Just Another Coin Toss (948 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.5 on 12 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by <ThineJericho.at.gmail.com> (View user info) at 2005-10-02 14:18:04 EDT
Thirty six seconds ago, I threw the coin. Turning over itself, glittering with the shimmer only silver and candlelight can provide, flipping casually through the air. Finally reaching the point where the tangent line is horizontal, a black tear across the cubes of soft blue, a slight curve on graphing paper. The function squared, the derivative only to the first power, now with a useless number before the unknown.
You want to understand this? Numbers mixed with language, insanity threatening to overwhelm choices of logic, and voices screaming for an ear, any ear.
The coin reaches that point, and begins the journey down. Friction, velocity, speed, coordinates, x squared. All flashing through - as the mind grapples with ideas that it can't quite fully contain, their numbers forcing the entire charade to collapse, intelligence draining clockwise, spiraling down as water when the ocean empties. Thoughts floating down like cards scattering as the house built so carefully, smashes apart .. a tornado of reds and blacks, numbers and letters, highs and lows - all depending on the game played.
Flickering, passing itself in countless somersaults, the coin again captures attention. Screaming it laughs at its sudden importance, the heads or tails forgotten, only the meaning, the choices, left behind.
The metal bounces once from the cold linoleum floor, turns thrice more, and settles to a spinning rest.
Twenty seven seconds ago, I shuddered and closed my eyes, raising my hands to slowly massage my aching temples. I glance first to the sink, where warm water is still running over two bags slowly leaking blood, mixing with the warmth and steam for a damp smell of torture, sending rivulets of red to silently circle and eventually spiral clockwise down with the water, almost as it does when the ocean empties. A waterfall of bloody water, only emphasized by the long, cold knife I'm holding in my hand.
I lick my lips, tasting the sweat. And finally peek downward at the quarter lying on the stained floor.
Heads.
I think to myself, is this what I want? For surely, if you argue with the coin flip, then the other choice is certainly the better. But alas, the decision to stumble mentally over choices and logic, insanity itself, was for another day. Today, today was to act.
Three seconds ago, I swallowed my fears and doubts, and stood strong facing the sink with water still flooding, a waterfall mixing 'til a dirty rusty red remained to spiral beyond sight.
Raising the knife, I step forward to the sink, taking one last look at the coin staring up, guiltily, from the floor.
Shrugging my shoulders, I slowly take the knife down to the bag, separating the two so I can fully see their contents and abide by the coin's truth.
And then smile, tonight's dinner will be chicken, not beef.
User Reviews
Submitted by DudeThatsBOSH (user info) at 2005-11-19 01:38:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
honestly, i've read this a few times and loved it every time.. but this bothers me:
"spiraling down as water when the ocean empties"
thats a tough analogy because seriously.. who has seen the ocean empty?
Submitted by Bob_Dole (user info) at 2005-11-01 22:46:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by morontian (user info) at 2005-11-01 22:11:39 (#)
Ranking: 2
"Damn, you got me!!!"
Submitted by crownofsuns (user info) at 2005-11-01 22:28:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by morontian (user info) at 2005-11-01 22:11:39 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
"Damn, you got me!!!"
Keifer - "Phonebooth"
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-10-04 08:00:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hehehe. Good twist.
Submitted by DudeThatsBOSH (user info) at 2005-10-03 17:33:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
fuckin a
i tossed a coin to decide whether or not i liked this.
it ended up not being in your favor, but i decided that im not gonna let a fuckin coin tell me what i like/dont like.
bosh.
Submitted by Magickmuse (user info) at 2005-10-03 17:28:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
An interesting waste of time.
Submitted by ruthless (user info) at 2005-10-03 17:19:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Ahahahaha!!
Submitted by a_palindrome (user info) at 2005-10-02 20:51:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome. Nice twist at the end.
Submitted by trent_nz (user info) at 2005-10-02 17:21:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
breath taking
Submitted by Whiplash (user info) at 2005-10-02 16:26:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2005-10-02 14:33:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment