Rejecting the Gift

Geo pulled away from the crowd of elements that was gathering on the Gray Planet:  the doorway, the window, the packages, Shiara, and now the couch and its huge box.  It was as if at least by being alone he could save some portion of himself from this total insanity.

Shiara moved toward him, but his eyes went wide and bright with terror.  “Stay away from me!” he shouted.  “You…aren’t human.  This…is not a world!  That thing!  What is it? It can’t be real… it moved!  I am—I was—a therapist!  Now what am I?  I’m insane that’s what I am…”

“Geo!" yelled Shiara.  "Georges!  Zshorzshe!”   She wanted to smack him.  “You helped me just a few minutes ago.  Do what you did for me.  Find your own center.  Take a deep breath.  You are not insane!  I don’t know what else to say.  It is this planet—It is stressing you out.”

He looked at her and breathed.

“Listen to me” She said.  “Every gift from The Voices has always been extremely valuable.  This is a good thing.  Let’s find out what it is!”

“You go ahead, Shiara.  I am staying right here.”  He took off his glasses and rubbed his face.  He felt numb all over.  He slapped at his arms to see if he was still real.  He felt the air going in and out of his lungs.  Maybe this is real, he thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Shiara walked over to where the couch was sitting.  “Hello!  Mister—Couch?  Or do you prefer Sofa.”

“Couch is nice,” said the soft voice.  “I’ve always thought sofa was rather pretentious.”

“Okay, well, you’ve surprised us, to say the least.  Geo is very upset.”

“That is exactly why I have come” said the Black Couch.  “humans can’t handle the stress of being on this planet.  He won’t last much longer even though it actually hasn’t even been a day.  If he will lie down on me, I can help him, but needs to do it soon.”

“I will see what I can do,” said Shiara.

Geo was standing aloof, holding his Canteen before him like a Mighty Shield.  He looked down at it lovingly, as if it were his only friend.  Canteen…he thought to himself.  If I can just focus on my canteen I can keep myself sane.  But this was when he actually began to lose his sanity.

***

12:48:02 PM