Work Text:
14 / 10 / 2014
Hey there. It's me. Yeah, me. I'm just a guy who's in a random high school in a random place. By that I mean, no one important.
Today, the school finished not too long after a random attacker tried to get into school with guns. Nothing much, another Tuesday. Ma must've heard of it by now, she works at the local police office. Pa will most likely hear it from me today.
I arrived some time ago, to the yard of our five storey apartment building. It was brown, and wasn't the prettiest building in town, but it's new and enough. Better than the apartment we were living in last time anyway. It was not too big, definitely compared to the large lodging next door. I heard there's even a pool over there. Ah whatever, I'm sure I'll get in there through a party at some point.
Me and Ma lived on the fourth floor of the building, Pa lived on the fifth. There was some random dispute between Ma and Pa, since then, I'd been with Ma and had to move between floors to get to Pa.
I hadn't been in the apartment for long, but every time, it felt bigger than the last time I came there. It was that much fun I guess. The stairs up were my favourite. I would always skip over every other stair, and I loved to count. So I did today as well, the red marble stairs on the left, as I climbed them.
"Two, four, six... Eighteen, twenty..."
Twenty three stairs. The same as always.
I reached our apartment not too far from there. Ma was waiting there, like an owl who watched.
14 / 04 / 2015
Hey there, it's me again. Yeah, me. I'm just a guy who finished his school studies very recently and is preparing for college, like every other kid. By that I mean, no one important.
Today, the institution at which I study for entrance tests closed early due to protests. Nothing much, just another Tuesday. Ever since Ma passed away two months ago, I haven't been much eager to home early. Pa came back and took over everything. I wonder if he had any part in Ma's accident. But, I wasn't able to act on my curiosity, just as always.
The five storey building was a dimmer brown than that which was stored in my memory. But it was still beautiful. Maybe that's because of the memories I have here with Ma.
I arrived at the stairs, the only place of liminality that allowed me to relax. To take a moment of silence and live it down.
"One, two,... seven, eight...."
I remembered when I used to skip across these stairs in pairs of two. I'm too tired now for that.
"Eighteen, Nineteen..."
Twenty four stairs. The same as always.
I reached our apartment, a little farther from there. Pa was waiting there, for me to get his whiskey bottle for him. Like loranthus on mango trees.
14 / 06 / 2016
Hey there, it's me. Well, I hope it is me. I didn't get into college. Pa hits me every day and throws me out whenever he sees me. I miss Ma. But again, I have to go up. After working part time, to give him the money I worked for.
The building seemed lighter today, maybe it's my imagination. I needed to get to the stairs. It was a little walk from the entrance.
The stairs were spiralling a little up. I could see how far it went. It always fascinated me how they never feel the same even though I know it's the same.
"One... Two.... Four... "
I remembered when I was excited to count these, but now, it felt suffocating.
"Twenty... Twenty One... Twenty Two..."
Twenty five stairs, the same as always.
But I didn't reach the apartment alone as I had a guiding hand to throw me in there and start to beat me. How typical, Pa.
Apparently, The Mayor came today. Asking about Ma. Pa is angry because of that. Not that he isn't angry always.
14 / 02 / 2017
Hey there, it's me. Yeah, me. I'm just a guy searching for work now. Just like everyone else my age, by that I mean, no one important.
Today, I was rejected from the interview I went to a week ago. But it's fine, I'm happy enough today. I've been happy for four days now. Why? Because Pa left. Pa finally left me... And everyone. And I was the reason. I was gleeful and so... I walked past the building entrance, and reached the stairs. In a few days, I'll be the owner of this entire building. To think Pa left me something. Ha
The stairs, I skipped two per and started counting.
"Two, Four, Six.... Twenty..."
It was more than enough of a stimulating thing. I didn't need to look for jobs as I'll make money by renting the apartments.
"Twenty Four, Twenty Six...."
Twenty seven stairs, the same as always. It didn't feel like the building had changed at all, since Ma was here. I wish she was.
The apartment door was a comfortable length, sealed to not let out sounds. Inside, was a dry wooden floor covered by carpet. Unlike the wet red mess it was a few days ago. The Carpet felt like massages to his leg. They were soft, and yet textured enough to feel well.
"How beautiful that was..."
I wish I could've stared at that sight back then, forever.
14 / 08 / 2018
Hey there, it's Ophel. Yeah, that's my name. Why did I reveal it now? Well, I just felt like doing so. Maybe I want to be more connected to the world. Well either way, I run a pretty well receiving apartment complex now. People come here often. People never questioned where my parents went. I wonder why.
But today, I'm alone. It's the 14th of August. The birthday of the town mayor. I didn't go because I'm sick. At least that's what I told them. And that guy really doesn't like me. Considering he sent his rats after me and I had to clean their messages. But other than that, it's just another Tuesday.
I'm on the ground floor, waiting to be amused by a long awaited news. And so I got it, the boy I paid brought the information to me with a wink. I felt disgusted for a moment at his actions, but. The news was indeed enough to cheer me up.
Finally, I'm without opposition in this town.
And so I walked back, towards the stairs. The stairs I loved the most. It's where I can remember the most beautiful of sights. Hence, I started climbing. Without skipping stairs, it'd be weird for a sick man to do that. And I'm grown now.
"One, Two, Three..."
It was as beautiful as ever. Remembering everything I accomplished just in a year.
"Four, Five, Six..."
Am I feeling fatigue? Why are the stairs so long? I looked the same to me... Or did it? I fainted after counting the last...
Thirty stairs... How's that possible?... How did the stairs grow in numbers? But then, it was just blank.
All blank for the boy who climbed the stairs... And *Miscounted* them everytime...
14 / 01 / 2020
Hey there, it's me. Yeah me. No not him. But me. Yeah, the boy who was paid by Ophel. How can you forget someone as important as me?
Well whatever, Ophel had been in coma for a year or two now. I was paid by him handsomely enough to sustain me a life... That's why, for once, I'm entering this cursed building. Well, it looks cursed. Maybe because nobody maintained it.
Ophel was brought back home today, laying on his bed. They were done with him in the hospital. He couldn't be saved, is what they said. Well, not that it mattered to me.
I reached the velvet stairs that looked shiny new, that was weird. Was it always velvet? Who cleaned the dust only on the stairs?
Either way, I started climbing the stairs. Like a raccoon with food. Skipping two per...
"Two, Four,.... Eight... Twenty"
Why is it so long just to the second floor? Whoever built this needs his license to be revoked.
"Thirty... Thirty Two..."
Forty three stairs. What in the hell? Well whatever, that dude was weird, this might be normal for him.
The apartment door was right next to him. Room 201.. the apartment of the infamous Ophel. Who went into a coma easily during the time he was suspected for the death of the Mayor.
I opened it, and expected a sick man in bed. But no, what greeted me was a pair of sick eyes. Staring past me.
"Sir Ophel?"
Ophel's eyes were weird. There was a spiral in his eyes. Each curve wider than the last. It looked like it was remembering where it had been.
"Ulcly... Aybza... aol zahpyjhzl"
A sick man's rambling... His last at that... He stared the boy like a monolith even through his death.
And the boy who reported the dead man, was nowhere to be seen again. Just like a never ending spiral, it continued.