All posts tagged experiment

Layers

(Credit: darkcrystal1209 on DeviantArt)

Scratching at the paint with a red lacquered fingernail, I wonder whether I will ever see the original wood again.

Notwithstanding the flaking, the desk is white all over, and maybe it is even white all the way through. Could it really be that there is no wood, only layer upon thick layer of paint and varnish?

I am determined to find out, even if only a woody skeleton will remain in my study.

With foaming Ajax, I attack with first a sponge, using the rough side, then steel wool. Powder is washed from my hands, but I ignore it even when my nail breaks. Sweat makes mascara run into my eyes, but it is only a small distraction. A small distraction from something that I have wanted to do since forever. Or at least since I gave it my own layer of paint.

I feel that I am getting closer with every layer lost.

Closer to that real, original thing, which must be there.

The carpet soaks in water, paint and make up.

The legs grow thin, as my lipstick smears.

I must be getting there and soon.

The small drawers are already gone.

My hands and knees dissolve.

Is that my hair?

What is left?

I am.

Nothing

With help from www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts

Do You Remember?

Bananas (Photo credit: Max xx)

Do you remember the flowers?

Oh, they were wonderful weren’t they?

Their bright contrast of blue and yellow and red and green. I especially liked the green flowers. It was so hard to see where the stem ended and the flower began.

Their scent rolled out over the field and it was so thick. I could taste the sweet artificial banana flavour on the air. Do you think they were made to smell like that or did someone spray the banana stuff over them later?

You did not care much for it as I recall. You just barfed and wanted new shoes.

But you always hated bananas.

Why do you always ruin my memories?

I was having a great time remembering until you came along.

Just go away.

Leave me with my flowers.

It IS the Rabbit

‘I’ve got it right this time, I assure you.’ He tells me and drags me into the spectator seat with a wide smile.

‘You sure?’ I ask, ‘last time it did not even remove a hair.’

‘This time I’ve given it armour underneath the hair and its teeth are edged with diamond.’

‘You’ve wasted diamonds on this mad project?’ I raise one eyebrow.

‘Just look,’ he points. I look down through the bulletproof glass at the two small white rabbits in the arena. One munching lettuce, the other completely still.

‘You can’t even tell them apart,’ he says.

‘Except one of them isn’t breathing.’

‘I haven’t turned it on yet, I wanted you to see.’

‘Well hurry up then,’ I say, ‘I have other things to do than watch your failed experiments.’

His lip twitches as he picks up a remote control. He presses a button. I stare down at the arena as the still rabbit seems to come to life. Its sides moving gently up and down, it takes a small hop towards the other rabbit. And another. The real rabbit stops munching. The copy takes another hop.

The little rabbit launches forwards and severs the copy’s head from its shoulders laying bare all the wires in its neck. Then the rabbit goes back to munching lettuce.

‘No!’ he shouts, ‘it can’t do that.’

‘You saw it,’ I say, ‘we lost near fifty men taking it from the cave, remember?’

He whimpers pressing the remote control buttons in vain. I sigh.

‘Just make sure it doesn’t escape.’ And I leave him to his grief.