I'm currently dogsitting for my brother's in-laws. This means sleeping on the couch, which for me is just dandy because the bedrooms upstairs are cluttered and creepily austere. Besides, the couch allows me to drift off watching on-demand
Anyway, I don't really dig on the set up of their living room. It's long and narrow and terminates in a widescreen sitting in front of the fireplace. I sleep on the couch that runs lengthwise with the room and the dog sleeps right below me on the floor. Opposite me by about seven feet is a sliding glass door that has no runners or curtains or anything. This means when I open my eyes at any point I'm staring out into the blackness of the back yard. This bothers me at the most basic level. If it were up to me, I'd have every shade drawn all day and night. With me so far? Good, 'cuz that's just the set up.
I awaken with a start, my first reaction being confusion. I then realize what woke me. Madison (the dog) is tear-assing around the living room and dining room. After every loop she stops and looks out the sliding door and barks. Then she looks to me as if saying "Lets go out, Jon! Something's out there and it's bothering me!" As she continues, it becomes more and more obvious this is indeed the case. Maddie never barks or growls unless she's being provoked. She simply never acts like this. Still reclined on the couch, I hiss her name quietly to little effect. I reach for my phone. It's almost 4:30. Sigh. Oh well. I do have to piss anyway. What the fuck, man... I think, as I stare out the sliding glass door.
The darkness peers back and a cold foreboding draws over me.
Suddenly, I don't want to get up.
I no longer care that I have to piss.
Suddenly, the pressure on my bladder isn't anything that can't wait for sunlight.
Or sanity.
Or safety.
Because at that moment, I believe very much in whatever unknown is separated from me by a few thin layers of glass.
I don't want whatever is out there to see me because whatever it is, I know it is a BAD THING TM. I feel very alone and tiny and I wish Maddie would quit drawing attention to herself. Whatever is out there won't hurt her because hey, it's a dog, right? They're supposed to react to interlopers like that.
But if it knew I knew it was out there...
If it knew I knew it was out there it would come through that glass and hurt me.
I remain very still and somehow will myself back sleep.
I was very relieved when the sun came up.
Stupid twilight-state phantasms. Thank you, brain, for scaring the shit out of me. Awesome way to begin the week.
