The Chains
We were attached to them. For others, we’ve all been chained sleepwalkers. We used to believe that we woke up from the nightmare and passed into reality. We used to paint our eyecups red to reach colored spirals. We flew away, lightened by the stones tied to our backs and feet. But we didn’t realize we were puppets. We were moved by the chains attached to us, we were kites and we fell into the grave.
We would throw small dots in our mouths and pass into the other realm. A small universe of colorful dreams and images that we call the real world. We would all see something about ourselves. Some of us are happy families, others are successful, but what we have in common is we felt happy. We would be glad to wake up from this black nightmare. It wasn’t for everyone though because those with different colored papers loved to think they were unhappy, but they had everything in life. Some wanted to breathe new air into their lungs to fit others and look cool.
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The nightmare was tough for me too. I didn’t have success, I didn’t have a happy family. Which one of us has it though. Happy families are only on billboards, where they look at us with their hideous smiles. I didn’t get into university. Those who had to guide me always tripped me up. I also got a job. To a small repair job. That’s when I met people like me. To those who fly from dust to fairy. But we didn’t know that we could go as far as the chains would allow. When the effect was over, we would be pulled to the ground by those chains. Some of us go to the grave.
We loved this job with my team. At least we convinced ourselves that we could be happy with that. It was easy to escape the nightmare of life. We piled up our problems and responsibilities like heaps of garbage. We never wanted to solve it. It was much easier for us to fly, to fly far. But then yellow stripes would be drawn around our bodies on cold concrete.
If you see the world. I wish you could see. Good thing you didn’t see it, at least you won’t end up like me. The world speeding up with colorful spots. We would speed up and move faster than the speed of light. Instead of repulsive smiles, sweet happy families would appear, cakes and teas in their hands. They would welcome us. Then the music is fast and meaningful. The rhythm of the world. Like heartbeats.
One night it was all over. Nightmare and my colorful world. In a silence, darkness fell. Finished. My heart stopped and so was I. Chains pulled me into the dry ground, not to wake me up, but to bury me. But now I realize that the end was good for me. There was no need. However, this does not apply to others. Now I realize that everything I did was wrong, I had to fight and conquer life.
Author: Evgheni Batu
Translator: Evgheni Batu
