PITCH BLACK COLORED

The Human Body has 5 senses, taste, hearing, smell, touch & sight. When one fails, it feels like it has 6.

As I lay in bed, eyes wide shut, I hold on tight to the visions of my past. The visions of when… when… sigh! I wished the visions would stop, things have changed now. My life is different now and I have come to accept it. Nothing can change it, it cannot be undone. My name is Marcus Dorman, and I am… special.

I was 31 at the time, living with my elder brother in the house our mother left for us. God bless her soul. It was a warm September evening and most of the town people were in the old great hall right in the middle of town. I didn't want to go not because I couldn't, but because I’d rather not. I stayed back and was up in my room listening to Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music as far back as the 16^th century. They had all become my friends… Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, Bach to mention a few. I could hum almost all their classical music collection and I knew who played what just by listening. I loved classical music and wondered what inspired them. Boy would I love to meet them one day.

I sat in room with a cup of cocoa my brother had made; he makes the best hot chocolate known to man. I can distinctly differentiate the use of powdered milk from liquid milk. I know when he rushed to make it and when he had all the time in the world, but every cup was too perfection. I loved my brother, very understanding, very patient. The hot chocolate and bee like movement of the clarinet from the classical music were all I needed that night. My mind wandered to the old great hall and I could picture my brother trying to talk to Mr. Huckleberry’s daughter, he has had eyes on her since they were both young, but sadly she’s not into guys who are all ripped and built. My brother is athletic unlike me. Me? I’m just average, not that I cannot work out, I mean I used to, but not anymore. I… I simply can’t.

Still in my room I could hear the music faintly from behind the buildings, that’s how I knew where east was, I remember the old great hall was east from my Mother’s house. Apart from the faint music, the street was particularly quiet. A few cars went by every now and then and I knew it must have been some minutes past 11pm as I heard the honking from Mrs. Benjamin’s old pick-up truck as it pulled up to her gate. She was always on time. Always home by 11pm as her shift ends by 10:30pm daily. She was a nurse at the general hospital. Very nice lady Mrs. Benjamin, have met her a few times. I made my way to the back door and locked up, my brother had his own keys and would let himself in. I turned off the lights as the switch was right next to the stairs… and then I followed the sound of the violin back to my room. As I entered I whispered “Thanks Mozie’!” Mozart was always there for me. I took a deep breath as I lay in bed waiting for sleep to come. I fought hard to not let my mind wander, to not let the visions come back, but each day that goes by, the fighting becomes more futile. Eyes wide shut, I let Mozart ease me gently into sleep, the visions usually made me teary eyed, but I… I've learned to keep the tears in and accept them. Slowly I drifted as I distinctly separated the faint music coming from the old great hall and music coming from the 17^th century.

Sleep came and I was grateful to dream again, ‘cause dreaming made it all go away.

I don’t know how long I had slept for or what time is was exactly, but I knew it must have been past 3am, because the music from the old great hall had stopped and my brother had mentioned the party would end about 3 at the latest. I wasn't expecting him back till morning anyway as my brother always had extracurricular activities. I was wakened by movement downstairs, strange?! Could it be Dave my brother? I sat up and tried to wear my slippers as I heard the sound of breaking plates in the kitchen. Shit! Was he drunk and falling over things? Dave doesn't drink? He is a fitness and health freak. I moved closer to the door and opened it slightly to get a better understanding of what the devil was going on downstairs. I heard footsteps and… and… voices… 3… maybe more. I quickly stumbled across the hall way to my brother’s room. His door had a more sturdy lock and also he had a window that opened up the living room below. I crouched by the window as I speed dialed Dave. His phone rang, but I couldn't hear it ringing from within the house. He wasn't inside the house. I let it ring out… voice mail. “Hi sorry I can’t take your c-” I cut the call. Definitely 3 men were in the house. We were being robbed. I tried to make out movements and what they were up to… one was drunk or very intoxicated as he was laughing and snickering and constantly being checked by the ring leader. A male, late twenties I reckon. His voice wasn't as commanding and I could tell he was nervous from the way his voice squeaked as he tried to check the other drunken member. They ransacked the living room, pulling appliances from the wall and shelves. I had to do something. I crawled back to the hall way and knocked over a bin as I was trying to get back to my room. I heard them stop in silence. My heart raced. “I thought you said the house was empty?” the ring leader interrogated one of the other robbers. Dammit! I moved faster and slammed the down, no point being discrete. I tried to call my brother again, but I couldn't find my phone. I had left it in his room. I crouched absolutely still in the closet as I heard footsteps on the stairs, the steps squeaked as they came upstairs, it was an old house. For the first time I appreciated the squeaking. One of the men was definitely heavier than me, as the squeaking was much more high pitched. Two of them were coming upstairs, as I listened for the harmony of the stairs as they approached. They entered my room, stood still. My heart raced as I held my chest trying to shield the thumping of my heart. It was deafening. The closet door was yanked up and I was dragged out with my hair. I was thrown against the wall as he choked me. He asked if there was anyone else in the house. His breath ricked of alcohol. He had been drinking. As he rustled me up, I took a mental note of what he was wearing as I refused to open my eyes. He wore a blazer, jeans, a metal watch, leather shoes and he had short hair and was slightly taller than me as my toes stood on his shoes as he lifted me. I could tell he was frightened and this was his first time. He was of medium build as his biceps weren't too small or too big. As Mozart played away, contrasting the chaos I was experiencing I distinctly noted one thing… nicotine. He chewed nicotine gum. From beneath the stench of wine and beer, I could distinctly pick out the smell. I knew what brand it was even, as I had also chewed nicotine gum to quit smoking. I smiled gently and this angered him. He hit me in the gut and I fell. I was dragged downstairs to the living room as he questioned me to reveal what valuables were in the house. As I heard my phone ringing up stairs, it was Dave calling; I had a personal ringtone for him, I knew help was on the way. I just had to stay alive. They searched my room and Dave’s room and broke into my mother’s room. I tried to tell them that she had long passed and that room was a sanctuary, but was only dished with a few more slaps. The last slap met my cheek bone. Good. He wore a ring… noted.

After about 6 mins, cause the old clock chimed on the hour and I started counting, they left. Before that, I had tried not to open my eyes throughout the ordeal and swore that I hadn't seen their faces. I pleaded and swore with my life that I hadn't seen any faces and that I wasn't going to call the police. As they left and promised me death should I point them out, I lay on the floor sweating. As I heard their car pull away, I knew it was over. I tried to move but my body ached all over. Mozart was still playing upstairs.

Barely 5 mins after they left, Dave came dashing in, followed closely by a young lady, her perfume was sweet smelling. As I narrated the story to my brother as he cleaned and nursed my wounds, I ended by saying “I know who did it.” He asked was I sure, I smiled and said “Pretty darn sure!” I gave him a description of the ring leader and suggested he must have been at the party at the old great hall. Dave knew who it was from all the detailed and precise info I gave and immediately the young lady whispered “Oh dear God! Dave… it was Frank!”

Frank was best friends to Shaun. Shaun was the younger brother of the lady whose perfume was more soothing that my brother’s gentle hands. Shaun was the 3^rd member of the gang, the drunken one. Shaun knew Dave was with his sister and wouldn't be home, but didn't know I existed. She asked “But how positive are you Marcus? I mean… you’re… you know!?”  I replied… 

“I haven’t always been like this my dear. I may be blind now… but I’m not stupid!”

The end.

#LoveYourLife