Switch off light.
Wait.
Switch on light.
Switch off light.
Switch on light.
Switch off light
Three.
Switch on light.
Switch off light
Four.
Switch on light.
Switch off light.
Switch on light.
Switch off light.
Five.
Wait.
Switch on light.
Look to the desk.
Arrange books in alphabetical order.
Just right.
Count books.
12?
No.
There should be 7 in each like.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Arrange books in alphabetical order
1,2,3,4,5...
I need two more books.
Take two books from bookshelf.
6,7
Arrange in alphabetical order.
Look around room.
Perfect.
Hands are itchy.
Look at hands.
Must be dust from the books.
Run to bathroom.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Um. Not clean yet.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Dust's not washed off.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Dry with towel.
No!
Wrong towel.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Looks at hands.
Red. Must be the towel. Germs.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Dry with kitchen tissue.
Close room door with kitchen tissue.
Place kitchen tissue under cushion.
Dark outside.
Mums telling me I should be asleep.
Close one side of curtain.
Close other side.
Wait. 7 times? That was once.
Open curtains.
Close curtains.
3,4,5,6
Close curtains, 7.
Look around room. Look at hands.
Sit down on bed.
Wait.
Check no light shines through the curtains.
Check under bed. Nothing under there.
Check in wardrobe. No one there.
Look around room.
Hands. They touched the floor.
Rush to the bathroom.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Soap.
Wash hands.
Rush upstairs.
Dry with kitchen towel under cushion.
Look around room. Perfect.
Stand next to light switch.
Close light.
Switch on light.
Switch off light.
Switch on light.
I'm so tired.
Eyes hurt.
Switch off light.
Switch on light.
Switch off light.
Walk to bed.
Lie in bed.
Sigh.
Close eyes.
Ritual over.
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@GroundB
Instagrammer and Fiction-Writer.
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Comments & Feedback (4)
@milkeyedmender Thanks for reading! It's written from my own perspective, so I guess it is pretty shocking/sad. I suffered from OCD, so writing about it was pretty straightforward and emotional actually... π All the rituals in the story are all true, sadly. π
@GroundB Ah, I certainly hope that you're better now and that writing releases that inner suffering you once had. You are a brave soldier, keep it up(:
@milkeyedmender Yep, I have overcome the major aspects of it! It does release inner suffering indeed! Ah, thank you, what a lovely thing to say!! π
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