Christopher Jackson

'OneFourZero', by Christopher Jackson. An experimental tale of birds, numbers and voices in the dark. Written on Twitter. Go with me on this...

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

Just like Karin.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

John listened, following the sound with his eyes. Just another thing he could hear but could not see.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

Hearing the sound of a plane crawling by, John looked up. It was buried so far into the grey that it was nowhere to be seen.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

A bus swept by the stop. Not his. #401. John would have checked his watch, to see if his bus would be soon, but he wasn't wearing one.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

It seemed to be lifting, but only slightly. John looked upwards, anticipating that the mist would soon become a flat grey sky.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

Just a short walk to the bus stop. People walked by him, their outlines blurred ever so slightly by the mist.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

He was already late, but that didn't matter. It was only a matter of time before his boss fired him, and John no longer cared.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

John reached the bottom of the stairs, looking out through the mist. Somewhere out in that mist was his job.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

They were the Morning Couple. It was their fights that provided the early background noise, not to mention entertainment, to John's days.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

He shook his head and allowed himself a grin. Sometimes he was happy he lived alone.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

Picking up his bag, John left his flat. An argument from the next floor sounded down the stairs, people waking up on the wrong side of bed.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

John stood a minute longer, then began to change into a fresh(er) set of clothes. If there had been anyone at the door, they must have left.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

Still nothing. Just like the voice last night. Maybe it was Karin at his door. Whoever Karin was...

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

A thin, pathetic mist had replaced the wind. He stood, trying not to look at it, half-listening back towards the door.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

Just like last night, he heard nothing. Not even the wind outside, which must have left with the night. John got up and opened the curtains.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

"Who is it?"

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

"Yeah?"

The word fell out of his dry mouth in pieces. Even he could barely hear it. Sitting up, he cleared his throat.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

John's eyes wrenched open. His room was a heavy grey, and his laptop whirred by his head. He wasn't expecting any visitors.

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!"

[Christopher Jackson @onefourzero]

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