"A Puppet is often used to tell stories of unimaginable worlds and thrilling adventures. Stories that often leave us with some sort of lesson that helps us become better people. Though we tend to see ourselves in puppets, we never seem to see ourselves AS the puppet. Due to such beliefs, most would say puppets can only be described as inanimate objects. Even going as so far as to call them nothing but simple toys used to spark the imagination of children and mindless adults. It is here at which point, I would disagree!" - Unknown.
I felt a cold beat of sweat run down the side of my face and slowly opened my eyes. My eyelids felt like 1,000-ton bricks as I tried my best to keep them open. My arms felt heavy and sore as I tried to push myself up off my warm and soft bed. I could feel my arm begin to buckle as I let my body fall back onto the bed, not wanting to move an inch. A dreaded sigh escaped my lips as I turned my head over to face my nightstand. There, a small digital clock read 10:42 p.m. in a dull red. I could feel my heart ache as I knew what had to be done. Everything my body was telling me was to just lay there and go back to sleep. Against my body's best wishes, I rolled over onto my back and stared up at the ceiling and gazed at the boring white that covered it. I wasn't ready at all for tonight. My mind explored the thought of being able to stay at home and sleep all day. To be able to just lay under warm blankets and rest your head on a soft cool pillow. Being able to dream your wildest dreams. A spark flickered in my head as a smile grew across my face and into a grin. Or, I could push myself to become something great. Go out and change the world somehow. Being able to explore possibilities you didn't even know existed. Though, that was all in my head. All stuff I thought to make me keep pushing on through life. The stuff I thought to get me through high school and push myself to get a minimum wage job. The large grin I once had soon faded and I was brought back to reality. We all have to start somewhere, I guess.
I pushed the covers off of me as I sat on the edge of my bed, earning a few painful cracks and pops in the prosses. I glanced back to my nightstand to look at the clock, 11:04 p.m. Time sure does fly when you're in the moment, huh? I chuckled to myself as my own humor amused me. I slowly stood up with a loud groan, stretching out my arms and legs, earning a few more loud and satisfying pops. I reached over to my nightstand and flicked a small switch on the side, turning it on. The bright light seemed to get brighter as it shined bright through the darkness. Like a lighthouse on a dark foggy night. I blinked a few times in quick succession and rubbed my eyes as I made my way over to my bathroom. I froze as I stood in the dark doorway, turning the light on. It took me a few seconds to recoil from the sudden burst of light before I was able to actually walk in. I let out a gust of air before walking in and took a good look into the mirror. My hair was a total mess as it looked as if I had just been in a natural disaster. I rubbed my eyes and looked back to see my warm blue eyes were bloodshot. I had rings under my eyes from sleep deprivation and I just looked like hell, to be honest. My skin was whiter than paper and was flawless. Well, besides the whole "rings under the eyes" thing. I was pretty scrawny for being 19, 6'5, and 150 pounds or so. Lucky enough for me, my hight kinda did all the talking for me.
I sighed a large and heavy sigh before turning my shower on and getting undressed. I jumped in as the cold freezing water woke me up immediately. I wanted to get out just as fast as I had gotten in. Not wanting to stay in there long, I quickly finished my shower and got dressed. I through on a bland white shirt and black jeans on. After, I grabbed my favorite hoodie. It had thick black and white stripes going horizontally across it. Looks something like an old school prisoners uniform. I've had this thing for years and is probably my most prized possession. I quickly threw it on and turned back to look at my digital clock, 11:36 p.m. A emptied my lungs as I sat on the edge of my bed, right where I was when I had woken up.
This is it, the start of my adult life. Working from twelve to six in the morning for barely three bucks an hour, at a new pizza place. Shouldn't I be nervous? Moving on with my life like this. My first actual job since graduation. Should I be excited? Worried? Afraid? Who knows what could come from this. I could make my way up the corporate ladder and become a general manager and run a place of my own. Or I could get fired immediately and be forced to find another job. And with my luck, I wouldn't be able to find another and end up being kicked out this apartment. The money I got when I graduated is nothing more than a few quarters and dimes. This is my last hope.
I glanced back at the clock, 11:48 p.m. Time to leave. I grabbed my black dress shoes since they were the only pair I had and slowly put them on. When finished, I slowly stood up and gazed around the room, the white walls being the only thing here other than my bed, nightstand, and dresser. I slowly walked to the door as I unlocked it and walked just outside. The cool and crisp air filling my lungs as I took a deep breath. I turned around, looking inside once more, and shut the plain white door, locking it.
It's now or never.
Kindest Regards,
E.