Out There
By Troy Manning
Rubbing out the last granules of sleep, Allen picked up the electrical cord near the picture window and lit up the world. He watched as several birds flew by and a few fish swam past. He sat in his recliner with a gaping yawn, and considered the repetitive nature of the events unfolding before him.
He looked on as a flower opened and ejected a pygmy vampire turtle. “The world is positively polluted with them,” thought Allen. In truth, however, this one in particular was of a less common variety.
An elderly neighbor, Larry by name, retrieved the daily paper, while his dog Kendall waited patiently at the doorstep to receive it from him.
Several children, lunch pails in hand, approached a corner near Allen’s home to await their ride. “Couldn’t it be late just once?” Allen asked himself. Like clockwork, the boys and girls had barely reached the curb when the long, yellow submarine arrived.
Allen began to nod off. He dreamt he held a remote that could change the channel, sending all the boys and girls down a tributary of no return.
Though sleeping the day away sounded appealing, he entered the kitchen to brew some tea. He was startled at the sound of a knock at his door. “That’s strange,” he thought.
He opened the door to a timid young man lugging a satchel.
“I’m sorry to trouble you, sir,” he began. He quickly withdrew a book from the bag and held it out to him. “May I give you this?”
“Is that a Bible?” asked Allen.
“Yes, sir, do you already have one?”
“A book about God coming to this world as a man and dying for sinful people then being raised from the dead?”
“Yes, sir.”
“We’ve all heard it a thousand times, why do I need a book about it?” He closed the door and started back toward the kitchen.
Allen’s irritation with his intrusive visitor became more acute as he realized the vampire turtle had flown inside. As he owned no dog, he had no newspaper with which to swat it. It repeatedly flew against the window before falling to the floor stunned.
“How could you possibly want to go out there?” asked Allen as he stepped on the turtle. Seeing no answer would be forthcoming, he unplugged the world and returned to his recliner.
- - -
Troy Manning is a graduate of Westminster Seminary California. He has recently been taking literature classes at Cal State University, San Marcos where his stories "Edgar's Telegram" and "Head Knowledge" have been published in the creative writing program's Cat Ate My Chapbook and the Spring 2010 issue of Oh, Cat!
By Troy Manning
Rubbing out the last granules of sleep, Allen picked up the electrical cord near the picture window and lit up the world. He watched as several birds flew by and a few fish swam past. He sat in his recliner with a gaping yawn, and considered the repetitive nature of the events unfolding before him.
He looked on as a flower opened and ejected a pygmy vampire turtle. “The world is positively polluted with them,” thought Allen. In truth, however, this one in particular was of a less common variety.
An elderly neighbor, Larry by name, retrieved the daily paper, while his dog Kendall waited patiently at the doorstep to receive it from him.
Several children, lunch pails in hand, approached a corner near Allen’s home to await their ride. “Couldn’t it be late just once?” Allen asked himself. Like clockwork, the boys and girls had barely reached the curb when the long, yellow submarine arrived.
Allen began to nod off. He dreamt he held a remote that could change the channel, sending all the boys and girls down a tributary of no return.
Though sleeping the day away sounded appealing, he entered the kitchen to brew some tea. He was startled at the sound of a knock at his door. “That’s strange,” he thought.
He opened the door to a timid young man lugging a satchel.
“I’m sorry to trouble you, sir,” he began. He quickly withdrew a book from the bag and held it out to him. “May I give you this?”
“Is that a Bible?” asked Allen.
“Yes, sir, do you already have one?”
“A book about God coming to this world as a man and dying for sinful people then being raised from the dead?”
“Yes, sir.”
“We’ve all heard it a thousand times, why do I need a book about it?” He closed the door and started back toward the kitchen.
Allen’s irritation with his intrusive visitor became more acute as he realized the vampire turtle had flown inside. As he owned no dog, he had no newspaper with which to swat it. It repeatedly flew against the window before falling to the floor stunned.
“How could you possibly want to go out there?” asked Allen as he stepped on the turtle. Seeing no answer would be forthcoming, he unplugged the world and returned to his recliner.
- - -
Troy Manning is a graduate of Westminster Seminary California. He has recently been taking literature classes at Cal State University, San Marcos where his stories "Edgar's Telegram" and "Head Knowledge" have been published in the creative writing program's Cat Ate My Chapbook and the Spring 2010 issue of Oh, Cat!
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