A Literary Load of Rubbish
Looking back, I realize how stupid it was, how irresponsible rather, that such an event occurred, and wish now that it never did. Such things, for the most part, have never caused much harm so there was no ill anticipation or worry. But as a single straw is all it takes to break a camel's back, a single swig was all it took to drown away my happiness.
Following this, I shifted my arm to set the plastic bottle atop a stack of books. But alas, what luck! Foul fortune wrought its wretched fate and knocked it half an inch to the left. Its center shifted, it lurched and leaned over the edge of the stack: a giant whale mid-jump about to come crashing down upon a hapless auk.
For an instant I plead for it to wobble and tip the other direction. In a heartbeat it could have ended my Age of Innocence and done by drowning what I would surely do in time with fire. Smother my papers and desk! Engulf my notes and lucky pen! Spare me the sorrow of keeping your course!
But down it fell, and falling down, it meant that all was lost. My gut tightened and vision blurred as it arrived at its destination and ejaculated its carbonated, caffeinated, caramel-coloured contents onto the keyboard and screen. Within a second, half the bottle was spent. My hand shot out and uprighted it before any more sludge could pour out; the problem's source was stifled.
But the damage had been done and undoubtedly the fluids were eating their way through the wires and plastic that made up this desk-top laptop. In a sprint worthy of The Gold I had returned to sop up the liquid before it reached an uncontainable level of stickiness. In time I had the keys wiped down and dry, and the fan whirred as normal. Yet all was not well, as I had feared. A piece of duct tape had worn loose and, worsened by the wetness, now revealed the crack it was meant to cover. The fluid had penetrated the device; the LCD was compromised.
Shortly its effects became noticible. A faint flicker appeared and developed into a blaring brightness. Then as if it could no longer stand the pain, it gave up and fell into obscurity.
No longer can I see the "whites of their eyes", nor the vibrant vivacious images I once adored. Obfuscated, they no longer bear their former glory. So much for fun. Better days have reached their twilight, never more to sparkle as the sun.
