Story-A-Day #129: Speckled

SPECKLED

Sunday morning settled in on the heels of an intense night shift at the hospital. It was shaping up to be a lazy day, perfectly suited for quiet reflection and a snooze in front of the television.

Last night had marked the largest full moon in twenty years, and as was usually the case, the weirdoes were drawn out by its alluring call. Some people try to chalk the full moon madness up to a myth, or urban legend, but you ask any hospital employee, police officer, or bar employee and they’ll tell you right away, the full moon definitely brings out the crazy.

Last night’s victims were numerous and out of control, a few serious fights, vandals, four suicide attempts, and one suicide success, and dozens of people who had either gone off their meds, or self-medicated themselves into an alternate state.

It was not pretty, and he was glad to be home.

He had a nice breakfast: yoghurt, fresh fruit and an everything bagel with cream cheese. Now he was settling into the couch. His plan was to get caught up on some of the movies he had been meaning to watch. He scanned the shelves that lined the opposite wall of the room.

There were plenty of films there, and definitely a few that he was itching to watch, but he wasn’t able to focus enough to actually pick one. He flipped idly through the channels for a half hour, sipping his green tea as he toured the mundane offerings of a sleepy Sunday morning.

He picked up the battered paperback and flipped it open to the spot he had marked with an old business card. The words swam together in a blurred mass of Helvetica on white.

He finally crossed the room and ran a finger along the spines of the DVDs, hoping that at least one title would jump out at him. He pulled three different ones off the shelves and settled back into the couch to review the back covers.

The sun spilled into through the blinds, casting a shadow from the tree out by the driveway. He watched the leafy shadows dancing and spin across the warm maple floor and a feeling of peace slowly washed over him.

He leaned back and watched the light show flitter across the floor, content in the peaceful distraction.

For now, the movies could wait.