It's 10:30 in the MorningBy Mike Krath
He entered a nondescript room for an appointment with a doctor. There wasn't a doctor. There wasn't a nurse. There was a chair, a scalpel, an air-conditioner, and a window from which he could see a park across the street where children played and a young couple held hands. It was 10:30 in the morning. He didn't know this. There wasn't a clock in the room. He didn't wear a watch. But the chair in the room whispered it.
"What time is it?" he asked the chair.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," the chair said.
"Thank you," he said.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," the chair said.
"You've already said that."
"It's 10:30 in the morning."
"I know that."
"It's 10:30 in the morning."
"Stop it."
"It's 10:30 in the morning."
"Cease immediately."
"It's 10:30 in the morning.
"Stop, foul beast. See this scalpel? See how sharp it is? I'll stab you with it if you don't keep quiet."
"It's 10:30 in the morning."
The man stabbed the chair. The doctor walked in.
"What are you doing to my chair?" he said.
"See this scalpel? See how sharp it is?"
"What time is it?" asked the doctor.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the man.
"I'm talking to the chair."
The chair didn't speak.
"What time is it?" asked the doctor.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the man.
"I'm not talking to you."
The nurse walked in. She had a surprised look on her face. What were the doctor and the man doing? Didn't they know what time it was?
"It's 10:30 in the morning," the chair said.
The man stabbed the chair.
"Stop doing that to my chair," the doctor said.
"Do you wish to examine your patient now?" the nurse asked.
"What time is it?" said the doctor.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the nurse.
"I already know that," said the doctor.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the chair.
The man stabbed the chair.
"Stop doing that to my chair," said the doctor.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the nurse.
"I'm not talking to you," said the doctor.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the man.
"Thank you," the doctor said.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," the man said.
"You've already said that."
"It's 10:30 in the morning."
"I know that."
"It's 10:30 in the morning."
"Stop it."
"It's 10:30 in the morning."
"Cease immediately."
"It's 10:30 in the morning.
"Stop, foul beast. See this scalpel? See how sharp it is? I'll stab you with it if you don't keep quiet."
"It's 10:30 in the morning."
The doctor stabbed the patient. The nurse looked on. She held the chair. The patient gasped for breath.
"Save me!" he cried to the chair.
The chair refused.
"I'm sorry for stabbing you."
The chair didn't answer.
"Please, I beg of you. The doctor is killing me."
The chair felt sorry for the patient, but its stab wounds went deep. The nurse comforted the chair.
"There," she said.
"Gurgle," the man said and died.
The nurse released the chair. She went to the window. There was a park across the street. She wondered what time it was.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," the dead man said.
The doctor stabbed the dead man.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," the chair said.
The doctor stabbed the chair.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," the nurse said.
The doctor stabbed the nurse. She gasped for breath.
"Save me!" she cried to the chair.
The chair refused.
"I comforted you."
The chair didn't answer.
"Please, I beg of you. The doctor is killing me."
The chair felt sorry for the nurse, but her comfort didn't go deep enough.
"Gurgle," said the nurse and died.
The doctor dropped the scalpel. He had blood on his hands. He had blood on his clothes. He looked outside. It was a beautiful day. There were children playing the park, a young couple holding hands. He wondered what time it was.
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the chair.
"I know that."
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the dead man.
"Stop it."
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the dead nurse.
"Cease immediately."
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the children playing in the park and the young couple holding hands.
"Stop, foul beasts. See this scalpel? See how sharp it is? I'll stab you with it if you don't keep quiet."
"It's 10:30 in the morning," said the chair.
The doctor stabbed the chair. The chair wrestled the scalpel from the doctor's hand and stabbed the doctor back. The doctor gasped for breath.
"Save me," he cried to the air-conditioner.
The air-conditioner was angry. It wanted to face the park.
"Please, I beg of you, the chair is killing me."
The air-conditioner remained cold.
"Gurgle," the doctor said and died.
The chair wept. "It's 10:30 in the morning," it said.
The air-conditioner hummed.