"Kingsley's Solace"
by John Amaruso
Blackness fades out to the view of a blurry night sky. Focus, re-adjust, squint, focus. White specks fall endlessly into my line of sight and out to the periphery of my vision. I squint a few more times, deliberate and forceful until my eyes can focus on the world I've awoken to.
I find myself lying on my back, flat as a board. I feel numb all over. I am overwhelmed by the stiffness of the muscles in my face. A paralyzing effect has consumed my body, leaving only my sight to fill in the blanks. Trees border my sight to the north, while the southern end reveals nothing but sky.
After my vision has sharpened, I notice the white specks gently falling from the sky are actually tiny snowflakes. Intricate, beautiful, graceful, and calming, they float towards the ground on clouds of pure tranquility. It's almost as if they were dropped by God himself in a slip of hand, just to make the journey from the heavens to the earth to gently kiss my eyelashes and lips.
Serenity and peace are all I feel as I gaze into the cloudy night sky, past the hanging tree branches, beyond god's falling gifts of comfort.
I come back from this interlude of extro-spection to inquire about my present situation. I move my eyes left to right: tree branches in the far reaches of my sight. Coated with a soft sheet of snow, my clothes have a newfound weight to them. From what I can see, I can infer I'm in a wooded area. Yeah, that makes sense. I was driving down 81, that road on the outskirts of town right by the preserve... Or was it 11? Wait... Where is 11 again? 11... 11... 11...
I drift again. Taken out to sea like lifeboats detached from the dock, I wander through aimless thoughts and dreams, latching onto whatever image or process that is friendly enough to stay for a moment. Sedated to the point of pleasant hallucination, shapes shift behind my eyelids, forming geometric patterns and brilliantly wild, unrealistic creatures. The pastures of my mind are sprawled out before me and I am free to roam vociferously. How joyous and serene.
I fade back to reality. My eyes adjusting, I soak in the white fluff that has now accumulated ten fold upon my face and body. Still lying on my back, I strain my eyes to the furthest reaches south. I see the hump of my chest, blocking the view from the rest of my body. I'm wearing a dark blue uniform of some sort. Why am I wearing a uniform? What is this? My brain squeals at the exhausting attempt to make sense of this.
Come to think of it... What can I remember?...
Driving. Yes, I was driving. I was behind the wheel of a car. A muffled walkie talkie, inaudible in my recollection, fades in and out. I lose grip of the memory.
Coming back I can see the hump of my chest ventilating, moving up and down. I'm breathing. That's a good thing.
I still can't feel anything. My body is completely numb. I would normally be much more worried about this if it wasn't so peaceful. So relaxing. So calm and motionless. The world would be all but still if it weren't for Gods good salutations that majestically blanket my body and earth.
My eyes fade out again as the snowflakes and branches lose their contour. I am one with myself. I am infinite. I am ready, domicile, and calm. My eyes drift to darkness. Peace.
With an abrupt spasm, I cough violently. My body jerks upwards with intensity, jolting feeling through my entire being. A sharp burning pain engulfs my left side. A hand pushes down on my chest. Flashing blue and red lights break the frigid air, illuminating a mans featureless face. Hovering over me, his cap reads in large yellow letters "EMT."
"Officer Kingsley, you've been shot. Please, stay calm, we're bringing you to St. Mary's hospital once the ambulance is ready."
Sirens in the distance bring a human noise to natures orchestra.
"Kingsley." I think to myself.
"That's my name: Kingsley."
The 11 o' clock news airs in the homes of thousands in Cayuga county. The anchor reads the days top headlines.
"An officer was shot in the line of duty yesterday after pulling over a suspect alleged to have been involved in a string of violent bank robberies in the Central New York area. The Officer, James Kingsley, is said to be in stable condition. We wish you the best in your road to recovery."
"Is your pet getting enough protein? A special report by Mandy Hollins reveals shocking new details on the epidemic of pet malnutrition in America..."
by John Amaruso
Blackness fades out to the view of a blurry night sky. Focus, re-adjust, squint, focus. White specks fall endlessly into my line of sight and out to the periphery of my vision. I squint a few more times, deliberate and forceful until my eyes can focus on the world I've awoken to.
I find myself lying on my back, flat as a board. I feel numb all over. I am overwhelmed by the stiffness of the muscles in my face. A paralyzing effect has consumed my body, leaving only my sight to fill in the blanks. Trees border my sight to the north, while the southern end reveals nothing but sky.
After my vision has sharpened, I notice the white specks gently falling from the sky are actually tiny snowflakes. Intricate, beautiful, graceful, and calming, they float towards the ground on clouds of pure tranquility. It's almost as if they were dropped by God himself in a slip of hand, just to make the journey from the heavens to the earth to gently kiss my eyelashes and lips.
Serenity and peace are all I feel as I gaze into the cloudy night sky, past the hanging tree branches, beyond god's falling gifts of comfort.
I come back from this interlude of extro-spection to inquire about my present situation. I move my eyes left to right: tree branches in the far reaches of my sight. Coated with a soft sheet of snow, my clothes have a newfound weight to them. From what I can see, I can infer I'm in a wooded area. Yeah, that makes sense. I was driving down 81, that road on the outskirts of town right by the preserve... Or was it 11? Wait... Where is 11 again? 11... 11... 11...
I drift again. Taken out to sea like lifeboats detached from the dock, I wander through aimless thoughts and dreams, latching onto whatever image or process that is friendly enough to stay for a moment. Sedated to the point of pleasant hallucination, shapes shift behind my eyelids, forming geometric patterns and brilliantly wild, unrealistic creatures. The pastures of my mind are sprawled out before me and I am free to roam vociferously. How joyous and serene.
I fade back to reality. My eyes adjusting, I soak in the white fluff that has now accumulated ten fold upon my face and body. Still lying on my back, I strain my eyes to the furthest reaches south. I see the hump of my chest, blocking the view from the rest of my body. I'm wearing a dark blue uniform of some sort. Why am I wearing a uniform? What is this? My brain squeals at the exhausting attempt to make sense of this.
Come to think of it... What can I remember?...
Driving. Yes, I was driving. I was behind the wheel of a car. A muffled walkie talkie, inaudible in my recollection, fades in and out. I lose grip of the memory.
Coming back I can see the hump of my chest ventilating, moving up and down. I'm breathing. That's a good thing.
I still can't feel anything. My body is completely numb. I would normally be much more worried about this if it wasn't so peaceful. So relaxing. So calm and motionless. The world would be all but still if it weren't for Gods good salutations that majestically blanket my body and earth.
My eyes fade out again as the snowflakes and branches lose their contour. I am one with myself. I am infinite. I am ready, domicile, and calm. My eyes drift to darkness. Peace.
With an abrupt spasm, I cough violently. My body jerks upwards with intensity, jolting feeling through my entire being. A sharp burning pain engulfs my left side. A hand pushes down on my chest. Flashing blue and red lights break the frigid air, illuminating a mans featureless face. Hovering over me, his cap reads in large yellow letters "EMT."
"Officer Kingsley, you've been shot. Please, stay calm, we're bringing you to St. Mary's hospital once the ambulance is ready."
Sirens in the distance bring a human noise to natures orchestra.
"Kingsley." I think to myself.
"That's my name: Kingsley."
The 11 o' clock news airs in the homes of thousands in Cayuga county. The anchor reads the days top headlines.
"An officer was shot in the line of duty yesterday after pulling over a suspect alleged to have been involved in a string of violent bank robberies in the Central New York area. The Officer, James Kingsley, is said to be in stable condition. We wish you the best in your road to recovery."
"Is your pet getting enough protein? A special report by Mandy Hollins reveals shocking new details on the epidemic of pet malnutrition in America..."
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