Re: The Gradual Massacre (GBS2G4) [Round 5: GrandCon]
03-19-2012, 04:33 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by MalkyTop.
”What.”
At some point, Algernon found himself sitting down on the bed. It was rather nice. He hadn’t seen such a nice, clean bed in such a long time.
“Whaaaaaaaat.”
The room was similarly nice and clean. Although the combination of an abrupt awakening, a change in environment, and the beginnings of an existential exploration of the self-doubt of his immediate past made him queasy to the pits of his stomach, he managed to not blemish a perfectly clean room with any of his icky stomach things.
He carefully lay down and reached for a pillow. The complimentary mint that had been set lovingly on top of it flew across the room and bounced off the TV, having gone completely unnoticed as Algernon pulled the pillow tight over his face. It smelled rather nice.
“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat,” he said. It was the only thing he could think of.
After a bit of rolling around on the bed and pondering the deep philosophical question of how one could tell whether he was in a dream or not and maybe a bit of sobbing, Algernon sat up and watched some TV. Then he reasoned that it seemed rather obvious that he wasn’t paying for the room at all, and raided the mini-fridge. He was feeling cheered up, almost unreasonably so, but then again, he was finally fulfilling the deepest wishes he had ever since he was a kid.
And then he found the wine.
The last time he had ever been offered any sort of alcoholic drink, he was nine. He was holed up in an abandoned bar with his dad and they were sitting behind the counter as outside, madness went on. It was before he ever had a stupid worm stuck to his head, and so, they were both helpless to fight against whoever was out there. His dad picked up a full bottle and handed it over to him, and Algernon had said, “But I’m underaged.”
His dad had laughed so hard he started choking. At the time, Algernon didn’t really understand. All he knew was that he was scared and completely unprepared for the end of the world. And then when he woke up in the morning, he learned that he was scared, completely unprepared, and also alone. He didn’t understand that either, though he did often wondered if his dad had taken the gun for that purpose only.
It was a bit interesting how intact this memory had stayed. But now it reminded Algernon that, with all the shit that had gone on in his life, he had never once had a drink.
And then a few seconds later, he realized why he never drank.
Seriously, the stuff tasted horrible, and smelled even worse.
He drank half a bottle.
It was then, sitting on the floor, sniffing at a half-empty wine bottle all alone, did he notice the mess he made. Unintentionally, though, but it was impossible for a man who came from a post-apocalyptic setting to not leave a mess, and it certainly didn’t help that he had just come from a swamp. He scratched self-consciously at his face and then he set his eyes on the bathroom door.
And in turn, he set eyes on the shower and it was love at first sight.
He would have collapsed then and there on the tiled floor and raised his arms high and cried tearfully towards heaven for this blessing granted to him, but instead, he took a very, very long shower.
Life would be absolutely perfect if he could stay in this room forever.
”What.”
At some point, Algernon found himself sitting down on the bed. It was rather nice. He hadn’t seen such a nice, clean bed in such a long time.
“Whaaaaaaaat.”
The room was similarly nice and clean. Although the combination of an abrupt awakening, a change in environment, and the beginnings of an existential exploration of the self-doubt of his immediate past made him queasy to the pits of his stomach, he managed to not blemish a perfectly clean room with any of his icky stomach things.
He carefully lay down and reached for a pillow. The complimentary mint that had been set lovingly on top of it flew across the room and bounced off the TV, having gone completely unnoticed as Algernon pulled the pillow tight over his face. It smelled rather nice.
“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat,” he said. It was the only thing he could think of.
After a bit of rolling around on the bed and pondering the deep philosophical question of how one could tell whether he was in a dream or not and maybe a bit of sobbing, Algernon sat up and watched some TV. Then he reasoned that it seemed rather obvious that he wasn’t paying for the room at all, and raided the mini-fridge. He was feeling cheered up, almost unreasonably so, but then again, he was finally fulfilling the deepest wishes he had ever since he was a kid.
And then he found the wine.
The last time he had ever been offered any sort of alcoholic drink, he was nine. He was holed up in an abandoned bar with his dad and they were sitting behind the counter as outside, madness went on. It was before he ever had a stupid worm stuck to his head, and so, they were both helpless to fight against whoever was out there. His dad picked up a full bottle and handed it over to him, and Algernon had said, “But I’m underaged.”
His dad had laughed so hard he started choking. At the time, Algernon didn’t really understand. All he knew was that he was scared and completely unprepared for the end of the world. And then when he woke up in the morning, he learned that he was scared, completely unprepared, and also alone. He didn’t understand that either, though he did often wondered if his dad had taken the gun for that purpose only.
It was a bit interesting how intact this memory had stayed. But now it reminded Algernon that, with all the shit that had gone on in his life, he had never once had a drink.
And then a few seconds later, he realized why he never drank.
Seriously, the stuff tasted horrible, and smelled even worse.
He drank half a bottle.
It was then, sitting on the floor, sniffing at a half-empty wine bottle all alone, did he notice the mess he made. Unintentionally, though, but it was impossible for a man who came from a post-apocalyptic setting to not leave a mess, and it certainly didn’t help that he had just come from a swamp. He scratched self-consciously at his face and then he set his eyes on the bathroom door.
And in turn, he set eyes on the shower and it was love at first sight.
He would have collapsed then and there on the tiled floor and raised his arms high and cried tearfully towards heaven for this blessing granted to him, but instead, he took a very, very long shower.
Life would be absolutely perfect if he could stay in this room forever.