ISSUE IV: Mirror of Society

PROSE
thoughts rush into my mind as a river of memories plunges my
consciousness underwater.
“Look, Stellar, I’d appreciate it if you kept this quiet.” A man in a crisp
suit stands in front of me. “Plus nobody is going to believe you,” he adds.
I can’t speak. I can’t even move my hands. But my eyes start to process my
surroundings. Bottles of medicine line the shelves, papers are stacked on
the desk, and empty pill bottles litter the trash.
Medicine, medicine is what I need.
As my mind is pulled out of my ocean of thoughts, finally
having a chance to breathe, I decide to head out to a pharmacy to
get medicine. It’s as if this plan was meant to be. There are keys in
my jacket pocket that unlock the car. The navigation system shows
Gregorie’s Grocery Store as a recent destination that’s been searched.
As I start to drive the roads are clear. This plan seems too perfect to be
true.
I notice that it’s awfully quiet outside.
But the silence is a gift, the first dose of medicine that soothes
the throbbing headache, increased heart rate, and foggy vision that
plagues me. As I continue to drive, something catches the corner of
my eye. A sinister shadow. The glimpse of a man holding a camera. A
bright flash. I tell myself I’m making this all up, that once the medicine
enters my body everything will be alright. That it will all make sense…
The parking lot is empty. My car invades the lonely pavement
like an insect. As my feet gently massage the ground a scream pierces
the quiet of the day.
“Come here, you.”
I turn around and a tall, startling figure is present. I
don’t know if I can even call him a man because his features have been
twisted. His skin is patched with purple, his eyes glow a deep, misty
yellow, as if they are dying stars, and his voice is slurred. It’s as if death
has sucked all of humanity out of his soul.
“I’m…I’m sorry sir, I’m not sure I can help you.” I take cautious
steps back.
“You should be sorry for what you’ve done,”the man blurted.
“You deserve this.”
“Deserve what? What does that even mean?” I whisper to
myself.
Then it happened. The man pulled out a gun from his pocket. His eyes
lock into mine like a predator toying with its prey. His grey teeth shine
as he smiles a wicked smile. It’s the look of a monster. The gun’s barrel
stares judgingly into my soul and it’s all I focus on. My legs aren’t mine,
my hands stay locked in place, my heart stops beating. Frozen in fear I
lose control of my body. The hypnotic state is fascinating. The way that
time seems to stand still, the way all the vibrance in the world, once an
oasis of colour becomes a desert stinking of death.
A bullet pierces the air, cutting through the flesh of the
atmosphere and as I look in front of me, I see the man crumple on the
ground. He doesn’t scream. He doesn’t say anything. But his eyes. His
eyes are open, the bright yellow pupils stare at me with fascination and
judgment, as if they are looking at a monster.
A woman's voice booms like a thunderstorm,
“C’mon we gotta go.” Her arms grasp my shoulders, pulling
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By TESLARIU MIHAI