Fallen empire

I woke up last night. It was 2:55AM. There was a thudding beat coming through the wall again. There was a swishing and tapping as each card fell to the floor. Perfectly in sync. In less than 2 seconds the empire was down. Just like that. I went back to sleep. A deep sleep. 

This morning the cards are still on the floor. Scattered pictures of Mount Cook in between red and blue patterns. It doesn’t even look like that many. I think I’ll pack them up and save the empire for some other time.

The countdown

I can walk on my leg again. No more crutches (didn’t uses them much lately anyway). I have a consultation in 3 days. To see if i have healed the right way. Did I elevate enough/scratch too much? I know there was no sports. I must be fixed. I’ll be rid of that stinking creature. My real foot will come back again. 

3 days is a long time. I thought I would be used to time. But now I can see out of this suburban gloom it is so far away. I have to continue the empire for now. Balancing and falling and balancing. Card above card. Steady hands.

Make-it-yourself night (again)

It’s only been a week since the last make-it-yourself night. One week. That’s six meals in between. That gives you some idea of mum’s cooking range. Two minute noodles again. No. Spag bol. Something different.

Mutant creature vs. cheating granny

The war is on.

 

Mutant bug has come out of hiding.

 

Evil granny is on the rampage.

 

Both cannot survive.

 

Who will outlast? 

 

Will the pungent foot aroma put an end to Evil Granny’s cheating ways? Or will Granny cheat her way to victory?

 

And will they turn on the card empire?

The things that annoy me most

That thudding bass. I like beats but only when they’re my own, not recycled through adjoining walls. My brother’s adjoining wall. And my mother’s voice. It gets through anything. It’s like there’s a channel right into my ear and it just booms straight in. Wah-wah-wah-wah-wah. Not even the thudding base can get it out. So I’m torn. Thudding base or booming voice? Thudding or booming? If my stereo wasn’t broken I would blast back some tunes. But it is (it always is) and now that thudding and booming is shaking my empire. Cards are wobbling. Threatening to fall. 

      

Growing empire

 

my brother. then me. this is what i feel like. sea sick.

7 levels. The empire is growing. Soon I can leave this wasteland forever. Every part of this place gets to me. Every part of this suburb within suburbs. Every part of this room i’ve gotten so used to. I feel sea sick. But I keep building these  card castles. I balance them up. They fall down. I balance them up again. 

 

I can’t see much today. Just cards balancing (7 levels high). And the rocking sea.

Scarcer than ever

Monday night. Make it yourself night. One of my mother’s inventions. She doesn’t like to cook. Only burnt steak and burnt sausages and burnt vegetables (it’s possible). I hate burnt food. But I hate make-it-yourself night more. Food is scarcer than ever on the Suburban Gloom. I scrounged up some 2 minute noodles.  How as i supposed to manage an empire on 2 minute noodles. And ward off the cheating granny. And the mutant creature.

The up side: Moving around isn’t so bad without the crutches. I can hop instead of clop. 

Threats to the empire

A lot can happen in 8 weeks. That’s almost 2 months. I’ve had a cast on my foot for 4 weeks. That’s 4 weeks of not washing that foot. It was cool at first. But when I look at it now I think there’s got to be something alive inside it. Some mutant bug. Instead of my foot, there’s some creature that i don’t know. I swear it’s gonna pop it’s beady eyes out the top of my cast soon. Just have a look around, maybe burrow back in, maybe leap out of that festering pit. The smell is too funky for human habitation…I try to keep my leg still. Less chance of disturbance. I tried to sneak a look inside but there was just black and then my nose got too close. Swung my head back and hit it on the shelf. Only faraway looks from now on. Still, I’m keeping watch just in case… 

Too many threats to the empire. First the granny and now a mutant bug. Times are tough and the gloom has returned in full swing. 

Back to building the empire

This is my goal:

5 levels. Need more cards. I balance them up. They fall down. I balance them up again. My hands are steady but not steady like those card castle experts. They are so quick. They place 3 cards on at a time. They don’t make one mistake and they don’t hesitate

Cheating granny

The incident: There was no rain outside. Semi-blue sky. I thought, that’s good for winter. The gloom wasn’t so noticeable today. I left the trilogies and card castles for a while. They would be there when I got back. I clop clopped to the general store. All I wanted was peppermint gum. I waited. I was next at the register. And a granny pushed past me to the counter. She cheated right in front of everyone. 

 Culprit description: Green cardigan and a handbag that looked like snakeskin. Hair like barbed wire. Disguised by a giant felt. Tartan trolly (weapon of choice).  

I clop clopped home a bit louder on my crutches.

Just wait till i build my card empire. You’ll pay cheating granny. Just wait.