You ever listen to an echo of your own voice? It’s you, a few seconds ago.
Your breath, your vocal chords, your thought behind it. Not like a recording, since it’s gone almost as soon as you hear it.
Your imprint, a shadow self.
It started when I heard my echo in the pedestrian tunnel.
I started counting things, keeping tallies.
This many mailboxes. This many sprinkler heads, telephone poles, houses with red doors.
Above all, never lose count. I consider myself lucky because I know about this.
Nothing bad will happen as long as I keep my end up.
…and so an OCD is born?
Good piece.
Dear J Hardy,
You’ve painted a clear picture of obsessive compulsive disorder. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Loved the description of the echo… Lovely bit of word-work.
An echo to obsess about? It’d be interesting to do, as long as it doesn’t lead to more obsessions :) Nice take!
What a nightmare that won’t loose its grip-
As long as he believes nothing bad will happen.
This is scarier than most tales with graphic descriptions.
Love it.
Unreasoned dread latching onto tokens.
As a child, we were told to hold our breath, or lift our feet when going through a tunnel to keep the boogeyman away. I just wanted to see what would happen if I didn’t. Been haunted by that sucker ever since.:) Excellent tale!
The things that go on into those gray tunnels…Nice piece.
“Your imprint, a shadow self.” My favorite line!
I love your explanation of an echo – I can feelyour character slipping out of touch with reality at that moment. Nicely done.
Excellent depiction of OCD. “Nothing bad will happen as long as I keep up my end.” Great line! I also like the one, “I feel lucky that I know about this.” Chilling really.
Oh, I think that might an exhausting existence. I hope he gives himself a little break once in a while. Great take!
Very sad, but it helps understanding OCD. Great take on the prompt.
Freat depiction of OCD. My grown daughter has it and without medication, she counts and rechecks everything. :)