“Cocoon”
Sep 25, 2019He lies in his girlfriend’s bed. She’s been out of town for what feels like months. He cocoons himself under countless blankets. They are soft and remind him of her touching him. He wraps the blankets tight around himself, making sure he is protected all around. Nothing will get through unexpectedly. His feet are tucked in, legs, arms, all tucked in. He’s curled in a fetal position, head on soft pillows, blankets wrapped around his head save for a small opening around his face so he can come up for air. He is warm and feels protected from the cruel world outside of his shelter. It is cold and grey and lonely.
He takes a deep breath of the crisp air and pulls the blankets over his face, closing the gap between himself and the outside world. It is safe in his cocoon. It is warm and dark and he can pretend he is anywhere. No light, no sounds from the outside world penetrate these defenses.
When he was a child, he would create his fortresses and only his stuffed animals were allowed in. Parents and your lack of imaginations, keep out. This was a haven from snowstorms and wars. Some nights, the blizzard outside of their cocoon would be so intense that the wind could be heard coming from his mouth, and he would huddle closely with his animals, and they would keep each other warm and protect each other from freezing. Other nights, the tanks could be heard passing overhead, and the weight of the foot soldiers could be felt with every shake of the earth. He would gesture silently to his animals that they must all remain silent, that he knew how scared they were, but the army would pass through the lands and they would be able to go outside safely again.
He is a grown man now. His stuffed animals have all disappeared long ago. He has no one to keep him safe anymore. He doesn’t know when his girlfriend will be back. So he holds himself and wraps blankets tighter and keeps himself warm. Each breath warms his cocoon more and more. Each breath taints his air more and more, and his imagination keeps him safer and safer from the outside world. He doesn’t need to leave. The world will survive and go on without noticing he wasn’t there. The snowstorms and wars will carry on, and he’ll remain warm and comfortable and safe.