Caroline Catharsis

Short story type thing I had to write in school. I enjoyed it enough to post it on here, hope you like, and yes it could use some editing. I know.

Saving Memories




Something dear to me, I woke with a start. My heart was pounding and my dampened hair stuck to my face slightly. I gasped and looked around my room. Disfigured shadows circled around me as my miniature merry-go-round slowly circled, I looked at it, willing my heart to slow. The old tortured gears forced the tiny plastic horses to continue their futile race it never seemed to stop. The end of another eerie melody faded into the darkness of the house but the horses continued to circle. I got up, the stupid thing wast turning off. As I climbed out of my bed a chill ran up my spine. Hugging myself, I ran over to the dresser where the toy sat. Staring frightened at the dark gap underneath the piece of furniture. I quickly flipped the machine over turning the key on it forcing the nightmarish melody to speed up until it finally stopped and the key came off loose in my hand. I set the thing back down on the dresser, standing in quiet darkness. I held the key in my fist, my arms hugged close to me. My eyes were open as wide as I could make them, hoping for them to adjust, I shuffled forward slightly. I could hear my heart throbbing again. Over and over, my feet shuffled feeling the cold bare wood flooring underneath them. I felt something soft against my foot and with a sharp gasp I leaped through the air to the bottom of my bed with a thunk and scurried under the blanket. I laid there, with my head beneath the blankets. Slowly I peeked the top of my head out over the blanket. Finally my eyes adjusted somewhat and I could see my room in dim silver light from the moon outside my window. I scanned my room my eyes finally falling on that merry-go-round. A little black horse, its legs forever stuck in their prancing look. Despite the cheerful looking attire it was painted wearing, its eyes looked crazed. Its head thrown back and its teeth bared open with the bite gleaming in the back of its throat. My heart beat frantically in my chest, staring at it, the horse seemed to get bigger, it seemed to fill my vision. Its large black form blocked everything else out as I collapsed back on my bed.

I dreamed. I dreamed about a life that I once had, memories. Memories I had decided to keep. I only kept the ones I liked. Why, why should I fill my mind with bad things that had happened to me? I recorded them when I dreamed. I recorded them in my mind, playing those sweet memories over and over like a biter-sweet twisted melody that was so familiar. For no one to enjoy, but me.

I opened my eyes, no more light spilled in my room as I felt a hot breath on my face, it was a snort, a snort from a large black horse donned with a saddle painted in many bright colors. Its large eyes were crazed.

I sat up, my head whipping forward as I looked at the merry-go-round sitting on the dresser. It spun playing its twisted melody. I looked around, nothing was in my room as the soft creamy light of dawn spilled in to my room. But as I lifted my hand to wipe my face I saw in it sat a key. I stared at it in wonder as the merry-go-round slid to a choked stop. The song unfinished.