Immersive Art

Unlocking my front door, I entered my apartment and slammed the door as hard as I could. I was sent home early from work because I was placed on administrative leave for the third time this year, and it was only March. Well, at least it was still with pay, but one more infraction for whatever reason this quarter, and human resources told me they’d have to terminate my employment. To say I was pissed was an understatement, though.

I tossed my keys on the little console table before heading to the kitchen to get the whiskey out of the cabinet. Deciding to forego a glass, I head into the living room to sit on the couch. Plopping down, I reach towards the coffee table to grab the Roku remote. Turning the TV on, I search for a show to watch to get my mind off my problems. I decide to watch reruns of NCIS and lean back into the cushions taking a swig of red-eye.

I closed my eyes, and rubbed my face, trying to ward off the headache I could feel from the day’s stress. Running my hands through my short hair, I felt like screaming, but I didn’t want old lady Wolowitz to be disturbed. Putting one hand on the bottle between my legs, I covered my eyes with the other.

Fighting tears, I didn’t know what to tell Beatrice this time. There was no way she would believe I hadn’t hit Frank first– not with my track record of hot-headedness. God, I wished I could have a re-do on this whole day, so I wouldn’t have to face Bea.

I must have fallen asleep because I woke up with my crotch soaking wet where I’d spilled the fallen whiskey bottle. In my stupor, I reached for the bottle only to fully submerge my hand in the pouring liquid. Fully awake at this point, I sat up and looked around me.

What was left of the bottled firewater was floating on the living room floor. The source of this water was the painting above the couch, a work of art that Bea just had to have from the thrift store this weekend. Waves of water flooded out of it by the gallons, and soon, the coffee table was afloat.

Jumping to my feet, I waded to the hallway as quickly as possible, where the water was rapidly rising. Freaking out, I debated on what to do in my buzzed state. I probably should have run out into the exterior public hallway, but instead, I ran toward my bathroom. In my fuzzy thinking, I figured the drains of the tub and sink would keep me from drowning.

Throwing open the door, I rushed right in and slammed the door behind me. The water was still rising, if anything, even faster than before, and the waves were increasing in size, splashing me in my face. Licking my lips, I could taste salt water. Trying to reach the tub, I had to swim, then realized, I was in open water, with the sun shining down upon my head and no walls in sight. I could hear the seagulls screeching in the air and see their dark, vague shapes flying overhead.

I must have floated like that for hours, watching debris drift past me. Some scraps that drifted by still had fragments of my bathroom wallpaper attached. Seeing the door, I tried to climb on it, to help me stay afloat. Scared, I wondered how long I’d be stuck at sea.

My lips were starting to chap and my skin was beginning to burn when I saw something purple swimming in the water towards me. Drawing my body as tight as I could onto the door, I hoped it wasn’t a giant octopus. Suddenly, a dolphin popped out of the water and trilled in my face, before ducking back below the water, to resurface on the other side.

The dolphin began swimming in circles around me, each rotation swifter than the last, until a powerful maelstrom formed, pulling the door and me into it. Round and round I went. The whirlpool pulled me down to the bottom of the ocean. I could see schools of fish swimming past in the water, and off in the distance I swear I saw a group of mermaids playing with a spiny ball. I clutched the door tighter while fighting for breath in the vacuum.

I see a Kraken at the bottom, waiting for the whirlpool to spit me out of the bottom of the funnel. Shaking with awe and fear, I jerked at the door, attempting to shoot out before I neared the monstrous sea beast, unsuccessfully. Instead, I whizzed toward the mythical creature, where it opened its humungous maw, and reached out its python-like tentacles to grab me and direct me to its open mouth.

Dragged inside the mouth, everything went dark. I could feel the Kraken digesting me, and as I moved to the stomach, I saw a light appear. Attracted to the light, I moved toward it and was surprised to find a door. Opening it, I stepped out onto the office floor of my cubicle. Confused, I looked down at my clothes and wasn’t surprised to see them wrinkled and stained with salt. Hearing my name, I turned around to see Frank.

“Didn’t you hear me, dumbass?” Frank said as he shoved me, knocking me down.

Exactly like this morning. Getting up, I shook my head, “Leave off, Frank.” I started to draw my arm back, then put it back down. Looking around at the group that had gathered around, I walked off. I’d make a complaint to HR instead, I decided. No need for me to get written up, again.

Just then my phone rang, but I didn’t recognize the number. I was surprised it was Bea. She’d borrowed a co-worker's phone.

“Jimmy, we have to get rid of that painting I just bought.”