Sleep - A short story

By JK NEVE

Ava can't sleep. If I want to stay alive, neither should I. (A Short Story)

• Language: English
• Publisher: JK NEVE
• Release date: Feb 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393083283

Book preview

I struggled to fall asleep last night, Ava says as she chops another carrot. The rhythmic sound of her food prep has become a soothing comfort, a reflection of our easy relationship. I take a while to answer, scrolling down my Facebook timeline as if it's a document I am required to skim read and be tested on.

I finally look up from my laptop and inject as much sympathy into my response as is warranted by twelve months of sleeping together. Really? Why?

I don't know, I just couldn't drift off. My mind was racing, I started getting hot and sweaty, it was really annoying.

She doesn't look at me as she says this, instead uses harder chops of the knife to accentuate 'really' and 'annoying'.

Hot and sweaty? Now you're talking. Next time wake me up and I'll be hot and sweaty with you. I'm back on Facebook and give myself a little congratulatory laugh for my brilliant wit.

It takes a good few seconds before I'm aware the chopping has stopped. She's glaring at me in a way that suggests I close the laptop.

What were you thinking about? I offer.

Nothing important, the usual things I always think about…work, money, life.

It's a straight-ish answer, but I can't shake the feeling she's being evasive. Maybe the way she broke eye contact, or maybe that I know for a fact she never thinks about any of those things. I know I should say something, something useful,