Mundane Act

As I stepped down from the final step of the stairwell leading to the basement a heavy cloak of darkness was draped over me. The realization that this is where I would spend the next two hours of my life brought a terrible sinking feeling along with it. The intense heat suffocated me for an instant almost sending me into a panic. My eyes were locked on two white rectangular objects on the far wall of the room. I walked over to them and unloaded the contents of the basket I had been carrying into one of them. As the blur of colors fell into the rectangular machine a smell of tangy sweat stung my nose. I repulsed slightly at the pungent odor and quickly started the machine.  I took a step back and sat in a chair that faced the white rectangles as if a job interview was about to begin. When the blank machine began to vibrate in a low hum a completely different mood slowly creped upon me.  As I sat there listening to the reverberating vibrations bellowing throughout the room I couldn’t help but find myself becoming increasingly more relaxed, despite the unfamiliar environment I had just entered. My mind slowly began to drift further away as the tides of consciousness receded with every warm vibration that entered my ears. I soon was imagining myself on beaches and in fields of green grasses and then Christmas with my family smiling around a fire. I could almost feel the loving lick of my dog’s tongue on my cheek as she greeted me at the door. Suddenly my body jerked as consciousness returned in a tidal wave. The white rectangular machine began buzzing loudly as if it had grown jealous of my relaxation as it toiled away. I got up, not realizing that almost an hours time has elapsed, and put an end to the annoying sound. Almost immediately the discomforting silence returned to me. I removed the rainbow of wet clothing from the first machine and placed it into the second. I sat down again and waited for the journeys to begin.