A slither of sunlight escapes the curtains. Dead leaves lie on emerald fields like fallen ember. Silkworm nests hover above. I sit uncomfortably with the warmth of artificial buttons radiating against my fingertips. Writers block. Isn't it ironic how creative minds are the most reclusive? Sunshine puddles shimmer in my peripheral, reminding me of the dullness surrounding me. The temptation of the outside reminds me that I'm a prisoner of my own mind. Maybe I'll step outside, or maybe I'll just draw the curtains a bit.
I reluctantly get up and pull back the curtains, tired of wallowing in my owl self pity due to voluntary social isolation. To my amaze I see a strange figure lurking in the greenery behind my window pane. It's my dear old neighbor Dwayne who I haven't seen in a while, and I don't know why he is standing at the edge of my security gate. I sit in confusion and slight frustration while contemplating the strangeness of this situation. Hesitantly, I decide to investigate. I trod to the front door, venturing into the backyard while expecting some strange excuse as to why my neighbor and landlord was standing adjacent to my view, unbeknownst to my attention. I feel the crunches of umber leaves beneath my feet, as if i'm stepping on ashes entering a war-zone with my landlord. As I grow closer to the scene I shout out, "Hey there Dwayne, everything ok?". I'm slightly creeped out but still hoping for an understanding reasoning behind this weirdness. But as I approach his still figure, slightly slouched and with a dazed expression, he has a slight smile on his face. "Guess I didn't see you there, how's it going?"
"Uhh, okay.. Is there a reason you were standing out here? I gotta admit you kinda spooked me.", I say while nervously chuckling.
His smile grows seemingly more sinister. "Just checking up on ya." He walks away out of sight, crawling onto his tractor. At probably his mid 60s, I was often surprised-and a bit annoyed- by the amount of physical labor he often subjected himself to. His mechanical projects often sat in my yard as did mountains of tree stumps he had discarded onto the property we were renting.
I try to shake off the awkward scene while escaping back to the warmth of a keyboard. Sitting in the chair I think to myself, "That's enough outside time for today..", justifying the hermit-like traits I've developed as an aspiring artist and misanthrope.
My rambling thoughts are interrupted by the loud rumbling of his tractor. I roll my eyes and continue to write as I hear a loud crash outside by the privacy fence. Running up to the window, I pull back the curtains, finally exposing the rays of sun that press themselves against me. To my astonishment, Dwayne is running his tractor over the 8ft privacy fence that separates our yard from his lot. I stand there in shock, confused at how someone with his expertise in that machinery is accidentally damaging the fence that my boyfriend helped him build. I expect him to back up the machinery and recognize his mistake, but surprisingly he continues to mull over the wooden fence, the tractor monstrously destroying the structure like Godzilla preying among the edifices of Tokyo. Oh my God, is he having a stroke? Is his old age and poor health finally catching up to him? Instinctively, survivor mode kicks in as I rationalize his strange behavior from earlier. Surely he was having a stroke or some type of nervous breakdown. My arm reaches for the phone and in that moment, I look up in horror like a deer in the headlights, as Dwayne thrusts his tractor into the window ahead of me, shattering glass flying all around my head.
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