Platonic

The eyes opened. Light flooded in, and the eyelids lowered and raised twice. I exist behind those eyelids and between the ears. I was conscious of stretching movements localized to the jaw that might have felt pleasant at one time. Some part of me processed it, realized that the body had sat up. The legs and arms moved like pistons, up and down. Automatic and controlled.

The wing beats of a fly concussed the ear drums. I attempted to swat it away, but in vain. I had forgotten briefly that I am distanced, disconnected. Instead of swatting, the arm went to the shoelaces on the foot attached to the leg that used to run. It lay inert.

I waited for the body to transport me to the bathroom. After sitting on the toilette, a vaguely pulsing signal quieted. I realized that my body felt what had once meant relief. Now, it simply meant the return to acceptable operation parameters. The fully functional figure descended the stairs. I had retreated back into myself, ignoring the myriad of second hand signals and focusing on the pool of consciousness surrounding and comprising me. It offered no comfort, no warmth, no light. It was the absolute I had wanted. Now, I did not want anything. I was finally free.