Song Inspiration

Forward Dated: 04/14/23

Mikael blinked slowly as he stared at the clock on the wall. His bag was neatly packed for his trip back to the ever-boorish school. Though, with the way, the cold slowly encircled his bones the chance to escape to warmer climates seemed almost heavenly. The clock hung uselessly broken upon the wall. It rested above a small wooden table. A vase full of flowers sat on top that had long since died. The disappearance of Yefim from his life had shaken him to his core. It didn’t feel real. It felt like a trick. As if he would go back to school again, and see Yefim there smiling at him. The boy felt strange a heavy and tight feeling pulling its way through his entire body. As if someone was pulling a string taut. His god’s words of comfort had fallen on death ears, and now he felt hollow. Mikael frowned slowly as he glanced back up toward the clock. If he thought hard enough he could almost force the clock to emit a ticking noise. Tick tick tick tick. The boy paused confused as he heard an ever-soft ticking come from the belly of the dusty old clock. So faint that it was barely audible to him. Mikael’s brows furrowed more as he leaned in closer to the wood. Tick tick. Placing his hands on either side of the object, he would slowly lean his ear upon the face of the clock. As he slowly descended the noise would grow ever so slightly louder. Each passing tick echoed louder and louder until it was practically echoing throughout the entire entryway. Until it had taken over every fiber of his being. So loud it began to hurt his eardrums. Mikael quickly pulled himself free away from the wall. The amount of effort to do so felt like his hands had been stuck to the wall. Mikael tripped backward falling bodily against the opposite wall with a shaken look stuck across his face. His gaze would slowly move toward his hands a feeling unknown to him washed over him. Uneasiness and horror were merely blankets for his weary heart.

As the boy leaned heavily against the wall he could not help but find himself staring at the clock. It was as if everything was merely focused upon it. It was so clear compared to the fuzziness of everything else. Mikael’s brows furrowed as he tried to understand what was calling him. It was on the tip of his tongue. The tip of his mind. Egging him on until there was nothing left but that drasted clock. He was so close to understanding, but he was rudely ripped away from his thoughts. Away from the answer as he heard a door creak slowly open. The boy stood stock still as he stared down the hall. As he stared down the door on the left. The same one he had cried at while he had listened to his father cry out pain. Mikael’s eyes widened his mouth pulled in a thin line as he saw something emerge. Something large and dark spilled into the hallway. Slapping heavily against the opposite wall before slowly pulling straight. A monster that oozed within every crevice of the house. Within him. It was a monster!

And it was coming..right..for him!

Mikael blinked his vision clearing up as he stared at the man in front of him. Though, he was far too in focus for him to look at for very long. His breathing was erratic as he stared at the man, and he barely noticed that the other person seemed just as shaken. Leaning against the wall as if unable to keep himself up. It seemed easier to focus on something else. Mikael’s gaze glanced down and noticed the broken glass strewn across the floor. Dead flowers lay wilted and scattered. The boy slowly looked up his eyes wide as his eyes locked on the red color that bloomed from the man’s forehead. As he found himself stabilizing, he slowly realized what he had done. He had hurt his father… A man he hardly recognized, destroyed by the grief of loss. But had he not lost something as well? And yet here he had been alone in the aching cold house that was no longer a home. Alone with nothing but a being in his mind. Yefim had told him that that was him. It was something that had weighed heavily on his mind. Something that didn’t truly make sense, but he had been far too blind to understand. Yefim said he was the being, but the two did not seem to match up. Their purposes seemed different, and it confused him so. The man stood in front of him with a shocked look as he cupped his wound. A dog licking its wounds, and yet the old ones were still red and raw. His own wounds ached and cried. Trying to garner his attention, and yet he would ignore it...

Mikael’s brows furrowed as he stared at his father. Uncertainty dawning him as he slowly backed away from him. Maybe something was happening that was far too big for him to truly understand. He felt uncontrollable, and yet it felt like he was moving in a directed path. Something he could not control. A destiny. It was slowly dawning on him, and yet it continued to allude him. Mikael blinked slowly as a noise reached his ears. The sound of words muffled below the ever-present ringing in his ears. If he really tried to focus he may have heard his Father calling out to him, and yet he could not find it within himself to try. Mikael turned and bolted for the door. Grabbing his bag and disappearing from the entryway. The being had said that he had a purpose. Something that he would understand with time. As Mikael made his way through the overgrown grass and wildflowers. He wondered if the being was something more than he or Yefim could have ever understood. Maybe that was why Yefim had claimed to be the being. In order to sate his wandering mind.. Was he merely just a tool to be used by whatever god came forth to claim him? Mikael pushed forth his hand catching upon brambles. Marking his hand with their teeth. Maybe Yefim had felt as if he was being challenged. Maybe he felt he had to sate the wandering eyes of a weary follower. Though, it was far too late to ask him. Now he was all alone. With nothing but questions to keep him warm.

Finished