
THE JOURNEY
This story follow Michelle, a Londoner on one strange and troubling day.
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As any Londoner knows, the daily commute to and from work, college or school can be a a tedious, hot and often frustrating nightmare. But for Michelle, it's more of a daymare, which also gives an exhilarating thrill. Who doesn't enjoy heart pounding, adrenaline fuelled fear from time to time?
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"Monotony can Kill!
In a city where human disconnection is rife and predictability is standard, Michelle struggles with ‘existing.’
To truly feel alive was her one and only simple desire.
As the world unravels around her, Michelle fights to hold onto her sanity and life.
Each step taken is one move closer to total annihilation or salvation.
All is uncertain, apart from one thing…
...She must make one final perilous journey."
PART 1
It was hustle and bustle nearly everyday, some days there was a bit of a switch, but not enough to stimulate any conscious human being. It was a constant struggle getting to work. Although Michelle was employed at a pretty decent workplace, doing a job that she quite enjoyed – It was mainly about the people - she didn't much like the daily journey.
Monday came, hustle and bustle.
Tuesday, bustle and hustle.
Wednesday pushing and shoving.
Thursday shoving and pushing.
Friday race to the finish (work).
She felt like the monotony of the life cycle she was in was going to kill her from boredom. "Is this my destiny? To waste away on the London underground like a discarded supermarket banana skin? Shame on me." Michelle said to herself, looking around at all the miserable faces on the underground. "This is definitely not what I spent 4 years at Uni doing a sandwich course for." She sighs.
Weeks go by and it's the same thing, day in and day out. Miserable Mike on the number 36 bus; same time every Tuesday and Wednesday, Chubby Charlie picking his nose outside the corner shop between 7:47am and 7:51am. Then there was the natter twins Karen and Sharon who talked from Oval to King's Cross without stopping for a breath - although their conversations were the most entertaining part of the day, it wasn't enough to obscure the humdrum and repetitive nature of her journey. Finally there was Robbie the Rasta, looking ever sharp, who was always smiling and singing from just inside King's Cross station till they parted ways and he ambled towards wherever he worked each Friday.
These were individuals that Michelle had no clue of who they were or what they did but she assigned them names according to their attributes. The rest of the lifeless and soulless robots (as she viewed them) she called zeros and one's.
Sunday night: "I guess it's a glass of wine for this young, hot and sexy singleton." Michelle says to herself as she continues to consume her half a bottle of red. "Oh well, might as well enjoy the last couple of hours to this weekend before I get on the hamster wheel again." She sips her wine whilst smooth jazz plays softly in the background; she’s relaxed. Michelle begins to slowly drift into a slightly intoxicated slumber, eyes heavy and head nodding; she eventually succumbs to her tired, inebriated state and awaits Monday.
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Michelle goes through her usual process of getting ready: Wake Up. Put the phone on timer. Run the bath, check Insta and Snapchat, jump in the bath, get out and put straighteners on. Then do makeup, do her hair, try grabbing a cuppa if she's got time. All the while listening to some music to get her energy up and feel good for the battle she is about to face - navigating the Transport For London rush hour commute.
“You know what? These morning bangers are almost certainly going to be the best part of my day.”
She does a few more final house checks, takes a look in her purse and handbag to make sure she has all her daily essentials, takes a final look in the mirror and steps out.
PART 2
"Wow, heavy night. Talk about burning the candles Michelle. You're a bit of a wild card aren't you?" She says aloud as she rolls off her shockingly comfortable couch. She stands up and stretches, looking down at the spilled red wine. "Thank goodness for laminate, my lazy ass wouldn't be getting that cleaned."
Her mouth feels a little pasty after conking out from her last swig of wine. It’s a morning after taste she is well acquainted with. But it’s definitely one that always tastes like regret and a bitter reminder of the boredom she experiences almost every weekend. Nevertheless, in her heart and mind, she knows she’ll be raring to go the next Friday, Saturday and Sunday unless something drastically changes in her routine during the week.
‘There ain’t anything happening this week. Don’t even need to look in my diary. POO!’
As she begins to clean up the spillage she notices her neighbours’ dog isn't barking his head off. Now, ‘Killer’ was a big, massive, aggressive looking beast, but he had the heart of a pussy cat. Michelle had seen him get chased by a kitten one time and it was almost as though the other dogs in the endz felt shame for him. But that saying ‘a dog’s bark is worse than its bite’ was one that could be tattooed all over Killer. He was the friendliest pooch you could ever snuggle with, but didn’t half love to let everyone know when he was awake and ready to play. That morning bark that reverberated through the walls, rattled the kitchen sink and made your ribs shake was nowhere to be heard. This was usually an indication that Mr Cumberbatch has gone to work; it's almost become a daily alarm.
You could practically set your watch by the bark, it’s strange as well that Killer would always bark the same amount of times just before he ceased completely; 13 resounding, bellowing barks without fail. Even if the timing was spaced apart unevenly you could always count on those final two or three. 6:15 for approximately 15 minutes every day Mr Cumberbatch’s Rottweiler would bark after he leaves and then suddenly stops.
"Odd" she thinks, and checks the time, "Goin’ on 7, so I'm not late, which is good. Oh well, not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Maybe he's sick and he didn't go out. I'll check on him when I get home tonight."
“My head feels a little spinny in a tizzy today, maybe I went a little too hard on the champagne campaign.” She laughs to herself. “Well I wish it was a champagne kinda night, just a cheap bottle of red to knock back. I really need to step out one of these weekends but… I just can’t be assed!” She chuckles to herself again. She shakes off her boozy thought process to get into weekday work mode. “Time for SERIOUS business!” she say’s aloud. “Who am I even talking to?”
Michelle goes through her usual process of getting ready: Wake Up. Put the phone on timer. Run the bath, check Insta and Snapchat, jump in the bath, get out and put straighteners on. Then do makeup, do her hair, try grabbing a cuppa if she's got time. All the while listening to some music to get her energy up and feel good for the battle she is about to face - navigating the Transport For London rush hour commute.
“You know what? These morning bangers are almost certainly going to be the best part of my day.”
She does a few more final house checks, takes a look in her purse and handbag to make sure she has all her daily essentials, takes a final look in the mirror and steps out.
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