Short Story: A Game

I walked into a room only to discover there was nothing in it for me. I walked out just as I had walked in, pointlessly and without a specific direction. A sudden urge inside me, one I cannot recall experiencing before pulled me toward a kitchen. There they were, all the knives stored together in an impeccably ordered way. And I felt that surge, the new one, to grab one and look for Sarah. I didn't know what I was going to do with her, or the knife, but I knew that I had to take one out, it didn't matter which one, and find her. It was like there was a string starting in my chest and pulling me forward: first toward the knives and then toward her. The weird things was that I didn't even know where Sarah was. She was just that girl who came by to meet Becca yesterday. We said hi, and then they hid in Becca's room and did whatever teenage girls usually do when they are together. I wasn't allowed in. I didn't do what they did, and I didn't know Sarah. I only said hi to her.

And yet I was walking. My feet worked fast, doing exactly what feet were designed to do, moving me, transporting me, without a navigation system on. Or maybe with one of their own that I wasn't allowed to understand. I had the knife, and I walked. I went out, and people started looking at me oddly. Those were people I knew, people I may even want to hurt, but the blade didn't pull me towards them; it pulled me towards Sarah. And I walked. I thought someone might call the police or come take me on himself, as I'm not that big and without the knife I wouldn't be scary-looking, but nobody did either thing. They just watched. And I walked on.

I found Sarah's house, and knew it was hers even though I had never been there. I didn't know Sarah. I only said hi to her. I knocked on the door and for a moment wondered if she lived alone or if her Hulk of a father would open instead of her and beat the crap out of me. She opened. Then we just stood there, neither of us moving. I thought she should look afraid, but she only looked at me dully. Or maybe that was her scared face, I don't know. I know know Sarah. But we just stood there until it got dark. There was not pull from the knife anymore and I didn't know what that meant. When I had first picked it up, I thought I was going to kill her. I don't know why I would have killed her - I didn't know Sarah - but I thought I was going to. But then the pull stopped and I wondered if it wasn't a divine sign that she was the one... what? The one for me? The love of my life? I needed to pee. It happened so suddenly - I was standing there, and then out of nowhere my bladder was going to burst. I said hi to her - again - and waited for her response. She said hi and I walked into her house automatically navigating to the bathroom.

Then I left and I went to sleep because I was tired. But I hadn't done anything all day with the exception of trying to kill Sarah. I don't know if anyone is at home. I woke up ten minutes ago and it was fourteen past three, so I couldn't be bothered checking. Mom and Dad are probably sleeping anyway. Becca is probably doing her homework or whatever else teenage girls do when they are alone.

These things keep happening. Like that freak accident last week and the fire. Things just happen, out of nowhere. You walk, and a baby falls into your hands. And there it is - all yours and all dependent on you. You go out, you need to pee, and you get locked inside the restroom, so by the time you get out all your friends are gone because they got sleepy. But nobody would look for you. People don't notice you. Or anybody, really - they just walk about doing random stuff without any point to it. And they don't know why they do it. The freakiest thing was the pool ladder. What the hell was that?? Becca was swimming and then the ladder disappeared. She kept swimming and swimming, not noticing at all, until she was dead tired. And then it just popper back in again only so that she could get out and pass out on the pavement beside it. She doesn't remember it though. She went swimming again today.

Some really weird things happen round here. I might move town soon. But first, let me order a pizza.