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A town on the outskirts of the place that nobody ever visits is occupied by billions of people. Grandparents, uncles, parents, children, babies, and those that live alone.
In the town, there are no accidents. Nobody ever gets hurt, nobody will ever get ill. Nobody will ever go mad, nobody will ever kill anyone. The town is at peace. Nobody will ever die of anything other than old age, and sure, they'll all die happy.
This is unknown to Chris. Chris crossed a road one evening, not looking where he was going, and a car which was keeping well within the speed limit, very nearly hit him. Chris managed to leap out of the way, just in time.
After this, Chris got thinking. He thought of how he'd lived his life so far... what an utter waste of time it had been. He'd never left the town, he'd never even wanted to... he never had any ambition, he never wanted anything. He was happy living like one great big family in this town.
But he knew he didn't really fit in... but jeez... what was left?
So Chris went off to kill himself. He climbed the cliffs on the outskirt of the town, and threw himself off, plummeting to the ground.
He survived. Somehow.
But the shock woke Chris up.
He found himself lying in a bed... the town wasn't real, it never was... everything, it was just a dream... it made so much sense now. Having to stay in a town, never having ambition... never wanting to see the world, never wanting to make something of his life... of COURSE he was stuck in a dream. He couldn't believe that he thought there was no such thing as love, he couldn't believe he refused to believe in death, in fun, in friendship... all these things didn't matter to him before, and he couldn't believe it.
But the most painful thing about being awake, is seeing others asleep.
He looked around, and had to face hundreds of people that refused to wake, refused to believe that love existed, refused to believe that life existed... they had returned to their dreams, fallen asleep because they had lost their life, their loves, and went to live in a town in the middle of nowhere. Nobody could hurt them there, nobody.
So Chris tried so desperately to wake them... to bring them back, show them that there was still life, still a chance, still so much left... but no. All the people refused to wake, they refused to listen, they loved their dream, they loved the life that they had created, a pretend world in which they existed.
And Chris lost hope. He began to realise... perhaps they were right. Perhaps there isn't life after all... and the dreams are of which life really are.
But... was Chris lucky? Because he was nearly hit by the car, he could see? He was forced to see? Should he have to help others?
Sure... Chris WAS lucky. Lucky. That's all. He HAD to help others.
But nobody ever listened.
So Chris gave up, and Chris fell asleep again.
The question is, who's fault was it that Chris fell asleep? Who can you blame?
Can you blame Chris, for not trying hard enough to wake everyone?
Or can you blame the people, for refusing to listen?
I suppose it doesn't matter really.
In the town, there are no accidents. Nobody ever gets hurt, nobody will ever get ill. Nobody will ever go mad, nobody will ever kill anyone. The town is at peace. Nobody will ever die of anything other than old age, and sure, they'll all die happy.
This is unknown to Chris. Chris crossed a road one evening, not looking where he was going, and a car which was keeping well within the speed limit, very nearly hit him. Chris managed to leap out of the way, just in time.
After this, Chris got thinking. He thought of how he'd lived his life so far... what an utter waste of time it had been. He'd never left the town, he'd never even wanted to... he never had any ambition, he never wanted anything. He was happy living like one great big family in this town.
But he knew he didn't really fit in... but jeez... what was left?
So Chris went off to kill himself. He climbed the cliffs on the outskirt of the town, and threw himself off, plummeting to the ground.
He survived. Somehow.
But the shock woke Chris up.
He found himself lying in a bed... the town wasn't real, it never was... everything, it was just a dream... it made so much sense now. Having to stay in a town, never having ambition... never wanting to see the world, never wanting to make something of his life... of COURSE he was stuck in a dream. He couldn't believe that he thought there was no such thing as love, he couldn't believe he refused to believe in death, in fun, in friendship... all these things didn't matter to him before, and he couldn't believe it.
But the most painful thing about being awake, is seeing others asleep.
He looked around, and had to face hundreds of people that refused to wake, refused to believe that love existed, refused to believe that life existed... they had returned to their dreams, fallen asleep because they had lost their life, their loves, and went to live in a town in the middle of nowhere. Nobody could hurt them there, nobody.
So Chris tried so desperately to wake them... to bring them back, show them that there was still life, still a chance, still so much left... but no. All the people refused to wake, they refused to listen, they loved their dream, they loved the life that they had created, a pretend world in which they existed.
And Chris lost hope. He began to realise... perhaps they were right. Perhaps there isn't life after all... and the dreams are of which life really are.
But... was Chris lucky? Because he was nearly hit by the car, he could see? He was forced to see? Should he have to help others?
Sure... Chris WAS lucky. Lucky. That's all. He HAD to help others.
But nobody ever listened.
So Chris gave up, and Chris fell asleep again.
The question is, who's fault was it that Chris fell asleep? Who can you blame?
Can you blame Chris, for not trying hard enough to wake everyone?
Or can you blame the people, for refusing to listen?
I suppose it doesn't matter really.
A drink from the veding machine? Why not a pint from the local?
Anyway, that IS pretty freaky, it's like the Spiderman thing, imagine if you didn't stop someone, then they hurt you later on
Anyway, that IS pretty freaky, it's like the Spiderman thing, imagine if you didn't stop someone, then they hurt you later on
Yesterday I was coming back from London. My train got cancelled and then another train was delayed and I ended up having to switch trains and get a bus service to Coventry from Rugby station. To top it off even though there were only four people who needed the bus connection, the driver refused to eveen let us on the bus until 12:20, his allotted departure time. So I ended up being stuck at Rugby station for 40 minutes. I decided to go and get a drink from a vending machine. I was depressed. Because I had just seen Alicia for the last time in what will probably be a year. When I went into the waiting room wherer the vending machine was, there was a guy sitting next to it with his head between his knees. As I moved to the machine he raised his head and looked straight into my eyes. I looked back still sad and made no effort to smile and he lowered his head again. Then I bought my drink and went outside the station to wait for the petty bus driver to let us on.
About five minutes later 2 police cars screamed up to the station with their sirens blaring and 3 police officers ran into the station and 5 minutes later they came back leading the guy I had just seen into the car in handcuffs. I don't know what he had done, whether he had killed someone or robbed a shop or got into a fist fight outside a pub, but it scared me because I had been alone in a room with him, next to him, past midnight, in a deserted station and something could have happened. Maybe it was nothing, but I was scared nonetheless.
Your story reminded me of it; reader-response theory's a beatch :-)
About five minutes later 2 police cars screamed up to the station with their sirens blaring and 3 police officers ran into the station and 5 minutes later they came back leading the guy I had just seen into the car in handcuffs. I don't know what he had done, whether he had killed someone or robbed a shop or got into a fist fight outside a pub, but it scared me because I had been alone in a room with him, next to him, past midnight, in a deserted station and something could have happened. Maybe it was nothing, but I was scared nonetheless.
Your story reminded me of it; reader-response theory's a beatch :-)
Well I read this earlier (can't reply from work, very frustrating) and I reckon sticking the question in at the end does make you think about it a little more.
*Realises there are no replies yet*
Maybe I'm just a quick thinker?
Of course, my answer is not to answer at all, just try to throw some shapes over it...
It's easy to go back to sleep when everyone else is asleep around you, and some people are very hard to wake, especially if they've slept for an awful long time. But Chris had maybe done more than he thought. Just because people don't instantly wake, it doesn't mean they're not stirring. Maybe in a couple of years time they'll come round, having had their sleep interrupted.
The question is, will anyone else be awake to keep them company when they finally do rise?
*Realises there are no replies yet*
Maybe I'm just a quick thinker?
Of course, my answer is not to answer at all, just try to throw some shapes over it...
It's easy to go back to sleep when everyone else is asleep around you, and some people are very hard to wake, especially if they've slept for an awful long time. But Chris had maybe done more than he thought. Just because people don't instantly wake, it doesn't mean they're not stirring. Maybe in a couple of years time they'll come round, having had their sleep interrupted.
The question is, will anyone else be awake to keep them company when they finally do rise?
A town on the outskirts of the place that nobody ever visits is occupied by billions of people. Grandparents, uncles, parents, children, babies, and those that live alone.
In the town, there are no accidents. Nobody ever gets hurt, nobody will ever get ill. Nobody will ever go mad, nobody will ever kill anyone. The town is at peace. Nobody will ever die of anything other than old age, and sure, they'll all die happy.
This is unknown to Chris. Chris crossed a road one evening, not looking where he was going, and a car which was keeping well within the speed limit, very nearly hit him. Chris managed to leap out of the way, just in time.
After this, Chris got thinking. He thought of how he'd lived his life so far... what an utter waste of time it had been. He'd never left the town, he'd never even wanted to... he never had any ambition, he never wanted anything. He was happy living like one great big family in this town.
But he knew he didn't really fit in... but jeez... what was left?
So Chris went off to kill himself. He climbed the cliffs on the outskirt of the town, and threw himself off, plummeting to the ground.
He survived. Somehow.
But the shock woke Chris up.
He found himself lying in a bed... the town wasn't real, it never was... everything, it was just a dream... it made so much sense now. Having to stay in a town, never having ambition... never wanting to see the world, never wanting to make something of his life... of COURSE he was stuck in a dream. He couldn't believe that he thought there was no such thing as love, he couldn't believe he refused to believe in death, in fun, in friendship... all these things didn't matter to him before, and he couldn't believe it.
But the most painful thing about being awake, is seeing others asleep.
He looked around, and had to face hundreds of people that refused to wake, refused to believe that love existed, refused to believe that life existed... they had returned to their dreams, fallen asleep because they had lost their life, their loves, and went to live in a town in the middle of nowhere. Nobody could hurt them there, nobody.
So Chris tried so desperately to wake them... to bring them back, show them that there was still life, still a chance, still so much left... but no. All the people refused to wake, they refused to listen, they loved their dream, they loved the life that they had created, a pretend world in which they existed.
And Chris lost hope. He began to realise... perhaps they were right. Perhaps there isn't life after all... and the dreams are of which life really are.
But... was Chris lucky? Because he was nearly hit by the car, he could see? He was forced to see? Should he have to help others?
Sure... Chris WAS lucky. Lucky. That's all. He HAD to help others.
But nobody ever listened.
So Chris gave up, and Chris fell asleep again.
The question is, who's fault was it that Chris fell asleep? Who can you blame?
Can you blame Chris, for not trying hard enough to wake everyone?
Or can you blame the people, for refusing to listen?
I suppose it doesn't matter really.
In the town, there are no accidents. Nobody ever gets hurt, nobody will ever get ill. Nobody will ever go mad, nobody will ever kill anyone. The town is at peace. Nobody will ever die of anything other than old age, and sure, they'll all die happy.
This is unknown to Chris. Chris crossed a road one evening, not looking where he was going, and a car which was keeping well within the speed limit, very nearly hit him. Chris managed to leap out of the way, just in time.
After this, Chris got thinking. He thought of how he'd lived his life so far... what an utter waste of time it had been. He'd never left the town, he'd never even wanted to... he never had any ambition, he never wanted anything. He was happy living like one great big family in this town.
But he knew he didn't really fit in... but jeez... what was left?
So Chris went off to kill himself. He climbed the cliffs on the outskirt of the town, and threw himself off, plummeting to the ground.
He survived. Somehow.
But the shock woke Chris up.
He found himself lying in a bed... the town wasn't real, it never was... everything, it was just a dream... it made so much sense now. Having to stay in a town, never having ambition... never wanting to see the world, never wanting to make something of his life... of COURSE he was stuck in a dream. He couldn't believe that he thought there was no such thing as love, he couldn't believe he refused to believe in death, in fun, in friendship... all these things didn't matter to him before, and he couldn't believe it.
But the most painful thing about being awake, is seeing others asleep.
He looked around, and had to face hundreds of people that refused to wake, refused to believe that love existed, refused to believe that life existed... they had returned to their dreams, fallen asleep because they had lost their life, their loves, and went to live in a town in the middle of nowhere. Nobody could hurt them there, nobody.
So Chris tried so desperately to wake them... to bring them back, show them that there was still life, still a chance, still so much left... but no. All the people refused to wake, they refused to listen, they loved their dream, they loved the life that they had created, a pretend world in which they existed.
And Chris lost hope. He began to realise... perhaps they were right. Perhaps there isn't life after all... and the dreams are of which life really are.
But... was Chris lucky? Because he was nearly hit by the car, he could see? He was forced to see? Should he have to help others?
Sure... Chris WAS lucky. Lucky. That's all. He HAD to help others.
But nobody ever listened.
So Chris gave up, and Chris fell asleep again.
The question is, who's fault was it that Chris fell asleep? Who can you blame?
Can you blame Chris, for not trying hard enough to wake everyone?
Or can you blame the people, for refusing to listen?
I suppose it doesn't matter really.