I sprang out of bed in a panic. It took all of what little presence of mind I had left to keep from screaming. And even as I caught my breath, the last words I heard before waking up echoed in my ears.
"That light socket is wired into God. If I stick my finger in that socket, I'll go straight to heaven."
I lay back down. I wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight, I was sure of it.
"That light socket is wired into God. If I stick my finger in that socket, I'll go straight to heaven."
I lay back down. I wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight, I was sure of it.
The bare socket hung in the ceiling, fixing me with its disapproving one-eyed stare. Clara has been hounding me to put a light bulb in that socket. I guess I should have done as she asked.
"What, you don't have the guts?" the socket goaded in a tone that was equal parts drill sergeant and schoolyard bully. "Do it, pansy!"
"Do it," it said again, this time in a motherly voice.
"Don't ya wanna go to heaven?" said the bully.
"Things will be better," said the matron.
"C'mon, slugger," said another voice in a Boston accent that was too slick to be trusted.
Noise, static filled my ears. In it was a multitude of voices -- the chatter of crowded subway platforms and shopping malls, the whispered murmurs in library carrels. All of them came together like cellphone crosstalk, signals crossed in transmission. None made any sense yet all said the same thing. I knew what they wanted.
They wanted me to electrocute myself.
"What, you don't have the guts?" the socket goaded in a tone that was equal parts drill sergeant and schoolyard bully. "Do it, pansy!"
"Do it," it said again, this time in a motherly voice.
"Don't ya wanna go to heaven?" said the bully.
"Things will be better," said the matron.
"C'mon, slugger," said another voice in a Boston accent that was too slick to be trusted.
Noise, static filled my ears. In it was a multitude of voices -- the chatter of crowded subway platforms and shopping malls, the whispered murmurs in library carrels. All of them came together like cellphone crosstalk, signals crossed in transmission. None made any sense yet all said the same thing. I knew what they wanted.
They wanted me to electrocute myself.
See What Happens Next
