The Room

When he looked up from the computer screen

he saw things he had never seen.

The door was closed.

The books on the shelves

stood like sentinels

guarding the mysteries within

and beyond.

The television screen was blank

only waiting for a pulse of electrons

to spring to life

and create moving objects

that carried words through the ether

to waiting eyes

perched on sofas and chairs

expectantly desiring news that would inspire

and bring hope.

The clutter was comforting,

and created opportunities for action

that he had ignored in the past.

Would a tangle of cables

and old technology

create work that would distract,

or would it frighten him

into catatonic slumber?

He decided to open the door,

and to venture into the light of day,

carefully covering his body

with protective gear

and carrying magic

in his hands

to keep the demons away.

Is life possible

without breathing?