Dark Horse Arts and Sciences

Wrapped beneath the blanket of utter darkness, the night seemed as if it was not going to ever end. Winter had already arrived, bidding adieu to a charming autumn. I had fallen asleep the moment I went to my bed, covering myself with my thick winter blankets, that only get out of the suitcases in this season. The night sky bathed in deep whitish moonlight was a sight to behold with its cloudless surface and dazzling far away stars. Duke Ellington was playing jazz in some far roadside highway restaurant, its sound as faint as a dim light in a distant farm in a stormy night. 

Amidst the utter, deathly silence, my phone rang with a hint of urgency clamped in its undertone. It was Ayumi. Only she could call at this hour. I picked up the phone and said hello.

Ayumi- “Hey, were you asleep? Sorry to disturb you so late.”

I- “It’s ok. Is anything urgent?”

Ayumi- “No, nothing much, but it’s just that I haven’t been able to sleep. I’ve been on bed since 11:02, and still I ain’t asleep.”

I – “Ohh, any stress?”, with a more relaxed voice as it wasn’t anything serious. Ayumi used to have sleepless nights when she was too tired or exhausted. It rarely occurred, though. 

Ayumi- “ Can I come over now to your place?”

I- “Now! It’s 12:47.”

Ayumi- “It’s ok. You’re just 2 miles away. I have my car parked out. I’ll just start the gas and shoot to your place in a blink of an eye.” She said it with an enthusiastic tone.

I- “OK, I have no issues if you’re okay with this. But be careful. Streets have become quite strange lately.”

Ayumi- “What do you mean by streets have become strange lately?” She uttered this in quite a worried tone.

I- “It’s nothing. I just want you to be careful. Don’t roam around, come straight home.”

Ayumi- “Okay. I’m comin’ now.”

I woke myself up from the comfortable bed and made myself some coffee, in the middle of a cold winter night. Furthermore, I was feeling so sleepy I had to have some drink in order to talk to Ayumi properly, or else she may feel bad that I’m not listening. Ayumi likes to be heard, each and every word. She likes to share each experience she has had in a day with me, and most importantly, she wants me to listen and give full attention. 

After 10 minutes, I heard sounds of tires approaching towards my house. I opened the door to welcome Ayumi. She had had a white skirt and a pink tops, with her hair all over the place. I guess she didn’t give a shit about how she looked in the middle of the night. The most surprising fact was that she didn’t even look at me while entering into my house. She went straight to the bed, undressed herself and wrapped her within the blanket and slept. Yes, just like that, she slept. And from her facial expression, I could bet she was passed out. She was completely submerged in the vast ocean of a deep slumber, lost in its deep dark corners, floating like a jellyfish.