Breath & Shadow
Fall 2019 - Vol. 16, Issue 4
"The Endless Drudgery of Being Alive"
written by
B. Lawrence
Got up.. and didn’t get up
Thought about getting up for a long time, but had no reason to get up
Thought about masturbating, but decided not to
Rolled over and clenched weighted hand grips
Put on podcast so didn’t notice what was happening
Went downstairs and brushed teeth, teeth have become damaged even without drug addiction
Eyes tired
Made pancakes
Spoke to Mum about something- can’t remember what happened for a long time, so nothing might have happened
Remember eating the pancakes
Tried to read smart book that I got, but French philosophy too noisy and distracting- felt like I couldn’t hack it- put it down for another time
Went on social media to see how much fun everyone is having
Spent a long time looking out window- saw a bird that I don’t have critical vocabulary to describe- perched on the line- then flew away
Went outside with cup of tea- sat in deckchair and tried to feel something- Couldn’t feel or think about anything other than online videos- spent awhile worrying that I had ruined my own mind, but at least worry is a feeling
Looked up through the branches for a while- Remember looking up through branches when mouth was cut open - Dark branches now light branches- didn’t know when they had started to Spring- Leaves and green things made me smile for awhile
Checked phone for messages- have replaced drug addiction with phone addiction- no messages on phone except ones from Bank saying running out of money- thanks Bank…
Daydreamed for a while- In daydream was a Taekwondo Olympic star leading class struggle through creepy iconography and kicking rich men- Probably wallowed in that for awhile
Today is a bank holiday but could be any day, any day is any day
Thought about doing another job application but finished last one at 2am so can’t face it- Need a break to stop brain mushification- mushification not a word- need to know how to make words come out more good
Post came- bill, pizza wrapper, bill, and advert from electricity company saying I am one of their most valuable customers…They got my name wrong
Thought about checking social media- Made comment about how awful social media on social media outlet.. Post achieved few likes
Feel trapped- wish I could be a bird…Damn- this is like movie Kes
At some point ate lunch- doesn’t really matter what it was- maybe used it for social media to boost social currency
Decided to write a story, then couldn’t think up anything than my own depressing life… No one will want this- not enough sexy CGI or fantasy dragons
Got an app message from girl who is twenty- seemed really smart- sent message about Charles Bukowski so at least we are both screwed- probably one of us will lose interest and get lost in the ether
Started a job application- well didn’t start it- maybe started and not remember
Applied for job at Call centre again- under and bellow it all is just the grime that exists underneath of what I thought the bottom was
Read article about new trend of taking selfie’s with corpse during funeral- world is ugly and scary to me- so occasionally filled with beauty
Long time went by- nothing happened
A blackness settled down on me like a murder of Crows… like the full weight of expectation and crashing waves that made it so quiet, that in the end there was no sound…
Made more tea
Saw a flea climb the leg of a recliner- legs moved quickly- then stopped to rest- then stopped altogether like couldn’t move anymore- looked at flea for a long time and thought how I could help it so got an old envelope so it could jump on and could get it outdoors… Then my sister stamped it with a shoe
Thought about checking data app messages
Updated social media profile to something
Responded to stupid comment made in person
Walked around with headphones in
Thought about going to gym- but decided not to- effort of getting up- going in- isolating- everyone is now headphones- pointless repetition of weights feel will feel more worthwhile in better state of mind
Made another cup of tea- but ran out of normal milk- used rice milk even though tastes like a word I can’t use If want to try and get story published so imagine word in own head- word was funny- am free in head like the bird in Kes
Thought about something under tree but already done that
Thought about looking at pornography- ended up watching a few minutes- both girls looked unhappy- felt bad and turned it off- read comment underneath- apparently guy who starred in video killed himself last week
Tea gone coldish- but drank some- boiled kettle again to top up with some hotter water- but forgot after doing some leg lifts to try and workout stomach- water went cold again- decided to drink cold out of belligerency and gradual murder of environment
At some point my sister said something and just waited for their turn to talk- conversation took place- don’t know what else was achieved
Got really bored and depressed- for momentary distraction watched an episode of tv show about sexy CGI and fantasy dragons- a pretty man in black cloak brooded and started relationship with his Aunt- he is the one I see on all the perfume adverts- nothing was achieved but wasted some time
Couldn’t remember what the time was so started drinking a beer outside- both to early to drink and not too early to drink like Schrodinger’s beer
Felt cold even in sunshine
Lack purpose or direction- like a leaf in the lake- or hair down the drain
Achieved catharsis through writing then went back to check messages
Made tea
Looked out window
Closed eyes and dreamt in the only part of me that was not yet destroyed.
B. Lawrence is an author who requires no introduction. He has been published in many (very few) independent publications such as The Newspaper. The Author currently resides in Nottingham with his cat, until he gets enough money to leave.