The 3 A.M. Epiphany Exercises

Exercise 2.
IMPERATIVE. Write a fragment of a story that is made up entirely of imperative commands. O this; do that; contemplate the rear end of a woman who is walking out of your life. The exercise will be a sort of second-person narration. (a you is implied in the imperative).
500 words
Do exactly as I say.
Hear me.
Pick up your shoes and walk across the floor.
Feel the soft varnish finish on your sweaty, clammy toes.
Stand on tiptoes.
Do exactly as I tell you.
Now dance. Dance like it was your last waltz before you meet the maker.
Dance like your true love was waiting in the wings ready to take up your hand.
Dance until the red shoes upon your feet, are stained with blood.
Now stop. Think. Listen. Listen to the sound of your heart beating. Feel the energy as it moves from finger to toe, tingling with life.
Slump to the floor. Rub your hands over the wood. Smell the tarnished varnish, mixing with the sweat of your bare feet.
Feel alive, for the first time in weeks. Do exactly as I tell you.
Trust me, and trust yourself to be free, to hear, to see, to feel, to taste, to sense.
Open your senses to the world around you.
Step outside. Walk through the long grass, like some memory of you childhood.
Remember you childhood. Remember the games, playing with your friends. Never forget them. Never forget who you were, or from what you came.
Imagine your parents, cuddling and smiling. Imagine them waving you goodbye on your first day of school.
Now imagine their funeral. Imagine placing the wreath on their coffins, sat side by side. Imagine looking round and seeing a wave of tears from mourners, all also remembering that one defining moment with your parents.
Now imagine your not crying. You’re not even upset. Look at the sad mourners, now angry at your expressionless face, your lack of emotion.
Do exactly as I ask. Don’t question my commands.
Imagine your girlfriend, Imagine she’s away. Tell you her you don’t love her anymore. Tell her you fantasise about the girl down the road, in the office, the girl on the bus, any girl. Tell her, if you had more guts, you’d cheat on her just to see her reaction when she found out.
Tell her you wouldn’t confess. Tell her you’d leave clues, ensuring in the worst possible way that she knew. Now tell her you love her. Tell her you can’t live without her. Mean it.
Run. Run as fast as you can until you heart hurts, you can’t catch breath, and your vision goes blurry. Now run some more. Push your body until it breaks. Then moan at its limitations. Speak as if you can conquer the world, but no inside that you never will.
Try, but don’t try completely, so if you fail you have an already, pre-packaged excuse. Make yourself feel better.
Remember all the things you’ve done that you regret. Remember that without them you wouldn’t be here, at this point in your life, with these endless possibilities ahead of you. Now fail to fulfil any of those possibilities.
Ask that girl out you’ve had a crush on since before you can remember. Convince yourself she will never say yes, and remember even if she does say no, you’ll never see her again. Walk out without telling her you feel. Hate yourself, loath your very existence. Think about taking your life. Think about how easy it would be. Think about who would miss you. Think about all our so called friends, who wait for you to make arrangements, who wait for you to phone, text, email them. Wait for your friends to ask you something personal. Wait forever. Know that it will never happen.
Now, listen to me very carefully, as what I say next means more than anything I have ever said to you before. Listen, intently. Know, without doubt, without question, without insecurity, that I am your conscience, and I will be with you forever. Know that nothing you do will change that. Know that for now and forever I will be your only companion. Live with it! Now…. Dance!THE END