Young Writers Society

It was early and the world outside was still gray and dim. Everything was asleep except for Old Man Monkey, whom sat in his bed while staring with empty eyes at the equally empty white wall of his bedroom. Old Man Monkey blinked once or twice and then took in a slow, revitalizing breath. Sweat trickled down his colorless, wrinkled forehead and his mouth hung open like a broken door, and produced the same creaking sound as well. 'I'm still alive' he thought to himself. He began to feel his body with his hands, making sure for certain that he was alive. He smiled once he was certain of his living state.

You see, Old Man Monkey had a crippling fear of death. He woke up in sweats every morning of every day uncertain of whether he was alive or dead. He slept very little because of this crippling phobia; he was always worried that he would die in his sleep. A lack of sleep had had an ill effect on the brain of Old Man Monkey, (who one should note has always been called this, even in youth) but recently it had begun to grow worse. His condition was worsening. In his attempt to fight off death by never closing his eyes, Old Man Monkey was killing himself.

And here he sat in his bed on a lonely, gray morning in amazement at his survival.

“I'm alive, I'm alive!” Shouted Old Man Monkey excitedly. His fur was warm and soothing, and the old monkey grew comfort from it's feeling. His heart beat quickly, pulsating in a frantic and erratic manner. “I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm ali-” his voice shifted from a soothing old tone to a hoarse croak. Old Man Monkey sat for a moment like a statue with his hands outstretched to the ceiling, his eyes wide and bloodshot, as if mesmerized by the appearance of God.

Perhaps he had saw God.

Without a single sound Old Man Monkey's corpse slumped back onto his pillow and bed sheets. His eyes were still wide, a trickling stream of bright crimson blood flowing out of them. You could see the surprise on the old monkey's face. You could call it ironic, or poetic or symbolic but it wasn't. Outside, the wind blew and the sun rose.