This is a small fictional piece I wrote when I was about 19 years old. I’m 26 now. I wrote it after an experience of seeing a group of maybe 10 cops pull out their rifles and get into SWAT like formations and investigate a house where there was nobody inside. The call was a false alarm. The cops said that the guy who called them is famous in their department, “He sees things that aren’t there and calls us for nothing.” There are hardly any thoughts or input by the author. The piece is a polyphony of voices. Thanks for reading.
5 CHARACTERS
“There, in the window, I see somebody.”
“Where?”
“I see a light, do you see it? Do you see that light up there?”
“You mean, you see somebody’s eye through the curtain?”
“Yeah. The curtain’s swaying, do you see that?”
“I don’t see a light, are you sure?”
“No, look — the second story window all the way to the left…Trust me, I have extraordinary eyesight.”
“Did you actually see something?”
“I think so, but I’m not sure…”
“There — again — did you hear that?”
“Hear?”
“Someone just slammed the back door shut.”
“Wait, look! — A light’s ascending. The room is like a glassy fog with that light in it.”
“That’s the flashlight.”
“How many are up there?”
“They found something or someone, look, they’re pointing at it — they’re taking no chances tonight.”
“I think there’s only two now, probably…But there should be more.”
“Ah, so you’re in training.”
“Yeah, see the cops are up there, their shadows look like thin water behind those blue windows.”
“They’re just checking the room to make sure no squatters are up there.”
“I admire you.”
“Wait wait wait! Did you hear that? I didn’t lock the back door on the bottom, they must be there I just heard it slam shut again. O, those villains — come check with me.”
“I didn’t hear anything.”
“I’m with him, I’m not taking any chances tonight.”
“We have to tell them when they come back — they’re taking so long — they found something — I’m certain.”
“I didn’t hear the back door, you’re just hungry for action.”
“But I heard it.”
“See, look at their tubular shadows like a glassy dark bulbs… I think they’re coming down.”
“Finally.”
“Ask them about the backdoor.”
“Should I run over to them?”
“No, never run at a cop. Didn’t you pay any attention to what was actually said?”
“He’s right.”
“I’ll just wait.”
“Don’t wait. They could run away.”
“So, run?”
“Look, they’re already coming down.”
“Finally.”
“Finally.”
“Officers — Officers — did you just hear that door slam shut? — Did you? Last time they came through the backdoor because I forgot to lock it.”
“He’s not all there, don’t listen to him.”
“But I heard it too.”
“Slam shut? — No, we were just back there. It might’ve been the sound of the attic door when we closed it. A lot of damn doors in that house, you know that? — Like a rotting dog in an endless maze — ask my partner, we had enough trouble just trying to figure out which one to open.”
“It was definitely the attic, man.”
“I’m telling you, go check! I heard the backdoor!”
“Don’t you listen? — it was the attic.”
“I heard it too. Whoever or whatever came out of there is home-free by now.”
“Come check with me.”
“You’re sick, you froglike man.”
“That’s my best-friend you’re offending.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it guys. If you see anything else tonight, or have any suspicions, give us a call.”
“You guys gonna be alright? — All of you?”
“Check the backdoor goddamn it.”
“He’s not all there. You’re the one who committed the crime for calling them over for nothing, sickness.”
“Nothing really happens ever. He’s just bored. But I did hear the backdoor.”
“At least give me your business card, officer.”
“You’re sick. Here you go again.”
“Be nice.”
“I’ve got a card, not a business card, but a card. But there’s no info on it just the name of the agency.”
“Hey man, you want my gun too?”
“Thanks officer, I’ll call you if anything else. I’m telling you, I heard the door, officers.”
“You labyrinthed insect, you oppressed confusion. It was the attic.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Like I said, just give me a call if something actually comes up.”
“Yeah, but make sure you actually see it.”
“Let me tell you exactly what happened. So I grabbed –“
“Here we go, you’re like a hook with nothing to bait, a mirror that doesn’t reflect; you already told them what happened before they went in there!”
“But I didn’t hear it.”
“I’m sure you guys will be fine.”
“You ready to hit the road, bud?”
“Thanks for the help officers, I’ve been a neighborhood watch for fifteen years, I’ve only missed one meeting.”
“You must’ve been sick that day.”
“He was.”
“Take care, guys.”
“Y’all take it easy.”
“And they slip into their cop-cars and crawl away like nothing happened. Did you see the size of his rifle? They’re so brave.”
“Alright, I’m leaving.”
“Me too, see ya.”
“You guys are just gonna leave me here after somebody broke in? What if they come back?”
“He’s sick…Hey man, I think you’re sick.”
“See ya…”
“Now what? Just wait inside my house?
“I see movement again. The curtain is swaying. The back door again! The lights are on. Now they’ll believe me. Where’d I put that business card? Jesus Christ I left my phone in the house. I’m going inside. Fucking corrupt mindless villains. I can’t let them. Look at the fog! I can’t depend on the cops now. O, what can I do? Go inside? Retreat? The fog is torturing my walls!”
