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Channel Surfing
(The other night I fell asleep on the couch with the T.V. on. I dreamt that I was on the couch watching T.V., only I was slowly dying. The dream inspired me to write this story on a paper placemat at the diner today.)
It was Saturday night again, and if you peeked in the window you could see Debra lying on the blue, overstuffed couch. The only indication that she used that couch every night was the full body groove on the upholstery. It was her ritual every night after coming home from her 9 to 5 office job, channel surfing all night. She never slept. A few months ago, when she started, she was the darling of the office. The women loved her chic and fashionable office attire. She fucked every man, of course (the married ones, too). They never called back, and many gave her the wrong number when they were done.
She used to come home to a tabby cat (whose name and gender had been forgotten), but she gave it away before she completely stopped caring. Things became different at the office. Nobody looked in her direction, unless it was to snicker. Her clothes became more ragged each day and the lingering scent of nicotine never left her hair. Debra's favorite game to play was to not eat at all at work. Not one bite. That way, she could binge on generic brand cookies and Dr. Pib when she got home. Oh yes, that was the only stop she would make before returning home, the Acme at 5th and 9th street.
During the middle of E! News, or maybe it was before or after, her chin began to tremble. It happened once before, but she always let it go. This time was different; she had not touched a man in weeks. Her breathe became shorter, and her eyes watered. Debra never cried a day in her life. Her mother told her she was the quietest baby. Suddenly, Debra felt herself sinking slowly into the couch, while remaining paralyzed. It wasn't the type of paralysis she felt when a man was sweating on top of her, or what she felt when he cried in her hair afterwards, sobbing about his beautiful wife. No, this was entirely different. As her breathe became shorter, her eyes began to droop. She didn't try to scream this time. After a minute, she completely shut her eyes.
She was found only months later, when the stench of decaying flesh became too unbearable.
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