Midnight Run

Arjun went to bed early. Having had a full day, he refused to default to the mindless entertainment of a TV show. He was growing tired of his simple routines and shrugged at the thought of reading; it seemed better to simply close his eyes and drift off.

Though he rarely slept well, he soon found himself dreaming of places and people, unable to grasp the meaning of his lucid visions. No sooner had he fallen asleep than his eyes snapped open. Feeling fully rested and energized, he leaped out of bed and headed to the kitchen for his routine breakfast. Outside, a full moon hung bright in a translucent sky, its light spreading fingers across the horizon like an approaching sunrise. He assumed it was 5:00 or 6:00 AM.

But as he glanced outside, he sensed something he couldn't quite name. A creature inside him tugged at his core, trying to offer a different perspective on time. He reached for his phone and realized it wasn't even midnight yet; it was 11:30 PM. He had slept for only three hours, yet he was wide awake. Taking in the sparse, furniture-less state of his apartment, he decided to go for a midnight run.

He ate half an orange, drank a little water, and pulled on his gear: running shoes, warm socks, layers of sweats, a T-shirt, a long-sleeved sweater, a winter hat, and heavy gloves. The air outside smelled of burnt wood and decaying matter—a scent he found strangely pleasant. As he headed north toward the park, he absorbed the simple shapes and forms of the night. These outdoor elements sharpened his focus, granting him intense energy and purpose. Without these often-overlooked details, there would be little reason to run; they intensified the experience for him, much like the intricacies of a serious relationship.

As he circled a familiar park bordering a cemetery, the sound of distant, heated voices reached him. He couldn't make out the argument, so he slowed his pace. In the dim moonlight, he struggled to discern their faces, catching only the silhouette of one figure. He considered stopping to intervene, but his "little friend" within advised him to keep moving. He ran much further than he had expected. When he finally returned to his apartment, he sat outside, staring up at the moon. “It’s nice, isn’t it?” his friend asked. Arjun smiled, but said nothing.