I live in a plain, white, suburb. I didn’t think much of it or notice it’s intentions until now.
I’ve just realized that in my 7 years of living here no one has ever left their house nor have I ever seen a single neighbor. I knew from the beginning that the neighborhood was defined by the cheap, cookie cutter homes that are just slightly altered, recycled designs, that repeat every other set of front facing windows. This however wasn’t anything of concern to me just a simple and understandable scheme to make mass urban development in a short period of time. However it wasn’t till I decided, on a whim, to sneak into my neighbors back yard after their lights, every single one of them, would stay on for a number of consecutive days, and without falter would turn off at exactly 8pm. I know it seems wrong but I was just curious. Except I much rather enjoyed my ignorance.
The back of my neighbors home had exposed plywood and an open foundation that peered into every room as if it were cut perfectly in half. Like the way doll houses are built, giving easy access to every living space. This wasn’t the only house either, the rest of the surrounding houses were the same. It continued as I ran down a number of blocks before getting an increased feeling of nausea from shock and onset dizziness. I then made it back to my home and decided to look around my culdesac, it was the same answer. Empty doll like house on display, with the only exception being my complete home. Yet these homes weren’t completely empty, they all had their own unique decor or “personality”. Like some sort of fucked Ikea. I stepped into a few and even noticed rings on the coffee tables, cheap magnets on fridges from souvenir stores, stains on the couches, unwashed laundry, and dishes left in the sink.
It was ‘off’ in a way, as if each detail was strategically placed, no one thing repeated. Yet it was all some how calculated. These details were articulated “signs” of life, yet each house was so far from any form of it.
If you’ve ever been furniture shopping you might recall a plastic prop resembling melted ice, that may be placed on couches to advertise its stain resistance. This same format was followed to make the appearance of spills, unmelted ice left on the ground, and the illusion of a sink full of dirty dishes. It was the same for any form of a human type mess for that matter. I assume it was, in a way, to make up for the unnatural lack of dirt or dust in any form, and the absence of any type of real food, leaving the fridges and pantry’s without a purpose other than display. But if it were just for display why did every single one have a source of power? With the same deafening buzz that eluded from each white sterile light in each equally as sterile fridge.
Where was the power coming from? Each house had electricity.
I haven’t tried to leave I’ve just been wandering around the different houses and exploring deeper into the physically rabbit whole that surrounds me. I haven’t been in my house in three days, nor have I had an ounce of sleep since my discovery. The sun no longer goes down. It doesn’t rain. There’s never a gust of wind, movement of a cloud, or a stick out of place. In fact the whole world is still, as if I’m living in a Windowns 10 computer background.
I hate it but it’s intriguing, I can’t help but continuously wander along with aimless function and empty conscience.
The only pattern I can recognize is the the label on each item among the houses, “IDEAL” it’s the same logo again, and again. And a few numbers in the street signs and mailboxes.
I’ve found a running cord form a house that leads to the ground I hope to dig until I find it’s origin.
I decided to return home to get a tape measure, I found that each house, tree, window are the same length apart. The value of each length is different for each group of item, it is only the same among items within the same group.
Group A: the quite objects / Group B: the / Group C: conscience objects / Group D;
- I’ve become thirsty.