes, I borrowed the title from my favourite Goosebumps book.