It was a cold autumn evening as I was walking to my job at the factory. The air was wet and still, dark fog creeping at the edges of the horizon. As I was walking I passed by my neighbor’s dog. Normally, the dog was a loud creature, barking every time I walked near. But on this chilly night it was silent. It only stared into my eyes as I passed. As I walked by it stared, and I stared back. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. Something drew my gaze and held it there with a force that I had felt before. The eyes were empty, void-like. Dark shapes, almost like the tentacles of some sort of distorted octopus, clawed and writhed within the inky depths. As the unmoving creature held my gaze, I could have sworn I saw it blinking in a pattern. My years in the Navy had taught me many things, before I left due to my injury. I had learned morse code from my captain during my first month there. I was still a young man back then, I had not yet lost my innocence. There was no blood on my hands. Not yet. These things haunt me still, I would rather not describe what I had experienced while out at sea. Aside from morse code, I had also learned to keep my head down and do my job, for my own good. Which is why when I saw the dog begin to blink the letters “H-E-L-P-M”, I continued walking. The factory was unforgiving and I could not be late.
Upon entering the large industrial building, I was greeted by the sounds and sights of my fellow employees hard at work. I did not stop to say hello, I was simply here to do my job. My coworkers exchanged the occasional greeting among each other. But I could see past their facades of half-smiles and small talk. I could tell that the years at the factory had worn them down. Their souls had been sanded down by the labor of their work. They were broken, gray, people. I would know. I’ve been there.
As I reached my station, I began to go through the motions of my work. I toiled away at the tasks before me, mind far away. I could not place where it had wandered off to, but brief memories of crashing waves and dark skies flashed through my mind. The visions overwhelmed my focus. I wasn’t in the factory anymore. I was on that awful boat, on the day I lost everything. I often lay awake in my bed at night, unable to close my eyes in fear that I will wake up and I will be back. Back on that ship. These twisted memories tug at the corners of my mind like anchors, dragging me down into the depths of madness. Instead of fighting, trying to claw my way back up to the surface, I let myself sink. These sleepless nights left me drained of any energy. I felt my eyes begin to close, and the water filled my lungs. When suddenly I was jolted awake. I was back. Standing at my job in the factory. I looked down and saw red dripping from the cold steel equipment and onto the floor in front of me. The crimson blood poured out of my hand. I yelped in pain upon realizing.
Seemingly sensing my alarm, my boss appeared moments after I awoke from my trance. He strolled into my workspace,
“Hey Buddy are you okay?” He exclaimed
I look up to meet his glaze.
He’s a big donut. I work at the donut factory.