Beautiful Insanity

Jim Stitzel

I dabble a little in a lot of things — writing, webcomics, gaming, photography, web design, music, and more. I write code full-time and words in the gaps in between.


He is a tiny man. Under four feet tiny. Balding pate. Small eyes. Round, tortoiseshell glasses. Tattered brown suit. Nothing to look at, certainly, not that anyone is looking.

He glides through the crowd, clearing a path without word or gesture. People move aside for him, unaware. A corner of his mouth is quirked up in a bemused, crooked smile. His eyes are distant, focused on an image only he can see.

"Close, close. So very close," he titters, his voice a sing-song. His fingers creep under his coat, and from his breast pocket he pulls a key, blue as the winter sky. He holds it up between thumb and forefinger, and now his eyes finally seem to focus on something tangible. He giggles.

"There you are!" he moans. "So lovely." He leaps, somersaulting in mid-air, landing lightly on a young woman's shoulders. She doesn't notice. He jams the key into the top of her head and twists sharply, then leaps off and bounds away, laughing madly. The visions he just unlocked in her mind will haunt her the rest of her life.


Comments (5 so far!)

Average reader rating 5.00/5

Storykeeper

Storykeeper

Oh, an interesting take!

  • #1327 Posted 9 years ago
  • 0
Jim Stitzel

Jim Stitzel

Anyone familiar with Stephen King's Insomnia will probably recognize its influence here.

  • #1328 Posted 9 years ago
  • 0
ethelthefrog

ethelthefrog

I particularly love "four feet tiny".

I always wondered what that keyhole in my head was for...

  • #1332 Posted 9 years ago
  • 0
textual_phoenix

textual_phoenix

Oh, I love this! Wonderful job!

  • #1335 Posted 9 years ago
  • 0
  • 5 out of 5
Abby

Abby

Wow very interesting continuation. I especially like the description in the first paragraph. It's short and to the point but it created a really vivid picture of the little man in my head. Excellent work.

  • #1337 Posted 9 years ago
  • 0
  • 5 out of 5

Inspired by (sequel to):

She walks down the street in a red dress. Her long, black hair, emerald eyes, and pale skin catch me…

A Beautiful Death

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  • Published 9 years ago.
  • Story viewed 35 times and rated 2 times.

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