The Box (#1)

The walls surround me. Here, I am by myself, I am alone in my own head. I am in the world, but not of it. I’m not aware of my surroundings, but can never escape from them. Here, nothing touches me. Here, everything touches me.

I run to the across the room in a frantic rush. I hit one of the walls, rebound and sprint toward another wall with no thought but speed. Nothing can stop me and nothing tries. My heart pumps and my pulse races to match my legs. My frenzied running leads across the entire room as I throw myself around this box. My arm tingles, and my back hurts where I hit it against one of the white walls.

I stop. I breathe. My heart slows down. My arm stops tingling and hangs loosely from the slight weight in it. I slowly walk to the center on my box, not really noticing the walls but always knowing they are there. I stop and look towards the middle.

I’m off again! I sprint 5 steps to the left, 5 back to the right. I pause for a split second, then dash forwards and to the right. Wait, sprint, wait, sprint. Again, nothing can stop me.

But I stop anyway. I shake my head in disappointment and walk towards one of the narrower walls. I stand close to the back wall, about in the middle of it, waiting patiently for it to begin again. Sweat drips down my face, off the tip of my nose and off the edges of my glasses.

A blur of blue streaks past my face and I head after it. I must catch it, I must! I do but crash into the corner of two walls. No time to hesitate, run, run! My goggles slip a little as I race back to the middle of the room, blocking my vision for a second. A few short steps and then a stretch with my right hand. The single glove I wear on my hand holds tight as I swing my arm. Hop back up into position again. There’s an opening, there, there! A mistake! I see the momentary weakness and exploit it.

A rest again. I adjust the racquet in my hand, and check my goggles. I take the blue ball, bounce it a few times on the ground. I tap up a beautiful serve into the corner and ready myself for the running.

But it was an ace. So I prepare myself again. Check the racquet, my glove, the goggles, bounce the ball a few times again. I drop the ball and smash it this time. This time it’s a good thing I was ready, a good return and I have to hurry. Speed is once again my only thought, my eyes never leaving that lovely little blue ball that, for the moment, is my entire life. I love this. I love this room, I love these walls more than anything.